Sex differences in brain activation to emotional stimuli: A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies

Stevens, Jennifer S.; Hamann, Stephan

doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.03.011

Cited by 473 publications

(312 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…39 Substantial differences in brain activations in men and women with respect to emotional responses have been reported earlier, for example, females had greater activation in the hippocampus and amygdala compared to males in response to negative emotional stimuli. 67 The sex-specific differences have also been reported in a resting-state fMRI study in which altered dynamics of the amygdala was observed in female IBS patients relative to female healthy controls, while these differences were not seen in males. 34 All these studies provide evidence towards absence of activations in these regions in male IBS patients as observed in the present study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

Mapping of Brain Activations to Rectal Balloon Distension Stimuli in Male Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Guleria

Karyampudi

Singh

et al. 2017

J Neurogastroenterol Motil

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Background/AimsIrritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is associated with exaggerated cerebral response including emotional processing following visceral stimulation; though data on this issue is available in female IBS patients, it is scanty among males. Hence, we aimed to study brain response of male IBS patients following rectal balloon distension as compared to healthy controls using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Data between diarrhea and constipation predominant IBS (IBS-D and IBS-C) were also compared. MethodsRectal balloon distension threshold was assessed in 20 male IBS patients (10 IBS-C and 10 IBS-D) and 10 age-matched male healthy controls. Subsequently, fMRI on all the participants was performed at their respective rectal pain threshold. The fMRI data were analysed using the Statistical Parametric Mapping software. ResultsIBS patients showed greater cerebral activations in insula, middle temporal gyrus, and cerebellum in the left hemisphere compared to healthy controls. Neural activation was found in bilateral precuneus/superior parietal lobules in controls but not in patients with IBS. The brain activation differed among IBS-C and IBS-D patients; while the right mid-cingulate cortex was activated in IBS-C, the left inferior orbito-frontal cortex, left calcarine, and bilateral fusiform gyri were activated among patients with IBS-D following rectal balloon distension. Conclusions

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

Mapping of Brain Activations to Rectal Balloon Distension Stimuli in Male Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Guleria

Karyampudi

Singh

et al. 2017

J Neurogastroenterol Motil

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“…The assumption that important differences may exist in the neural substrate of facial mimicry and emotion recognition seems particularly plausible if one considers that "sex influences on brain function are ubiquitous, found at every level of neuroscience from the behaving human to the ion channel" (Cahill, 2012(Cahill, , p. 2542. In line with this, meta-analyses of brain imaging studies have revealed that brain activation to emotional stimuli greatly differs by gender (Stevens & Hamann, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Gender differences in the neural network of facial mimicry of smiles – An rTMS study

Korb

Malsert

Rochas

et al. 2015

Cortex

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a b s t r a c tUnder theories of embodied emotion, exposure to a facial expression triggers facial mimicry. Facial feedback is then used to recognize and judge the perceived expression.However, the neural bases of facial mimicry and of the use of facial feedback remain poorly understood. Furthermore, gender differences in facial mimicry and emotion recognition suggest that different neural substrates might accompany the production of facial mimicry, and the processing of facial feedback, in men and women. Here, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was applied to the right primary motor cortex (M1), the right primary somatosensory cortex (S1), or, in a control condition, the vertex (VTX).Facial mimicry of smiles and emotion judgments were recorded in response to video clips depicting changes from neutral or angry to happy facial expressions. While in females rTMS over M1 and S1 compared to VTX led to reduced mimicry and, in the case of M1, delayed detection of smiles, there was no effect of TMS condition for males. We conclude that in female participants M1 and S1 play a role in the mimicry and in the use of facial feedback for accurate processing of smiles.© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. c o r t e x 7 0 ( 2 0 1 5 ) 1 0 1 e1 1 4http://dx

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“…Structural brain differences that have been reported include, for instance, greater cortical thickness in anterior temporal and orbitofrontal areas in men, and greater cortical convolution and complexity across the neocortex in women, (Luders & Toga, 2010). Sex differences in brain function are also routinely explored, such as in the field of emotion processing, where enhanced left amygdala activity, for example, was demonstrated in response to negative emotions in women but positive emotions in men (Stevens & Hamann, 2012).…”

Section: Gender and The Brain: Structural And Functional Differencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender and creativity: an overview of psychological and neuroscientific literature

Abraham

2015

Brain Imaging and Behavior

167

104

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The topic of gender differences in creativity generates substantial scientific and public interest, but also courts considerable controversy. Owing to the heterogeneous nature of the findings associated with this line of research, the general picture often appears puzzling or obscure. The present article presents a selective overview of psychological and neuroscientific literature that has a relevant bearing on the theme of gender and creativity. Topics that are explored include the definition and methods of assessing creativity, a summary of behavioral investigations on gender in relation to creativity, postulations that have been forwarded to understand gender differences in creative achievement, gender-based differences in the structure and function of the brain, gender-related differences in behavioral performance on tasks of normative cognition, and neuroscientific studies of gender and creativity. The final section of the overview presents a detailed discussion of the idea that differences between men and women in creative cognition are best explained with reference to the gender-dependent adopted strategies or cognitive style when faced with generative tasks. Gender and Creativity 3Creativity refers to the singularly complex human ability to produce novel ideas, generate new solutions, and express oneself in a unique manner. Although prominent works of art and astounding scientific discoveries are the customary associations that are readily evoked when we consider the concept of creativity, our capacity to be creative is evident in virtually all aspects of human life when engaged in language and communication, choice and decision making, as well as planning and organization (Mark A. Runco & Pritzker, 2011;Sawyer, 2012). While the potential to be creative exists within each person, there is considerable individual variability in both the type and amount of creative output that is eventually produced over our lifetimes. A substantial proportion of the empirical investigations in creativity are directed at uncovering which variables have a positive or negative impact on creativity. Gender is one factor that has been explored in this regard within psychological research. This paper provides a general overview of psychological and neuroscientific research that has a direct or indirect bearing on the topic of gender and creativity. The first part of this paper is devoted to understanding what is meant by creativity in terms of definition and methods of assessment. This is followed by a summary of behavioral findings on gender-related differences in creative thinking and a discussion of the explanations that have been forwarded to understand such differences. Current knowledge concerning gender-based behavioral and neurobiological differences in other (non-creative) aspects of cognition is then explored. In the final part of the paper, implications of findings from neuroscientific studies of gender differences in creative thinking are discussed.Gender and Creativity 4

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Sex differences in brain activation to emotional stimuli: A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies

Cited by 473 publications

References 72 publications

Mapping of Brain Activations to Rectal Balloon Distension Stimuli in Male Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Mapping of Brain Activations to Rectal Balloon Distension Stimuli in Male Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome Using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Gender differences in the neural network of facial mimicry of smiles – An rTMS study

Gender and creativity: an overview of psychological and neuroscientific literature

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