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Wang S, Wang Y, Xu FH, Shen L, Zhao Y. Establishing group-level brain structural connectivity incorporating anatomical knowledge under latent space modeling. Med Image Anal 2024; 99:103309. [PMID: 39243600 DOI: 10.1016/j.media.2024.103309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Brain structural connectivity, capturing the white matter fiber tracts among brain regions inferred by diffusion MRI (dMRI), provides a unique characterization of brain anatomical organization. One fundamental question to address with structural connectivity is how to properly summarize and perform statistical inference for a group-level connectivity architecture, for instance, under different sex groups, or disease cohorts. Existing analyses commonly summarize group-level brain connectivity by a simple entry-wise sample mean or median across individual brain connectivity matrices. However, such a heuristic approach fully ignores the associations among structural connections and the topological properties of brain networks. In this project, we propose a latent space-based generative network model to estimate group-level brain connectivity. Within our modeling framework, we incorporate the anatomical information of brain regions as the attributes of nodes to enhance the plausibility of our estimation and improve biological interpretation. We name our method the attributes-informed brain connectivity (ABC) model, which compared with existing group-level connectivity estimations, (1) offers an interpretable latent space representation of the group-level connectivity, (2) incorporates the anatomical knowledge of nodes and tests its co-varying relationship with connectivity and (3) quantifies the uncertainty and evaluates the likelihood of the estimated group-level effects against chance. We devise a novel Bayesian MCMC algorithm to estimate the model. We evaluate the performance of our model through extensive simulations. By applying the ABC model to study brain structural connectivity stratified by sex among Alzheimer's Disease (AD) subjects and healthy controls incorporating the anatomical attributes (volume, thickness and area) on nodes, our method shows superior predictive power on out-of-sample structural connectivity and identifies meaningful sex-specific network neuromarkers for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selena Wang
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Indiana University School of Medicine, United States of America.
| | - Yiting Wang
- Department of Statistics, Virginia University, United States of America
| | - Frederick H Xu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Li Shen
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Yize Zhao
- Department of Biostatistics, Yale Univeristy, United States of America
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2
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Hamidovic A, Cho S, Smadi S, Davis J. Visuospatial Function in Women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. J Clin Med 2024; 13:2004. [PMID: 38610770 PMCID: PMC11012488 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13072004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is an understudied psychiatric condition affecting reproductive-age women who experience negative mood in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Cognitive functions in PMDD are not well understood as patients have been tested in the luteal phase. This may confound study results due to noted emotional interferences, as well as the potential opposing effects of the sex hormones estradiol and progesterone. In the present study, we evaluated visuospatial function in the follicular phase in women with PMDD and healthy controls, and further examined the effect of estradiol as research into the hormonal mediation of visuospatial function in reproductive-age women has produced mixed results. Methods: To this end, we analyzed estradiol concentrations using the gold standard mass spectrometry. Serum samples were collected in the early follicular and mid/late follicular subphases when estradiol is low and high, respectively, while progesterone is low and steady. We assessed visuospatial function using the classic mental rotation task. Results: Women with PMDD had a higher mental rotation total score (t = 2.17; p < 0.05). The addition of six demographic, biological, and anthropomorphic variables in a hierarchical fashion accounted for 45.3% of the total variance in the final model with diagnosis remaining statistically significant (t = 4.36; p < 0.001). Estradiol did not mediate the group difference and was not significantly associated with visuospatial function. Conclusions: The present results provide support for new research directions into the potential biological mechanisms that underlie the pathophysiology of PMDD, represented as enhanced visuospatial ability in women with PMDD in the follicular phase. We review the theory that PMDD is a disorder of the enhanced excitation-to-inhibition ratio, with a focus on findings to date from brain imaging research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajna Hamidovic
- College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
| | - Soojeong Cho
- College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA;
| | - Shahd Smadi
- College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (S.S.); (J.D.)
| | - John Davis
- College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA; (S.S.); (J.D.)
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3
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Gazit N, Ben-Gal G, Eliashar R. Development and validation of an objective virtual reality tool for assessing technical aptitude among potential candidates for surgical training. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 24:286. [PMID: 38486166 PMCID: PMC10941473 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-05228-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Good technical skills are crucial for surgeons. Yet although surgical training programs strive to assess technical aptitude when selecting surgical residents, valid assessments of such aptitude are still lacking. Surgical simulators have been proposed as a potentially effective tool for this purpose. The current study aims to develop a technical aptitude test using a virtual reality surgical simulator, and to validate its use for the selection of surgical residents. METHODS The study had three phases. In Phase 1, we developed an initial version of the technical aptitude test using the Lap-X-VR laparoscopic simulator. In Phases 2 and 3 we refined the test and collected empirical data to evaluate four main sources of validity evidence (content, response process, internal structure, and relationships with other variables), and to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the test. Specifically, Phase 2 comprised a review of the test by 30 senior surgeons, and in Phase 3 a revised version of the test was administered to 152 interns to determine its psychometric properties. RESULTS Both the surgeons and interns rated the test as highly relevant for selecting surgical residents. Analyses of the data obtained from the trial administration of the test supported the appropriateness of the score calculation process and showed good psychometric properties, including reliability (α = 0.83) and task discrimination (mean discrimination = 0.5, SD = 0.1). The correlations between test scores and background variables revealed significant correlations with gender, surgical simulator experience, and video game experience (ps < 0.001). These variables, however, explained together only 10% of the variance in test scores. CONCLUSIONS We describe the systematic development of an innovative virtual reality test for assessing technical aptitude in candidates for surgical training, and present evidence for its validity, feasibility and acceptability. Further validation is required to support the application of the test for selection, as well as to discern the impact of gender, surgical simulator experience, and video game experience on the fairness of test results. However, the test appears to be a promising tool that may help training programs assess the suitability of candidates for surgical training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Gazit
- Department of Prosthodontics, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
- Department of Otolaryngology/HNS, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Gilad Ben-Gal
- Department of Prosthodontics, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ron Eliashar
- Department of Otolaryngology/HNS, Hadassah Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Yuan XF, Ji YQ, Zhang TX, Xiang HB, Ye ZY, Ye Q. Effects of Exercise Habits and Gender on Sports e-Learning Behavior: Evidence from an Eye-Tracking Study. Psychol Res Behav Manag 2024; 17:813-826. [PMID: 38434961 PMCID: PMC10909329 DOI: 10.2147/prbm.s442863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background/Objective In the post-epidemic era, an increasing number of individuals were accustomed to learning sports and physical activity knowledge online for fitness and health demands. However, most previous studies have examined the influence of e-learning materials and resources on learners and have neglected intrinsic factors such as experience and physiological characteristics. Therefore, we conducted a study to investigate the effect of exercise habits and gender on sports e-learning behavior via eye-tracking technology. Methods We recruited a sample of 60 undergraduate students (mean age = 19.6) from a university in Nanjing, China. They were randomly assigned into 4 groups based on 2 genders × 2 exercise habits. Their gaze behavior was collected by an eye-tracking device during the experiment. The cognitive Load Test and Learning Effect Test were conducted at the end of the individual experiment. Results (1) Compared to the non-exercise habit group, the exercise habit group had a higher fixation count (P<0.05), a shorter average fixation duration (P<0.05), a smaller average pupil diameter (P<0.05), and a lower subjective cognitive load (P<0.05) and better learning outcome (P<0.05). (2) Male participants showed a greater tendency to process information from the video area of interest (AOIs), and had lower subjective cognitive load (P < 0.05) and better learning outcomes (P < 0.05). (3) There was no interaction effect between exercise habits and gender for any of the indicators (P > 0.05). Conclusion Our results indicate that exercise habits effectively enhance sports e-learning outcomes and reduce cognitive load. The exercise habits group showed significant improvements in fixation counts, average fixation duration, and average pupil diameter. Furthermore, male subjects exhibited superior learning outcomes, experienced lower cognitive load, and demonstrated greater attentiveness to dynamic visual information. These conclusions are expected to improve sports e-learning success and address educational inequality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu-Fu Yuan
- School of Sports Training, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu-Qin Ji
- School of Sport and Human Science, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China
| | - Teng-Xiao Zhang
- School of Physical Education and Humanities, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hong-Bin Xiang
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Zhuo-Yan Ye
- Nanjing Foreign Language School Xianlin Campus, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiang Ye
- School of Physical Education and Humanities, Nanjing Sport Institute, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China
