Sex specificity of ventral anterior cingulate cortex suppression during a cognitive task.

Publication Type Academic Article
Authors Butler T, Imperato-McGinley J, Pan H, Voyer D, Cunningham-Bussel A, Chang L, Zhu Y, Cordero J, Stern E, Silbersweig D
Journal Hum Brain Mapp
Volume 28
Issue 11
Pagination 1206-12
Date Published 11/01/2007
ISSN 1065-9471
Keywords Cognition, Emotions, Gyrus Cinguli, Prefrontal Cortex, Sex Characteristics
Abstract Ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC) is a highly interconnected brain region considered to reflect the sometimes competing demands of cognition and emotion. A reciprocal relationship between vACC and dorsal ACC (dACC) may play a role in maintaining this balance between cognitive and emotional processing. Using functional MRI in association with a cognitively-demanding visuospatial task (mental rotation), we found that only women demonstrated vACC suppression and inverse functional connectivity with dACC. Sex differences in vACC functioning--previously described under conditions of negative emotion--are extended here to cognition. Consideration of participant sex is essential to understanding the role of vACC in cognitive and emotional processing.
DOI 10.1002/hbm.20340
PubMed ID 17315226
PubMed Central ID PMC6871468
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