Journal article
Sex differences in the prefrontal cortex and muscle oxygenation during exercise until exhaustion in endurance-trained individuals
Experimental physiology
11/29/2025
DOI: 10.1113/EP093287
PMID: 41317154
Abstract
Biological sex influences exercise performance, largely owing to anatomical and physiological differences in brain areas involved in cognitive motor control and in respiratory and locomotor muscles related to workload. We used near-infrared spectroscopy data to examine sex differences in haemodynamic responses and oxygenation patterns in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), m. intercostales and m. vastus lateralis during incremental exercise in 74 endurance-trained individuals. Changes (Δ) in oxyhaemoglobin (O
-Hb), deoxyhaemoglobin (H-Hb) and tissue saturation index (TSI) were analysed using a two-way ANOVA with the factors 'sex' and 'intensity'. Effect sizes (ES) were also reported by partial eta squared (η
). Interactions were observed for ΔO
-Hb at the PFC [p < 0.001, η
= 0.42 (large ES)] and m. intercostales [p < 0.001, η
= 0.38 (large ES)], but not at m. vastus lateralis (p = 0.160). For ΔH-Hb, interactions were observed at m. vastus lateralis [p < 0.001, η
= 0.35 (large ES)] and the PFC [p = 0.048, η
= 0.18 (large ES)]. The ΔTSI also showed an interaction at m. vastus lateralis [p < 0.001, η
= 0.44 (large ES)] and a trend in the m. intercostales (p = 0.057). Male subjects demonstrated greater oxygen delivery to the brain and increased peripheral deoxygenation, whereas females exhibited greater oxygen extraction in respiratory muscles, despite smaller body surface area. Higher tissue oxygen extraction reflects the capacity to meet local metabolic demands during exercise, enabling the identification of distinct oxygenation patterns between sexes. These findings suggest that sex-specific mechanisms contribute to different patterns of physiological response to exercise. We support the hypothesis that peripheral factors might be more limiting in males, whereas in females central limitations (such as potential reduced oxygen delivery to the PFC owing to possible cerebral vasoconstriction triggered by metabolic reflexes) might play a more prominent role.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Sex differences in the prefrontal cortex and muscle oxygenation during exercise until exhaustion in endurance-trained individuals
- Creators
- Daniel Ramos-López - Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileRaúl Caulier-Cisterna - Universidad Tecnológica MetropolitanaBenjamín Díaz-Ortiz - Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileCristóbal Baumann-Biancani - Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileKamilo Hunger-Abbott - Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileMatías Herrera-Matas - Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileAndrés Vega-Moraga - Metropolitan University of TechnologyVitor A Lira - University of IowaMaximiliano Espinosa-Ramírez - Department of Health and Human Physiology, Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USAKarol Ramírez-Parada - Universidad Andrés BelloLuigi Gabrielli-Nervi - Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileHugo E Verdejo - Advanced Center for Chronic DiseasesFelipe Contreras-Briceño - Universidad Santo Tomás
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Experimental physiology
- DOI
- 10.1113/EP093287
- PMID
- 41317154
- NLM abbreviation
- Exp Physiol
- ISSN
- 1469-445X
- eISSN
- 1469-445X
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Grant note
- 11250867 / ANID
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 11/29/2025
- Academic Unit
- Dental Research; Health, Sport, and Human Physiology
- Record Identifier
- 9985034936202771
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