Gender Differences of Neuroanatomical and Neurophysiological Correlates of Risk-proneness in Early Adolescents

Gender Differences in Risk-proneness, Gratification Delay, Self-control, Self-efficacy, Executive Functions and Their Neurophysiological and Neuroanatomical Correlates in Early Adolescents

Risk-taking in early adolescence have has been found to be normative and even formative as it might fulfill the youth's needs to experiment different sensations, make independent decisions and learn from their consequences. Several theoretical models have suggested that male and female adolescents differ in risk-taking as a product of individual/contextual factors and neocortical functioning; however, the neurophysiological and neuropsychological correlates of those differences continue to be underexplored. Informed by Evolutionary Neuroandrogenic Theory, the investigators examine the links between gender, risk-proneness, gratification delay, self-control, self-efficacy, executive functions and neurophysiological-neuroanatomical correlates in early adolescents (age 10-12 years). Participants (N=24; 50% females) will complete behavioral measurements on study constructs and perform neuropsychological tests using fMRI scanning (e.g., Go/NoGo continuous performance, stop-signal reaction time, NIH Cognition Battery, delay discounting). Female and male groups will be compared on all outcome measures.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Gender; Early Adolescent Behavior
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: The study is an observational cross sectional study

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 8

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Lubbock, Texas, United States, 79409
      • Texas Tech University - Department of Human Development and Family Studies

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 10 years to 12 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population will consist of healthy early adolescent (age 10-12 years) male and female subjects

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Early adolescents (age 10-12 years)
• Male and female

Exclusion Criteria:

• Gross impairment of vision or hearing that would prevent the participants from performing neuropsychological tasks
• Inability to read and follow written instructions
• WISC-V IQ score of < 80
• Physical, neurological or concurrent psychiatric impairments that could affect cognitive and motor functions
• Regular intake of medication that could alter visual, auditory, cognitive or motor functions
• History of head injury that resulted in loss of consciousness / history of brain surgery
• Current / past history of smoking and / or alcohol or drug abuse
• Absolute contraindications to undergo MRI

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Female Early Adolescents	Other: The study is an observational cross sectional study; An intervention will not be performed
Male Early Adolescents	Other: The study is an observational cross sectional study; An intervention will not be performed

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Female vs. Male differences of fMRI BOLD responses for SSRT Stop Signals	Female vs. male differences of functional magnetic resonance imaging reactivity of the whole brain while performing a Stop Signal Reaction Time Task	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. Male differences of fMRI BOLD responses in a Go-NoGo CPT	Female vs. male differences of functional magnetic resonance imaging reactivity of the whole brain while performing a Go-NoGo Continuous Performance Task	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. Male differences of brain structural connectivity	Female vs. male differences of brain structural connectivity as measured by diffusion tensor imaging and analyzed using tract-based spatial statistics	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. Male differences of brain structure	Female vs. male differences of brain structure as determined by voxel based morphometry of structural magnetic resonance imaging data	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Female vs. male differences in delay discounting	Female vs. male differences in delay discounting as measures using a delay discounting task presented on a laptop computer	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in stop signal delay	Female vs. male differences in stop signal delay of a stop signal reaction time task performed in the magnetic resonance imaging scanner	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in reaction times of correct Go responses	Female vs. male differences in reaction times of correct Go responses performed in a Go-NoGo continuous performance task performed in the magnetic resonance imaging scanner	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in commission errors in a Go-NoGo CPT	Female vs. male differences commission errors in a Go-NoGo continuous performance task performed in the magnetic resonance imaging scanner	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test	Female vs. male differences in Flanker Inhibitory Control and Attention Test of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in Dimensional Change Card Sort Test	Female vs. male differences in Dimensional Change Card Sort Test of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test	Female vs. male differences in Pattern Comparison Processing Speed Test of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in risk-proneness	Female vs. male differences in risk-proneness as measured by Impulsive Sensation Seeking Scale adapted by Raffaelli and Crocket (2003)	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in sensation seeking	Female vs. male differences in Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (BSSS) developed by Hoyle et al (2002)	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in gratification delay	Female vs. male differences in abbreviated 10 item Delayed Gratification Inventory (DGI-10) by Romer, Duckworth, Sznitman, & Park (2010)	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in self-control	Female vs. male differences in Perrone, Sullivan, Pratt, & Margaryan (2004) measure of self -control adapted from the Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health (ADD Health)	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in self-efficacy	Female vs. male differences in General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) developed by Schwarzer & Jerusalem (1995)	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Female vs. male differences in commission errors in an SSRT	Female vs. male differences in commission errors in a stop signal reaction time task performed in the magnetic resonance imaging scanner	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in omission errors in an SSRT	Female vs. male differences in omission errors in a stop signal reaction time task performed in the magnetic resonance imaging scanner	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in omission errors in a Go-NoGo CPT	Female vs. male differences omission errors in a Go-NoGo continuous performance task performed in the magnetic resonance imaging scanner	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in Picture Sequence Memory Test	Female vs. male differences in Picture Sequence Memory Test of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in List Sorting Working Memory Test	Female vs. male differences in List Sorting Working Memory Test of the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.
Female vs. male differences in simple visual reaction time	Female vs. male differences in a simple visual reaction time task programmed and presented in PsychoPy software environment on a laptop computer	Outcome will be measured on the first study visit (day 1) of each subject. This will also be the only time point of measurement. Outcomes of all recruited subjects within the specified study period will be considered when reporting the outcome measure.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Texas Tech University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Trejos-Castillo, PhD, Texas Tech University; Study Director: Chanaka Kahathuduwa, Texas Tech University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 14, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 30, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): August 31, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 9, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 21, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): May 23, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 25, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 21, 2021
• Last Verified: October 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB2017-914

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No