Gender differences in cerebral regional homogeneity of adult healthy volunteers: a resting-state FMRI study

Abstract

Objective: We sought to use the regional homogeneity (ReHo) approach as an index in the resting-state functional MRI to investigate the gender differences of spontaneous brain activity within cerebral cortex and resting-state networks (RSNs) in young adult healthy volunteers.

Methods: One hundred and twelve healthy volunteers (56 males, 56 females) participated in the resting-state fMRI scan. The ReHo mappings in the cerebral cortex and twelve RSNs of the male and female groups were compared.

Results: We found statistically significant gender differences in the primary visual network (PVN) (P < 0.004, with Bonferroni correction) and left attention network (LAtN), default mode network (DMN), sensorimotor network (SMN), executive network (EN), and dorsal medial prefrontal network (DMPFC) as well (P < 0.05, uncorrected). The male group showed higher ReHo in the left precuneus, while the female group showed higher ReHo in the right middle cingulate gyrus, fusiform gyrus, left inferior parietal lobule, precentral gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, and postcentral gyrus.

Conclusions: Our results suggested that men and women had regional specific differences during the resting-state. The findings may improve our understanding of the gender differences in behavior and cognition from the perspective of resting-state brain function.

Figure 1

ReHo differences of cerebral regions between males and females (Monte Carlo simulation program AlphaSim, P < 0.0001, cluster size ≥ 4, and α < 0.05). Women showed greater ReHo than men in areas of the right middle cingulate gyrus (R. MCC), right fusiform gyrus (RFG), left inferior parietal lobule (LIPL), left precentral gyrus (LPreG), left supramarginal gyrus (LSMG), and left postcentral gyrus (LPG), while men showed greater ReHo in the left precuneus. L, left; R, right.

Figure 2

Mean ReHo of 12 RSNs between males and females. Significant differences were observed in the PVN (with Bonferroni correction, ^# P < 0.004). In the exploratory analysis, significant differences were observed in the DMN, LAtN, PVN, SMN, EN, and DMPFC as well as PVN (uncorrected, ^* P < 0.05). Error bar represented standard error.