Louann Brizendine


Louann Brizendine, M.D., is an American scientist, a neuropsychiatrist who is both a researcher and a clinician and professor at the University of California, San Francisco. She is the author of two books: The Female Brain, and The Male Brain.

Research and career

Brizendine's research concerns women's moods and hormones. She graduated in neurobiology from UC Berkeley, attended Yale School of Medicine, and completed a residency in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and is an endowed clinical professor. She joined the faculty of UCSF Medical Center at the Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute in 1988, and now holds the Lynne and Marc Benioff-endowed chair of psychiatry. At UCSF, Brizendine carries out clinical, teaching, writing, and research activities.
In 1994, Brizendine founded the UCSF Women's Mood and Hormone Clinic, and continues to serve as its director.
Brizendine also teaches courses to medical students, residents, and other physicians throughout the country, on the neurobiology of hormones, mood disorders, anxiety problems, and changes in sexual interest due to hormones.

Bestselling author status

Brizendine's book The Female Brain was reviewed both positively and negatively, especially one piece of content pertaining to linguistics and language. She later acknowledged that this book overemphasized gender-based differences, saying: "Males and females are more alike than they're different. After all, we are the same species".
The Female Brain was loosely adapted as a romantic comedy movie of the same name in 2017. Brizendine served as the inspiration for the film's main character.
She has also written The Male Brain and admitted that her books emphasize the differences between men and women, which has led to her "best-selling" success.

Education

Brizendine did her undergraduate work from 1972–76 at UC Berkeley, where she received a bachelor of arts in neurobiology. She studied for her MD from 1976–81 at the Yale School of Medicine. She subsequently did a residency in psychiatry, MMHC, from 1982–85 at the Harvard Medical School.

Faculty appointments

From 1985–88, Brizendine was on the faculty at Harvard, and from 1988 onwards at UC San Francisco.

Publications

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