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Pantaleo MM, Arcuri G, Manfredi M, Proverbio AM. Music literacy improves reading skills via bilateral orthographic development. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3506. [PMID: 38347056 PMCID: PMC10861541 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54204-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Considerable evidence suggests that musical education induces structural and functional neuroplasticity in the brain. This study aimed to explore the potential impact of such changes on word-reading proficiency. We investigated whether musical training promotes the development of uncharted orthographic regions in the right hemisphere leading to better reading abilities. A total of 60 healthy, right-handed culturally matched professional musicians and controls took part in this research. They were categorised as normo-typical readers based on their reading speed (syl/sec) and subdivided into two groups of relatively good and poor readers. High density EEG/ERPs were recorded while participants engaged in a note or letter detection task. Musicians were more fluent in word, non-word and text reading tests, and faster in detecting both notes and words. They also exhibited greater N170 and P300 responses, and target-non target differences for words than controls. Similarly, good readers showed larger N170 and P300 responses than poor readers. Increased reading skills were associated to a bilateral activation of the occipito/temporal cortex, during music and word reading. Source reconstruction also showed a reduced activation of the left fusiform gyrus, and of areas devoted to attentional/ocular shifting in poor vs. good readers, and in controls vs. musicians. Data suggest that music literacy acquired early in time can shape reading circuits by promoting the specialization of a right-sided reading area, whose activity was here associated with enhanced reading proficiency. In conclusion, music literacy induces measurable neuroplastic changes in the left and right OT cortex responsible for improved word reading ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Maria Pantaleo
- Cognitive Electrophysiology Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza Dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20162, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Arcuri
- Cognitive Electrophysiology Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza Dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20162, Milan, Italy
| | - Mirella Manfredi
- Psychologisches Institut, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alice Mado Proverbio
- Cognitive Electrophysiology Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza Dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20162, Milan, Italy.
- Milan Center for Neuroscience, NeuroMI, Milan, Italy.
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6
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Anand DV, Chung MK. Hodge Laplacian of Brain Networks. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MEDICAL IMAGING 2023; 42:1563-1573. [PMID: 37018280 PMCID: PMC10909176 DOI: 10.1109/tmi.2022.3233876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The closed loops or cycles in a brain network embeds higher order signal transmission paths, which provide fundamental insights into the functioning of the brain. In this work, we propose an efficient algorithm for systematic identification and modeling of cycles using persistent homology and the Hodge Laplacian. Various statistical inference procedures on cycles are developed. We validate the our methods on simulations and apply to brain networks obtained through the resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The computer codes for the Hodge Laplacian are given in https://github.com/laplcebeltrami/hodge.
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Das S, Anand DV, Chung MK. Topological data analysis of human brain networks through order statistics. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0276419. [PMID: 36913351 PMCID: PMC10010566 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the common topological characteristics of the human brain network across a population is central to understanding brain functions. The abstraction of human connectome as a graph has been pivotal in gaining insights on the topological properties of the brain network. The development of group-level statistical inference procedures in brain graphs while accounting for the heterogeneity and randomness still remains a difficult task. In this study, we develop a robust statistical framework based on persistent homology using the order statistics for analyzing brain networks. The use of order statistics greatly simplifies the computation of the persistent barcodes. We validate the proposed methods using comprehensive simulation studies and subsequently apply to the resting-state functional magnetic resonance images. We found a statistically significant topological difference between the male and female brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumya Das
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - D. Vijay Anand
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
| | - Moo K. Chung
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States of America
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8
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Helman TJ, Headrick JP, Stapelberg NJC, Braidy N. The sex-dependent response to psychosocial stress and ischaemic heart disease. Front Cardiovasc Med 2023; 10:1072042. [PMID: 37153459 PMCID: PMC10160413 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2023.1072042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is an important risk factor for modern chronic diseases, with distinct influences in males and females. The sex specificity of the mammalian stress response contributes to the sex-dependent development and impacts of coronary artery disease (CAD). Compared to men, women appear to have greater susceptibility to chronic forms of psychosocial stress, extending beyond an increased incidence of mood disorders to include a 2- to 4-fold higher risk of stress-dependent myocardial infarction in women, and up to 10-fold higher risk of Takotsubo syndrome-a stress-dependent coronary-myocardial disorder most prevalent in post-menopausal women. Sex differences arise at all levels of the stress response: from initial perception of stress to behavioural, cognitive, and affective responses and longer-term disease outcomes. These fundamental differences involve interactions between chromosomal and gonadal determinants, (mal)adaptive epigenetic modulation across the lifespan (particularly in early life), and the extrinsic influences of socio-cultural, economic, and environmental factors. Pre-clinical investigations of biological mechanisms support distinct early life programming and a heightened corticolimbic-noradrenaline-neuroinflammatory reactivity in females vs. males, among implicated determinants of the chronic stress response. Unravelling the intrinsic molecular, cellular and systems biological basis of these differences, and their interactions with external lifestyle/socio-cultural determinants, can guide preventative and therapeutic strategies to better target coronary heart disease in a tailored sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa J. Helman
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, Australia
- Correspondence: Tessa J. Helman
| | - John P. Headrick
- Schoolof Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Nady Braidy
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, NSW, Sydney, Australia
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9
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Daprati E, Nico D. Vulnerability factors and neuropsychiatric disorders: What could be learned from individual variability in cognitive functions. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1019030. [PMID: 36619098 PMCID: PMC9815448 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1019030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Daprati
- Dipartimento di Medicina dei Sistemi and CBMS, Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy,*Correspondence: Elena Daprati ✉
| | - Daniele Nico
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università di Roma La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
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10
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Sex differences in cognitive processing: An integrative review of electrophysiological findings. Biol Psychol 2022; 172:108370. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2022.108370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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Hassanzadeh R, Silva RF, Abrol A, Salman M, Bonkhoff A, Du Y, Fu Z, DeRamus T, Damaraju E, Baker B, Calhoun VD. Individualized spatial network predictions using Siamese convolutional neural networks: A resting-state fMRI study of over 11,000 unaffected individuals. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0249502. [PMID: 35061657 PMCID: PMC8782493 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals can be characterized in a population according to their brain measurements and activity, given the inter-subject variability in brain anatomy, structure-function relationships, or life experience. Many neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the potential of functional network connectivity patterns estimated from resting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to discriminate groups and predict information about individual subjects. However, the predictive signal present in the spatial heterogeneity of brain connectivity networks is yet to be extensively studied. In this study, we investigate, for the first time, the use of pairwise-relationships between resting-state independent spatial maps to characterize individuals. To do this, we develop a deep Siamese framework comprising three-dimensional convolution neural networks for contrastive learning based on individual-level spatial maps estimated via a fully automated fMRI independent component analysis approach. The proposed framework evaluates whether pairs of spatial networks (e.g., visual network and auditory network) are capable of subject identification and assesses the spatial variability in different network pairs' predictive power in an extensive whole-brain analysis. Our analysis on nearly 12,000 unaffected individuals from the UK Biobank study demonstrates that the proposed approach can discriminate subjects with an accuracy of up to 88% for a single network pair on the test set (best model, after several runs), and 82% average accuracy at the subcortical domain level, notably the highest average domain level accuracy attained. Further investigation of our network's learned features revealed a higher spatial variability in predictive accuracy among younger brains and significantly higher discriminative power among males. In sum, the relationship among spatial networks appears to be both informative and discriminative of individuals and should be studied further as putative brain-based biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reihaneh Hassanzadeh
- Department of Computer Science, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Rogers F. Silva
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Anees Abrol
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Mustafa Salman
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- School of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Anna Bonkhoff
- J. Philip Kistler Stroke Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States of America
| | - Yuhui Du
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Zening Fu
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Thomas DeRamus
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Eswar Damaraju
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Bradley Baker
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- School of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Vince D. Calhoun
- Department of Computer Science, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- Tri-Institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
