Gender differences revealed in the right posterior temporal areas during Navon letter identification tasks

Abstract

Gender differences in temporo-spectral EEG patterns during verbal cognitive performance are poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the event-related dynamics of EEG differ between genders during the performance of Navon letter identification tasks (NLITs). To this end, the EEG patterns of 40 subjects were recorded during the NLIT performance. We compared behavioral outcomes, event-related temporo-spectral dynamics, and source distribution of neural oscillations within cortical regions of male and female subjects. We found that male subjects exhibited greater induced neural activities than female subjects in right temporo-parietal areas at theta and alpha frequency bands. Source imaging for the time ranges at which maximal gender differences were observed revealed gender-dependent estimated current densities in the right posterior temporal regions. These gender differences can be explained by the existence of distinct, gender-specific hemispheric specialization. Thus, gender differences should be considered during behavioral tasks and electrophysiological measurements.