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PubMed2004

Gender differences in perceived exertion during fatiguing knee extensions.

PURPOSE: To examine gender differences in knee extensor strength, fatigue, and perceived exertion during a single set of continuous dynamic knee extensor contractions. METHODS: Fifteen men and 15 women were evaluated for their one-repetition maximum (1RM) during a single-leg, inertial knee extension with their right leg. All subjects then completed a single set of repeated knee extensions with a load equivalent to 50% of their 1RM to failure. Subjects lifted the weight by performing a knee extension, held the weight with the knee extended for 1-2 s, and then lowered the weight in a slow and controlled manner. Perceived exertion was measured after completion of each repetition, by viewing a modified Borg category-ratio (CR-10) scale. Perceived exertion responses were standardized across subjects via linear interpolation and power function modeling. The linear interpolated perceived exertion estimates were then examined for linear, quadratic, and cubic trends across the repetitions. RESULTS: Men lifted a significantly greater amount of mass than women, when corrected for body mass. Men and women did not differ significantly in the number of repetitions performed to failure. Women displayed significantly higher power function exponents for the perceived exertion response than men (0.72 +/- 0.16 and 0.57 +/- 0.16, respectively) and demonstrated statistically nonsignificant greater increases in perceived exertion than men across the repetitions. CONCLUSIONS: The major findings of this study indicated that: 1) men inherently possessed greater knee extensor strength than women; 2) submaximal fatiguing knee extensor performance did not differ between genders; 3) model selection had a significant impact on standardizing perceived exertion estimates; and 4) subtle gender differences in the perceived exertion response may have existed during submaximal, fatiguing resistance exercise.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Gender differences in human sepsis.

BACKGROUND: In animal studies, gender differences were related to hormonal and immunologic changes that were associated with an increased susceptibility to sepsis in males. OBJECTIVE: In a prospective study, gender differences in patients with surgical sepsis were evaluated in terms of survival, sex hormones, and proinflammatory as well as anti-inflammatory mediators. SETTING: Surgical intensive care unit of a university hospital. PATIENTS: Fifty-two patients (19 women and 33 men) with surgical sepsis. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In a prospective study, tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 6 bioactivity and plasma levels of interleukin 10 (using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), total testosterone, and 17-beta estradiol (using radioimmunoassay) were determined on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 after diagnosis of sepsis. There were no differences in characteristics of patients in age (mean age, 55.4 years for women and 53.1 years for men) or cause and severity of sepsis (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, 17.3 for women and 18.5 for men; multiple organ dysfunction score, 9.9 vs 10.8, respectively). Although no difference could be found in the multiple organ dysfunction score from day 1 to day 28, the prognosis of sepsis was significantly different in women compared with men. Hospital-mortality rate was 70% (23 of 33 patients) in male and 26% (5 of 19) in female patients (P<.008, log-rank test). Bioactivity of tumor necrosis factor continuously increased in men after diagnosis of sepsis, with significantly elevated levels on day 10 (P<.05, Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction), whereas no difference was found for interleukin 6 bioactivity. Women displayed enhanced interleukin 10 levels compared with men from day 1 to day 10 that reached a significant difference on days 3 and 5 (P<.05). Total testosterone levels were below the normal range for men, and estradiol levels were initially increased in both men and postmenopausal women, with higher levels for women. CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective study, gender differences were confirmed in human sepsis, with a significantly better prognosis for women, which may be related to increased levels of anti-inflammatory mediators. The hypothetical different ratio of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators may be important for further therapeutic interventions in sepsis.

APACHE↗
PubMed1988

Gender differences in tobacco use in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America.

This paper reviews historical, anthropological and contemporary survey data concerning gender differences in tobacco use in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, and Latin America. In many cultural groups in these regions, tobacco use has been substantially more common among men than among women. In some groups, tobacco use has been about equally common for both sexes. No evidence was found of any group in which tobacco use has been substantially more common among women. The widespread pattern of greater tobacco use by men appears to be linked to general features of sex roles. For example, men have often had greater social power than women, and this has been expressed in greater restrictions on women's behavior, including social prohibitions against women's smoking. These social prohibitions against women's smoking have strongly inhibited women's tobacco use and thus have been a major cause of gender differences in tobacco use. Gender differences in tobacco use have varied in magnitude, depending on the type of tobacco use and the particular cultural group, age group and historical period considered. Causes of the variation in gender differences in tobacco use include variation in women's status and variation in the social significance and benefits attributed to particular types of tobacco use in different cultures. Contact with Western cultures appears to have increased or decreased gender differences in smoking, depending on the specific circumstances. The patterns of gender differences in tobacco use in non-Western societies are similar in many ways to the patterns observed in Western societies, but there are several important differences.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Africa↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Gender differences in schizophrenia. A literature review].

