Gender differences in partial-volume corrected brain perfusion using brain MRI in healthy children

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pediatric Imaging
• Brain Anatomy

Background:

• Understanding neurodevelopmental differences between genders is crucial.
• Brain perfusion, a measure of blood flow, can reveal functional variations.
• Previous studies have suggested potential gender-based disparities in brain structure and function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gender differences in brain perfusion in healthy children.
• To analyze brain perfusion using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.
• To explore potential correlations between perfusion differences and cognitive abilities.

Main Methods:

• Pulsed arterial spin-labeling MRI was used to collect structural and perfusion data from 202 healthy children (aged 5-18).
• Partial volume correction (PVC) was applied to perfusion data.
• Voxel-based analysis and region-of-interest (ROI) analysis were employed to compare gender differences.

Main Results:

• Girls demonstrated significantly higher brain perfusion with PVC in bilateral parietal lobes, including the posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus, compared to boys.
• ROI analysis confirmed higher perfusion in girls in the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, and left thalamus.
• No brain regions showed significantly higher perfusion in boys compared to girls.

Conclusions:

• Significant gender differences in brain perfusion exist in healthy children.
• These perfusion differences, particularly in parietal regions, may underlie observed gender disparities in cognitive functions.
• The study provides valuable insights into sex-based neurodevelopmental trajectories.