Anatomic and molecular sex differences exist in the brain, which suggests there may be functional differences. The present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) investigation aimed to identify the similarities and differences in brain activity between females and males during item memory. During encoding, abstract shapes were presented to the left or right of fixation. During retrieval, old and new shapes were presented at fixation and participants made "old-left", "old-right", or "new" judgments. Item memory was isolated by contrasting correct "old" responses to old items (with incorrect spatial memory responses; item memory hits) and "new" responses to old items (item memory misses). For both sexes, item memory produced activity in regions associated with visual long-term memory including the prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex, and visual processing regions. A sex by accuracy interaction analysis within each sub-region of activity produced largely null results, supporting common patterns of brain activity. However, there was sex-specific (male > female) activity within default network regions, which suggests males may have been less engaged in the task, and there was evidence for greater activity for females than males in language processing cortex. The present findings indicate that females and males employ similar patterns of brain activity during item memory.

中文翻译：

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在项目记忆过程中，雌性和雄性的皮层活动相似。

大脑存在解剖学和分子上的性别差异，这表明可能存在功能差异。本功能磁共振成像（fMRI）研究旨在确定项目记忆过程中雌性和雄性之间大脑活动的异同。在编码过程中，抽象形状显示在固定的左侧或右侧。在检索过程中，固定时会呈现新旧形状，参与者会做出“旧左”，“旧右”或“新”的判断。通过对比对旧项目的正确“旧”响应（不正确的空间存储响应；项目存储命中）和对旧项目的“新”响应（项目存储未命中）来隔离项目存储。对于男女 项目记忆在与视觉长期记忆有关的区域中产生了活动，包括前额叶皮层，顶叶皮层和视觉处理区域。在每个活动子区域内进行的按性别进行的准确交互作用分析在很大程度上未得到结果，这支持了大脑活动的常见模式。但是，默认网络区域中存在特定于性别的活动（男性>女性），这表明男性在这项任务中的参与可能较少，并且有证据表明，女性在语言处理皮层中的活动比男性更多。本研究结果表明，女性和男性在项目记忆期间采用类似的大脑活动模式。支持大脑活动的常见模式。但是，默认网络区域中存在特定于性别的活动（男性>女性），这表明男性在这项任务中的参与可能较少，并且有证据表明，女性在语言处理皮层中的活动比男性更多。本研究结果表明，女性和男性在项目记忆期间采用类似的大脑活动模式。支持大脑活动的常见模式。但是，默认网络区域中存在特定于性别的活动（男性>女性），这表明男性在这项任务中的参与可能较少，并且有证据表明，女性在语言处理皮层中的活动比男性更多。本研究结果表明，女性和男性在项目记忆期间采用类似的大脑活动模式。