Gender differences in schizophrenia have been the subject of extensive research in the last two decades. The study of these differences can help us improve the understanding of schizophrenia as well as find new treatment options. Recent studies have challenged the classical view that incidence and prevalence rates of schizophrenia are similar in men and in women. As regards disorder onset, most studies agree that it is earlier in men. Also, most studies suggest that women have a better premorbid functioning and, especially in short-term follow-up studies, a more benign course. Data on clinical characteristics are often conflicting, but most studies point to a greater severity of negative symptoms in men. Research on treatment response, both pharmacological and psychosocial, indicates as well differences between men and women. Results of neuropsychological studies are very conflicting. By contrast, brain imaging studies suggest gender differences in morphologic and in functional images. As regards family studies, most of them agree that schizophrenic women are more likely than men to have family history of the illness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Bicuculline-induced rhythmic EEG episodes: gender differences and the effects of ethosuximide and baclofen treatment.

PURPOSE: There are gender differences in the expression of seizures. We tested rhythmic EEG episodes induced by low doses of bicuculline in rats for gender differences. To verify the validity of these discharges as a model of absence seizures in both male and female rats, we tested the antiabsence drug ethosuximide (ESM) and a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA(B))-receptor agonist, baclofen, which may exacerbate absence seizures. METHODS: Adult rats of both sexes were used. Under general anesthesia, EEG electrodes were implanted over frontal and occipital cortex, and some females were ovariectomized. After recovery, male, intact female rats, and female rats ovariectomized and ovariectomized rats with estradiol replacement were compared for occurrence of rhythmic EEG episodes (approximately 6 cycles/ s) induced by 2.5 mg/kg of bicuculline, s.c. Because of gender differences in sensitivity to bicuculline, further pharmacologic effects of ESM (125 and 250 mg/kg, i.p.) and baclofen (2 mg/kg, i.p.) were tested separately in male (3.0 mg/kg of bicuculline), and female (2.5 mg/kg of bicuculline) rats. RESULTS: After the identical dose of bicuculline, s.c., male and female rats differed in the incidence of rhythmic episodes and in the latency to onset of the first as well as the generalized episode. Female rats with natural or exogenous estrogens (but not ovariectomized rats) developed EEG episodes more often than did males, and this effect could be attributed to the presence of estrogens. ESM pretreatment suppressed the episodes, whereas baclofen enhanced their occurrence, as well as the total duration of episodes without gender-specific differences. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates gender differences (related probably to the presence of circulating estrogens) in the susceptibility of rats to develop rhythmic EEG episodes induced by threshold doses of bicuculline. This activity has some features of an acute absence seizure model.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Increasing gender difference in the incidence of chronic dialysis therapy in Japan.

The incidence of chronic kidney disease and its progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) differs between genders, so it can be surmised that the incidence of ESRD is different between men and women. We analyzed the annual incidence of ESRD by gender for a 20 year period, from 1983 to 2002, using Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy (JSDT) registration data. The annual incidence of ESRD was calculated as the number of incident dialysis patients divided by the census population of the previous year in each gender, and expressed per million of each population (male and female). In men, the incidence of ESRD increased from 99.9 in 1983 to 330.2 in 2002, whereas it was 66.6 in 1983 and 184.9 in 2002 in women. The difference of incidence of ESRD from men to women increased from 33.3 in 1983 to 145.3 in 2002. The mean age at the start of dialysis was 51.5 years (men) and 52.5 years (women) in 1983, it increased to 63.8 years (men) and 66.1 years (women) in 2002. The difference in mean age increased from 0.9 years in 1983 to 2.3 years in 2002. There was no clear relationship between the available dialysis station per 100,000 population and the men to women ratio in the prevalent dialysis patients among the 47 prefectures. The acceptance of dialysis therapy might not be strong enough to explain the increasing difference in ESRD incidence between men and women in Japan. Differences in the socioeconomic conditions and lifestyles between men and women, which might be related to the gender difference in incidence in ESRD, should be studied further.

