The Behavioral, Hormonal, and Neural Correlates of Cognitive Control in Response to Sexual Interference Stimuli in Fathers and Non-fathers Open Access

Abstract

Abstract

Despite the fact that there is great variation in human paternal care, its benefits to
children are immense and well documented. Life History Theory suggests that men
pursue a reproductive strategy on a spectrum from mating effort to parenting effort. The
purpose of this study is to investigate behavioral, hormonal and neurobiological
differences between fathers and non-fathers through four aims. We use a choice reaction
time task with sexual interference in fMRI to investigate brain and behavioral differences
in reaction to sexual stimuli. Additionally, we investigate differences in testosterone
levels and differences in brain structure. We found that fathers are less distracted by
sexual interference stimuli than non-fathers, as measured by reaction time. Those with the
slowest reaction times engaged the cognitive and emotional control areas of their
prefrontal cortex less than those with faster reaction times. Fathers have lower baseline
levels of testosterone than non-fathers, and those with higher baseline levels of
testosterone engage their prefrontal cortex less during the reaction time task. Our results
also suggest that fathers have greater gray matter density than non-fathers in the medial
oribital frontal cortex and rostral ACC. These results suggest that differences between
fathers and non-fathers manifest themselves in differences in behavior, brain structure
and function, and hormones.

Table of Contents



Table of Contents
I.
Introduction.................................................................................................1
II.
Methods.......................................................................................................8
a. Subjects..................................................................................................8
b. Behavioral Task and Procedure.............................................................8
c. Behavioral and Demographic Analyses.................................................9
d. Plasma Collection and Hormone Analyses...........................................10
e. fMRI Image Acquisition.......................................................................11
f. fMRI Image Analyses...........................................................................11
g. VBM Analysis.......................................................................................12
III.
Results.........................................................................................................14
a. Demographic.........................................................................................14
b. Behavioral.............................................................................................14
c. Hormones..............................................................................................15
d. Functional MRI Data............................................................................16
e. Structural...............................................................................................17
IV.
Discussion...................................................................................................19
V.
Tables and Figures......................................................................................29
a. Table 1..................................................................................................29
b. Table 2..................................................................................................29
c. Table 3..................................................................................................30
d. Table 4..................................................................................................30
e. Table 5..................................................................................................31
f. Table 6..................................................................................................31
g. Figure 1.................................................................................................32
h. Figure 2.................................................................................................33
i. Figure 3.................................................................................................34
j. Figure 4.................................................................................................35
k. Figure 5.................................................................................................36
l. Figure 6.................................................................................................37
m. Figure 7.................................................................................................38
n. Figure 8.................................................................................................39
o. Figure 9.................................................................................................40
p. Figure 10...............................................................................................41
q. Figure 11...............................................................................................42
r. Figure 12...............................................................................................43
VI.
References...................................................................................................44



About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology
Degree	BS
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Biology, Neuroscience
Keyword	cognitive control fatherhood fMRI
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Rilling, James K, Emory University
Committee Members	Konner, Melvin J, Emory University Frenzel, Kristen E, Emory University Hall, Pamela M, Emory University

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