In a paper recently published in the journal e-Neuro, NSB doctoral recipient Matthew LaClair and his advisor Agnes Lacreuse, examined what is a highly controversial topic in humans, by turning to the nonhuman primate, the common marmoset. The investigators asked whether biological sex modulates some aspects of cognitive performance as well as neural connectivity measures. They identified sex differences in cognitive flexibility that are correlated with sex-dependent patterns of resting brain networks.  The findings support the idea that cognitive sex differences may have identifiable intrinsic neural correlates. Investigating the dynamics of cognitive sex differences and associated brain networks across the lifespan may shed a new light on sex-specific cognitive disorders.

Sex differences in cognitive flexibility and resting brain networks in middle-aged marmosets.
M. LaClair, M. Febo, B. Nephew, N.J. Gervais, G. Poirier, K. Workman, S. Chumachenko, L. Payne, M.C. Moore, J.A. King, A. Lacreuse, eNeuro. 1 July 2019, ENEURO.015419.2019; DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0154-19.2019