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Context: Research in college athletes has revealed significant gender differences in areas of verbal memory, visual memory, and reaction time. Additionally, research has focused on differences in neuropsychological components and gender in college populations; however, such differences in gender have not been documented in healthy adolescent populations. Purpose: To identify potential differences between males and females using different components of a common computerized neuropsychological test. Methods: A computerized neuropsychological test battery (ImPACT®) was administered to 662 high-school age adolescent athletes (male: n = 451 female: n = 262). Differences between genders were calculated using a 1-way ANOVA. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 23.0. Significance levels were set a priori at P < .05. Results: A 1-way ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences between males and females for composite reaction time (F1, 660 = 10.68, P = .001) and total symptom score (F1,660= 81.20, P < .001). However, no statistically significant differences were found between males and females in composite verbal memory, visual memory, visual motor, or impulse control (P > .05). Conclusions: Significant differences between males and females were discovered for composite reaction time and total symptom scores, with females reporting more symptoms and slower reaction times at a baseline assessment. Increased symptom reporting by females may be attributed to both hormonal differences and increased honesty. Quicker reaction times in males may support theories that repetition of activities and quicker muscle contraction are gender dependent. However, additional research is necessary to understand gender differences in adolescent athletes during periods of cognitive and physical maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Schizophrenia represents the most severe mental disorder. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of disease in the first line relatives of patients suffering from schizophrenia related to gender differences and various subtypes. Material and Methods. The study included 453 subjects (121 patients suffering from schizophrenia - 52.1% males and 47.9% females and 332 first line relatives of the patients - 47.2% males and 52.7% females during a five year period, mostly in the region of Sarajevo. Results. According to the analysis of disease frequency related to the kinship, the disease developed more frequently in mothers (8.3%) and sisters (7.8%) than in fathers (6.9) and brothers (7.1%) of the patients suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. In the group of disorganized schizophrenia, only mothers were found (4.2%), whereas the statistical difference in the group of affected brothers and sisters was significant, the percentage being 9.7% and 15.3%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in gender (p<0.05) between the group of parents and siblings regarding the frequency of schizophrenia. Discussion. The proof of participation of genetic factors in etiology supports the assumption on genetic nature of familial aggregation of schizophrenia. Our results completely match those of studies which analyzed the frequency of disease regarding inheritance (gender distribution and various subtypes). Conclusion. Investigation points to the common epidemiological criteria regarding the frequency of schizophrenic psychosis. Genetic predisposition could be also a demonstrator of the disease course and outcome, which should enable better understanding of the etiology of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Glutathione (GSH) serves as an important anti-oxidant in the brain by scavenging harmful reactive oxygen species that are generated during different molecular processes. The GSH level in the brain provides indirect information on oxidative stress of the brain. We report in vivo detection of GSH non-invasively from various brain regions (frontal cortex, parietal cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum) in bilateral hemispheres of healthy male and female subjects and from bi-lateral frontal cortices in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). All AD patients who participated in this study were on medication with cholinesterase inhibitors. Healthy young male (age 26.4±3.0) and healthy young female (age 23.6±2.1) subjects have higher amount of GSH in the parietal cortical region and a specific GSH distribution pattern (parietal cortex>frontal cortex>hippocampus∼cerebellum) has been found. Overall mean GSH content is higher in healthy young female compared to healthy young male subjects and GSH is distributed differently in two hemispheres among male and female subjects. In both young female and male subjects, statistically significant (p =0.02 for young female and p =0.001 for young male) difference in mean GSH content is found when compared between left frontal cortex (LFC) and right frontal cortex (RFC). In healthy young female subjects, we report statistically significant positive correlation of GSH content between RFC and LFC (r =0.641, p =0.004) as well as right parietal cortex (RPC) and left parietal cortex (LPC) (r =0.797, p =0.000) regions. In healthy young male subjects, statistically significant positive correlation of GSH content was observed between LFC and LPC (r =0.481, p =0.032) regions. This statistical analysis implicates that in case of a high GSH content in LPC of a young male, his LFC region would also contain high GSH and vice versa. The difference in mean of GSH content between healthy young female control and female AD patients in RFC region (p =0.003) and difference in mean of GSH content between healthy young male control and male AD patients (p =0.05) in LFC region is found to be statistically significant. It is the first scientific report correlating alteration (in selective brain regions) of GSH level with clinical status of male and female subjects using non-invasive imaging technique. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]