Hormones And Behavior[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Androgen receptor modulation of vocal circuitry in Alston's singing mouse.
Zheng DJ, Mardis B, Lam D … +3 more , Islam T, Tripp J, Phelps S
Horm Behav · 2026 Mar · PMID 41691999 · Publisher ↗
Animal advertisement displays are dramatic, often sexually dimorphic behaviors that function in both courtship and competition, and require the coordinated modulation of diverse motivational and motor circuits. In Alston...
Animal advertisement displays are dramatic, often sexually dimorphic behaviors that function in both courtship and competition, and require the coordinated modulation of diverse motivational and motor circuits. In Alston's singing mice, Scotinomys teguina, a novel and elaborate advertisement vocalization is sexually dimorphic and steroid sensitive. Males sing more often than females, and on average male songs have more notes. Song is influenced by circulating androgens, but how such hormonal differences influence the diverse brain regions involved in vocal display is not understood. To characterize androgen-sensitive sites in the vocal pathway, we used two isoforms of pseudorabies virus (PRV) to double-label circuits ending in laryngeal and jaw muscles involved in vocalization, and co-labeled these neurons for androgen receptor (AR). Next, we manipulated circulating androgens and observed the effects on AR distribution and male song. We find androgens drive coordinated changes in AR abundance across motor and motivational circuits, and group differences in song are associated with AR abundance. The results reveal how circulating androgens can coordinate the diverse circuits necessary for elaborate advertisement displays.
Estrogen regulates cognitive function in APP/PS1 female mice via modulation of IDO1-mediated Trp/Kyn metabolism through ERβ.
Zhang L, Hu S, Zhu J … +1 more , Jiang G
Horm Behav · 2026 Mar · PMID 41655411 · Publisher ↗
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is more prevalent in postmenopausal women, possibly due to estrogen deficiency. IDO1 (Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1), a tryptophan-metabolizing enzyme, mediates immunomodulation and neuroinflamma...
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is more prevalent in postmenopausal women, possibly due to estrogen deficiency. IDO1 (Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1), a tryptophan-metabolizing enzyme, mediates immunomodulation and neuroinflammation and may be related to cognitive impairment in AD. This study used APP/PS1 transgenic female mice with ovariectomy (OVX),E2, IDO1 inhibitor (1-MT), and agonists and antagonists of estrogen receptors to explore the potential roles of estrogen and IDO1 in AD. Results showed that OVX aggravated the cognitive function impairment of the APP/PS1 mice. OVX also decreased the serum E2 level and increased the hippocampal IDO1 level. The application of 1-MT reversed the cognitive impairment, suggesting the elevated IDO1 level to be a contributing factor for the high susceptibility to AD in females with estrogen deficiency. Interestingly, E2 alleviated the cognitive function of the APP/PS1 mice undergoing OVX. E2 also decreased hippocampal IDO1 level and impacted the metabolism of IDO1-mediated L-Tryptophan (Trp)/kynurenine (Kyn) pathway by decreasing the levels of Kyn, Kyn-to-Trp ratio, 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK) and quinolinic acid (QA) and increasing the levels of serotonin (5-HT), 5-HT-to-Trp ratio, and kynurenic acid (KA). The E2's effects were similar to those of the IDO1 inhibitor. Furthermore, the ERβ antagonist could reverse the effects of E2 and the ERβ agonist had comparable effects to E2 on the Trp/Kyn pathway. These findings indicate that E2 has positive effects on the cognitive function of the APP/PS1 female mice undergoing OVX, and the mechanism may be related to the modulation of IDO1-mediated Trp/Kyn pathway via activation of ERβ.
The gastric branch of the vagus nerve is required for hypothalamic pituitary axis stress habituation in male Sprague Dawley rats.
Sampsell LJ, Snyder JW, Evans A … +6 more , Horvath N, McMenimon IN, Nyland JE, Browning KN, Hajnal A, Silberman Y
Horm Behav · 2026 Mar · PMID 41650514 · Full text
The vagus nerve is known to participate in the negative feedback regulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis in response to acute stress, but the role of the vagus nerve in facilitating HPA habituation to...
