Table 1.
Sex differences in the effects of stress on HPA axis regulation and behavior in male and female preclinical studies across the lifespan.
| Epoch of Stress exposure |
Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-conception | Distal- Increased anxiety/depression associated behaviors. Increased response to subsequent stress M > F (46, 48, 49). | Distal- Increased anxiety/depression associated behaviors. Increased response to subsequent stress M > F (46, 48, 49). |
| Pre-natal stress |
Distal- Increased CORT in response to restraint (38). Decreased sociability and decreased paired plus inhibition (30-33). PND1-7 Distal -Feminized patterns of spatial navigation in Barnes maze/increased immobility in FST (35). Passive coping/ anhedonia (34, 35). Decreased spatial learning (37) PND 11- Birth Distal -Increased sensitivity to reward/ increased conditioned place preference for chocolate/cocaine (40). Alterations in circadian rhythm and REM sleep includes increased paradoxical/ fragmented sleep and decreased slow wave sleep (145) |
Distal- Increased CORT, ACTH and corticosterone binding globulin in response to restraint (38). PND 11- Birth Distal- Passive coping (FST) M < F Decreased sensitivity to reward/ decreased conditioned place preference for chocolate/cocaine (40). |
| Birth- peri-puberty |
Proximal- Increased CORT Decreased growth (62-65). Distal –Anhedonia. Decreased play/decreased social behavior (66-68). Decreased social interaction (146). Cognitive impairments(63, 69). Increased susceptibility to adult social defeat (76). |
Proximal- Increased CORT Decreased growth (62-65). Distal -Decreased weight (16) Decreased exploratory anxiety like behavior/ decreased contextual fear conditioning (147). Decreased maternal care (148). Decreased social interaction (146). Blunted HPA activity in response to acute stress pregnancy and pup separation/distress (78, 79). |
| Puberty |
Proximal- Increased period for CORT to return to baseline following acute stress (99, 100). Altered weight gain (102, 103). Distal- Increased submissive response to conditioned defeat (Syrian hamsters)(115). |
Proximal- Increased period for CORT to return to baseline following acute stress during puberty (99, 100). Blunted CORT response to restraint stress following exposure to chronic stressors (both proximal and distal)(101). Decreased maternalization of virgin females to pups(79) Anhedonia passive coping (101). Distal-Increased submissive response to conditioned defeat (Syrian hamsters) (115). |
| Adult |
Proximal- 21 day variable stress Decreased grooming following 6 day variable stress (splash test), increased latency to eat (NSF), increased immobility (FST) (111, 112). Increased ability to learn trace eyeblink conditioning(135) |
Proximal- 6 day variable stress- Decreased grooming (splash test), increased latency to eat (NSF), increased immobility (FST) decreased sucrose preference (111). 21 day variable stress Decreased grooming (splash test), increased latency to eat (NSF), increased immobility ( FST) decreased sucrose preference (111, 112). Conditioned defeat Decreased ability to learn trace eyeblink conditioning (135) |
| Senescence | Proximal-No effect of stress on trace eyeblink conditioning (136). |
Proximal- No effect of stress on trace eyeblink conditioning (136). Decreased spatial learning (radial arm maze) (65). |
Abbreviations: CORT- corticosterone; ACTH- adrenocorticotropic hormone; FST- forced swim test; NSF-novelty suppressed feeding