Quantitative analysis of gender differences in the effects of lateralized lesions on verbal and performance IQ

Previous studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated that males have larger differences between Verbal IQ (VIQ) and Performance IQ (PIQ) following unilateral brain lesions. Several theories have been proposed as an explanation of this finding, including a greater degree of functional lateralization in males, gender differences in the organization of language centers within the left hemisphere, and differences in problem-solving strategy for PIQ. We apply quantitative methods for analysis of relations between lesion location and behavior to a sample of 64 males and females with unilateral brain lesions. Statistical test conducted in LISREL-VII suggest that in females, a single model can describe the relationships between lesion location and VIQ and PIQ, with left-hemisphere lesions producing more severe deficits on both measures. In males, separate models of the relationships between lesion location and VIQ and PIQ are required.