The vagus nerve is known to participate in the negative feedback regulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis in response to acute stress, but the role of the vagus nerve in facilitating HPA habituation to repeated stress remains largely unexplored. The role of specific vagal subbranches in stress responses is also unclear. This study evaluated whether selective surgical ablation of the left anterior gastric branch of the vagus nerve (gVX) impairs physiological and behavioral adaptation to repeated stress. Rats were assigned to gVX or sham surgery and underwent repeated restraint stress consisting of 2 h of restraint daily for 5 consecutive days, during which blood was collected every 15 min to assess corticosterone and non-fasting glucose levels, while ultrasonic vocalizations were recorded. 24 h after the final restraint session, rats underwent an open field test to assess anxiety-like behaviors. There were no overt changes in gastric function by gVX. Plasma corticosterone levels were similarly elevated in both groups on the first day of restraint stress. By day 5, the sham group exhibited a significant reduction in stress-evoked corticosterone levels compared to day 1, indicating habituation, while corticosterone levels in the gVX group remained elevated after repeated stress. Non-fasted glucose levels followed a similar pattern, with sham rats showing habituation, whereas the gVX group maintained significantly elevated levels on day 5. The gVX group displayed significantly more stress-associated vocalizations during restraint and no habituation over time. In the open-field test, gVX rats showed fewer center entries, increased immobility, and reduced distance traveled, reflecting heightened anxiety-like behaviors. These findings collectively demonstrate that the gastric branch of the vagus nerve is crucial for stress habituation, revealing a critical connection between gastrointestinal and stress-related neural pathways. A better understanding of these mechanisms could inform therapeutic strategies for stress-related disorders.
Sex-related differences in aggressive and emotional behavior in mice with the conditional inactivation of limbic Npy1r.
Paterlini S, Gioiosa L, Panelli R … +5 more , Parmigiani S, Bertocchi I, Oberto A, Eva C, Palanza P
Horm Behav · 2026 Feb · PMID 41579511 · Publisher ↗
Anxiety- and depression-related disorders are frequently associated with deficits in social behavior, including excessive aggression and violence, which may arise from disruptions in the neural circuits regulating emotio...
Anxiety- and depression-related disorders are frequently associated with deficits in social behavior, including excessive aggression and violence, which may arise from disruptions in the neural circuits regulating emotions and social interactions. Sex differences play a crucial role in modulating emotional and social behaviors, particularly aggression and anxiety. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and its Y1 receptor (Y1R) are involved in regulating various physiological functions, including emotional behavior and stress response. We previously demonstrated that conditional knockout of Npy1r gene in the forebrain excitatory neurons (Npy1r mutant mice) increased anxiety-like behavior and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical axis reactivity and decreased body weight growth in a sex-dependent manner. In the present study we investigated how the depletion of the Npy1r gene in limbic areas might affect male and female mice by using a test battery aimed at assessing anxiety-like, social and aggressive behavior as well as response to novelty. Our results showed reduced exploratory behavior and increased anxiety in response to a novel environment in Npy1r mice, with females exhibiting more pronounced effects. In contrast, only Npy1r males showed reduced neophobia and increased impulsivity in response to a novel palatable food. Moreover, reduced limbic Npy1r expression decreased territorial aggression and increased defensive behaviors only in males. These findings reveal that limbic Y1R modulates anxiety, social interaction, and aggression in a sex-dependent manner. Moreover, they uncover a novel role for Y1R in regulating intermale aggression and suggest sex-specific links between NPY-Y1R signaling and the modulation of motivational and emotional responses.
Early androgens and development of social personality traits: Evidence from classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
Collaer ML, Spencer D, Kung KTF … +7 more , Thankamony A, Hughes IA, Acerini C, Srirangalingam U, Gleeson H, Luders E, Hines M
Horm Behav · 2026 Feb · PMID 41576673 · Full text
Experimental studies in nonhuman species have demonstrated the powerful effects of androgen exposure during early life on neurobehavioral development. Work also has demonstrated links between early androgens in humans an...
