Sex Differences in Functional Connectivity Patterns During Mental Rotation Task: An Event-Related EEG Study.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neuroscience of Sex Differences

Background:

• Sex differences in mental rotation (MR) performance are well-documented.
• Limited research has explored the underlying neural mechanisms, particularly functional connectivity, contributing to these sex differences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate neuro-activity influences on sex differences in MR tasks.
• To examine behavioral and electrophysiological measures, including functional connectivity, in individuals with varying performance levels.

Main Methods:

• A revised mental rotation task was administered to participants.
• Behavioral data, event-related potential (ERP) components from fronto-central channels, and functional connectivity across different frequency bands were analyzed.
• Focus was placed on low-scoring individuals to understand performance-related neural differences.

Main Results:

• Males demonstrated superior performance in the MR task compared to females.
• Significant sex differences were observed: males had shorter response times and smaller ERP amplitudes.
• Males exhibited stronger beta and gamma functional connectivity and weaker fronto-parietal ERP activity than females.

Conclusions:

• Males show enhanced behavioral performance and distinct neural activity patterns during MR tasks compared to females.
• Males appear to require less mental effort and exhibit more effective internal neural regulation.
• Findings clarify fundamental neural differences between sexes in mental rotation.