Do individual differences in sex impact cognitive flexibility?

In a new study published in Neuropsychopharmacology, entitled “Sex-biased computations underlying differential set shift performance in mice,” Nicola M. Grissom, faculty, and collaborators examined whether sex-biased individual differences contribute to variations in cognitive flexibility–the “ability to adaptively shift  between choices or strategies based on environmental feedback.” 

To investigate this question, the researchers used mice to assess how mice adapt to changing rules using a novel touchscreen Set Shift task, paired with computational models to analyze decision-making behavior. Results showed that female mice learned new rules faster and engaged rule choices sooner than male mice, which may be partially attributable to the fact that female mice more often followed multiple rules simultaneously. These results suggest that consistency in decision-making can actually support cognitive flexibility, helping individuals respond more effectively when faced with uncertainty. While mice aren’t humans, these results suggest cognitive adaptability may be an important variable in humans contributing to individual differences in executive function.

Composed by Nguyen Kiet Pham, communications assistant.