- School of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
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12
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Keresztes L, Szögi E, Varga B, Grolmusz V. Identifying super-feminine, super-masculine and sex-defining connections in the human braingraph. Cogn Neurodyn 2021; 15:949-959. [PMID: 34786030 PMCID: PMC8572280 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-021-09687-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
For more than a decade now, we can discover and study thousands of cerebral connections with the application of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) techniques and the accompanying algorithmic workflow. While numerous connectomical results were published enlightening the relation between the braingraph and certain biological, medical, and psychological properties, it is still a great challenge to identify a small number of brain connections closely related to those conditions. In the present contribution, by applying the 1200 Subjects Release of the Human Connectome Project (HCP) and Support Vector Machines, we identify just 102 connections out of the total number of 1950 connections in the 83-vertex graphs of 1064 subjects, which-by a simple linear test-precisely, without any error determine the sex of the subject. Next, we re-scaled the weights of the edges-corresponding to the discovered fibers-to be between 0 and 1, and, very surprisingly, we were able to identify two graph edges out of these 102, such that, if their weights are both 1, then the connectome always belongs to a female subject, independently of the other edges. Similarly, we have identified 3 edges from these 102, whose weights, if two of them are 1 and one is 0, imply that the graph belongs to a male subject-again, independently of the other edges. We call the former 2 edges superfeminine and the first two of the 3 edges supermasculine edges of the human connectome. Even more interestingly, the edge, connecting the right Pars Triangularis and the right Superior Parietal areas, is one of the 2 superfeminine edges, and it is also the third edge, accompanying the two supermasculine connections if its weight is 0; therefore, it is also a "switching" edge. Identifying such edge-sets of distinction is the unprecedented result of this work. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11571-021-09687-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- László Keresztes
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Evelin Szögi
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Bálint Varga
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Vince Grolmusz
- PIT Bioinformatics Group, Eötvös University, H-1117 Budapest, Hungary
- Uratim Ltd., H-1118 Budapest, Hungary
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13
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Structural volume and cortical thickness differences between males and females in cognitively normal, cognitively impaired and Alzheimer's dementia population. Neurobiol Aging 2021; 106:1-11. [PMID: 34216846 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
We investigated differences due to sex in brain structural volume and cortical thickness in older cognitively normal (N=742), cognitively impaired (MCI; N=540) and Alzheimer's Dementia (AD; N=402) individuals from the ADNI and AIBL datasets (861 Males and 823 Females). General linear models were used to control the effect of relevant covariates including age, intracranial volume, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner field strength and scanner types. Significant volumetric differences due to sex were observed within different cortical and subcortical regions of the cognitively normal group. The number of significantly different regions was reduced in the MCI group, and no region remained different in the AD group. Cortical thickness was overall thinner in males than females in the cognitively normal group, and likewise, the differences due to sex were reduced in the MCI and AD groups. These findings were sustained after including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Tau and phosphorylated tau (pTau) as additional covariates.
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14
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An examination of gender differences in spatial skills and math attitudes in relation to mathematics success: A bio-psycho-social model. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2021.100963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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15
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Structural brain differences associated with extensive massively-multiplayer video gaming. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 15:364-374. [PMID: 32128717 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-020-00263-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Video gaming can be associated with inter-individual differences in brain morphology. Much of this literature has focused on non-professional/occasional gamers who barely play, on the one extreme; or Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) cases who typically play more than 5 h/day, on the other extreme. We sought to extend this literature and focus on extensive gamers, who play about 3 h/day, which is typically more than non-professional gamers, but less than IGD cases. Findings regarding this sector of gamers can inform research on risk factors or markers for IGD development, even before addiction symptoms emerge. We predicted that extensive gamers have smaller prefrontal regions that presumably reflect weaker inhibition abilities, and larger visuomotor regions that presumably reflect stronger motor skills in response to visual stimuli. We tested these assertions with a between-subject brain morphology comparison of 26 extensive League of Legends (LOL) and matched 26 non-gamers, using voxel based morphometry, deformation based morphometry, and cortical thickness and sulcus depth analyses. Findings largely supported our predictions by pointing to morphological alterations in extensive gamers in the bilateral ventromedial prefrontal cortex and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, as well is in the left superior parietal lobule. These findings suggest that extensive gamers, at least of Massive-Multiplayer battle arena games, present brain alterations that are consistent with presumed loss of control (as mediated by the prefrontal cortex), but also improved attention and visoumotor skills (as mediated by superior parietal lobule). Implications for research and practice are discussed.
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16
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Dump the "dimorphism": Comprehensive synthesis of human brain studies reveals few male-female differences beyond size. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:667-697. [PMID: 33621637 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
With the explosion of neuroimaging, differences between male and female brains have been exhaustively analyzed. Here we synthesize three decades of human MRI and postmortem data, emphasizing meta-analyses and other large studies, which collectively reveal few reliable sex/gender differences and a history of unreplicated claims. Males' brains are larger than females' from birth, stabilizing around 11 % in adults. This size difference accounts for other reproducible findings: higher white/gray matter ratio, intra- versus interhemispheric connectivity, and regional cortical and subcortical volumes in males. But when structural and lateralization differences are present independent of size, sex/gender explains only about 1% of total variance. Connectome differences and multivariate sex/gender prediction are largely based on brain size, and perform poorly across diverse populations. Task-based fMRI has especially failed to find reproducible activation differences between men and women in verbal, spatial or emotion processing due to high rates of false discovery. Overall, male/female brain differences appear trivial and population-specific. The human brain is not "sexually dimorphic."
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Gaillard A, Fehring DJ, Rossell SL. Sex differences in executive control: A systematic review of functional neuroimaging studies. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 53:2592-2611. [PMID: 33423339 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The number of studies investigating sex differences in executive functions, particularly those using human functional neuroimaging techniques, has risen dramatically in the past decade. However, the influences of sex on executive function are still underexplored and poorly characterized. To address this, we conducted a systematic literature review of functional neuroimaging studies investigating sex differences in three prominent executive control domains of cognitive set-shifting, performance monitoring, and response inhibition. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were systematically searched. Following the application of exclusion criteria, 21 studies were included, with a total of 677 females and 686 males. Ten of these studies were fMRI and PET, eight were EEG, and three were NIRS. At present, there is evidence for sex differences in the neural networks underlying all tasks of executive control included in this review suggesting males and females engage different strategies depending on task demands. There was one task exception, the 2-Back task, which showed no sex differences. Due to methodological variability and the involvement of multiple neural networks, a simple overarching statement with regard to gender differences during executive control cannot be provided. As such, we discuss limitations within the current literature and methodological considerations that should be employed in future research. Importantly, sex differences in neural mechanisms are present in the majority of tasks assessed, and thus should not be ignored in future research. PROSPERO registration information: CRD42019124772.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Gaillard
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC., Australia
| | - Daniel J Fehring
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC., Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Clayton, VIC., Australia
| | - Susan L Rossell
- Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC., Australia.,Psychiatry, St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, VIC., Australia
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18
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Geary DC, Scofield JE, Hoard MK, Nugent L. Boys' advantage on the fractions number line is mediated by visuospatial attention: Evidence for a parietal-spatial contribution to number line learning. Dev Sci 2020; 24:e13063. [PMID: 33185311 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The study tested the hypotheses that boys will have an advantage learning the fractions number line and this advantage will be mediated by spatial abilities. Fractions number line and, as a contrast, fractions arithmetic performance were assessed for 342 adolescents, as was their intelligence, working memory, and various spatial abilities. Boys showed smaller placement errors on the fractions number line (d = -0.22) and correctly solved more fractions arithmetic problems (d = 0.23) than girls. Working memory and intelligence predicted performance on both fractions measures, and a measure of visuospatial attention uniquely predicted number line performance and fully mediated the sex difference. Visuospatial working memory uniquely predicted fractions arithmetic performance and fully mediated the sex difference. The results help to clarify the nuanced relations between spatial abilities and formal mathematics learning and the sex differences that often emerge in mathematical domains that have a visuospatial component.
