The Influence of Gender on Auditory and Language Cortical Activation Patterns: Preliminary Data
Mehmet Kocaka,b,
John L. Ulmera,
Bharat B. Biswalc,
Ayse Aralasmaka,
David L. Danielsa and
Leighton P. Marka
a Department of Radiology, Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI
b the Department of Radiology, Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center Newark, NJ
c the Department of Radiology, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School Newark, NJ
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FIG 1. Left hemispheric mean number of activated pixels in specific subregions of auditory and language cortex of 12 normal hearing subjects (6 men and 6 women), to passive text listening at 2 different background acoustic scanner noise conditions; 4 sections/2 seconds TR (2 Hz) and 12 sections/2 seconds TR (6 Hz). Activity is greatest in the STG and MTG/STS region. The STG includes the transverse temporal gyrus, planum polare, and planum temporale. The MTG/STS region includes primarily the posterior aspect of the MTG and cortex lining of the posterior aspect of the STS. Activity in the IFG includes primarily Broadman’s areas 44 and posterior 45. Activity in the PFC, AG, and SMG was inconsistent among individuals. Note that there is no significant difference in regional cortical activation of the left hemisphere in the presence of changing scanner noise rates.
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FIG 2. Ratio of total left hemispheric activation in response to passive text listening between the scanner noise conditions of 12 sections (6 Hz) and 4 sections (2 Hz). There is no change in activation between the 2 background noise conditions in women (n = 6), but a significant (P < .01) increase in left hemispheric activation in men (n = 6) as the rate of scanner noise is increased, compared with that of women. All 6 men showed a 20% or greater increase in activation with the more rapid rate of scanner noise. Also noted is the increased variance among the men.
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FIG 3. A, Change in activation of left hemispheric auditory and language relevant cortex across 2 background noise conditions (12 sections = 6 Hz; 4 sections = 2 Hz). Note significantly increased activation (P < .05) within the STG, MTG/STS, and IFG subregions to text listening in the presence of more rapid acoustic scanner noise production, in men (n = 6) compared with women (n = 6). Nonsignificant increased activation is also seen within the AG, SMG, and PFC of men. There is no change in activation to the more rapid noise rate in women.
B, Activated pixels in auditory and language cortex in response to text listening with 2 underlying background acoustic scanner noise conditions (2 Hz and 6 Hz). Left hemispheric activation in response to text listening in a woman is shown to be similar between the 2 underlying background acoustic noise conditions (upper images). Left hemispheric activation to text listening in a man is significantly increased by increasing the rate of data acquisition and associated increased rate of background acoustic scanner noise (lower images).
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