Sex Differences in Functional Connectivity Patterns During Mental Rotation Task: An Event-Related EEG Study

Numerous studies have shown sex differences in mental rotation (MR) tasks, but few have explored the internal neural influences through functional connectivity outcomes. To investigate neuro-activity influences on sex differences, this study conducted a revised MR task, examining low-scoring individuals via behavioral and electrophysiological measures. It obtained event-related potential (ERP) components from fronto-central channels and explored the functional connectivity of different frequency bands. The results showed males outperformed females, consistent with prior research. There were significant differences between the two sexes when completing the task successfully. Males had shorter response times, smaller ERP amplitudes, and stronger beta and gamma functional connectivity than females. Compared to females, males showed better behavioral performance, weaker fronto-parietal ERP activity, required less mental effort, and had more effective internal regulation in connectivity. This helps clarify the fundamental neural activities in MR between different sex groups.