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19
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Folkierska-Żukowska M, Rahman Q, Marchewka A, Wypych M, Droździel D, Sokołowski A, Dragan WŁ. Male sexual orientation, gender nonconformity, and neural activity during mental rotations: an fMRI study. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18709. [PMID: 33127919 PMCID: PMC7599322 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74886-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The cross-sex shift hypothesis predicts that gay men should perform more like heterosexual women on important neurocognitive tasks on which men score higher than women, such as mental rotation. Studies also suggest sex differences exist in the neural correlates of mental rotation. However, no studies have taken sexual orientation into account or considered within-group variation attributable to recalled gender nonconformity (a developmental trait reliably associated with human nonheterosexuality). We quantified the neural correlates of mental rotation by comparing two groups of gay men, gender conforming (n = 23) and gender nonconforming (n = 23), to gender conforming heterosexual men (n = 22) and women (n = 22). We observed a sex difference between heterosexual men and women in the premotor cortex/supplementary motor cortex and left medial superior frontal gyrus. We also observed a sex difference as well as a cross-sex shift in gay men who recalled being gender nonconforming as children in the right superior frontal gyrus, right angular gyrus, right amygdala/parahippocampal gyrus, and bilaterally in the middle temporal gyrus and precuneus. Thus, cross-sex shifts may be associated with underlying developmental factors which are associated with sexual orientation (such as gender nonconformity). The results also suggest that gay men should not be studied as a homogenous group.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qazi Rahman
- Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Artur Marchewka
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marek Wypych
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dawid Droździel
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Andrzej Sokołowski
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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20
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Studholme C, Kroenke CD, Dighe M. Motion corrected MRI differentiates male and female human brain growth trajectories from mid-gestation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:3038. [PMID: 32546755 PMCID: PMC7297991 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16763-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
It is of considerable scientific, medical, and societal interest to understand the developmental origins of differences between male and female brains. Here we report the use of advances in MR imaging and analysis to accurately measure global, lobe and millimetre scale growth trajectory patterns over 18 gestational weeks in normal pregnancies with repeated measures. Statistical modelling of absolute growth trajectories revealed underlying differences in many measures, potentially reflecting overall body size differences. However, models of relative growth accounting for global measures revealed a complex temporal form, with strikingly similar cortical development in males and females at lobe scales. In contrast, local cortical growth patterns and larger scale white matter volume and surface measures differed significantly between male and female. Many proportional differences were maintained during neurogenesis and over 18 weeks of growth. These indicate sex related sculpting of neuroanatomy begins early in development, before cortical folding, potentially influencing postnatal development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Studholme
- Biomedical Image Computing Group, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Box 356320, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA.
| | - Christopher D Kroenke
- Advanced Imaging Research Center and Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health Sciences University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, 97239, OR, USA
| | - Manjiri Dighe
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, 98195, WA, USA
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21
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Zhang T, Chen C, Chen C, Wei W. Gender differences in the development of semantic and spatial processing of numbers. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 38:391-414. [PMID: 32212402 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
This study recruited kindergarteners and first graders to investigate gender and grade differences in semantic and spatial processing of number magnitude. Results based on the Bayesian statistics showed that (1) there was extreme evidence in favour of grade differences in both semantic processing and spatial processing; (2) there were no gender differences in semantic processing; and (3) boys developed earlier than girls in spatial processing of numbers, especially for the more difficult task. These results are discussed in terms of gender differences in cognitive mechanisms underlying semantic and spatial processing of number magnitude.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingyan Zhang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hang Zhou, China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hang Zhou, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hang Zhou, China
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22
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Ristori J, Cocchetti C, Romani A, Mazzoli F, Vignozzi L, Maggi M, Fisher AD. Brain Sex Differences Related to Gender Identity Development: Genes or Hormones? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21062123. [PMID: 32204531 PMCID: PMC7139786 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21062123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex process of sexual differentiation is known to be influenced by biological and environmental determinants. The present review has the aim of summarizing the most relevant studies on the biological basis of sexual development, and in particular, it focuses on the impact of sex hormones and genetic background on the development of sexual differentiation and gender identity. The authors conducted a search of published studies on Medline (from January 1948 to December 2019). The evidence suggests that the sexual dimorphic brain could be the anatomical substrate of psychosexual development, on which gonadal hormones may have a shaping role during prenatal and pubertal periods. Additionally, according to several heritability studies, genetic components may have a role, but a promising candidate gene has not been identified. Even though growing evidence underlines the primary role of biological factors on psychosexual development, further studies are necessary to better explain their complex interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiska Ristori
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Careggi University Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy; (J.R.); (C.C.); (A.R.); (F.M.); (L.V.)
| | - Carlotta Cocchetti
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Careggi University Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy; (J.R.); (C.C.); (A.R.); (F.M.); (L.V.)
| | - Alessia Romani
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Careggi University Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy; (J.R.); (C.C.); (A.R.); (F.M.); (L.V.)
| | - Francesca Mazzoli
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Careggi University Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy; (J.R.); (C.C.); (A.R.); (F.M.); (L.V.)
| | - Linda Vignozzi
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Careggi University Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy; (J.R.); (C.C.); (A.R.); (F.M.); (L.V.)
| | - Mario Maggi
- Endocrinology, Careggi University Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Daphne Fisher
- Andrology, Women’s Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence, Careggi University Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy; (J.R.); (C.C.); (A.R.); (F.M.); (L.V.)
- Correspondence:
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23
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Tang F, Zhu L. The cognitive mechanisms of the power-space associations: an individual differences approach. The Journal of General Psychology 2019; 147:244-260. [PMID: 31739766 DOI: 10.1080/00221309.2019.1690972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
A power-space interaction, which denotes the phenomenon that people responded faster to powerful words with up cursor keys and faster to powerless words with down cursor keys, has been repeatedly found. In the present study, we took an individual differences approach to investigate how the power-space interaction is modulated by the spatial cognition. First, we found that the amplitude of power-space interaction was relatively stable within individuals across different stimuli. And, this individual difference in power-space interaction was correlated with the individual's spatial cognition, in such a way that participants with faster speed of mental rotation showed stronger power-space interactions. Our results shed new light on the cognitive mechanisms of the power-space associations by suggesting that spatial codes play an important role in the expression of such effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Tang
- Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Zhu
- Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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24
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Response time differences between men and women during hand mental rotation. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220414. [PMID: 31348807 PMCID: PMC6660072 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This study explored gender differences in correct response rates and response times on a task involving left or right arrow selection and another involving the transformation of mental rotation of the hand. We recruited 15 healthy, right-handed men (age 24.5 ± 6.4) and 15 healthy, right-handed women (age 21.3 ± 4.9). For the tasks, we used pictures of left and right arrows and 32 hand pictures (left and right, palm and back) placed in cons (each at 45° from 0° to 315°). Hand and arrow pictures alternated and were shown at random. Participants decided as quickly as possible whether each picture was left or right. To compare the time taken for the transformation of mental rotation of the hand, we subtracted the average arrow response time from that for the left and right hand pictures for each participant. Correct response rates did not differ significantly between men and women or left and right for either arrow or hand pictures. Regardless of gender, the response time was longer for the left arrow picture than right arrow picture. The response time for the hand picture was longest for both men and women for pictures at rotation angles that were most difficult to align with participants' hands. While there was no difference between men's responses for left and right hand pictures, the responses of women were longer for left than right hand pictures and also than those of men. These findings suggest that both men and women mainly perform the hand mental rotation task with implicit motor imagery. On the other hand, the gender difference in performance might be explained by the difference in balance with other strategies, such as visual imagery, and by cognitive, neurophysiological, and morphological differences.
