Sex-specific Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow Begin at Puberty

In a new study reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, Penn Medicine researchers have discovered that cerebral blood flow (CBF) levels decreased similarly in males and females before puberty, but saw them diverge sharply in puberty, with levels increasing in females while decreasing further in males, which could give hints as to developing differences in behavior in men and women and sex-specific pre-dispositions to certain psychiatric disorders. The Penn team imaged the brains of 922 youth ages 8 through 22 using arterial spin labeled (ASL) MRI. Age-related differences were observed in the amount and location of blood flow in males versus females, with blood flow declining at a similar rate before puberty and diverging markedly in mid-puberty. At around age 16, while male CBF values continue to decline with advanced age, females CBF values actually increased. This resulted in females having notably higher CBF than males by the end of adolescence. Potentially, these effects could also be related to the higher risk in women for depression and anxiety disorders, and higher risk of flat affect and schizophrenia in men. Learn more about this study by clicking here.