Female↗
PubMed2000

Gender difference in premotor activity during active tactile discrimination.

To investigate possible gender differences in tactile discrimination tasks, we measured cerebral blood flow of seven men and seven women using positron emission tomography and (15)O water during tactile tasks performed with the right index finger. A nondiscrimination, somatosensory control task activated the left primary sensorimotor cortex and the left parietal operculum extending to the posterior insula without any gender difference. Compared with the control task, discrimination tasks activated the superior and inferior parietal lobules bilaterally, right dorsal premotor cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in both genders, consistent with the notion of right hemisphere involvement during exploratory attentional movements. In both genders, symmetric activation of the superior and inferior parietal lobules and asymmetric activation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were confirmed. The former is consistent with the spatial representation of the tactile input and the latter with the spatial working memory. However, activation of the dorsal premotor cortex was asymmetric in men, whereas it was symmetric in women, the gender difference being statistically significant. This may suggest gender differences in motor programs for exploration in manipulospatial tasks such as tactile discrimination with active touch, possibly by greater interhemispheric interaction through the dorsal premotor cortices in women than in men.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Age at death due to ischemic heart disease: gender differences.

This paper investigates gender differences in the timing of ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality among white Americans. Three age-at-death groupings are examined, using a model incorporating three types of independent variables: lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and biology/heredity. Logistic regression techniques are used to analyze National Mortality Follow-back Survey data. Three hypotheses drawn from the literature are tested: (1) that IHD mortality risks will vary by gender and across the life course; (2) that the independent variables will exert a lower mortality risk for women than for men at all ages of death; and (3) that differential risks by gender will be larger for younger age-at-death groups. Findings support the first and third hypotheses. The importance of research on gender differentials in age at IHD mortality in relation to parental heart-attack mortality, smoking and spousal smoking, occupation, and fertility is highlighted.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Electric brain responses reveal gender differences in music processing.

The present study investigates gender differences in the functional organization of the brain for music processing. In the language domain, males appear to have greater left hemisphere control than females. Despite some overlap of neural structures and processes for the perception of music and language, gender differences of musical functions have so far not been reported. Data sets of three previous music experiments with event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were pooled and re-analyzed. Results demonstrate that an electrophysiological correlate of music-syntactic processing (ERAN, or music-syntactic MMN) is generated bilaterally in females, and with right hemispheric predominance in males. The present findings indicate that gender differences for the analysis of auditory information are not restricted to processes in the linguistic domain such as syntax, semantics, and phonology.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gender differences in the effects of ethanol on C57BL/6 mice.

The influence of gender on the stimulatory and depressant effects of ethanol was examined in C57BL/6 (C57) mice. In Experiment 1, locomotor activity was assessed in young (2-month-old) male and female mice injected intraperitoneally (IP) with stimulatory (1.5 g/kg) or depressant (2.5 g/kg) doses of ethanol. Both the stimulatory and the depressive effects of ethanol were greater in young male than female C57 mice, and the gender difference was unrelated to blood ethanol concentration (BEC). In Experiment 2, older (9-month-old) male and female mice were given ethanol (2.5 g/kg) either by IP injection or gavage to determine if the gender differences in BEC and ethanol effects observed in the first experiment depended upon the route of ethanol administration. In this experiment, ethanol reduced locomotor activity more in males than females whether given by gavage or IP injection, and the males had higher BECs than females at the time of testing. Thus, the differences in the behavioral effects of ethanol appeared to be related to BEC. The greater depressive effect of ethanol on older male mice in this experiment is consistent with an earlier report of prolonged ethanol-hypnosis in older male C57 mice. Therefore, differences in BEC could account for the gender differences in the behavioral effects of ethanol on older but not young mice. The gender difference in BEC of mice obtained in the present and earlier reports is opposite to that reported for humans.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1989

The children's self-report questionnaire: factor score age trends and gender differences.

