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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 May 6.
Published in final edited form as: J Pain. 2009 May;10(5):447–485. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2008.12.001

Table 9.

Studies Examining Sex Differences in Brain Activation to Experimental Pain

Authors Sample Size (M/F) Imaging Method Pain Stimulus Findings
Berman et al34 7/6 fMRI Visceral pressure M > F: Insula
F > M: deactivation in amygdala, mid-cingulate
Derbyshire et al91 11/10 PET Heat (laser) M > F: Contra PFC, S2, S1, insula
F > M: Ipsi perigenual & ventral cingulate
Henderson et al184 11/11 fMRI Hypertonic Saline M > F: Cerebellar cortex
F > M: Mid-cingulate, DLPFC
Hobson, et al189 8/8 MEG/EP Esophageal Electrical No sex differences
Moulton et al285 11/17 fMRI Contact Heat F > M: Deactivation in S1, lt anterior insula, DLPFC
Naliboff et al292 19/23* fMRI Visceral pressure M > F: Rt. DLPFC, Insula, PAG
F > M: Lt. VMPFC, rt. ACC, lt. amygdala
Paulson et al312 10/10 PET Heat (contact) F> M: Contra PFC, Insula, thalamus
Straube et al395 12/12 fMRI Electrical F > M, MPFC
M > F, IC

Abbreviations for imaging methods sites: fMRI, functional magnetic resonance imaging; MEG/EP, magnetoencephalography/evoked potentials; PET, positron emission tomography.

Abbreviations for findings (F > M, female > male): ACC, anterior cingulated cortex; DLPFC, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; PFC, prefrontal cortex; S1, primary somatosensory cortex; S2, secondary somatosensory cortex; VMPFC, ventromedial prefrontal cortex.