Relating sex-bias in human cortical and hippocampal microstructure to sex hormones

Svenja Küchenhoff (), Şeyma Bayrak, Rachel G. Zsido, Amin Saberi, Boris C. Bernhardt, Susanne Weis, H. Lina Schaare, Julia Sacher, Simon Eickhoff and Sofie L. Valk ()
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Svenja Küchenhoff: Research Centre Jülich
Şeyma Bayrak: Research Centre Jülich
Rachel G. Zsido: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Amin Saberi: Research Centre Jülich
Boris C. Bernhardt: Montreal Neurological Institute
Susanne Weis: Research Centre Jülich
H. Lina Schaare: Research Centre Jülich
Julia Sacher: Medical Faculty & University Hospital Leipzig
Simon Eickhoff: Research Centre Jülich
Sofie L. Valk: Research Centre Jülich

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-19

Abstract: Abstract Determining sex-bias in brain structure is of great societal interest to improve diagnostics and treatment of brain-related disorders. So far, studies on sex-bias in brain structure predominantly focus on macro-scale measures, and often ignore factors determining this bias. Here we study sex-bias in cortical and hippocampal microstructure in relation to sex hormones. Investigating quantitative intracortical profiling in-vivo using the T1w/T2w ratio in 1093 healthy females and males of the cross-sectional Human Connectome Project young adult sample, we find that regional cortical and hippocampal microstructure differs between males and females and that the effect size of this sex-bias varies depending on self-reported hormonal status in females. Microstructural sex-bias and expression of sex hormone genes, based on an independent post-mortem sample, are spatially coupled. Lastly, sex-bias is most pronounced in paralimbic areas, with low laminar complexity, which are predicted to be most plastic based on their cytoarchitectural properties. Albeit correlative, our study underscores the importance of incorporating sex hormone variables into the investigation of brain structure and plasticity.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51459-7

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