Gender roles are anti-dichotomous and malleable social constructs that should theoretically be constructed independently from biological sex. However, it is unclear whether and how the factor of sex is related to neural mechanisms involved in social constructions of gender roles. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate sex specificity in gender role constructions and the corresponding underlying neural mechanisms. We measured gender role orientation using the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, used a voxel-based global brain connectivity method based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to characterize the within-network connectivity in the brain reward network, and analyzed how the integration of the reward network is related to gender role scores between sex groups. An omnibus analysis of voxel-wise global brain connectivity values within a two-level linear mixed model revealed that in female participants, femininity scores were positively associated with integration in the posterior orbitofrontal cortex and subcallosal cortex, whereas masculinity scores were positively associated with integration in the frontal pole. By contrast, in male participants, masculinity was negatively correlated with integration in the nucleus accumbens and subcallosal cortex. For the first time, the present study revealed the sex-specific neural mechanisms underlying distinct gender roles, which elucidates the process of gender construction from the perspective of the interaction between reward sensitivity and social reinforcement.

中文翻译：

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奖励网络中与不同性别角色相关的性别特定功能连接

性别角色是反二分法和可塑的社会结构，理论上应该独立于生物性别来构建。然而，目前尚不清楚性别因素是否以及如何与参与性别角色社会建构的神经机制相关。因此，本研究旨在调查性别角色构建中的性别特异性和相应的潜在神经机制。我们使用 Bem Sex-Role Inventory 测量性别角色取向，使用基于静息态功能磁共振成像的基于体素的全局大脑连接方法来表征大脑奖励网络中的网络内连接，并分析了如何整合奖励网络与性别群体之间的性别角色得分有关。对两级线性混合模型中体素全局大脑连接值的综合分析显示，在女性参与者中，女性气质得分与后眶额叶皮层和胼胝体下皮层的整合呈正相关，而男性气质得分与整合额极。相比之下，在男性参与者中，男性气质与伏隔核和胼胝下皮层的整合呈负相关。本研究首次揭示了不同性别角色背后的性别特异性神经机制，从奖励敏感性和社会强化相互作用的角度阐明了性别建构的过程。女性气质评分与后眶额叶皮层和胼胝体下皮层的整合呈正相关，而男性气质评分与额极的整合呈正相关。相比之下，在男性参与者中，男性气质与伏隔核和胼胝下皮层的整合呈负相关。本研究首次揭示了不同性别角色背后的性别特异性神经机制，从奖励敏感性和社会强化相互作用的角度阐明了性别建构的过程。女性气质评分与后眶额叶皮层和胼胝体下皮层的整合呈正相关，而男性气质评分与额极的整合呈正相关。相比之下，在男性参与者中，男性气质与伏隔核和胼胝下皮层的整合呈负相关。本研究首次揭示了不同性别角色背后的性别特异性神经机制，从奖励敏感性和社会强化相互作用的角度阐明了性别建构的过程。男性气质与伏隔核和胼胝下皮层的整合呈负相关。本研究首次揭示了不同性别角色背后的性别特异性神经机制，从奖励敏感性和社会强化相互作用的角度阐明了性别建构的过程。男性气质与伏隔核和胼胝下皮层的整合呈负相关。本研究首次揭示了不同性别角色背后的性别特异性神经机制，从奖励敏感性和社会强化相互作用的角度阐明了性别建构的过程。