Gender differences in brain processes during inhibition of manual movements programs

BACKGROUND: Motor response suppression can be regarded as an important aspect of the executive control, as a way of changing the behavioral pattern depending on the internal state or external factors. PURPOSE: The aim of our study was to examine whether there were differences in the ability of cortical inhibition of triggered motor program (in the context of the Stop-Signal task) between females and males. METHODS: We examined differences in the patterns of event-related EEG synchronization/desynchronization (ERS/ERD) in young volunteers under the conditions of complete inhibition of the triggered motor program of a manual movement. Thirty-six male and thirty-eight female (ages of 19 to 21) took part in the tests. The ERS and ERD indices were estimated within the EEG frequency range 8–35 Hz in frontal, central and parietal leads. RESULTS: In both gender groups, as a global pattern, the prevalence of connected phenomena with the EEG synchronization event in the range of α-activity of the EEG, apparently associated with inhibition of the running motor program was noted. CONCLUSION: Cortical electrical activity acquired certain specific features of the frequency-spatial organization, which could indicate the course of somewhat different brain processes of men and women.