title: Are women better mindreaders? Sex differences in neural correlates of mentalizing detected with functional MRI.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ability to mentalize, i.e. develop a Theory of Mind (ToM), enables us to anticipate and build a model of the thoughts, emotions and intentions of others. It has long been hypothesised that women differ from men in their mentalizing abilities. In the present fMRI study we examined the impact of (1) gender (women vs. men) and (2) game partner (human vs. computer) on ToM associated neural activity in the medial prefrontal cortex. Groups of men (n = 12) and women (n = 12) interacted in an iterated classical prisoner's dilemma forced choice situation with alleged human and computer partners who were outside the scanner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the conditions of playing against putative human as well as computer partners led to activity increases in mPFC, ACC and rTPJ, constituting the classic ToM network. However, mPFC/ACC activity was more pronounced when participants believed they were playing against the alleged human partner. Differences in the medial frontal lobe activation related to the sex of the participants could be demonstrated for the human partner > computer partner contrast.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data demonstrate differences in medial prefrontal brain activation during a ToM task depending on both the gender of participants and the game partner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry und Psychotherapy, Section of Neuroimaging, Philipps-University Marburg, Rudolf-Bultmann-Strasse 8, D-35039 Marburg, Germany. krachs@med.uni-marburg.de
authors.forename: Sören
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krach
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Blümel
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marjoram
authors.forename: Tineke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lataster
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Krabbendam
authors.forename: Jochen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Os
authors.forename: Tilo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kircher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D055815:Young Adult