Sexual orientation-related differences in allocentric spatial memory tasks
Sexual orientation-related differences in allocentric spatial memory tasks
Spatial memory in mammals, including humans, appears highly sexually dimorphic. The present investigation sought to examine if spatial learning and spatial memory in humans is also linked to sexual orientation. This was achieved by using virtual reality versions of two classic paradigms developed in animal models of hippocampal functioning, the Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Radial Arm Maze (RAM). Here, we show that in contrast to heterosexual men, and in congruence with heterosexual women, homosexual men displayed significantly greater search latencies (spatial learning) during a virtual Morris Water Maze. During a virtual 8-arm Radial Arm Maze, heterosexual males had significantly shorter search latency than heterosexual females, and did not differ from homosexual males. Statistical modeling revealed that variations in neurodevelopmental markers previously associated with human sexual orientation (2nd to 4th finger length ratios and older fraternal siblings) differentially predicted MWM probe trial performance and RAM search latencies only. These data may limit the number of possible neurodevelopmental pathways responsible for sexual variation in components of spatial learning and memory.
sex differences, homosexuality, morris water maze, radial arm maze, hippocampus
55-63
Rahman, Qazi
6d16ed44-41d7-4733-b81d-a68ba2cbb30b
Koerting, Johanna
e6464b3e-a066-460b-b386-b217f345c1ac
January 2008
Rahman, Qazi
6d16ed44-41d7-4733-b81d-a68ba2cbb30b
Koerting, Johanna
e6464b3e-a066-460b-b386-b217f345c1ac
Rahman, Qazi and Koerting, Johanna
(2008)
Sexual orientation-related differences in allocentric spatial memory tasks.
Hippocampus, 18 (1), .
(doi:10.1002/hipo.20375).
(PMID:17924523)
Abstract
Spatial memory in mammals, including humans, appears highly sexually dimorphic. The present investigation sought to examine if spatial learning and spatial memory in humans is also linked to sexual orientation. This was achieved by using virtual reality versions of two classic paradigms developed in animal models of hippocampal functioning, the Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Radial Arm Maze (RAM). Here, we show that in contrast to heterosexual men, and in congruence with heterosexual women, homosexual men displayed significantly greater search latencies (spatial learning) during a virtual Morris Water Maze. During a virtual 8-arm Radial Arm Maze, heterosexual males had significantly shorter search latency than heterosexual females, and did not differ from homosexual males. Statistical modeling revealed that variations in neurodevelopmental markers previously associated with human sexual orientation (2nd to 4th finger length ratios and older fraternal siblings) differentially predicted MWM probe trial performance and RAM search latencies only. These data may limit the number of possible neurodevelopmental pathways responsible for sexual variation in components of spatial learning and memory.
Text
Sexual_Orientation-Related_Differences.pdf
- Version of Record
Restricted to Repository staff only
More information
Published date: January 2008
Keywords:
sex differences, homosexuality, morris water maze, radial arm maze, hippocampus
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 148225
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/148225
ISSN: 1050-9631
PURE UUID: 45a79407-fb43-44d9-8085-07053e011b92
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 27 Apr 2010 13:07
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 01:01
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Qazi Rahman
Author:
Johanna Koerting
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics