Gender differences in the processing of standardized emotional visual stimuli in humans: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study

doi:10.1016/S0304-3940(03)00565-2

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 348, Issue 1, 4 September 2003, Pages 41-45

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(03)00565-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

Pictures from the International Affective Picture System were used in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study to assess gender differences in brain activation in ten male and ten female volunteers. The affectively positive, negative and neutral pictures were presented for 750 ms in a single event design and were carefully matched for arousal, valence and stimulus content. Men and women showed no significant difference in valence, arousal, skin conductance response and startle modulation. Only in men was amygdala activation observed in the pleasant condition. Furthermore, men showed a stronger brain activity for positive visual stimuli than women in the frontal lobe (inferior and medial frontal gyrus). In women, stronger brain activation for affectively negative pictures was observed in the anterior and medial cingulate gyrus. These results indicate that it is crucial to take gender differences into account when emotional paradigms are used in functional brain imaging.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (He 2597/4-1).

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Gender differences in the processing of standardized emotional visual stimuli in humans: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Abstract

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

Neuron

J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiatry

Pain

Neuroimage

Neurosci. Lett.

Pain

Sex differences in the neural basis of emotional memories

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA

The International Affective Picture System (Photographic Slides)

Meta-analysis of thirty-four independent samples studies using PET reveals a significantly attenuated central response to noxious stimulation in clinical pain patients

Curr. Rev. Pain

Differential response patterns in the striatum and orbitofrontal cortex to financial reward in humans: a parametric functional magnetic resonance imaging study

J. Neurosci.