DIFERENŢELE FIZIOLOGICE BAZATE PE SEX ÎN STRUCTURA ŞI FUNCŢIA SISTEMULUI LIMBIC: IMPACT ASUPRA COGNIŢIEI ŞI PSIHO-COMPORTAMENTULUI

Abstract

Introducere. Sistemul limbic, reţea neuronală implicată în emoţii, memorie şi comportament, prezintă diferenţe structurale şi funcţionale semnificative între sexe, influenţând modul în care bărbaţii şi femeile percep, procesează şi reacţionează la stimuli, cu impact asupra sănătăţii mintale şi intervenţiilor terapeutice. Scop. Analiza diferenţelor fiziologice bazate pe sex în sistemul limbic şi evaluarea influenţei lor asupra proceselor cognitive, emoţionale şi comportamentale, cu relevanţă clinică şi psihosocială. Material şi metode. Această sinteză a literaturii de specialitate a fost realizată pe baza articolelor ştiinţifice publicate între 2000 şi 2024, selectate din baze de date academice precum PubMed, ScienceDirect, Hinari, MedScape şi Google Scholar, utilizând drept

Introduction. The limbic system, a neural network involved in emotion, memory, and behavior, exhibits significant structural and functional differences between sexes, that shape how men and women perceive, process, and respond to emotional stimuli, with direct implications for mental health and therapeutic strategies. Objective. To analyze the sex-based physiological differences in the limbic system and assess their impact on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes, including clinical and psychosocial relevance. Material and methods. This literature review was carried out by analyzing scientific articles published between 2000 and 2024, selected from reputable academic databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Hinari, MedScape, and Google Scholar, using the following keywords: “limbic system,” “sex differences,” “emotional processing,” and “neuroanatomy” Results. Studies show sexual dimorphism in the limbic system: the right amygdala is larger, reactive in men (“fight or flight” responses), the left amygdala dominates in women, processing emotions. The right hippocampus is more developed in men (spatial memory), the left in women (verbal and emotional memory). The anterior cingulate cortex is more active in women (emotional control), the posterior one in men (visuospatial focus). Women show dominant interhemispheric connectivity, while men -intrahemispheric, limiting emotional-linguistic integration. Testosterone boosts competitiveness, estrogens and oxytocin support bonding and social sensitivity. Conclusion. Sex-based physiological differences in the limbic system affect behavior, cognition, and susceptibility to both psychiatric and somatic disorders. Understanding them enables the development of individualized therapeutic approaches and ongoing research into biological neurodiversity of the sexes.