Multiple Sklerose und Kinderwunsch - eine Mixed-Methods-Studie zur Entwicklung und Pilotierung einer Entscheidungshilfe und eines Decision Coaching Programms

The basis for different neural activations in response to male and female voices as well as the question, whether men and women perceive male and female voices differently, has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the behavioral and neural correlates of gender-related voice perception in healthy male and female volunteers. fMRI data were collected while 39 participants (19 female) were asked to indicate the gender of 240 voice stimuli. These stimuli included recordings of 3-syllable nouns as well as the same recordings pitch-shifted in 2, 4 and 6 semitone steps in the direction of the other gender.Data analysis revealed a) equal voice discrimination sensitivity in men and women but better performance in the categorization of opposite-sex stimuli at least in men, b) increased responses to increasing gender ambiguity in the mid cingulate cortex and bilateral inferior frontal gyri, and c) stronger activation in a fronto-temporal neural network in response to voices of the opposite sex.Our results indicate a gender specific processing for male and female voices on a behavioral and neuronal level. We suggest that our results reflect higher sensitivity probably due to the evolutionary relevance of voice perception in mate selection

Sex matters: Neural correlates of voice gender perception

The basis for different neural activations in response to male and female voices as well as the question, whether men and women perceive male and female voices differently, has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the behavioral and neural correlates of gender-related voice perception in healthy male and female volunteers. fMRI data were collected while 39 participants (19 female) were asked to indicate the gender of 240 voice stimuli. These stimuli included recordings of 3-syllable nouns as well as the same recordings pitch-shifted in 2, 4 and 6 semitone steps in the direction of the other gender. Data analysis revealed a) equal voice discrimination sensitivity in men and women but better performance in the categorization of opposite-sex stimuli at least in men, b) increased responses to increasing gender ambiguity in the mid cingulate cortex and bilateral inferior frontal gyri, and c) stronger activation in a fronto-temporal neural network in response to voices of the opposite sex. Our results indicate a gender specific processing for male and female voices on a behavioral and neuronal level. We suggest that our results reflect higher sensitivity probably due to the evolutionary relevance of voice perception in mate selection

More than Just Two Sexes : the Neural Correlates of Voice Gender Perception in Gender Dysphoria

Gender dysphoria (also known as "transsexualism") is characterized as a discrepancy between anatomical sex and gender identity. Research points towards neurobiological influences. Due to the sexually dimorphic characteristics of the human voice, voice gender perception provides a biologically relevant function, e.g. in the context of mating selection. There is evidence for a better recognition of voices of the opposite sex and a differentiation of the sexes in its underlying functional cerebral correlates, namely the prefrontal and middle temporal areas. This fMRI study investigated the neural correlates of voice gender perception in 32 male-to-female gender dysphoric individuals (MtFs) compared to 20 non-gender dysphoric men and 19 non-gender dysphoric women. Participants indicated the sex of 240 voice stimuli modified in semitone steps in the direction to the other gender. Compared to men and women, MtFs showed differences in a neural network including the medial prefrontal gyrus, the insula, and the precuneus when responding to male vs. female voices. With increased voice morphing men recruited more prefrontal areas compared to women and MtFs, while MtFs revealed a pattern more similar to women. On a behavioral and neuronal level, our results support the feeling of MtFs reporting they cannot identify with their assigned sex

Data from: More than just two sexes: the neural correlates of voice gender perception in gender dysphoria

Gender dysphoria (also known as “transsexualism”) is characterized as a discrepancy between anatomical sex and gender identity. Research points towards neurobiological influences. Due to the sexually dimorphic characteristics of the human voice, voice gender perception provides a biologically relevant function, e.g. in the context of mating selection. There is evidence for a better recognition of voices of the opposite sex and a differentiation of the sexes in its underlying functional cerebral correlates, namely the prefrontal and middle temporal areas. This fMRI study investigated the neural correlates of voice gender perception in 32 male-to-female gender dysphoric individuals (MtFs) compared to 20 non-gender dysphoric men and 19 non-gender dysphoric women. Participants indicated the sex of 240 voice stimuli modified in semitone steps in the direction to the other gender. Compared to men and women, MtFs showed differences in a neural network including the medial prefrontal gyrus, the insula, and the precuneus when responding to male vs. female voices. With increased voice morphing men recruited more prefrontal areas compared to women and MtFs, while MtFs revealed a pattern more similar to women. On a behavioral and neuronal level, our results support the feeling of MtFs reporting they cannot identify with their assigned sex

fmri data from a voice gender perception task

fmri data from a voice gender perception tas

Behavioral outcome measures.

<p>Mean percentage of hits and reaction times (in seconds) for correct responses, discrimination sensitivity (d-prime) and answering bias (log ß) in response to male and female voices of the different morphing steps in semitones (st) for men, women and MtFs.</p><p>Behavioral outcome measures.</p

Graduate voice gender morphing.

<p>A. Contrast estimates of stronger activation in men as compared to women (blue) in the right SFG (peak voxel 15 5 52) for increasing morphing degree plotted for all 8 conditions. B. Contrast estimates of stronger activation in men as compared to MtFs (blue) in the right SFG (peak voxel 27 −1 46) for increasing morphing degree plotted for all 8 conditions (p<0.05 Monte Carlo corrected, extent threshold  = 20 voxels).</p

Characteristics of the sample (mean and standard deviations for age, education, IQ, hormonal level and sexual orientation) and group comparisons.

<p>Significant differences are marked in asterisk.</p>A<p>significant difference with respect to all three other groups, <i>p</i> = 0.008 Bonferroni corrected.</p>B<p>significant differences with respect to men and MtF untreated, <i>p</i> = 0.008 Bonferroni corrected.</p>C<p>significant differences with respect to MtF treated, <i>p</i> = 0.008 Bonferroni corrected.</p>D<p>respective data are missing in one man and one woman.</p><p>Characteristics of the sample (mean and standard deviations for age, education, IQ, hormonal level and sexual orientation) and group comparisons.</p

Interaction between original voice sex and group (p<0.05 Monte Carlo corrected, extent threshold = 20 voxels).

<p>Male vs. female voices in men compared to MtFs (blue) and in women compared to MtFs (red).Parameter estimates are shown separately for male (0 m) and female (0 w) voices for men, women and MtFs A: left hemisphere, B: right hemisphere.</p

Comparisons between groups and voice gender.

<p>Stronger activation/less deactivation in a) men compared to MtFs and b) women compared to MtFs for the processing of male vs. female original voices with no significant results for the opposite interactions ([MtF 0m > MtF 0w] > [men/women 0m > men/women 0w]; MNI coordinates, p<0.05 Monte Carlo corrected, k =  cluster extension).</p><p>*significant at SPM cluster level (p<0.0125 Bonferroni corrected).</p><p>Comparisons between groups and voice gender.</p