Sex Differences in Depression Caused by Early Life Stress and Related Mechanisms

Xianquan An; Xianquan An; Wanxu Guo; Huiying Wu; Xiying Fu; Ming Li; Yizhi Zhang; Yanlin Li; Ranji Cui; Wei Yang; Zhuo Zhang; Zhuo Zhang; Guoqing Zhao

doi:10.3389/fnins.2022.797755

Frontiers in Neuroscience (May 2022)

Sex Differences in Depression Caused by Early Life Stress and Related Mechanisms

Xianquan An,
Xianquan An,
Wanxu Guo,
Huiying Wu,
Xiying Fu,
Ming Li,
Yizhi Zhang,
Yanlin Li,
Ranji Cui,
Wei Yang,
Zhuo Zhang,
Zhuo Zhang,
Guoqing Zhao

Affiliations

Xianquan An: Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Xianquan An: Department of Anesthesiology, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Wanxu Guo: Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Huiying Wu: Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Xiying Fu: Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Ming Li: Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Yizhi Zhang: Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Yanlin Li: Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Ranji Cui: Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Wei Yang: Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory on Molecular and Chemical Genetic, Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Zhuo Zhang: Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Zhuo Zhang: Department of Orthopedics, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
Guoqing Zhao: Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.797755
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16

Abstract

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Depression is a common psychiatric disease caused by various factors, manifesting with continuous low spirits, with its precise mechanism being unclear. Early life stress (ELS) is receiving more attention as a possible cause of depression. Many studies focused on the mechanisms underlying how ELS leads to changes in sex hormones, neurotransmitters, hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) axis function, and epigenetics. The adverse effects of ELS on adulthood are mainly dependent on the time window when stress occurs, sex and the developmental stage when evaluating the impacts. Therefore, with regard to the exact sex differences of adult depression, we found that ELS could lead to sex-differentiated depression through multiple mechanisms, including 5-HT, sex hormone, HPA axis, and epigenetics.

Published in Frontiers in Neuroscience

ISSN: 1662-4548 (Print); 1662-453X (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry
Website: http://www.frontiersin.org/neuroscience

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Abstract

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