Experimental studies in nonhuman species have demonstrated the powerful effects of androgen exposure during early life on neurobehavioral development. Work also has demonstrated links between early androgens in humans and characteristics that show sex differences, such as childhood play, gender identity, and sexual orientation. This study extends the investigation of potential androgen influences to the development of a subset of personality traits that are relevant to social interaction. We investigated the relationship of early androgens to personality traits, assessed via questionnaires, that show average sex differences (overall aggression, physical aggression, dominance, and tender-mindedness/sensitivity). Participants, average age of 30.2 years, included 33 women and 20 men with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), which leads to elevated androgen concentrations in females prenatally, and an equal number of well-matched controls. Data supported the hypotheses that (1) control men show higher personality traits of aggression and dominance, and lower tender-mindedness/sensitivity than control women; (2) Women with CAH show more male-typical and less female-typical traits in each personality domain compared to control women; but (3) men with CAH do not differ from control men. These data suggest that androgen exposure during early life may masculinize personality characteristics relevant to social interaction, presumably via effects on neural development. Additionally, prenatal androgen influences may well interact with subsequent influences of socialization to shape personality traits.
Growing up in comfort: Environmental enrichment shapes maternal approach and sex differences in offspring neuroendocrine profiles in laboratory mice.
Fowler LF, Maekawa A, Burry TN … +5 more , Vaters J, Salia S, Hinks ME, Sparkes KM, Swift-Gallant A
Horm Behav · 2026 Feb · PMID 41548314 · Publisher ↗
The physical environment modulates the maternal brain and affects maternal-offspring dynamics, with downstream effects on neonatal development. In this study, we examined whether environmental enrichment (EE) influences...
The physical environment modulates the maternal brain and affects maternal-offspring dynamics, with downstream effects on neonatal development. In this study, we examined whether environmental enrichment (EE) influences maternal approach, neonatal ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), and early neuroendocrine development in mice, focusing on hormonal pathways associated with maternity, stress responsivity, and gonadal hormones. Nulliparous female C57BL/6 mice were housed in EE or standard (ST) conditions prior to mating. EE cages were larger and contained extra bedding and enrichment items. Litters were culled to four pups (2/sex), and maternal approach and pup USVs were recorded on postnatal days (PND) 6 and 8 using a modified three-chamber protocol. EE dams made fewer entries into female interaction zones than ST counterparts. EE also increased USV call numbers and decreased call frequencies among pups. These effects were not sex-dependent, and despite higher emission rates, USV parameters did not correlate with maternal response in the EE group. Gene expression analyses revealed that EE altered stress- and care-related genes in the maternal brain, downregulating Prlr (prolactin receptor) and Nr3c2 (mineralocorticoid receptor) in the cortex and upregulating Prlr while downregulating Nr3c2 and Oxtr (oxytocin receptor) in the diencephalon. Further, EE housing changed neuroendocrine profiles in male pups, but not females, suggesting benefits to neurodevelopment (increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and alterations to sexual differentiation (Ar [androgen receptor] and Esr1 [estrogen receptor alpha]) and stress reactivity (Nr3c1 [glucocorticoid receptor] and Nr3c2). These findings highlight how environmental context can shape maternal brain and behaviour and imprint on offspring neuroendocrine development in a sex-dependent manner.
Migrant blackbirds (Turdus merula) on stopover have higher plasma PYY compared to residents: A validation and proof-of-concept.
Baugh AT, Partecke J, Wellbrock N … +5 more , Frias-Soler RC, Bairlein F, Hykollari A, Fusani L, Salmón P
Horm Behav · 2026 Feb · PMID 41547263 · Publisher ↗
Migratory birds expend substantial energy during flight and often rely on stopovers to refuel. Foraging behavior during stopover might vary with fuel loss and food availability though likely involves higher food intake r...
