title: Sex-related differences in amygdala activity influences immediate memory.
abstract: Despite a well-established relationship between amygdala activation during learning and long-term memory, contributions of amygdala to immediate memory have not been studied to date. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging at 1.5-T field strength to determine whether amygdala responses to emotional pictures would predict performance on an immediate recognition memory test. Sex differences in amygdala activation were related to false-positive error rates in recognizing unpleasant pictures. Specifically, increased right amygdala activation during unpleasant picture viewing was related to lower false-positive rates for men and higher false-positive rates for women. Our results indicate that increased amygdala activation while viewing unpleasant pictures may preferentially facilitate immediate recognition memory in men relative to women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, USA. deane.aikins@yale.edu
authors.forename: Deane E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Aikins
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anticevic
authors.forename: Kent A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kiehl
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Krystal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors