Effects of gender, digit ratio, and menstrual cycle on intrinsic brain functional connectivity: A whole-brain, voxel-wise exploratory study using simultaneous local and global functional connectivity mapping.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Gender and sex hormones influence brain function, but their effects on functional network organization within the brain are not yet understood.

Methods

We investigated the influence of gender, prenatal sex hormones (estimated by the 2D:4D digit ratio), and the menstrual cycle on the intrinsic functional network organization of the brain (as measured by 3T resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI)) using right-handed, age-matched university students (100 males and 100 females). The mean (±SD) age was 20.9 ± 1.5 (range: 18-24) years and 20.8 ± 1.3 (range: 18-24) years for males and females, respectively. Using two parameters derived from the normalized alpha centrality analysis (one for local and another for global connectivity strength), we created mean funct

SUBMITTER: Donishi T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5853634 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature