高中數理能力優異班學生與普通班學生大腦結構及性別差異之研究

Abstract

本研究參與者包括36 位高中數理能力優異學生（16 男，20 女）及37 位普通學生（20 男，17 女）。研究工具含：「高中學校能力測驗」、「國中基測成績」與「磁振造影」（MRI）。MRI係以SPM的像素型態分析方法（VBM）進行統計。研究結果顯示：一、數優組與普通組在多個皮質區灰質容積有差異。數優組在IQ 及數理能力相關的皮質區灰質容積高於普通組；而普通組在動作及高級感覺皮質區灰質容積高於數理能力優異組。二、性別在多個皮質區灰質容積有差異。男生組在計算能力相關、訊息連結、負面情緒記憶等皮質區灰質容積顯著高於女生組；而女生組在認知、高級感覺等皮質區灰質容積顯著高於男生組。三、綜合能力與性別的比較，研究者推估先天能力與後天學習都與大腦發展有關。

In this study, we compare the sex differences in brain structure between math- and science-talented (MST) students and their typically developed (TD) peers, involving 36 MST (16 male and 20 female) and 37 TD (20 male and 17 female) students. The research instruments used in this study were the “High School Intelligence Test,” the “Basic Competence Test for Junior High School Students,” and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI data were processed with voxel-based morphometery (VBM) implemented in statistical parametric mapping (SPM). The results show that (1) MST students displayed larger gray matter volumes than TD students did in the cortical regions related to intelligence and math/science achievement scores; TD students showed larger gray matter volumes than MST students did in motor and somatosensory cortical regions; (2) Male students showed greater gray matter volumes than female students did in the cortical regions involved in mathematical tasks, information processing, and negative emotions; female students showed larger gray matter volumes than their male counterparts did in higher cognitive and somatosensory cortical regions; (3) The results of this study indicate that both innate and acquired abilities might affect brain development.