Sex differences of event-related potential effects during three-dimensional mental rotation.
Sex differences in performance and in cortical activation patterns during mental rotation have rather consistently been reported. Data regarding sex differences of event-related potentials during the classic three-dimensional mental rotation task developed by Shepard and Metzler, however, are absent, and were therefore being addressed by this study. Mental rotation-related event-related potential effects were observed 900-1000 ms poststimulus at parietal electrodes and 600-700 as well as 800-900 ms poststimulus at right frontal leads, respectively. Sex differences, however, were observed already 400-700 ms poststimulus at right frontal electrodes. These findings suggest that sex differences during three-dimensional mental rotation occurred in relatively early cognitive processing stages presumably including perception and identification of stimuli instead of mental rotation itself.
Yu
Qingbao
Q
Institute of Neuroinformatics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China.
Tang
Yiyuan
Y
Li
Jian
J
Lu
Qilin
Q
Wang
Huili
H
Sui
Danni
D
Zhou
Li
L
Wang
Yan
Y
Heil
Martin
M
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005556:Form Perception / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012399:Rotation; D012737:Sex Factors; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult