Research Hit: Brain Cells of Males and Females Respond Differently to Stress

There I knew it — men and women are different!

Well, yes, and no! I wrote in more detail on the similarities and differences between men and women’s brains here — it’s more complicated than you might think. And this research was in male and female mice — not human beings.

Oh, but there’s a difference then?

Well first off — and this is important in general. There is a male and female research problem: namely that animal models and research are normally only conducted on male mice. Which means if there is a difference we could be missing something important. The same also goes for clinical trials in human beings — these are also more often than not conducted in men (and white men at that).

Ok, that sounds wrong, so there should be more diversity in research but back to the stress response: don’t we already know that men and women respond differently to stress?

Yes, there are well documented differences — for example women more often than men exhibit a tend and befriend strategy in stressful times — they look after and seek out friends.

But this research investigated direct responses in the brain — the hypothalamus, a region that is a hub for the stress response and triggering hormone release.