Differential brainstem connectivity according to sex and menopausal status in healthy men and women.

Background Brainstem nuclei play a critical role in both ascending monoaminergic modulation of cortical function and arousal, and in descending bulbospinal pain modulation. Even though sex-related differences in the function of both systems have been reported in animal models, a complete understanding of sex differences, as well as menopausal effects, in brainstem connectivity in humans is lacking. This study evaluated resting-state connectivity of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), right and left locus coeruleus complex (LCC), and periaqueductal gray (PAG) according to sex and menopausal status in healthy individuals.