Cited by 403Sex and Gender in HealthcareNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesFunctional Brain Connectivity Studies

Sex differences in the developing brain: insights from multimodal neuroimaging

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Kaczkurkin, Antonia N., Raznahan, Armin, Satterthwaite, Theodore D.·2019·Neuropsychopharmacology

Abstract

Youth (including both childhood and adolescence) is a period when the brain undergoes dramatic remodeling and is also a time when neuropsychiatric conditions often emerge. Many of these illnesses have substantial sex differences in prevalence, suggesting that sex differences in brain development may underlie differential risk for psychiatric symptoms between males and females. Substantial evidence documents sex differences in brain structure and function in adults, and accumulating data suggests that these sex differences may be present or emerge during development. Here we review the evidence for sex differences in brain structure, white matter organization, and perfusion during development. We then use these normative differences as a framework to understand sex differences in brain development associated with psychopathology. In particular, we focus on sex differences in the brain as they relate to anxiety, depression, psychosis, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms. Finally, we highlight existing limitations, gaps in knowledge, and fertile avenues for future research.

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  • Other studies have shown contradictory results regarding the influence of brain structures on sex differences in anxiety.

    “However, other studies, as exposed in Kaczkurkin et al., 68 have shown contradictory results regarding the influence of brain structures on sex differences in anxiety.”

    From Factors associated with gender and sex differences in anxiety prevalence and comorbidity: A systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as [68]

    The Relevance for Psychopathology section reports mixed findings on brain structure and anxiety, including increased and decreased regional volumes across studies. It does not say those contradictory structural findings concern sex differences in anxiety; its discussion of sex differences instead focuses on brain perfusion. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Sex differences in anxiety disorders may be due to differences in brain structures involved in emotional regulation, which explain the difference in processing negative information.

    “other studies show that differences in anxiety disorders between sexes may be due to (a) differences in the brain structures involved in emotional regulation, which explain the difference in the processing of negative information,32,39,68”

    From Factors associated with gender and sex differences in anxiety prevalence and comorbidity: A systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as [68]

    The “Relevance for Psychopathology” section links sex differences in anxiety-related symptoms to blood flow in affective brain regions, including the amygdala. It also says evidence for structural differences in anxiety is mixed. It does not establish that differences in brain structure explain sex differences in processing negative information; no page number is available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Of the 44 documents, 31 were empirical/quantitative studies and 13 were reviews.

    “Of the 44 documents, 31 were empirical/quantitative studies30–60 and 13 were reviews.61–73”

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Authors
Kaczkurkin, A. N., Raznahan, A., & Satterthwaite, T. D.
Affiliations
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author
Satterthwaite, Theodore D.
Venue
Neuropsychopharmacology
Published
2018-06-06
Volume
44
Issue
1
Pages
71-85
ISSN
  • 0893-133X (ISSN-L)
  • 1740-634X
OpenAlex
W2806051693
Cited by
403
References
206
Citations by year
2026: 37 · 2025: 62 · 2024: 63 · 2023: 84 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 54 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 2
FWCI
4.94
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropsychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
  • University of Pennsylvania (K12 HD085848)
  • National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
  • University of Pennsylvania Health System
  • National Institutes of Health (NCT00001246, 89-M-0006)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (NCT00001246, 89-M-0006, R01MH107703, ZIAMH002794, R01MH113550)
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (K12HD085848)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Sex and Gender in Healthcare
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Keywords
sex differences, brain development, youth, white matter organization, cerebral perfusion, brain structure, neuropsychiatric disorders, anxiety, depression, psychosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, adolescence
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Mental Disorders, Brain, Child, Female, Humans, Male, Sex Characteristics, Neuroimaging, Multimodal Imaging

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