Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science (Mar 2024)
Recommendations for a Better Understanding of Sex and Gender in the Neuroscience of Mental Health
- Lara Marise Wierenga,
- Amber Ruigrok,
- Eira Ranheim Aksnes,
- Claudia Barth,
- Dani Beck,
- Sarah Burke,
- Arielle Crestol,
- Lina van Drunen,
- Maria Ferrara,
- Liisa Ann Margaret Galea,
- Anne-Lise Goddings,
- Markus Hausmann,
- Inka Homanen,
- Ineke Klinge,
- Ann-Marie de Lange,
- Lieke Ouwerkerk,
- Anna van der Miesen,
- Ricarda Proppert,
- Carlotta Rieble,
- Christian Krog Tamnes,
- Marieke Geerte Nynke Bos
Affiliations
- Lara Marise Wierenga
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Address correspondence to Lara Marise Wierenga, Ph.D.
- Amber Ruigrok
- Division of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom; Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Eira Ranheim Aksnes
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Claudia Barth
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Dani Beck
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Sarah Burke
- Interdisciplinary Center for Psychopathology and Emotion regulation, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Arielle Crestol
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Lina van Drunen
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Maria Ferrara
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy; University Hospital Psychiatry Unit, Integrated Department of Mental Health and Addictive Behavior, University S. Anna Hospital and Health Trust, Ferrara, Italy
- Liisa Ann Margaret Galea
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Anne-Lise Goddings
- University College London Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Markus Hausmann
- Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
- Inka Homanen
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Ineke Klinge
- Dutch Society for Gender & Health, the Netherlands; Gendered Innovations at European Commission, Brussels, Belgium
- Ann-Marie de Lange
- Laboratory for Research in Neuroimaging, Centre for Research in Neurosciences, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Lieke Ouwerkerk
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Anna van der Miesen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center of Expertise on Gender Dysphoria, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Ricarda Proppert
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Carlotta Rieble
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Christian Krog Tamnes
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway; NORMENT, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; PROMENTA Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Marieke Geerte Nynke Bos
- Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 4,
no. 2
p. 100283
Abstract
There are prominent sex/gender differences in the prevalence, expression, and life span course of mental health and neurodiverse conditions. However, the underlying sex- and gender-related mechanisms and their interactions are still not fully understood. This lack of knowledge has harmful consequences for those with mental health problems. Therefore, we set up a cocreation session in a 1-week workshop with a multidisciplinary team of 25 researchers, clinicians, and policy makers to identify the main barriers in sex and gender research in the neuroscience of mental health. Based on this work, here we provide recommendations for methodologies, translational research, and stakeholder involvement. These include guidelines for recording, reporting, analysis beyond binary groups, and open science. Improved understanding of sex- and gender-related mechanisms in neuroscience may benefit public health because this is an important step toward precision medicine and may function as an archetype for studying diversity.