Age trends and gender differences in a normative sample of 1,676 children (6- to 13-years) were explored with the use of scores obtained from the Children's Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ). Several interesting trends emerged. Boys scored higher than girls on Conduct Problems, and girls scored higher than boys on dimensions labeled Worry and Sensitive-Emotional. Scores on other SRQ factors exhibited orderly increases or decreases across age groups. These trends are discussed in an attempt to clarify behavioral cognitive and affective age appropriate norms and are cautiously interpreted within a developmental framework. The identification of age and gender trends are a necessary step in the development of a diagnostic instrument intended for use with children. The age and gender trends observed lend additional support to the validity of the SRQ.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed2005

Gender differences in age at onset of schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the gender differences in age at onset of schizophrenia. DESIGN: Prospective case control study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Psychiatry, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi between January to December 2002. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients admitted consecutively to psychiatry ward and meeting the inclusion criteria were enrolled for the study. Age at onset of illness was defined as age at onset of gross psychotic symptoms, age at first contact with psychiatrist and age at index admission. Statistical method included two independent samples t-test. Data was dichotomized into those with family history of schizophrenia versus those without family history of illness and then Chi-square test of association was applied. RESULTS: The mean age of onset of illness was 23.96 years in females and 24.13 years in males. In all other measures used to assess the onset of illness, females were overrepresented at the younger age group. 56.7% patients had a family history of psychotic disorder. Among them the mean ages at onset of illness were 20.59 years in females and 21.85 years in males ( c 0.04 df =58). The illness occurred at a younger age in those with positive family history of schizophrenia (21.22 years) than those without it (25.14 years) with dissipation of gender difference in the former. CONCLUSION: There was no significant gender difference in age at onset of disorder in this study. Family history of schizophrenia appears to be the most significant factor that eliminates the gender differences in age at onset of schizophrenia.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Depression, service utilization, and treatment costs among Medicare elderly: gender differences.

OBJECTIVE: To compare gender differences in mood disorders, service utilization, and health care costs among a random sample of Medicare elderly beneficiaries of Tennessee. DATA SOURCES: Medicare expenditure data from a 5% random sample of Tennessee Medicare beneficiaries (n = 35,673) were examined for 1991-1993. The physician reimbursement files provided data relative to ICD-9 diagnostic codes, physician visits, and the cost of physician services provided. Other service utilization and cost data were obtained for the sample from the outpatient, home health, skilled nursing, hospice and inpatient files. STUDY DESIGN: The dependent variables were: (i) patients with ICD-9 diagnosis for a mood disorder (major depression and other depression), (ii) service utilization (number of outpatient visits, skilled nursing visits, home health visits, physician visits, emergency visits, and inpatient days), and (iii) health care costs (dollar amount of physician cost, outpatient cost, inpatient cost, total mental health cost, total health cost, and other cost). The independent variable was gender. PRINCIPLE FINDINGS: Chi-square tests showed that among the patients with a mood disorder, females had a significantly higher incidence than males of major depression (1.3% vs. .4%, respectively, p < .001) and other depression (1.6% vs. .6%, respectively, p < .001). Further, t-test results indicated that females diagnosed with major depression utilized significantly more outpatient services than males (3.2 vs. 2.6, respectively, p < .04). Total health care costs for those with other depression were significantly higher for males than females ($15,060 vs. $10,240, respectively, p < .002). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that mood disorders, outpatient services, and total mental health costs are higher for females than males; however, total health care costs are higher for males than females.

Aged↗
PubMed2003

Cardiovascular and autonomic responses to lower body negative pressure: do not explain gender differences in orthostatic tolerance.

