Journal article
Sex Differences in Parietal Lobe Structure and Development
Gender medicine, Vol.9(1), pp.44-55
02/2012
DOI: 10.1016/j.genm.2012.01.003
PMCID: PMC3326392
PMID: 22333522
Abstract
Structural magnetic resonance imaging studies provide evidence for sex differences in the human brain. Differences in surface area and the proportion of gray to white matter volume are observed, in particular in the parietal lobe. To our knowledge, no studies have examined sex differences in parietal lobe structure in younger populations or in the context of development. The present study evaluated sex differences in the structure of the parietal lobe in children aged 7 to 17 years. In addition, by adding a cohort of previously studied adults aged 18 to 50 years, sex differences in parietal lobe structure were examined across the age span of 7 to 50 years. Compared with the adult sample, the younger sample showed that the ratio of parietal lobe cortex to white matter was greater in female brains, but no sex differences in surface area. When examining the effects of age, surface area exhibited a significant sex-age interaction. In male brains, there was essentially no decrease in surfaces area over time, whereas in female brains, there was a significant decrease in surface area over time. These findings support the notion of structural sex differences in the parietal lobe, not only in the context of cross-sectional assessment but also in terms of differences in developmental trajectories.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Sex Differences in Parietal Lobe Structure and Development
- Creators
- Joel Salinas - University of Iowa Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship Program, Iowa City, IowaElizabeth D Mills - Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City, IowaAmy L Conrad - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IowaTimothy Koscik - University of Iowa Neuroscience Graduate Program, Iowa City, IowaNancy C Andreasen - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IowaPeg Nopoulos - University of Iowa Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship Program, Iowa City, Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Gender medicine, Vol.9(1), pp.44-55
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.genm.2012.01.003
- PMID
- 22333522
- PMCID
- PMC3326392
- NLM abbreviation
- Gend Med
- ISSN
- 1550-8579
- eISSN
- 1878-7398
- Publisher
- EM Inc USA
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 02/2012
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Psychiatry; Pediatric Psychology; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Craniofacial Anomalies Research Center
- Record Identifier
- 9984004000102771
Metrics
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