Gender differences of the brain structures in young high-altitude Tibetans

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Human Adaptation
• Altitude Physiology

Background:

• High-altitude environments present unique physiological challenges.
• Gender differences in human adaptation to altitude are known, but brain-specific patterns in Tibetans require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gender differences in brain structure and cognitive performance in Tibetan populations living at high altitudes.
• To compare these patterns with lowland Han Chinese controls.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from 61 male and 68 female Tibetans and Han controls.
• Neuropsychological testing, including digit serial accumulation and forward digit span.

Main Results:

• Tibetan females performed worse on specific cognitive tasks (digit serial accumulation, forward digit span) compared to males.
• Males (Tibetan and Han) had larger global gray and white matter volumes than females.
• Tibetan females exhibited smaller regional gray matter volumes but greater cortical thickness in specific frontal regions compared to males, with cortical thickness negatively correlating with altitude.

Conclusions:

• Tibetan female brains appear more susceptible to high-altitude effects, showing distinct structural and cognitive patterns compared to males.
• Observed gender differences in brain morphology may be linked to differential neuropsychological performance in high-altitude dwellers.
• High-altitude adaptation exhibits sex-specific neurobiological variations.