This study tested the hypotheses that differences in the adrenergic, central venous pressure (CVP), cardiovascular, or baroreflex responses to lower body negative pressure (LBNP) or differences in body size would be associated with gender differences in orthostatic tolerance. Subjects (24 females, 22 males) underwent graded LBNP to -100 mmHg or presyncope. At rest, the males had higher SV (+ 21 ml x beat(-1)), cardiac output (+ 1.65 L x min(-1)), systolic blood pressure (+ 29 mmHg) and mean arterial pressure (+ 8 mmHg; all P < 0.05). Neither the CVP responses to LBNP to -60 mmHg, the deltaforearm vascular conductance/deltaCVP with LBNP to -20 mmHg nor the deltaheart rate/deltaCVP with LBNP of -30 to -60 mmHg differed between genders. LBNP tolerance was lower for the females than males (276 +/- 12 vs 337 +/- 14 mmHg x min; LBNP tolerance index; P < 0.01) and, of the resting data, only gender was associated with LBNP tolerance (R(2) = 20 %). Use of gender, the maximal change in HR with LBNP and the change in HR from 0 to -40 mmHg in a regression equation could explain 75 % of the variability in orthostatic tolerance. No cardiovascular parameter differed between genders in the two minutes preceding presyncope. In the last completed stage and at test termination, [epinephrine] and [norepinephrine] were higher in the men. These data suggest that the CVP, cardiovascular and baroreflex responses to graded LBNP are similar in men and women despite marked differences in LBNP tolerance. Differences in body size do not explain the gender difference although differences in the adrenergic responses at maximal LBNP may play a role.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Gender differences in sleep disorders.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To evaluate recent evidence regarding gender differences in sleep. RECENT FINDINGS: Women have better sleep quality compared with men, with longer sleep times, shorter sleep-onset latency and higher sleep efficiency. Despite this, women have more sleep-related complaints than men. The amount of slow-wave sleep decreases with age in men and women. Normal physiologic periods, including puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, are associated with alterations in sleep patterns. Gender differences in normal sleep may underlie the observed differences in risk of sleep disorders. Studies of insomnia support a female predominance, with increased divergence of prevalence between men and women with older age. Recent findings for the gender differences in obstructive sleep apnea have focused on differences in local neuromuscular reflexes and central ventilatory control. Restless legs syndrome has a slight female predominance, whereas rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder and Kleine-Levin syndrome are more common in men. SUMMARY: Gender differences in sleep become apparent after the onset of puberty. Menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause can alter sleep architecture. Gender-related differences in sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome, include differences in prevalence, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and response to therapy.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gender differences in parental grief.

Gender differences in grief of parents who lost their child were examined using the Grief Experience Inventory. Participants were 35 bereaved couples who ranged in age from 27 to 73. Results showed that the mothers' scores were significantly higher than those of fathers on the following scales: Atypical Responses, Despair, Anger/Hostility, Guilt, Loss of Control, Rumination, Depersonalization, Somatization, Loss of Vigor, Physical Symptoms, and Optimism/Despair. No significant differences were found on the scales of Denial, Social Desirability, Social Isolation, Death Anxiety, and Loss of Appetite. The potential usefulness of the GEI in helping the bereaved is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Eating sweet snacks: gender differences in attitudes and behaviour.

This paper reports a study of gender differences in the components of the Theory of Reasoned Action in relation to eating sweet snacks, and the role of these components in predicting sweet-snacking in women and men. Totals of 65 women and 64 men completed questionnaires assessing attitudes and behaviours towards eating sweet snacks. Women were more ambivalent towards eating sweet snacks than men, perceiving eating sweet snacks to be significantly less healthy (t(127) = - 2.43, p < 0.02), and more pleasant (t(127) = 2.52, p < 0.01). There were no statistically significant gender differences in outcome beliefs x evaluations, subjective norms, normative belief x motivation to comply, or in behavioural intention, although some gender differences were found within components. Women scored significantly higher (t(127) = 5.54, p < 0.0005) on restraint items from the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, including those on snacking (t(127) = 5.04; p < 0.0005), but did not differ significantly from men on reported frequency of eating sweet snacks. There were gender differences in the predictive power of components of the Theory of Reasoned Action. Women's intentions to eat sweet snacks were predicted by perceived social pressure and attitudes towards sweet snacks. Men's intentions were only predicted significantly by attitudes. It is concluded that men's sweet-snacking is less influenced by social pressure than is women's.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The multiple interactional biological processes that might lead to depression and gender differences in its appearance.

Several neurotransmitter systems have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. Gender differences have been demonstrated in some functions that involve these systems, mostly norepinephrine, serotonin, dopamine and acetylcholine. Several hormonal systems have been shown to be altered in depression and gender differences were demonstrated in their activity as well, notably in thyroid hormones and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system. Most gender differences in brain systems and their hormonal modulators might be attributed to developmental and state influences of gonadal hormones. It is suggested that gender differences in mechanisms that might underlie formation of depressive symptoms might be related mostly to interactional processes and destabilization of balance among multiple factors or circuitry in the central nervous system. Indeed, gender differences in specific neurotransmitters and hormonal systems can be demonstrated as well.

Adult↗