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25
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Fedato A, Silva‐Gago M, Terradillos‐Bernal M, Alonso‐Alcalde R, Martín‐Guerra E, Bruner E. Electrodermal activity during Lower Paleolithic stone tool handling. Am J Hum Biol 2019; 31:e23279. [DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Annapaola Fedato
- Programa de PaleobiologíaCentro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana Burgos Spain
| | - María Silva‐Gago
- Programa de PaleobiologíaCentro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana Burgos Spain
| | - Marcos Terradillos‐Bernal
- Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias SocialesUniversidad Internacional Isabel I de Castilla Burgos Spain
| | | | | | - Emiliano Bruner
- Programa de PaleobiologíaCentro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana Burgos Spain
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26
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Benavides A, Metzger A, Tereschenko S, Conrad A, Bell EF, Spencer J, Ross-Sheehy S, Georgieff M, Magnotta V, Nopoulos P. Sex-specific alterations in preterm brain. Pediatr Res 2019; 85:55-62. [PMID: 30279607 PMCID: PMC6353678 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-018-0187-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 07/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The literature on brain imaging in premature infants is mostly made up of studies that evaluate neonates, yet the most dynamic time of brain development happens from birth to 1 year of age. This study was designed to obtain quantitative brain measures from magnetic resonance imaging scans of infants born prematurely at 12 months of age. METHODS The subject group was designed to capture a wide range of gestational age (GA) from premature to full-term infants. An age-specific atlas generated quantitative brain measures. A regression model was used to predict effects of GA and sex on brain measures. RESULTS There was a primary effect of sex on: (1) intracranial volume, males > females; (2) proportional cerebral cortical gray matter (females > males), and (3) cerebral white matter (males > females). GA predicted cerebral volume and cerebral spinal fluid. GA also predicted cortical gray matter in a sex-specific manner with GA having a significant effect on cortical volume in the males, but not in females. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Sex differences in brain structure are large early in life. GA had sex-specific effects highlighting the importance evaluating sex effects in neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Benavides
- University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry
| | - Andrew Metzger
- University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Radiology
| | - Sasha Tereschenko
- University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry
| | - Amy Conrad
- University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
| | - Edward F. Bell
- University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
| | - John Spencer
- University of East Anglia, Norwich, England, School of Psychology
| | | | - Michael Georgieff
- University of Minnesota, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine
| | - Vince Magnotta
- University of Iowa, Carver College of Medicine, Department of Radiology
| | - Peg Nopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA. .,Department of Pediatrics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA. .,Department of Neurology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
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27
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Wong M, Castro-Alonso JC, Ayres P, Paas F. Investigating gender and spatial measurements in instructional animation research. COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2018.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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28
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Abstract
This paper argues that investigators should consider replacing the popular practice of comparing individuals varying in gender, social class, and/or ethnicity on one or more continuous measures with a search for kinds of individuals defined by patterns of properties that include not only their values on outcome measures but also their gender, social class, and ethnicity. Investigators who believe that a particular predictor contributes to an outcome independent of the gender, class, or ethnicity of the participants often implement statistical procedures that promise to remove the contributions of the above categories. These analyses lead to misleading conclusions when the controlled category is correlated with the dependent measures. The final sections summarize the properties of genders, classes, and ethnic groups that make distinctive contributions to many psychological outcomes. The paper ends by noting that a society's ethical beliefs constitute a defensible basis for ignoring the biological properties associated with these categories in order to allow members of these groups access to whatever educational or occupational goals they desire.
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29
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Geary DC. Evolutionary perspective on sex differences in the expression of neurological diseases. Prog Neurobiol 2018; 176:33-53. [PMID: 29890214 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Sex-specific brain and cognitive deficits emerge with malnutrition, some infectious and neurodegenerative diseases, and often with prenatal or postnatal toxin exposure. These deficits are described in disparate literatures and are generally not linked to one another. Sexual selection may provide a unifying framework that integrates our understanding of these deficits and provides direction for future studies of sex-specific vulnerabilities. Sexually selected traits are those that have evolved to facilitate competition for reproductive resources or that influence mate choices, and are often larger and more complex than other traits. Critically, malnutrition, disease, chronic social stress, and exposure to man-made toxins compromise the development and expression of sexually selected traits more strongly than that of other traits. The fundamental mechanism underlying vulnerability might be the efficiency of mitochondrial energy capture and control of oxidative stress that in turn links these traits to current advances in neuroenergetics, stress endocrinology, and toxicology. The key idea is that the elaboration of these cognitive abilities, with more underlying gray matter or more extensive inter-modular white matter connections, makes them particularly sensitive to disruptions in mitochondrial functioning and oxidative stress. A framework of human sexually selected cognitive abilities and underlying brain systems is proposed and used to organize what is currently known about sex-specific vulnerabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Geary
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Interdisciplinary Neuroscience, University of Missouri, MO, 65211-2500, Columbia, United States.
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30
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Fisher AD, Ristori J, Morelli G, Maggi M. The molecular mechanisms of sexual orientation and gender identity. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2018; 467:3-13. [PMID: 28847741 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2017.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Revised: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Differences between males and females are widely represented in nature. There are gender differences in phenotypes, personality traits, behaviors and interests, cognitive performance, and proneness to specific diseases. The most marked difference in humans is represented by sexual orientation and core gender identity, the origins of which are still controversial and far from being understood. Debates continue on whether sexual behavior and gender identity are a result of biological (nature) or cultural (nurture) factors, with biology possibly playing a major role. The main goal of this review is to summarize the studies available to date on the biological factors involved in the development of both sexual orientation and gender identity. A systematic search of published evidence was performed using Medline (from January 1948 to June 2017). Review of the relevant literature was based on authors' expertise. Indeed, different studies have documented the possible role and interaction of neuroanatomic, hormonal and genetic factors. The sexual dimorphic brain is considered the anatomical substrate of psychosexual development, on which genes and gonadal hormones may have a shaping effect. In particular, growing evidence shows that prenatal and pubertal sex hormones permanently affect human behavior. In addition, heritability studies have demonstrated a role of genetic components. However, a convincing candidate gene has not been identified. Future studies (e.i. genome wide studies) are needed to better clarify the complex interaction between genes, anatomy and hormonal influences on psychosexual development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra D Fisher
- Department of Experimental, Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Jiska Ristori
- Department of Experimental, Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Girolamo Morelli
- Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular and of the Critical Area Pathology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Mario Maggi
- Department of Experimental, Clinical and Biomedical Sciences, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
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31
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Zheng L, Wen G, Zheng Y. Butch-Femme Identity and Visuospatial Performance Among Lesbian and Bisexual Women in China. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2018; 47:1015-1024. [PMID: 29230602 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-017-1128-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Lesbian and bisexual women who self-identify as "butch" show a masculine profile with regard to gender roles, gender nonconformity, and systemizing cognitive style, whereas lesbian and bisexual women who self-identify as "femme" show a corresponding feminine profile and those who self-identify as "androgynes" show an intermediate profile. This study examined the association between butch or femme lesbian or bisexual identity and visuospatial ability among 323 lesbian and bisexual women, compared to heterosexual women (n = 207) and men (n = 125), from multiple cities in China. Visuospatial ability was assessed using a Shepard and Metzler-type mental rotation task and Judgment of Line Angle and Position (JLAP) test on the Internet. Heterosexual men outperformed heterosexual women on both mental rotation and JLAP tasks. Lesbian and bisexual women outperformed heterosexual women on mental rotation, but not on JLAP. There were significant differences in mental rotation performance among women, with butch- and androgyne-identified lesbian/bisexual women outperforming femme-identified and heterosexual women. There were also significant differences in JLAP performance among women, with butch- and androgyne-identified lesbian/bisexual women and heterosexual women outperforming femme-identified lesbian/bisexual women. The butch-femme differences in visuospatial ability indicated an association between cognitive ability and butch-femme identity and suggest that neurobiological underpinnings may contribute to butch-femme identity although alternative explanations exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijun Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China.
