title: Sex differences in face recognition memory in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, patients with generalized epilepsy, and healthy controls.
abstract: The influence of sex on face recognition memory was studied in 49 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, 20 patients with generalized epilepsy, and 32 healthy controls. After learning 20 faces, serially presented for 5 seconds each, subjects had to recognize the 20 among 40 faces (including 20 new faces) immediately and 24 hours later. Women had better face recognition than men, with no significant differences between groups. Women's advantage was due mainly to superior delayed recognition. Taken together, the results suggest that sex has a similar impact on face recognition in patients with epilepsy and healthy controls, and that testing delayed face recognition raises sensitivity for sex differences. The influence of sex on face recognition in patients with epilepsy should be acknowledged when evaluating individuals or comparing groups.
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center Hamburg, Protestant Hospital Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany. t.bengner@alsterdorf.de
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bengner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fortmeier
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Malina
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lindenau
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Voges
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goebell
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stodieck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004829:Epilepsy, Generalized / Q000523:psychology*; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000523:psychology*; D005145:Face; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors