This content is in French.
Male brain, female brain: invisible differences that may impact our mental health
23 avril 2026
By Elodie Vaz | Published on April 23, 2026 | 3 min readPsychiatric and neurological disorders—from ADHD to schizophrenia, including depression and Alzheimer’s disease—show marked differences depending on biological sex. Men and women, defined respectively by XY and XX chromosomes, are not equal in the face of these conditions, whether in terms of prevalence, age of onset, or progression. While th
By Elodie Vaz | Published on April 23,
2026 | 3 min read
Psychiatric and neurological disorders—from ADHD to schizophrenia, including depression and Alzheimer’s disease—show marked differences depending on biological sex. Men and women, defined respectively by XY and XX chromosomes, are not equal in the face of these conditions, whether in terms of prevalence, age of onset, or progression. While these disparities are often attributed to a mix of biological and social factors, their consistency across cultures and their emergence at key developmental stages suggest a deeper biological basis, possibly linked to gene expression in the brain.
In this context, Alex DeCasien’s team sought to determine whether sex-related differences exist at the level of brain gene transcription in a study published in Science on April 16. The central hypothesis is that subtle but systematic variations in gene expression may help explain differences in vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders between men and women.
Psychiatric and neurological disorders—from ADHD to schizophrenia, including depression and Alzheimer’s disease—show marked differences depending on biological sex. Men and women, defined respectively by XY and XX chromosomes, are not equal in the face of these conditions, whether in terms of prevalence, age of onset, or progression. While these disparities are often attributed to a mix of biological and social factors, their consistency across cultures and their emergence at key developmental stages suggest a deeper biological basis, possibly linked to gene expression in the brain.
In this context, Alex DeCasien’s team sought to determine whether sex-related differences exist at the level of brain gene transcription in a study published in Science on April 16. The central hypothesis is that subtle but systematic variations in gene expression may help explain differences in vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders between men and women.
Sign in to read the rest
Reserved for healthcare professionals, free registration.
Scientific reference
DeCasien A, et al. Sex differences in gene expression in the human brain. Science [Internet]. 2026 Apr 16 [cited 2026 Apr 17]
View the source
