The fMRI correlates of visuo-spatial abilities: sex differences and gender dysphoria.


Journal

Brain imaging and behavior
ISSN: 1931-7565
Titre abrégé: Brain Imaging Behav
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101300405

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Apr 2022
Historique:
accepted: 13 01 2022
pubmed: 7 4 2022
medline: 19 4 2022
entrez: 6 4 2022
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

The contribution of brain regions to visuospatial abilities according to sex differences and gender identity is inconsistently described. One potential explaining factor may be the different tasks employed requiring a variable load of working memory and other cognitive resources. Here we asked to 20 cis and 20 transgender participants to undergo functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging during performance of a judgement line of orientation test that was adapted to explore the basic visuospatial processing while minimizing the working memory load. We show that V1 activation may be viewed as a brain area with enhanced activation in males, regardless of participants' gender identity. On its turn, gender identity exclusively influences the visuospatial processing of extrastriate visual areas (V5) in women with gender dysphoria. They showed enhanced V5 activation and an increased functional connectivity between V5 and V1. Overall our neuroimaging results suggest that the basic visuospatial abilities are associated with different activations pattern of cortical visual areas depending on the sex assigned at birth and gender identity.

Identifiants

pubmed: 35384549
doi: 10.1007/s11682-022-00638-5
pii: 10.1007/s11682-022-00638-5
pmc: PMC9010387
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

955-964

Informations de copyright

© 2022. The Author(s).

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Auteurs

Gioele Gavazzi (G)

IRCCS SDN, Naples, Italy.

Alessandra Daphne Fisher (AD)

"Mario Serio" Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Stefano Orsolini (S)

Department of Electrical, Electronic, and Information Engineering "Guglielmo Marconi", University of Bologna, Cesena, Italy.

Andrea Bianchi (A)

Neuroradiology Unit, "Careggi" University Hospital, Florence, Italy.

Alessia Romani (A)

"Mario Serio" Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Fiorenza Giganti (F)

Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research, Child Health, University of Florence, Via San Salvi, 12, 50135, Florence, Italy.

Fabio Giovannelli (F)

Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research, Child Health, University of Florence, Via San Salvi, 12, 50135, Florence, Italy.

Jiska Ristori (J)

"Mario Serio" Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Francesca Mazzoli (F)

"Mario Serio" Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Mario Maggi (M)

"Mario Serio" Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Maria Pia Viggiano (MP)

Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research, Child Health, University of Florence, Via San Salvi, 12, 50135, Florence, Italy. mariapia.viggiano@unifi.it.

Mario Mascalchi (M)

"Mario Serio" Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

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