Risks are more often undertaken by men than women, an observation that demands further examination.
In a groundbreaking study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, researchers from HSE University and Max Planck Institute have discovered a connection between the theta rhythm of the brain and gender differences in attitudes towards risk. The study, with the DOI 10.3389/fnins.2021.608699, aimed to determine if there is a correlation between risk attitudes and frontal lobe theta asymmetry in a sample with more or less equal numbers of male and female subjects.
The study involved 35 participants, with 15 being women. Each participant underwent a magnetoencephalography (MEG) scan and three tests measuring risk-taking and impulsivity. The researchers found that men showed a higher risk appetite, opening an average of 48 boxes in a boxes test, compared to women's 40. However, other tests showed no gender differences in risk-taking.
The researchers suggest that individual variability in the strength of theta rhythms in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is related to gender differences in assessing the consequences of risky actions and attitudes towards risk. The brain's neurons generate electromagnetic fields that can be recorded on the surface of the head using magneto- and electroencephalography techniques.
Interestingly, the frontal lobe theta asymmetry was not significantly related to the number of boxes selected in the sample, but a positive correlation was evident only among women. The strength of the frontal lobe theta rhythms (particularly those localized in the ACC) correlated with results of the game and subjective assessments of benefits and losses from risky behaviors.
Maria Azanova, the lead author of the article, speculates that such differences related to hormonal regulation may also influence the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and other clinical conditions among women. Many differences in behavior, including attitudes towards risk, can be at least partly explained by individual characteristics of brain activity.
The study also aimed to test if the combined strength of the theta rhythms of both frontal lobes is associated with behavior under uncertainty. The authors found that the combined strength of the theta rhythms did not significantly influence behavior under uncertainty.
The researchers also found that men were more optimistic about the positive outcome of a risky venture, as shown by the DOSPERT Benefits scale. It is likely that both the activity of the ACC and risk-taking are influenced by hormone levels such as testosterone.
The search results do not provide information about the authors studying the connection between the brain's theta rhythm, gender differences in risk behavior, and neural oscillations in the ACC. The research opens up new avenues for understanding the neural basis of gender differences in risk behavior and its implications for mental health.
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