Sex Differences in Brain Maturation as Measured Using Event-Related Potentials

Little is known about how sex influences functional brain maturation. The current study investigated sex differences in the maturation of event-related potential (ERP) amplitudes during an auditory oddball task (N = 170; age = 6–17 years). Performance improved with age. N200 amplitude declined with age: parietal sites showed earlier development than temporal and frontal locations. Girls showed greater bilateral frontal P300 amplitude development, approaching the higher values observed in boys during childhood. After controlling for age, right frontal P300 amplitude was associated with reaction time in girls. The findings demonstrate sex differences in ERP maturation in line with behavioral and neuroimaging studies.