A well-established neuroimaging literature predicts a right-sided asymmetry in the activation of face-devoted areas such as the fusiform gyrus (FG) and its resulting M/N170 response during face processing. However, the face-related response sometimes appears to be bihemispheric. A few studies have argued that bilaterality depended on the sex composition of the sample. To shed light on this matter, two meta-analyses were conducted starting from a large initial database of 250 ERP (Event-related potentials)/MEG (Magnetoencephalography) peer-reviewed scientific articles. Paper coverage was from 1985 to 2020. Thirty-four articles met the inclusion criteria of a sufficiently large and balanced sample size with strictly right-handed and healthy participants aged 18–35 years and N170 measurements in response to neutral front view faces at left and right occipito/temporal sites. The data of 817 male (n = 414) and female (n = 403) healthy adults were subjected to repeated-measures analyses of variance. The results of statistical analyses from the data of 17 independent studies (from Asia, Europe and America) seem to robustly indicate the presence of a sex difference in the way the two cerebral hemispheres process facial information in humans, with a marked right-sided asymmetry of the bioelectrical activity in males and a bilateral or left-sided activity in females.

中文翻译：

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人脸半球加工中的性别二态性：817 例的荟萃分析

一项成熟的神经影像学文献预测，面部专用区域的激活存在右侧不对称性，例如梭状回 (FG) 及其在面部处理过程中产生的 M/N170 响应。然而，与面部相关的反应有时似乎是双半球的。一些研究认为，双边性取决于样本的性别构成。为了阐明这个问题，从一个包含 250 篇 ERP（事件相关电位）/MEG（脑磁图）同行评审科学文章的大型初始数据库开始，进行了两项荟萃分析。论文覆盖范围为 1985 年至 2020 年。34 篇文章符合足够大且平衡的样本量的纳入标准，其中严格的右手和健康参与者年龄在 18-35 岁，并且 N170 测量值响应左右枕骨/颞叶部位的中性正面视图。对 817 名男性 (n = 414) 和女性 (n = 403) 健康成人的数据进行了重复测量方差分析。来自 17 项独立研究（来自亚洲、欧洲和美洲）的数据的统计分析结果似乎有力地表明人类两个大脑半球处理面部信息的方式存在性别差异，具有明显的右侧不对称性男性的生物电活动和女性的双侧或左侧活动。对 817 名男性 (n = 414) 和女性 (n = 403) 健康成人的数据进行了重复测量方差分析。来自 17 项独立研究（来自亚洲、欧洲和美洲）的数据的统计分析结果似乎有力地表明人类两个大脑半球处理面部信息的方式存在性别差异，具有明显的右侧不对称性男性的生物电活动和女性的双侧或左侧活动。对 817 名男性 (n = 414) 和女性 (n = 403) 健康成人的数据进行了重复测量方差分析。来自 17 项独立研究（来自亚洲、欧洲和美洲）的数据的统计分析结果似乎有力地表明人类两个大脑半球处理面部信息的方式存在性别差异，具有明显的右侧不对称性男性的生物电活动和女性的双侧或左侧活动。