Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Different Genders in the Activation of Brain Emotional Centers

Background/Objective: The main aim of this study"nwas to reveal gender differences in the localization"nof brain emotional centers for positive and negative"nstimuli."nPatients and Methods: Forty right-handed young"nvolunteers (age range, 18-36 years), 21 men and 19"nwomen were examined using MR 1.5 T Signa Horizon"n(GEMS). Functional images were acquired using a"nspin-echo echoplanar sequence sensitive to blood"noxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast, with"nthe following parameters: TR=3000 ms, TE= 60 ms,"nFOV=2821 cm, matrix 9696,1 NEX. For emotion induction, affectively negative, positive and neutral"npictures were used. Positive and negative cues were"ntaken from the International Affecive Picture System"n(IAPS). There were two runs, in the first run subjects"nsaw only negatively valenced pictures, during the"nsecond run only positive pictures were shown."nResults: For positive stimuli, the greatest differences"nin activation in women compared to men were"ndetected in the right superior temporal gyrus. For"nnegative stimuli, the greatest differences in activation"nin women compared to men were detected in the left"nthalamus. For positive stimuli, the greatest differences"nin activation in men compared to women were"ndetected in the bilateral occipital lobes as well as the"nbilateral fusiform gyrus. For negative stimuli, the"ngreatest differences in activation in men compared to"nwomen were detected in the left insula."nConclusion: There are statistically significant"ndifferences in activation of the emotional centers"nbetween females and males for the positive and"ndenoised, extracted and visualized. Follow-up CT"nexam and/or clinical pictures confirmed or excluded"nthe diagnosis. Based on preliminary results and"nconcluded efficiency limitations additional postprocessing"nbased on curvelets decomposition and"nimproved segmentation of stroke susceptible regions"nhas been designed and performed later on for selected"nexaminations regarded as difficult.