Migratory birds expend substantial energy during flight and often rely on stopovers to refuel. Foraging behavior during stopover might vary with fuel loss and food availability though likely involves higher food intake rates than in non-migratory (resident) individuals. In mammals, hormones such as leptin signal information about energy balance and satiety. In contrast the gut hormone peptide YY (PYY), which rises rapidly after feeding and suppresses appetite in mammals, might serve a similar functional role in songbirds, which lack functional leptin. We validated and measured plasma PYY in migrant and resident Common Blackbirds (Turdus merula) on Helgoland, a key North Sea stopover site, during peak autumn migration. Migrants exhibited significantly higher circulating PYY levels than residents, possibly reflecting increased or differential foraging. PYY was unrelated to body condition or fat stores. This proof of concept study justifies future work on plasma PYY and other metabolic signals and their potential influence on avian migratory decision making.
Chronic stress raises baseline circulating corticosterone and reduces vocal plasticity in male budgerigars, an avian model for adult vocal learning.
Wright TF, Araya-Salas M, Villalba A … +5 more , Clayshulte Abraham AM, Campos CI, Schmidt AL, Draney C, Jawor JM
Horm Behav · 2026 Feb · PMID 41538908 · Full text
Chronic stress affects cognitive function across many domains, including memory, decision making and learning. While the effects of early-life stress on vocal learning in juveniles are well-demonstrated in both humans an...
Chronic stress affects cognitive function across many domains, including memory, decision making and learning. While the effects of early-life stress on vocal learning in juveniles are well-demonstrated in both humans and songbirds, less is known about how stress experienced by adults affects their ability to learn new vocalizations or the neural substrates that underlie this behavior. We investigated the effects of chronic stress on the production and learning of contact calls, and on the expression of a key learning related gene, FoxP2, in the vocal learning circuit in adult budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), a small parrot with open-ended vocal learning. We induced chronic stress via unpredictable disturbances in the captive environments of nine newly-formed replicate flocks of 4 adult male budgerigars who were previously unfamiliar to each other. We then recorded calling behavior daily and measured weight, breath rate, and baseline and stress response levels of circulating corticosterone weekly. At the end of the experiment brains were collected to examine mRNA and protein levels of the gene FoxP2 in the vocal learning region magnocellular nucleus of the medial striatum (MMSt) using qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Physiological measures of stress consistently showed stronger responses in birds subjected to the highest level of disturbance than those in the medium or baseline control treatments, although only differences in baseline corticosterone were detected among treatments. We used machine learning approaches to map calls onto a shared acoustic space to assess four measures of vocal behavior and learning: vocal output (the number of contact calls produced), vocal diversity (the amount of acoustic space occupied by the calls of an individual), vocal plasticity (the amount of change in acoustic space over time) and vocal convergence (the degree of overlap between an individual's calls and the calls of its group). Birds in the high stress treatment showed higher vocal output and lower vocal plasticity than those in medium stress or baseline control groups, but there were no differences among treatments in vocal diversity or vocal convergence. There were no differences detected among treatments in expression levels of either FoxP2 mRNA or protein, perhaps due to the timing of neural sampling relative to the behavioral measures. These results suggest that, as seen in juvenile learning, chronic stress can negatively impact vocal learning in adults via changes in patterns of circulating corticosterone.
Pregnancy's lasting imprint: Late pregnancy allopregnanolone alters rat fear recall and medial prefrontal cortex activity.
Vincelette LK, Ulgenturk E, Adel-Zadeh B … +4 more , Ravaglia IC, Hanson LR, Lubash RW, Shansky RM
Horm Behav · 2026 Feb · PMID 41529349 · Publisher ↗
Pregnancy and the postpartum period induce long lasting alterations in mood and cognitive function, yet the parous brain remains vastly underexplored. This study investigates how reproductive experience alters fear memor...
