Association between Hippocampal Volume and Working Memory in 10,000+ 9–10-Year-Old Children: Sex Differences
Aim: This study tested sex differences in the association between hippocampal volume and working memory of a national sample of 9–10-year-old children in the US. As the hippocampus is functionally lateralized (especially in task-related activities), we explored the results for the right and the left...
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doaj-622cbaccbc0e473eb29b73dd84524a482021-06-01T00:23:07ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672021-05-01841141110.3390/children8050411Association between Hippocampal Volume and Working Memory in 10,000+ 9–10-Year-Old Children: Sex DifferencesShervin Assari0Shanika Boyce1Tanja Jovanovic2Department of Family Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USADepartment of Pediatrics, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USADepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USAAim: This study tested sex differences in the association between hippocampal volume and working memory of a national sample of 9–10-year-old children in the US. As the hippocampus is functionally lateralized (especially in task-related activities), we explored the results for the right and the left hippocampus. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study data. This analysis included baseline ABCD data (<i>n</i> = 10,093) of children between ages 9 and 10 years. The predictor variable was right and left hippocampal volume measured by structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). The primary outcome, list sorting working memory, was measured using the NIH toolbox measure. Sex was the moderator. Age, race, ethnicity, household income, parental education, and family structure were the covariates. Results: In the overall sample, larger right (b = 0.0013; <i>p</i> < 0.001) and left (b = 0.0013; <i>p</i> < 0.001) hippocampal volumes were associated with higher children’s working memory. Sex had statistically significant interactions with the right (b = −0.0018; <i>p</i> = 0.001) and left (b = −0.0012; <i>p</i> = 0.022) hippocampal volumes on children’s working memory. These interactions indicated stronger positive associations between right and left hippocampal volume and working memory for females compared to males. Conclusion: While right and left hippocampal volumes are determinants of children’s list sorting working memory, these effects seem to be more salient for female than male children. Research is needed on the role of socialization, sex hormones, and brain functional connectivity as potential mechanisms that may explain the observed sex differences in the role of hippocampal volume as a correlate of working memory.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/8/5/411list sorting working memorychildrenright and left hippocampal volumesexsex difference |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Shervin Assari Shanika Boyce Tanja Jovanovic |
spellingShingle |
Shervin Assari Shanika Boyce Tanja Jovanovic Association between Hippocampal Volume and Working Memory in 10,000+ 9–10-Year-Old Children: Sex Differences Children list sorting working memory children right and left hippocampal volume sex sex difference |
author_facet |
Shervin Assari Shanika Boyce Tanja Jovanovic |
author_sort |
Shervin Assari |
title |
Association between Hippocampal Volume and Working Memory in 10,000+ 9–10-Year-Old Children: Sex Differences |
title_short |
Association between Hippocampal Volume and Working Memory in 10,000+ 9–10-Year-Old Children: Sex Differences |
title_full |
Association between Hippocampal Volume and Working Memory in 10,000+ 9–10-Year-Old Children: Sex Differences |
title_fullStr |
Association between Hippocampal Volume and Working Memory in 10,000+ 9–10-Year-Old Children: Sex Differences |
title_full_unstemmed |
Association between Hippocampal Volume and Working Memory in 10,000+ 9–10-Year-Old Children: Sex Differences |
title_sort |
association between hippocampal volume and working memory in 10,000+ 9–10-year-old children: sex differences |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Children |
issn |
2227-9067 |
publishDate |
2021-05-01 |
description |
Aim: This study tested sex differences in the association between hippocampal volume and working memory of a national sample of 9–10-year-old children in the US. As the hippocampus is functionally lateralized (especially in task-related activities), we explored the results for the right and the left hippocampus. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study using the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study data. This analysis included baseline ABCD data (<i>n</i> = 10,093) of children between ages 9 and 10 years. The predictor variable was right and left hippocampal volume measured by structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). The primary outcome, list sorting working memory, was measured using the NIH toolbox measure. Sex was the moderator. Age, race, ethnicity, household income, parental education, and family structure were the covariates. Results: In the overall sample, larger right (b = 0.0013; <i>p</i> < 0.001) and left (b = 0.0013; <i>p</i> < 0.001) hippocampal volumes were associated with higher children’s working memory. Sex had statistically significant interactions with the right (b = −0.0018; <i>p</i> = 0.001) and left (b = −0.0012; <i>p</i> = 0.022) hippocampal volumes on children’s working memory. These interactions indicated stronger positive associations between right and left hippocampal volume and working memory for females compared to males. Conclusion: While right and left hippocampal volumes are determinants of children’s list sorting working memory, these effects seem to be more salient for female than male children. Research is needed on the role of socialization, sex hormones, and brain functional connectivity as potential mechanisms that may explain the observed sex differences in the role of hippocampal volume as a correlate of working memory. |
topic |
list sorting working memory children right and left hippocampal volume sex sex difference |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/8/5/411 |
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