New York, April 16 - Men and women solve spatial problems differently, with women having a tendency to use landmarks for navigation, says a study.

Spatial problems are those in which the learner is unable to understand the concept of directions: up, down, left, right and so on.

In one of the first research studies to assess gender differences in cognitive performance in non-human primates, researchers compared normal female and male monkeys to see how they solve spatial problems.

Researchers led by Rebecca Herman at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, found the tendency to use landmarks for navigation was typical only of females.

Herman said men, when finding a location, generally use north and south as well as distance estimates whereas women prefer physical cues such as street names, signs and buildings.

The study appeared in the online edition of journal ‘Hormones and Behavior’, reported the health portal News Medical. Researchers are applying this knowledge to gain a better understanding of how the brain develops and functions.(IANS)