Greater male than female variability in regional brain structure across the lifespan
Authors: Wierenga Lara M , Doucet Gaelle E , Dima Danai , Agartz Ingrid , Aghajani Moji , Akudjedu Theophilus N , Albajes-Eizagirre Anton , Alnæs Dag , Alpert Kathryn I , Andreassen Ole A , Anticevic Alan , Asherson Philip , Banaschewski Tobias , Bargallo Nuria , Baumeister Sarah , Baur-Streubel Ramona , Bertolino Alessandro , Bonvino Aurora , Boomsma Dorret I , Borgwardt Stefan , Bourque Josiane , den Braber Anouk , Brandeis Daniel , Breier Alan , Brodaty Henry , Brouwer Rachel M , Buitelaar Jan K , Busatto Geraldo F , Calhoun Vince D , Canales-Rodríguez Erick J , Cannon Dara M , Caseras Xavier , Castellanos Francisco X , Chaim-Avancini Tiffany M , Ching Christopher RK , Clark Vincent P , Conrod Patricia J , Conzelmann Annette , Crivello Fabrice , Davey Christopher G , Dickie Erin W , Ehrlich Stefan , van ’t Ent Dennis , Fisher Simon E , Fouche Jean-Paul , Franke Barbara , Fuentes-Claramonte Paola , de Geus Eco JC , Di Giorgio Annabella , Glahn David C , Gotlib Ian H , Grabe Hans J , Gruber Oliver , Gruner Patricia , Gur Raquel E , Gur Ruben C , Gurholt Tiril P , de Haan Lieuwe , Haatveit Beathe , Harrison Ben J , Hartman Catharina A , Hatton Sean N , Heslenfeld Dirk J , van den Heuvel Odile A , Hickie Ian B , Hoekstra Pieter J , Hohmann Sarah , Holmes Avram J , Hoogman Martine , Hosten Norbert , Howells Fleur M , Hulshoff Pol Hilleke E , Huyser Chaim , Jahanshad Neda , James Anthony C , Jiang Jiyang , Jönsson Erik G , Joska John A , Kalnin Andrew J ,   Karolinska Schizophrenia Project (KaSP) Consortium, Klein Marieke , Koenders Laura , Kolskår Knut K , Krämer Bernd , Kuntsi Jonna , Lagopoulos Jim , Lazaro Luisa , Lebedeva Irina S , Lee Phil H , Lochner Christine , Machielsen Marise WJ , Maingault Sophie , Martin Nicholas G , Martínez-Zalacaín Ignacio , Mataix-Cols David , Mazoyer Bernard , McDonald Brenna C , McDonald Colm , McIntosh Andrew M , McMahon Katie L , McPhilemy Genevieve , van der Meer Dennis , Menchón José M , Naaijen Jilly , Nyberg Lars , Oosterlaan Jaap , Paloyelis Yannis , Pauli Paul , Pergola Giulio , Pomarol-Clotet Edith , Portella Maria J , Radua Joaquim , Reif Andreas , Richard Geneviève , Roffman Joshua L , Rosa Pedro GP , Sacchet Matthew D , Sachdev Perminder S , Salvador Raymond , Sarró Salvador , Satterthwaite Theodore D , Saykin Andrew J , Serpa Mauricio H , Sim Kang , Simmons Andrew , Smoller Jordan W , Sommer Iris E , Soriano-Mas Carles , Stein Dan J , Strike Lachlan T , Szeszko Philip R , Temmingh Henk S , Thomopoulos Sophia I , Tomyshev Alexander S , Trollor Julian N , Uhlmann Anne , Veer Ilya M , Veltman Dick J , Voineskos Aristotle , Völzke Henry , Walter Henrik , Wang Lei , Wang Yang , Weber Bernd , Wen Wei , West John D , Westlye Lars T , Whalley Heather C , Williams Steven CR , Wittfeld Katharina , Wolf Daniel H , Wright Margaret J , Yoncheva Yuliya N , Zanetti Marcus V , Ziegler Georg C , de Zubicaray Greig I , Thompson Paul M , Crone Eveline A , Frangou Sophia , Tamnes Christian K 
Published: February 2020

For many traits, males show greater variability than females, with possible implications for understanding sex differences in health and disease. Here, the ENIGMA (Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis) Consortium presents the largest-ever mega-analysis of sex differences in variability of brain structure, based on international data spanning nine decades of life. Subcortical volumes, cortical surface area and cortical thickness were assessed in MRI data of 16,683 healthy individuals 1-90 years old (47% females). We observed significant patterns of greater male than female between-subject variance for all subcortical volumetric measures, all cortical surface area measures, and 60% of cortical thickness measures. This pattern was stable across the lifespan for 50% of the subcortical structures, 70% of the regional area measures, and nearly all regions for thickness. Our findings that these sex differences are present in childhood implicate early life genetic or gene-environment interaction mechanisms. The findings highlight the importance of individual differences within the sexes, that may underpin sex-specific vulnerability to disorders.