Yale Researcher Stuck On "Men Are Stupid" Meme
Barbara Ehrlich, a researcher at the Yale School of Medicine, is making the journalistic rounds trumpeting her team's findings that elevated testosterone levels kill brain cells -- in other words, high levels of testosterone make you stupid.
"Next time a muscle-bound guy in a sports car cuts you off on the highway, don't get mad, just take a deep breath and realize that it might not be his fault," said Ehrlich.
Great. Just what we love in our scientific researchers -- verifiable bias. Is she pissed that men are stronger than women ("muscle-bound guy"), frustrated with the typical wage disparity between men and women ("in a sports car"), frightened of natural male aggression ("cuts you off on the highway"), or all three? That would explain her condescending statement: "don't get mad, just take a deep breath and realize that it might not be his fault."
*rolls eyes*
Whatever, lady. Tell it to your shrink.
Funny about her conclusions, though, as I just read this back in January: "Behavioral neuroscientist Jeri Janowsky of the Oregon Health and Science University observes, in a study to be published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, "Testosterone's role as a cognitive modulator is complex . . .(but) it could be particularly important for maintaining cognition in aging."
Hmmm, and the part where Ehrlich states that elevated testosterone levels can lead to Alzheimer like conditions?
"Other studies suggest that lower testosterone levels are linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease, possibly because less testosterone allows higher deposits of beta amyloid protein, Alzheimer's molecular hallmark. In some cases testosterone supplements for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's seems to help their memory . . . "
And then there's this: Declining testosterone increases mortality risk.
Gee whiz, honey -- hand me the testosterone cream before I forget I'm about to die!
But what about Ehrlich's findings that testosterone supplementation is baaaaaaaaad? Apparently, research conclusions are like assholes (everybody's got one, yada yada yada) . . . but at least Ehrlich's asshole has Yale stamped all over it. That's gotta count for something.
But really, and honestly, the big question I want to ask Ms. Ehrlich is this: "If it's elevated levels of testosterone that supposedly lead to an increased risk of brain dysfunction, what the hell is YOUR excuse for leaving the house looking like this?!"
'Nuff said.