Sex-linked association between cortical scene selectivity and navigational ability

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Human Behavior

Background:

• Spatial navigation is vital for survival and exhibits sex-based performance differences.
• Previous research indicates males generally outperform females in navigation tasks.
• The neural underpinnings of these sex differences in navigation remain largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sex differences in cortical scene processing within scene-selective brain regions.
• To examine the relationship between scene selectivity in these regions and navigational ability.
• To explore the neural basis of sex differences in spatial navigation.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to scan participants viewing navigationally relevant scenes.
• Scene selectivity was measured in the parahippocampal place area (PPA), retrosplenial complex (RSC), and occipital place area (OPA).
• Neural data were correlated with self-reported navigational ability, controlling for confounding factors.

Main Results:

• Males demonstrated significantly higher scene selectivity in the bilateral PPA compared to females.
• No significant sex differences in scene selectivity were found in the RSC or OPA.
• Stronger scene selectivity in the left PPA correlated with better navigational ability in males, but not females.

Conclusions:

• Sex differences in spatial navigation are associated with differential scene processing in the PPA.
• The PPA plays a crucial role in the male-specific brain-behavior association for navigation.
• These findings provide empirical evidence for sex differences in the neural networks supporting spatial navigation.