The Brain’s Gendered Architecture: An MRI Study of Cortical and Subcortical Volume Differences
คำสำคัญ:
sex differences, cortical and subcortical volumes, MRI, brain morphometry, neuroanatomyบทคัดย่อ
Objective For the advancement of neuroscience and therapeutic applications, it is crucial to understand how cerebral and subcortical volumes change across sexes. This study utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate volumetric variations in various brain areas across different sexes.
Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 200 healthy participants (100 males and 100 females). High-resolution MRI scans were acquired using a 1.5T General Electric Signa scanner, and cortical segmentation was performed using a standardized semi-automated method. Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS, with independent sample t-tests employed to compare volumetric differences between sexes. Effect sizes were computed using Cohen’s d, and multiple comparisons were adjusted via the Bonferroni method.
Results There were considerably greater volumes of total cerebral white matter (p < 0.001, d = -1.1), total cortex (p < 0.001, d = -0.635), and total cerebrum (p < 0.001, d = -1.352) in males. Males also had considerably bigger ventricular structures, such as the lateral (p < 0.001, d = -0.71) and third (p < 0.001, d = -1.229) ventricles, although there was no significant difference in the fourth ventricle (p = 0.171). Males had substantially greater volumes in the inferior temporal gyrus (p < 0.001, d = -0.58), middle temporal gyrus (p < 0.001, d = -0.55), and superior temporal gyrus (p < 0.001, d = -0.73) among cortical areas with low-density sex hormone receptors. Significant differences were seen in the occipital pole (p < 0.001, d = -1.342), thalamus (p < 0.001, d = -1.282), and postcentral gyrus (p < 0.001, d = -1.536) in areas with high-density sex hormone receptors.
Conclusions This study confirms significant sex-based differences in brain volume, particularly in cortical and subcortical structures. These findings highlight the role of sex hormones in shaping neuroanatomy and provide insights for future research on sex-specific neurological and psychiatric conditions.
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