Sex-specific interaction between cortisol and striato-limbic responses to psychosocial stress.

ABSTRACT: Although women and men differ in psychological and endocrine stress responses as well as in the prevalence rates of stress-related disorders, knowledge on sex differences regarding stress regulation in the brain is scarce. Therefore, we performed an in-depth analysis of data from 67 healthy participants (31 women, taking oral contraceptives), who were exposed to the ScanSTRESS paradigm in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Changes in cortisol, affect, heart rate and neural activation in response to psychosocial stress were examined in women and men as well as potential sex-specific interactions between stress response domains. Stress exposure led to significant cortisol increases, with men exhibiting higher levels than women. Depending on sex, cortisol elevations were different

SUBMITTER: Henze GI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8421693 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature