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Sex-related differences in working memory for orientations: Analysis of distributed EEG sources model

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Abstract

A group of 31 healthy young adults (16 males and 15 females) performed two working memory tasks (WM): they were asked to 1) compare the orientations of sequentially presented sample and test gratings and 2) determine the direction of rotation of the test grating relative to the sample one. 128-channel EEG was registered. A multivariate analysis of distributed dipole activity was performed for the stage of comparison (in the interval of 50-350 ms after the test stimulus onset). Statistically significant sex related differences were revealed in the topography of cortical activity related to the comparison of the sample and test gratings. The differences were observed bilaterally in the occipital, parietal and temporal regions and, to a lesser extent, in the frontal cortex. The “males > females” contrasts were significant for the dipole activity of the posterior areas (occipital, parietal and temporal), while the "females > males" contrasts were significant in the structures of the frontal cortex. The obtained data confirm that neural networks involved in working memory for orientations differ between males and females. Specifically, males demonstrate a greater involvement of the posterior cortical areas, while in females the frontal cortex is more involved.

Highlights

  • Neural networks involved in orientation working memory differ between males and females.

  • When performing orientation working memory, males demonstrate a greater activation of the caudal cortical areas, while in females the frontal cortex is more involved.

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Data availability

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of biomedical ethics formulated in the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its subsequent updates and were approved by the local Bioethical Committees of the Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of RAS (Moscow). All participants submitted voluntary written informed consent signed by him or her for the publication of any potentially identifiable images or data included in this article.

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Funding

The study was supported by grant of the Russian Science Foundation, project № 22-15-00324, “Social tactile contacts and their role in psycho-emotional rehabilitation”. Electrophysiological studies were carried out using equipment of the Research Resource Center of IHNA and NPh RAS for functional brain mapping.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Butlerova St. 5A, 117485, Moscow, Russia

    L. A. Mayorova, E. S. Mikhailova, K. A. Saltykov, N. Yu. Gerasimenko & A. B. Kushnir

  2. Federal Research and Clinical Center of Intensive Care Medicine and Rehabilitology, Moscow, Russia

    L. A. Mayorova

Authors
  1. L. A. Mayorova
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  2. E. S. Mikhailova
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  3. K. A. Saltykov
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  4. N. Yu. Gerasimenko
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  5. A. B. Kushnir
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Contributions

Larisa Mayorova: Conceptualization, Writing - Review & Editing, Formal analysis; Elena Mikhailova: Conceptualization, Writing - Review & Editing, Methodology, Data curation; Konstantin Saltykov: Formal analysis; Natalia Gerasimenko and Anastasia Kushnir: EEG recording and preprocessing.

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Correspondence to L. A. Mayorova.

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Mayorova, L.A., Mikhailova, E.S., Saltykov, K.A. et al. Sex-related differences in working memory for orientations: Analysis of distributed EEG sources model. Neurosci Behav Physi 53, 661–669 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-023-01400-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-023-01400-0

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