Pregnancy and the postpartum period induce long lasting alterations in mood and cognitive function, yet the parous brain remains vastly underexplored. This study investigates how reproductive experience alters fear memory and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activity in female rats. Using classical Pavlovian fear conditioning and recall, we observed that both pregnant and parous rats exhibited impaired fear recall compared to nulliparous controls. These behavioral changes were paralleled by dynamic alterations in neural activity, measured via cFos expression. During pregnancy, activity in the mPFC and periaqueductal gray (PAG) was significantly reduced, while parous animals exhibited a striking increase in mPFC activity to levels significantly higher than nulliparous controls. We hypothesized that these fluctuations are driven by the heightened levels of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone (AP) that occur during late pregnancy. AP acts as a powerful positive allosteric modulator of GABA receptors, and thus may be driving the suppressed neural activity observed in the mPFC, as well as the rebound in activity once pregnancy is over and AP has normalized. To test this, we administered Finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor that blocks allopregnanolone synthesis, during late pregnancy. While finasteride treatment did not affect overall fear recall in the full cohort, further analysis revealed that it selectively restored fear recall in a behavioral subset of animals known as Non-darters. These findings support a role for pregnancy-related neurosteroids in modulating prefrontal activity and long-term cognitive function. They also highlight the importance of including reproductive experience and individual behavioral phenotypes in neuroscience research to improve translational relevance.
FKBP5 expression is related to risky foraging in house sparrows.
Zimmer C, McCain KM, Hanson HE … +1 more , Martin LB
Horm Behav · 2026 Feb · PMID 41518685 · Publisher ↗
Responding appropriately to unpredictable challenges requires the ability to match phenotype to current conditions. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is critical to this response. We recently suggested that H...
Responding appropriately to unpredictable challenges requires the ability to match phenotype to current conditions. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is critical to this response. We recently suggested that HPA flexibility, the ability of an individual to mount appropriate glucocorticoid responses to different stressors, might be crucial to respond appropriately to the different challenges faced by wildlife. In a recent study in adult house sparrows (Passer domesticus), we showed i) that HPA flexibility was negatively related to hypothalamic expression of FKBP5 and ii) that central (brain) and peripheral (blood) expression levels were correlated. Here, we aimed at confirming this relationship in this species while also testing whether FKBP5 expression is related to foraging risk-taking behavior in the same individuals. We confirmed that FKBP5 expression in the hypothalamus is strongly correlated to expression in the blood. We also showed that hippocampal FKBP5 expression was positively related to eating novel foods and taking foraging risks. These results suggest that higher HPA flexibility may allow individuals to quickly and appropriately adjust their phenotypes to prevailing environmental conditions, particularly in regarding to foraging risks.
Leptin promotes social context-specific increase in advertisement song effort of male Alston's singing mice.
Tripp JA, Raghuraman K, Bhalla RV … +1 more , Phelps SM
Horm Behav · 2026 Feb · PMID 41506108 · Full text
Animal display behaviors, such as advertisement songs, are flashy and attention grabbing by necessity. In order to balance the costs and benefits of such signals, individuals must be able to assess both their own energet...
Animal display behaviors, such as advertisement songs, are flashy and attention grabbing by necessity. In order to balance the costs and benefits of such signals, individuals must be able to assess both their own energetic state and their social environment. In this study, we investigated the role of leptin, a hormonal signal of high energy balance, in regulating the vocal advertisement display of Alston's singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina). To ask how internal cues of energy availability are integrated with external social cues, we manipulated perception of energy balance using exogenous leptin, and perceived social environment through acoustic playback. We found that both song playback and leptin injection promoted increased song effort. In the absence of song playback, leptin altered amplitude modulation in songs but did not affect song rate. Additionally, we examined hormone and playback effects on non-vocal behaviors and found that leptin may shift physical activity away from cage exploration and toward wheel running. These results demonstrate that male singing mice use both social context and energy balance to govern their investment in advertisement song, and that leptin acts as a mediator of this process.
Prolactin and the shared regulation of parental care and cooperative helping behavior in white-browed sparrow weaver societies.
Walker LA, Tschirren L, York JE … +3 more , Sharp PJ, Meddle SL, Young AJ
Horm Behav · 2026 Feb · PMID 41494307 · Publisher ↗
In many cooperatively breeding species non-breeding individuals help to rear the offspring of breeders. The physiological mechanisms that regulate such cooperative helping behavior are poorly understood, but may have bee...
