Sex differentiated responses to intranasal trigeminal stimuli

The aim of the study was to address sex-related hemispheric differences in trigeminal event-related potentials while controlling for the subjects' olfactory sensitivity. Event-related potentials to lateralized stimulation using the trigeminal stimulant CO(2) were recorded in 28 healthy young subjects (16 women). There was no sex-related difference in olfactory sensitivity. Results indicated a sex-differentiated response to trigeminally induced pain. Women were found to have generally higher amplitudes and shorter latencies of the late positive component than men. Moreover, men and women exhibited different hemispheric activations in that women expressed shorter latencies over the left hemisphere than men. The pronounced sex-related difference of the late positive component suggests a cognitive/emotional impact on the processing of intranasal pain as indicated by others.