Open AccessSex differences of event-related potential effects during three-dimensional mental rotation
Author(s) -
Qingbao Yu,
YiYuan Tang,
Li Jian,
Qilin Lu,
Huili Wang,
Danni Sui,
Li Zhou,
Yan Wang,
Martin Heil
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
neuroreport/neuroreport
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.607
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1473-558X
pISSN - 0959-4965
DOI - 10.1097/wnr.0b013e32831c50f4
Subject(s) - mental rotation , psychology , perception , event related potential , cognition , neuroscience , rotation (mathematics) , developmental psychology , cognitive psychology , audiology , medicine , artificial intelligence , computer science
Sex differences in performance and in cortical activation patterns during mental rotation have rather consistently been reported. Data regarding sex differences of event-related potentials during the classic three-dimensional mental rotation task developed by Shepard and Metzler, however, are absent, and were therefore being addressed by this study. Mental rotation-related event-related potential effects were observed 900-1000 ms poststimulus at parietal electrodes and 600-700 as well as 800-900 ms poststimulus at right frontal leads, respectively. Sex differences, however, were observed already 400-700 ms poststimulus at right frontal electrodes. These findings suggest that sex differences during three-dimensional mental rotation occurred in relatively early cognitive processing stages presumably including perception and identification of stimuli instead of mental rotation itself.