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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Neurosci.
Sec. Decision Neuroscience
Volume 18 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1499084

Exploring Neural Mechanisms of Gender Differences in Bodily Emotion Recognition: A Time-Frequency Analysis and Network Analysis Study

Provisionally accepted
Tingwei Feng Tingwei Feng 1*Mingdi Mi Mingdi Mi 2*Danyang Li Danyang Li 3*Buyao Wang Buyao Wang 4*Xufeng Liu Xufeng Liu 1*
  • 1 Department of Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, Xinjiang, China
  • 2 Weinan Vocational and Technical College student office, Weinan, China
  • 3 College of Education Science, Changji University, Changji, Xinjiang, China
  • 4 Mental Health Education and Consultation Center, Tarim University, Alaer, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: This study aimed to explore the neural mechanisms underlying gender differences in recognizing emotional expressions conveyed through body language. Utilizing electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings, we examined the impact of gender on neural responses through time-frequency analysis and network analysis to uncover gender disparities in bodily emotion recognition. Methods: The study included 34 participants, consisting of 18 males and 16 females. A 2×2 mixed design was employed, with gender (male and female) and bodily emotion (happy and sad) as the independent variables. Both behavioral and EEG data were collected simultaneously. Results: Males demonstrated more stable brain activity patterns when recognizing different bodily emotions, while females showed more intricate and highly interconnected brain activity networks, especially when identifying negative emotions like sadness. Differences based on gender were also observed in the significance of brain regions; males had greater importance in central brain areas, whereas females exhibited higher significance in the parietal lobe. Conclusions: Gender differences do influence the recognition of bodily emotions to some extent. The primary aim of this study was to explore the neural mechanisms underlying gender differences in bodily emotion recognition, with a particular focus on time-frequency analysis and network analysis based on electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. By elucidating the role of gender in cognitive development, this study contributes to early detection and intervention.

    Keywords: physical emotions, time-frequency, Source analysis, Network analysis, Time domian RAKE (TD-RAKE)

    Received: 23 Sep 2024; Accepted: 02 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Feng, Mi, Li, Wang and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Tingwei Feng, Department of Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, Xinjiang, China
    Mingdi Mi, Weinan Vocational and Technical College student office, Weinan, China
    Danyang Li, College of Education Science, Changji University, Changji, Xinjiang, China
    Buyao Wang, Mental Health Education and Consultation Center, Tarim University, Alaer, China
    Xufeng Liu, Department of Medical Psychology, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an, Xinjiang, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.