A new study has uncovered significant differences in how male and female mice process threats, even as they exhibit similar behavioral responses. The discovery suggests that including both male and female subjects in neuroscience research will lead to more accurate conclusions and ultimately better health outcomes. Understanding the influence of sex on brain function can help explain why males and females develop certain psychiatric disorders at different rates or with different symptoms, the researchers said.
"Unless we thoughtfully and rigorously integrate sex into biomedical research, a huge amount of the population may be underserved by scientific knowledge," said McGill University Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Neurogenomics Rosemary Bagot, who led the study. Our work shows that sex is an important variable to consider, even if initial observations don't necessarily show clear sex differences. If males and females are using different brain circuits to solve similar problems, they may be differently vulnerable to stress and respond differently to treatments.
" Rosemary Bagot, Associate Professor, McGill University How brain circuits process threats and cues The study focused on two related brain circuits and their roles in processing information about threats and the cues that predict them. The researchers trained mice to recognize a sound that signaled a threat and another sound that meant safety. By observing brain activity, the team saw how.