Sex, gender diversity, and brain structure in early adolescence

Human Brain Mapping, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 45(5)

Published: April 1, 2024

Abstract There remains little consensus about the relationship between sex and brain structure, particularly in early adolescence. Moreover, few pediatric neuroimaging studies have analyzed both gender as variables of interest—many which included small sample sizes relied on binary definitions gender. The current study examined diversity with a continuous felt‐gender score categorized based X Y allele frequency large children ages 9–11 years old ( N = 7195). Then, statistical model‐building approach was employed to determine whether independently or jointly relate morphology, including subcortical volume, cortical thickness, gyrification, white matter microstructure. Additional sensitivity analyses found that male versus female differences gyrification were largely accounted for by total rather than per se. model sex, but not diversity, best‐fitting 60.1% gray regions 61.9% after adjusting volume. proportion variance negligible all cases. While models explained greater amount regions, alone significant predictor its own any examined. Overall, these findings demonstrate at old, accounts while is directly associated neurostructural diversity.

Language: Английский

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Not so binary or generalizable: Brain sex differences with artificial neural networks

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 122(2)

Published: Jan. 2, 2025

Language: Английский

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A Low-Field MRI Dataset For Spatiotemporal Analysis of Developing Brain

Scientific Data, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Jan. 20, 2025

Recently, imaging investigation of brain development has increasingly captured the attention researchers and clinicians in an attempt to understand link between behavioral changes. Although high-field MR infants is feasible, necessary customizations have limited its accessibility, affordability, reproducibility. Low-field MR, as emerging solution for scrutinizing developing brain, exhibited unique advantages safety, portability, cost-effectiveness. The presented low-field infant structural data aims manifest feasibility using image exam changes during early life infants. dataset comprises 100 T2 weighed images from with in-plane resolution ~0.85 mm ~6 slice thickness. To demonstrate potential utility, we conducted atlas-based whole segmentations volumetric quantifications analyze features first 10 week postnatal life. This addresses scarcity a large, extended-span that restricts further tracking trajectories routine pipelines.

Language: Английский

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Developmental trajectories of gyrification and sulcal morphometrics in children and adolescents at high familial risk for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 72, P. 101536 - 101536

Published: Feb. 24, 2025

Offspring of parents with severe mental illness are at increased risk developing psychopathology. Identifying endophenotypic markers in high-familial-risk individuals can aid early detection and inform development prevention strategies. Using generalized additive mixed models, we compared age trajectories gyrification index (GI) sulcal morphometric measures (i.e., depth, length width) between familial for bipolar disorder or schizophrenia controls. 300 T1-weighted MRI scans were obtained 187 (53 % female, range: 8-23 years) (n = 80, n families=55) 53, families=36) controls 54, families=33). 113 underwent two scans. Globally, GI, depth decreased significantly age, width a (near-)linear manner. There no differences groups mean values any the measures. These findings suggest that, on average, young have preserved developmental patterns morphometrics during childhood adolescence.

Language: Английский

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“Precision Medicine” and the Failed Search for Binary Brain Sex Differences to Address Gender Behavioral Health Disparities

American Journal of Human Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 37(4)

Published: April 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Human brain imaging took off in the 1980s and has since flooded zone analysis of gender differences behavior mental health. Couched aims “precision medicine,” vast majority this research taken a binary approach, dividing participants according to M/F box at intake asserting that sex found neuroimaging will lead important advances for treating neuropsychiatric disorders. However, actual findings from 40‐year project have not lived up its promise, part because over‐binarization general ignorance as complex variable influencing human function. This paper reviews history failed claims about male–female difference modern era, illuminates deep‐pocketed incentives driving such research, examines limitations approach understanding gender‐related health disparities. It then considers more recent efforts “break binary” by using measures “gender” addition “sex” an independent studies. Given multidimensional nature gender—as identity, expression, roles relations—this is challenging implement, with initial producing little substance. Better approaches addressing disparities require focusing on specific behaviors (e.g., anxiety, risk‐taking, verbal memory, spatial navigation) components body size, hormone levels, gene caregiver role, financial independence, discrimination) when seeking brain‐behavior correlates diverse population.

