心理理论作为一种高级的社会认知能力，指的是通过推测他人的心理状态，如信念、意图等，从而进一步预测他人行为。心理理论和阅读可能都涉及对他人心理状态的推理，两者具有一定的共通之处。本研究通过综合运用行为实验和磁共振成像技术，探究了心理理论能力和阅读能力之间的关系及其性别差异，以及这些差异与大脑结构和功能连接之间的关系。

首先，在行为层面，我们采用阅读历史问卷任务、眼神读心任务和错误信念任务等测试，分别评估了被试的阅读兴趣和阅读能力，以及情感心理理论能力和认知心理理论能力。结果显示，女性在情感心理理论任务上的得分显著高于男性，同时在阅读历史问卷任务中阅读能力困难得分也显著小于男性。进一步分析发现，在男性被试中，阅读困难与情感心理理论能力存在显著负相关关系，但在女性群体中，这种关系仅呈现边缘显著，表明性别差异在心理理论与阅读能力关系中的存在。

为了探究这种关系背后的神经机制，我们进行了磁共振成像实验。通过基于体素的形态学分析（Voxel-Based Morphometry，VBM），我们对全脑灰质体积与行为数据进行了关联性分析。在男性群体中，我们发现了左侧颞上回和右侧顶上小叶在阅读与心理理论能力的关系中起到部分中介作用。这两个脑区与心理理论能力和阅读能力的相关性表明，它们可能共同参与了心理理论和阅读过程的调控。然而，在女性群体中，我们并未发现既显著正相关于心理理论能力，又显著负相关于阅读困难的脑区，这可能意味着女性在心理理论与阅读能力关系上的神经机制与男性存在差异。

为了进一步考察以上脑区在功能活动上与阅读和心理理论的关系，我们进行了功能连接分析。基于VBM分析的结果，我们将左侧颞上回和右侧顶上小叶作为种子点，探究了这些脑区与其他脑区之间的功能连接强度与心理理论和阅读能力的关系。结果显示，在男性中，左侧颞上回与楔叶皮质的功能连接强度可以预测心理理论和阅读上的行为表现，并且在阅读和心理理论能力的关系中起到完全中介作用。这一发现为我们理解男性在阅读和心理理论过程中的神经机制提供了新的视角。然而，在女性中，我们并未发现类似的结果，这进一步支持了性别差异在心理理论与阅读能力关系及其神经机制上的存在。

综合以上结果，本研究表明男性和女性在心理理论与阅读能力的关系上可能具有不同的神经机制。这些差异可能与性别在大脑结构、功能连接以及认知策略上的不同特点有关。未来的研究可以进一步探讨这些差异背后的生理和心理基础，以及它们如何影响个体的认知发展和社会适应。此外，本研究的结果也为教育实践提供了重要启示。针对男性和女性在心理理论和阅读能力上的差异，教育者可以制定更加个性化的教学方案，以充分发挥每个学生的潜能。

Theory of mind (ToM) , as an advanced social cognitive ability, refers to the capacity to infer the mental states of others, such as beliefs and intentions, in order to predict their behavior. Both theory of mind and reading may involve reasoning about the mental states of others, suggesting that they share certain commonalities. The present study primarily investigated the relationship between ToM and reading competence in males and females, as well as the neural mechanisms underlying this relationship. Through a comprehensive approach utilizing behavioral experiments and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, we extensively analyzed gender differences in ToM and reading competence, and the relationship of these differences with brain structure and functional connectivity.

Firstly, in the behavioral experiment phase, various tasks such as the Reading History Questionnaire task, Reading the Mind in the Eyes task (RMET), and the False Belief task were employed to assess participants' reading interests, reading abilities, affective and cognitive ToM. The results indicated that females scored significantly higher than males in tasks related to affective ToM, while encountering significantly fewer difficulties in reading compared to males. Further analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between reading difficulties and affective ToM in male participants, whereas in females, this relationship only showed marginal significance, suggesting the presence of gender differences in the relationship between ToM and reading competency.

MRI experiments were conducted to explore the neural mechanisms behind this relationship. Using Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM) analysis, we correlated whole-brain gray matter volume with behavioral data. In the male group, we found that the left superior temporal gyrus and the right superior parietal lobule partially mediated the relationship between ToM and reading competency. Correlation analysis of these brain regions with ToM and reading competency suggested their potential involvement in regulating ToM and reading processes. However, in the female group, we did not find brain regions that exhibited both a significant positive correlation with ToM and a significant negative correlation with reading difficulties. Therefore, it may indicate that there are potential differences in the neural mechanisms underlying the relationship between ToM and reading competency in males compared to females.

To further validate this hypothesis, functional connectivity analysis was performed. Based on the results of VBM analysis, the left superior temporal gyrus and the right superior parietal lobule were selected as seed points to investigate the relationship between the functional connectivity strength of these brain regions with other brain regions and ToM and reading competency. The results showed that in males, the functional connectivity strength between the left superior temporal gyrus and the precuneus could predict behavioral performance in ToM and reading, and fully mediated the relationship between ToM and reading. These findings offered a new perspective on understanding the neural mechanisms underlying ToM and reading in males. However, similar results were not found in females, further supporting the existence of gender differences in the relationship and neural mechanisms underlying ToM and reading.

In summary, the present study suggested that there may be different neural mechanisms underlying the relationship between ToM and reading in males and females. These differences may be related to gender-specific characteristics in brain structure, functional connectivity, and cognitive strategies. Future research could further explore the foundations behind these differences and how they affect cognitive development and social adaptation in individuals. Additionally, the results of this study provide important insights for educational practice. Educators can develop more personalized teaching programs tailored to the differences in ToM and reading between males and females.