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
| | - Guangju Wen
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Yong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
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Carpenter R, Alloway T. Computer Versus Paper-Based Testing: Are They Equivalent When it Comes to Working Memory? JOURNAL OF PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.1177/0734282918761496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
School systems across the country are transitioning from paper-based testing (PBT) to computer-based testing (CBT). As this technological shift occurs, more research is necessary to understand the practical and performance implications of administering CBTs. Currently, there is a paucity of research using CBTs to examine working memory (WM) performance, even though CBTs may negatively influence performance. The present study compared a WM CBT and PBT and found enhanced WM performance on the PBT across several verbal and visuospatial WM tests. This pattern was evident even after age was controlled, indicating that test mode effects were persistent across ages (4-11 years). CBTs on WM performance may yield lower scores due to developmental WM differences, increased cognitive workload, test mode effects stemming from individual access to technology, and participant characteristics, such as developmental, biological, or gender differences. The presence of divergent WM in CBT and PBT indicates the need for additional options for children at risk of academic failure because of testing modality.
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Bruner E, Fedato A, Silva-Gago M, Alonso-Alcalde R, Terradillos-Bernal M, Fernández-Durantes MÁ, Martín-Guerra E. Cognitive archeology, body cognition, and hand–tool interaction. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 238:325-345. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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34
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Funktionelle Magnetresonanztomographie bei Trans*Menschen. GYNAKOLOGISCHE ENDOKRINOLOGIE 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10304-016-0111-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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35
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Guma E, Devenyi GA, Malla A, Shah J, Chakravarty MM, Pruessner M. Neuroanatomical and Symptomatic Sex Differences in Individuals at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:291. [PMID: 29312018 PMCID: PMC5744013 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex differences have been widely observed in clinical presentation, functional outcome and neuroanatomy in individuals with a first-episode of psychosis, and chronic patients suffering from schizophrenia. However, little is known about sex differences in the high-risk stages for psychosis. The present study investigated sex differences in cortical and subcortical neuroanatomy in individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis and healthy controls (CTL), and the relationship between anatomy and clinical symptoms in males at CHR. Magnetic resonance images were collected in 26 individuals at CHR (13 men) and 29 CTLs (15 men) to determine total and regional brain volumes and morphology, cortical thickness, and surface area (SA). Clinical symptoms were assessed with the brief psychiatric rating scale. Significant sex-by-diagnosis interactions were observed with opposite directions of effect in male and female CHR subjects relative to their same-sex controls in multiple cortical and subcortical areas. The right postcentral, left superior parietal, inferior parietal supramarginal, and angular gyri [<5% false discovery rate (FDR)] were thicker in male and thinner in female CHR subjects compared with their same-sex CTLs. The same pattern was observed in the right superior parietal gyrus SA at the regional and vertex level. Using a recently developed surface-based morphology pipeline, we observed sex-specific shape differences in the left hippocampus (<5% FDR) and amygdala (<10% FDR). Negative symptom burden was significantly higher in male compared with female CHR subjects (p = 0.04) and was positively associated with areal expansion of the left amygdala in males (<5% FDR). Some limitations of the study include the sample size, and data acquisition at 1.5 T. This study demonstrates neuroanatomical sex differences in CHR subjects, which may be associated with variations in symptomatology in men and women with psychotic symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Guma
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - Gabriel A Devenyi
- Department of Psychiatry, Cerebral Imaging Center, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - Ashok Malla
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - Jai Shah
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, QC, Canada.,Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, QC, Canada
| | - Marita Pruessner
- Prevention and Early Intervention Program for Psychosis, Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Verdun, QC, Canada.,Department of Psychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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Wei W, Chen C, Dong Q, Zhou X. Sex Differences in Gray Matter Volume of the Right Anterior Hippocampus Explain Sex Differences in Three-Dimensional Mental Rotation. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:580. [PMID: 27895570 PMCID: PMC5108793 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral studies have reported that males perform better than females in 3-dimensional (3D) mental rotation. Given the important role of the hippocampus in spatial processing, the present study investigated whether structural differences in the hippocampus could explain the sex difference in 3D mental rotation. Results showed that after controlling for brain size, males had a larger anterior hippocampus, whereas females had a larger posterior hippocampus. Gray matter volume (GMV) of the right anterior hippocampus was significantly correlated with 3D mental rotation score. After controlling GMV of the right anterior hippocampus, sex difference in 3D mental rotation was no longer significant. These results suggest that the structural difference between males’ and females’ right anterior hippocampus was a neurobiological substrate for the sex difference in 3D mental rotation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Advanced Technology Innovation Center for Future Education, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China; Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China
| | - Xinlin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China
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37
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Grabowska A. Sex on the brain: Are gender-dependent structural and functional differences associated with behavior? J Neurosci Res 2016; 95:200-212. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Grabowska
- SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities; Warsaw Poland
- Department of Neurophysiology; Nencki Institute of Experimantal Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences; Warsaw Poland
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Jeng HL, Liu GF. Test interactivity is promising in promoting gender equity in females' pursuit of STEM careers. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2016.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Wei W, Chen C, Zhou X. Spatial Ability Explains the Male Advantage in Approximate Arithmetic. Front Psychol 2016; 7:306. [PMID: 27014124 PMCID: PMC4779996 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has shown that females consistently outperform males in exact arithmetic, perhaps due to the former's advantage in language processing. Much less is known about gender difference in approximate arithmetic. Given that approximate arithmetic is closely associated with visuospatial processing, which shows a male advantage we hypothesized that males would perform better than females in approximate arithmetic. In two experiments (496 children in Experiment 1 and 554 college students in Experiment 2), we found that males showed better performance in approximate arithmetic, which was accounted for by gender differences in spatial ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Siegler Center for Innovative Learning, Beijing Normal UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine CA, USA
| | - Xinlin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Siegler Center for Innovative Learning, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China
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40
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Levine SC, Foley A, Lourenco S, Ehrlich S, Ratliff K. Sex differences in spatial cognition: advancing the conversation. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2016; 7:127-55. [DOI: 10.1002/wcs.1380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2010] [Revised: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan C. Levine
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
| | - Alana Foley
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
| | - Stella Lourenco
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
| | - Stacy Ehrlich
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
| | - Kristin Ratliff
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago IL USA
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41
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Guerrieri GM, Wakim PG, Keenan PA, Schenkel LA, Berlin K, Gibson CJ, Rubinow DR, Schmidt PJ. Sex differences in visuospatial abilities persist during induced hypogonadism. Neuropsychologia 2015; 81:219-229. [PMID: 26719236 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite well-established sex differences in the performance on tests of several cognitive domains (e.g., visuospatial ability), few studies in humans have evaluated if these sex differences are evident both in the presence of circulating sex hormones and during sex steroid hormonal suppression. Sex differences identified in the relative absence of circulating levels of estradiol and testosterone suggest that differences in brain structure or function exist independent of current hormonal environment and are more likely a reflection of differing developmental exposures and/or genetic substrates. OBJECTIVE To evaluate cognitive performance in healthy eugonadal men and women before and again during GnRH agonist-induced hypogonadism. METHODS Men (n=16) and women (n=15) without medical or psychiatric illness were matched for IQ. Cognitive tests were performed at baseline (when eugonadal) and after 6-8 weeks of GnRH agonist-induced gonadal suppression. The test batteries included measures of verbal and spatial memory, spatial ability, verbal fluency, motor speed/dexterity, and attention/concentration. Data were analyzed using repeated-measures models. RESULTS During both eugonadism and hypogonadism, men performed significantly better than women on several measures of visuospatial performance including mental rotation, line orientation, Money Road Map, Porteus maze, and complex figure drawing. Although some test performances showed an effect of hormone treatment, the majority of these differences reflected an improved performance during hypogonadism compared with baseline (and probably reflected practice effects). CONCLUSION The well-documented male advantage in visuospatial performance, which we observed during eugonadal conditions, was maintained in the context of short-term suppression of gonadal function in both men and women. These findings suggest that, in humans, sex differences in visuospatial performance are not merely dependent on differences in the current circulating sex steroid environment. Thus sex differences in visuospatial performance in adulthood could reflect early developmental effects of sex steroid exposure or other environmental exposures differing across the sexes as our data confirm that these differences are independent of circulating estradiol or testosterone levels in men and women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gioia M Guerrieri
- Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Bldg. 10-CRC, Room 25330, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1277, Bethesda, MD 20892-1277, United States
| | - Paul G Wakim
- Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology Service, Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - P A Keenan
- Cronos Clinical Consulting (formerly Wayne State University), 22 Tanglewood Drive, Titusville, NJ 08560, United States
| | - Linda A Schenkel
- Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Bldg. 10-CRC, Room 25330, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1277, Bethesda, MD 20892-1277, United States
| | - Kate Berlin
- Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Bldg. 10-CRC, Room 25330, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1277, Bethesda, MD 20892-1277, United States
| | - Carolyn J Gibson
- Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Bldg. 10-CRC, Room 25330, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1277, Bethesda, MD 20892-1277, United States
| | - David R Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Peter J Schmidt
- Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Bldg. 10-CRC, Room 25330, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1277, Bethesda, MD 20892-1277, United States.