Language: Английский

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Longitudinal sex-at-birth and age analyses of cortical structure in the ABCD Study^®

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: June 11, 2024

Abstract While the brain continues to develop during adolescence, such development may depend on sex-at-birth. However, elucidation of differences be hindered by analytical decisions (e.g., covariate selection address body/brain-size differences) and typical reporting cross-sectional data. To further evaluate adolescent cortical development, we analyzed data from Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study SM , whose cohort 11,000+ youth participants with biannual neuroimaging collection can facilitate understanding neuroanatomical change a critical developmental window. Doubly considering individual in context group-level effects, regional changes thickness, sulcal depth, surface area, volume between two timepoints (∼2 years apart) 9-to 12-year-olds assigned male or female First, conducted linear mixed-effects models gauge how controlling for intracranial volume, whole-brain (WBV), summary metric mean thickness) influenced interpretations age-dependent change. Next, evaluated relative thickness area as function sex-at-birth age. Here, showed that WBV (thickness, volume) total were more optimal covariates; different covariates would have substantially altered our overall sex-at-birth-specific development. Further, provided evidence suggest aggregate is changing generally comparable across those sex-at-birth, corresponding happening at slightly older ages Overall, these results help elucidate trajectories early adolescence. Significance Statement most brain’s happens life, much it still Because many factors alter trajectories, important shape/timing (i.e., what constitutes development). affected choose analyze them. way researchers brain/body size affects interpret variation over time. consider similar patterns simply groups. These support relatively novel analyzing

Language: Английский

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More similarity than difference: comparison of within- and between-sex variance in early adolescent brain structure

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 19, 2024

Adolescent neuroimaging studies of sex differences in the human brain predominantly examine mean between males and females. This focus on between-groups without probing relative distributions similarities may contribute to both conflation overestimation sexual dimorphism developing brain. We aimed characterize variance macro- micro-structure early adolescence as it pertains at birth using a large sample 9-11 year-olds from Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (N=7,723). Specifically, for global regional estimates gray white matter volume, cortical thickness, microstructure (i.e., fractional anisotropy diffusivity), we examined: within- between-sex variance, overlap male female distributions, inhomogeneity via Fligner-Killeen test, an analysis (ANOSIM). For completeness, examined these uncorrected (raw) residualized after mixed-effects modeling account age, pubertal development, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, MRI scanner manufacturer, total where applicable. The was universally greater than difference (overlap coefficient range: 0.585 - 0.985) ratio within-sex similar (ANOSIM R -0.001 0.117). All subcortical volumes showed significant whereas minority regions anisotropy, diffusivity. Inhomogeneity reduced accounting other sources variance. Overlap coefficients were larger ANOSIM values smaller outcomes, indicating once covariates. Reported adolescent structure be driven by disparities rather binary, sex-based phenotypes. Contrary popular view sexually dimorphic, found more similarity sexes all measurements examined. study builds upon previous findings illustrating importance considering when examining structure.

Language: Английский

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More similarity than difference: comparison of within- and between-sex variance in early adolescent brain structure

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Oct. 17, 2024

Background Adolescent neuroimaging studies of sex differences in the human brain predominantly examine mean between males and females. This focus on between-groups without probing relative distributions similarities may contribute to both conflation overestimation sexual dimorphism developing brain. Methods We aimed characterize variance macro- micro-structure early adolescence as it pertains at birth using a large sample 9-11 year-olds from Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (N=7,723). Specifically, for global regional estimates gray white matter volume, cortical thickness, microstructure (i.e., fractional anisotropy diffusivity), we examined: within- between-sex variance, overlap male female distributions, inhomogeneity via Fligner-Killeen test, an analysis (ANOSIM). For completeness, examined these uncorrected (raw) residualized after mixed-effects modeling account age, pubertal development, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, MRI scanner manufacturer, total where applicable. Results The was universally greater than difference (overlap coefficient range: 0.585 - 0.985) ratio within-sex similar (ANOSIM R -0.001 0.117). All subcortical volumes showed significant whereas minority regions anisotropy, diffusivity. Inhomogeneity reduced accounting other sources variance. Overlap coefficients were larger ANOSIM values smaller outcomes, indicating once covariates. Conclusions Reported adolescent structure be driven by disparities rather binary, sex-based phenotypes. Contrary popular view sexually dimorphic, found more similarity sexes all measurements examined. study builds upon previous findings illustrating importance considering when examining structure.

Language: Английский

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