Sex differences in parietal lobe morphology: Relationship to mental rotation performance

Tim Koscik; Dan O’Leary; David J Moser; Nancy C Andreasen; Peg Nopoulos

doi:10.1016/j.bandc.2008.09.004

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Sex differences in parietal lobe morphology: Relationship to mental rotation performance

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Sex differences in parietal lobe morphology: Relationship to mental rotation performance

Tim Koscik, Dan O’Leary, David J Moser, Nancy C Andreasen and Peg Nopoulos

Brain and cognition, Vol.69(3), pp.451-459

2009

DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2008.09.004

PMCID: PMC2680714

PMID: 18980790

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http://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2008.09.004View

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Abstract

Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of the human brain have reported evidence for sexual dimorphism. In addition to sex differences in overall cerebral volume, differences in the proportion of gray matter (GM) to white matter (WM) volume have been observed, particularly in the parietal lobe. To our knowledge there have been no studies examining the relationship between the sex differences in parietal lobe structure and function. The parietal lobe is thought to be involved in spatial ability, and particularly involved in mental rotation. The purpose of this study is to examine whether sex differences in parietal lobe structure are present, and if present to relate these differences to performance on the mental rotations test (MRT). We found that women had proportionately greater gray matter volume in the parietal lobe compared to men, and this morphologic difference was disadvantageous for women in terms of performance on the MRT. In contrast, we found that men compared to women had proportionately greater parietal lobe surface area, and this morphologic difference was associated with a performance advantage for men on mental rotation. These findings support the possibility that the sexual dimorphism in the structure of the parietal lobe is a neurobiological substrate for the sex difference in performance on the mental rotations test.

Mental rotation

Sex differences

Spatial ability

Parietal lobe

Details

Title: Subtitle: Sex differences in parietal lobe morphology: Relationship to mental rotation performance
Creators: Tim Koscik - University of Iowa Neuroscience Graduate Program Drive, Department of Neurology, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Dan O’Leary - University of Iowa Neuroscience Graduate Program Drive, Department of Neurology, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
David J Moser - University of Iowa Neuroscience Graduate Program Drive, Department of Neurology, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Nancy C Andreasen - University of Iowa Neuroscience Graduate Program Drive, Department of Neurology, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Peg Nopoulos - University of Iowa Neuroscience Graduate Program Drive, Department of Neurology, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Brain and cognition, Vol.69(3), pp.451-459
DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2008.09.004
PMID: 18980790
PMCID: PMC2680714
NLM abbreviation: Brain Cogn
ISSN: 0278-2626
eISSN: 1090-2147
Publisher: Elsevier Inc
Language: English
Date published: 2009
Academic Unit: Neurology; Psychiatry; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Medicine Administration
Record Identifier: 9984004190002771

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