Gender differences in working memory networks: a BrainMap meta-analysis
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Gender differences in psychological processes have been of great interest in a variety of fields. While the majority of research in this area has focused on specific differences in relation to test performance, this study sought to determine the underlying neurofunctional differences observed during working memory, a pivotal cognitive process shown to be predictive of academic achievement and intelligence. Using the BrainMap database, we performed a meta-analysis and applied activation likelihood estimation to our search set. Our results demonstrate consistent working memory networks across genders, but also provide evidence for gender-specific networks whereby females consistently activate more limbic (e.g., amygdala and hippocampus) and prefrontal structures (e.g., right inferior frontal gyrus), and males activate a distributed network inclusive of more parietal regions. These data provide a framework for future investigations using functional or effective connectivity methods to elucidate the underpinnings of gender differences in neural network recruitment during working memory tasks.
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A more parsimonious interpretation is that during early-to-mid adolescence males use functional coupling between the basolateral amygdala and parieto-occipital regions for memory functions, supported by adult and adolescent research.
“An alternative, and more parsimonious interpretation, is that males rely on a functional coupling between BLA and parieto-occipital brain regions for memory functions during this early- to mid-adolescent period, which is supported by research in adults and adolescents (Darki and Klingberg, 2014, Hill et al., 2014).”
From Developmental sex differences in resting state functional connectivity of amygdala sub-regions (2015) · cites this paper as Hill et al., 2014
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- Authors
- Hill, A. C., Laird, A. R., & Robinson, J. L.
- Affiliations
- Auburn University (US)
- Florida International University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Robinson, Jennifer L.
- Venue
- Biological Psychology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2014-10
- Volume
- 102
- Pages
- 18-29
- ISSN
- 0301-0511 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4157091
- OpenAlex
- W2056269711
- Cited by
- 182
- References
- 62
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 1.03
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Biological Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- NIMH (R01-MH074457)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Keywords
- gender differences, working memory, brain networks, limbic system, amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus, parietal cortex, neural recruitment, BrainMap
- MeSH terms
- Amygdala, Brain, Female, Frontal Lobe, Hippocampus, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Neural Pathways, Parietal Lobe, Sex Characteristics, Sex Factors, Likelihood Functions, Databases, Factual, Prefrontal Cortex, Functional Neuroimaging
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