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Browsing by Author "Kropp, Dawson R."

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
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    Sex as a biological variable in stress and mood disorder research
    Hodes, Georgia E.; Kropp, Dawson R. (Springer Nature, 2023-07)
    In 2016, changes were mandated for basic research, including using sex as a biological variable. This policy change was due to the lack of research performed in female animals. This resulted in a mismatch between the sex of the subjects being used for drug development and the sex of the participants in subsequent clinical trials hampering the translational success of novel therapeutics, especially treatments for mood disorders. While it is now clear that sex differences exist, the field needs to move to the next frontier in sex-difference research. We need to start exploring why and how these sex differences exist. What are their functions? How do we harness this information to develop novel sex-specific treatments for mental illness? This Review will address what we have learned from using sex as a biological variable and how we can utilize these data to better understand and treat sex-based disparities in mental health.
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    Sex differences in depression: An immunological perspective
    Kropp, Dawson R.; Hodes, Georgia E. (Pergamon-Elsevier, 2023-05)
    Depression is a heterogenous disorder with symptoms that present differently across individuals. In a subset of people depression is associated with alterations of the immune system that may contribute to disorder onset and symptomology. Women are twice as likely to develop depression and on average have a more sensitive adaptive and innate immune system when compared to men. Sex differences in pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), cell populations, and circulating cytokines play a critical role in inflammation onset. Sex differences in innate and adaptive immunity change the response of and repair to damage caused by dangerous pathogens or molecules in the body. This article reviews the evidence for sex specific immune responses that contribute to the sex differences in symptoms of depression that may account for the higher rate of depression in women.