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42
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McCrink K, Galamba J. The impact of symbolic and non-symbolic quantity on spatial learning. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0119395. [PMID: 25748826 PMCID: PMC4351879 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0119395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
An implicit mapping of number to space via a "mental number line" occurs automatically in adulthood. Here, we systematically explore the influence of differing representations of quantity (no quantity, non-symbolic magnitudes, and symbolic numbers) and directional flow of stimuli (random flow, left-to-right, or right-to-left) on learning and attention via a match-to-sample working memory task. When recalling a cognitively demanding string of spatial locations, subjects performed best when information was presented right-to-left. When non-symbolic or symbolic numerical arrays were embedded in these spatial locations, and mental number line congruency prompted, this effect was attenuated and in some cases reversed. In particular, low-performing female participants who viewed increasing non-symbolic number arrays paired with the spatial locations exhibited better recall for left-to-right directional flow information relative to right-to-left, and better processing for the left side of space relative to the right side of space. The presence of symbolic number during spatial learning enhanced recall to a greater degree than non-symbolic number--especially for female participants, and especially when cognitive load is high--and this difference was independent of directional flow of information. We conclude that quantity representations have the potential to scaffold spatial memory, but this potential is subtle, and mediated by the nature of the quantity and the gender and performance level of the learner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koleen McCrink
- Department of Psychology, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jennifer Galamba
- Department of Psychology, Barnard College of Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
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43
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Somers M, Shields LS, Boks MP, Kahn RS, Sommer IE. Cognitive benefits of right-handedness: a meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 51:48-63. [PMID: 25592981 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2014] [Revised: 11/21/2014] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Hand preference - which is related to cerebral dominance - is thought to be associated with cognitive skills; however, findings on this association are inconsistent and there is no consensus whether left- or right-handers have an advantage in either spatial or verbal abilities. In addition, it is not clear whether an interaction between sex and hand preference exists in relation to these cognitive abilities. As these matters are relevant from a neurodevelopmental perspective we performed a meta-analysis of the available literature. We searched PubMed and Embase, and included 14 studies (359,890 subjects) in the verbal ability meta-analysis and 16 studies (218,351 subjects) in the spatial ability meta-analysis. There was no difference between the full sample of left and right-handers for verbal ability, nor was there a hand preference-by-sex interaction. Subgroup analysis of children showed a small right-hand benefit. Our results further revealed a modest but significant effect favouring right-handedness for overall spatial ability, which was more pronounced when analysis was restricted to studies applying the mental rotation test. We could not identify a specific interaction with sex. Our results indicate that there is a small but significant cognitive advantage of right-handedness on spatial ability. In the verbal domain, this advantage is only significant in children. An interaction effect with sex is not confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Metten Somers
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Laura S Shields
- Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marco P Boks
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - René S Kahn
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Iris E Sommer
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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44
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The effect of three-dimensional imaging of well-known objects on time and accuracy of mental rotation. HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY REPORT 2014. [DOI: 10.5114/hpr.2014.43915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
<b>Background</b><br />
The purpose of this study was to verify hypotheses concerning the effect of three-dimensional imaging and the canonicity of objects presented in the original position on the reaction time (RT) and the accuracy (A) of mental rotation task (MRT) execution. The classical paradigm of MRT, developed by Shepard and Metzler (1971), was used in the experiment.<br />
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<b>Participants and procedure</b><br />
One hundred fifty-eight undergraduate students (88 female and 70 male), aged 18-30 years, participated in the experiment. All participants had normal vision or corrected vision, and reported no stereo blindness. The sequential version of the MRT was used in the experiment. Participants answered whether the object observed in the second position was only rotated or both rotated and mirror-reversed, in comparison to its original position. The answer (accuracy) and its latency (RT) were recorded.<br />
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<b>Results</b><br />
As predicted by the mental rotation model, both the “U”-shaped A-MRT distribution and the inverted “U”-shaped RT-MRT distribution were found, due to the angular disparity. For the RT-MRT, this effect was more pronounced when the objects were displayed stereoscopically than in a plane, and when the objects were presented in the original position from the canonical orientation rather than an unusual point of view. On the other hand, in the case of the A-MRT, an effect of the orientation of objects presented in the original position on strengthening the relationship between accuracy and angular disparity was found.<br />
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<b>Conclusions</b><br />
The results indicated that the interactions between the presentation of the objects in the mental rotation task (stereoscopically vs. in a plane) and the orientation of the object in its original position (canonically vs. unusual) are more complicated than would appear from predictions of classical theories of mental rotation. The results of this study are discussed in relation to the theories of recognition and categorization.
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45
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Viarouge A, Hubbard EM, McCandliss BD. The cognitive mechanisms of the SNARC effect: an individual differences approach. PLoS One 2014; 9:e95756. [PMID: 24760048 PMCID: PMC3997411 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0095756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 03/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Access to mental representations of smaller vs. larger number symbols is associated with leftward vs. rightward spatial locations, as represented on a number line. The well-replicated SNARC effect (Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes) reveals that simple decisions about small numbers are facilitated when stimuli are presented on the left, and large numbers facilitated when on the right. We present novel evidence that the size of the SNARC effect is relatively stable within individuals over time. This enables us to take an individual differences approach to investigate how the SNARC effect is modulated by spatial and numerical cognition. Are number-space associations linked to spatial operations, such that those who have greater facility in spatial computations show the stronger SNARC effects, or are they linked to number semantics, such that those showing stronger influence of magnitude associations on number symbol decisions show stronger SNARC effects? Our results indicate a significant correlation between the SNARC effect and a 2D mental rotation task, suggesting that spatial operations are at play in the expression of this effect. We also uncover a significant correlation between the SNARC effect and the distance effect, suggesting that the SNARC is also related to access to number semantics. A multiple regression analysis reveals that the relative contributions of spatial cognition and distance effects represent significant, yet distinct, contributions in explaining variation in the size of the SNARC effect from one individual to the next. Overall, these results shed new light on how the spatial-numerical associations of response codes are influenced by both number semantics and spatial operations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Viarouge
- Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, CNRS/UMR8242, Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Edward M. Hubbard
- Educational Neuroscience Lab, Department of Educational Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Bruce D. McCandliss
- Educational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
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46
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Dosage effects of BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on cortical surface area and functional connectivity. J Neurosci 2014; 34:2645-51. [PMID: 24523553 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3501-13.2014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that leads to a valine-to-methionine substitution at codon 66 (Val66Met) in BDNF is correlated with differences in cognitive and memory functions, as well as with several neurological and psychiatric disorders. MRI studies have already shown that this genetic variant contributes to changes in cortical thickness and volume, but whether the Val66Met polymorphism affects the cortical surface area of healthy subjects remains unclear. Here, we used multimodal MRI to study whether this polymorphism would affect the cortical morphology and resting-state functional connectivity of a large sample of healthy Han Chinese human subjects. An SNP-wise general linear model analysis revealed a "dosage effect" of the Met allele, specifically a stepwise increase in cortical surface area of the right anterior insular cortex with increasing numbers of the Met allele. Moreover, we found enhanced functional connectivity between the anterior insular and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortices that was linked with the dosage of the Met allele. In conclusion, these data demonstrated a "dosage effect" of BDNF Val66Met on normal cortical structure and function, suggesting a new path for exploring the mechanisms underlying the effects of genotype on cognition.
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47
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Nowak NT, Diamond MP, Land SJ, Moffat SD. Contributions of sex, testosterone, and androgen receptor CAG repeat number to virtual Morris water maze performance. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2014; 41:13-22. [PMID: 24495604 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2013] [Revised: 10/29/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The possibility that androgens contribute to the male advantage typically found on measures of spatial cognition has been investigated using a variety of approaches. To date, evidence to support the notion that androgens affect spatial cognition in healthy young adults is somewhat equivocal. The present study sought to clarify the association between testosterone (T) and spatial performance by extending measurements of androgenicity to include both measures of circulating T as well as an androgen receptor-specific genetic marker. The aims of this study were to assess the contributions of sex, T, and androgen receptor CAG repeat number (CAGr) on virtual Morris water task (vMWT) performance in a group of healthy young men and women. The hypothesis that men would outperform women on vMWT outcomes was supported. Results indicate that CAGr may interact with T to impact navigation performance and suggest that consideration of androgen receptor sensitivity is an important consideration in evaluating hormone-behavior relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole T Nowak
- University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Department of Psychology, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
| | - Michael P Diamond
- Georgia Regents University, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Susan J Land
- Wayne State University, Wayne State Applied Genomics Technology Center, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Scott D Moffat
- Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Psychology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Ben-Soussan TD, Berkovich-Ohana A, Glicksohn J, Goldstein A. A suspended act: increased reflectivity and gender-dependent electrophysiological change following Quadrato Motor Training. Front Psychol 2014; 5:55. [PMID: 24550872 PMCID: PMC3909823 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2013] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Quadrato Motor Training (QMT) is a specifically-structured walking meditation, aimed at improving reflectivity and lowering habitual thought and movement. Here we set out to examine the possible effect of QMT on reflectivity, employing the Hidden Figures Test (HFT), which assesses both spatial performance (measured by correct answers) as well as reflectivity (interpolated from correct answers and reaction time). In the first study (n = 24, only females), we showed that QMT significantly improves HFT performance, compared to two groups, controlling for cognitive or motor aspects of the QMT: Verbal Training (identical cognitive training with verbal response) and Simple Motor Training (similar motor training with reduced choice requirements). These results show that QMT improves HFT performance above the pre-post expected learning. In the second study, building on previous literature showing gender-dependent effects on cognitive performance, we conducted a preliminary pilot examining gender-dependent effect of training on reflectivity and its electrophysiological counterparts. EEG analyses focused on theta, alpha and gamma coherence. HFT performance and resting-state EEG were measured in 37 participants (20 males), using a within-subject pre-post design. Following training, HFT performance improved in both genders. However, we found a gender-dependent difference in functional connectivity: while theta and alpha intra-hemispheric coherence was enhanced in females, the opposite pattern was found in males. These results are discussed in relation to neuronal efficiency theory. Together, the results demonstrate that QMT improves spatial performance, and may involve a gender-dependent electrophysiological effect. This study emphasizes both the importance of studying gender-related training effects within the contemplative neuroscience endeavor, as well as the need to widen its scope toward including "contemplation in action."
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Dotan Ben-Soussan
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan UniversityRamat Gan, Israel
- Research Institute for Neuroscience, Education and Didactics, Patrizio Paoletti FoundationItaly
| | | | - Joseph Glicksohn
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan UniversityRamat Gan, Israel
- Department of Criminology, Bar-Ilan UniversityRamat Gan, Israel
| | - Abraham Goldstein
- The Leslie and Susan Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan UniversityRamat Gan, Israel
- Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan UniversityRamat Gan, Israel
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49
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Assessment of sex from endocranial cavity using volume-rendered CT scans in a sample from Medellín, Colombia. Forensic Sci Int 2014; 234:186.e1-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2013.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2012] [Revised: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 10/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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50
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Ruigrok ANV, Salimi-Khorshidi G, Lai MC, Baron-Cohen S, Lombardo MV, Tait RJ, Suckling J. A meta-analysis of sex differences in human brain structure. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2013; 39:34-50. [PMID: 24374381 PMCID: PMC3969295 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 666] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2013] [Revised: 12/13/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2013] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
This is the first meta-analysis of sex differences in the typical human brain. Regional sex differences overlap with areas implicated in psychiatric conditions. The amygdala, hippocampus, planum temporale and insula display sex differences. On average, males have larger brain volumes than females. Most articles providing sex differences in volume are in the ‘mature’ category.
The prevalence, age of onset, and symptomatology of many neuropsychiatric conditions differ between males and females. To understand the causes and consequences of sex differences it is important to establish where they occur in the human brain. We report the first meta-analysis of typical sex differences on global brain volume, a descriptive account of the breakdown of studies of each compartmental volume by six age categories, and whole-brain voxel-wise meta-analyses on brain volume and density. Gaussian-process regression coordinate-based meta-analysis was used to examine sex differences in voxel-based regional volume and density. On average, males have larger total brain volumes than females. Examination of the breakdown of studies providing total volumes by age categories indicated a bias towards the 18–59 year-old category. Regional sex differences in volume and tissue density include the amygdala, hippocampus and insula, areas known to be implicated in sex-biased neuropsychiatric conditions. Together, these results suggest candidate regions for investigating the asymmetric effect that sex has on the developing brain, and for understanding sex-biased neurological and psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber N V Ruigrok
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 8AH, United Kingdom.
| | - Gholamreza Salimi-Khorshidi
- Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain (FMRIB), Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
| | - Meng-Chuan Lai
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 8AH, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1 Jen-Ai Road Section 1, Taipei 10051, Taiwan
| | - Simon Baron-Cohen
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 8AH, United Kingdom; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Elizabeth House, Fulbourn Hospital, Cambridge CB21 5EF, United Kingdom
| | - Michael V Lombardo
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18B Trumpington Road, Cambridge CB2 8AH, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, CY 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Roger J Tait
- Brain Mapping Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SP, United Kingdom; Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
| | - John Suckling
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Elizabeth House, Fulbourn Hospital, Cambridge CB21 5EF, United Kingdom; Brain Mapping Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Herchel Smith Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SP, United Kingdom; Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, United Kingdom
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