In many cooperatively breeding species non-breeding individuals help to rear the offspring of breeders. The physiological mechanisms that regulate such cooperative helping behavior are poorly understood, but may have been co-opted, during the evolution of cooperative breeding, from pre-existing mechanisms that regulated parental care. Key among these may be a role for prolactin. Here we investigate whether natural variation in circulating prolactin levels predicts both parental and helper contributions to nestling provisioning in wild cooperatively breeding white-browed sparrow weavers, Plocepasser mahali. In sparrow weaver groups, a dominant pair monopolize reproduction and non-breeding subordinates help with nestling feeding. We show that: (i) among parents, females feed their nestlings at higher rates, make longer provisioning visits, and have higher prolactin levels than males; and (ii) among subordinates, engaged in cooperative helping behavior, those within their natal groups feed nestlings at higher rates and have higher prolactin levels than immigrants. Accordingly, continuous variation in prolactin levels positively predicts nestling provisioning rates and provisioning visit durations when all bird classes are combined. These relationships are principally driven by differences among bird classes; the more limited within-class variation in prolactin and provisioning traits were not evidently correlated, for which a range of potential explanations exist. While these correlative findings are broadly consistent with the hypothesis that parental care and cooperative helping behavior are regulated by a shared mechanism, experiments are now needed to establish whether prolactin plays a causal role, and if so, whether it regulates continuous variation in provisioning rate or simply activates provisioning behavior.
The role of oxytocin and cultural tightness in model-based learning of social Incongruency.
Wang JX, Mu Y
Horm Behav · 2026 Jan · PMID 41468810 · Publisher ↗
Social norms are defined as implicit or explicit rules that maintain organizational and social harmony, yet norm violations are omnipresent. While encountering norm-based incongruency is an inherent part of life, how hum...
Social norms are defined as implicit or explicit rules that maintain organizational and social harmony, yet norm violations are omnipresent. While encountering norm-based incongruency is an inherent part of life, how humans dynamically adapt to and resolve conflicts raised from such norm-based incongruency remains unclear-particularly with regard to the cognitive mechanisms involved and their neurobiological and sociocultural modulators. To address this within a specific daily setting, we conducted two pre-registered studies with 137 participants, integrating a social congruency task, Bayesian modeling, intranasal oxytocin (placebo control) administration, and cultural values. Behavioral results of Study 1 (n = 50) revealed that congruency effects were shown but most of congruency sequence effects were absent in the social congruency task, indicating a limited adaptation (trial-based learning) in the social domain. In Study 2 (n = 87), congruency and congruency sequence effects were replicated in the placebo condition. Additionally, oxytocin administration facilitated adaptive learning of social incongruency in both trial-based processing of successive weakly incongruent stimuli and model-based learning trend over time, which supports the social salience theory. Notably, oxytocin's modulation on the learning process was more pronounced in individuals perceiving more cultural tightness in daily life. These findings advance our understanding of social conflict resolution by identifying the computational mechanisms underlying dynamic adaptation to social incongruency-mechanisms that are distinct from those engaged in non-social domains. Moreover, the findings further elucidate how this adaptive process is modulated by oxytocin and individual perceptions of cultural tightness. In conclusion, the results highlight a culturally sensitive neuromolecular basis for managing social conflicts, offering important implications for promoting positive social interactions and harmony across diverse contexts.
The impacts of hormonal contraceptive use and state worry on the association between trait worry and cognitive control: A replication and extension.
Moser JS, Anderson GE, Davis ER … +4 more , Hayden A, Sayers KG, Gloe L, Louis CC
Horm Behav · 2026 Jan · PMID 41453304 · Publisher ↗
Research has begun to highlight the important role of endogenous and exogenous hormones in associations between anxiety and cognitive function. Our group and others have recently demonstrated that the association between...
Research has begun to highlight the important role of endogenous and exogenous hormones in associations between anxiety and cognitive function. Our group and others have recently demonstrated that the association between worry, the cognitive component of anxiety involving future-oriented negative thinking, and cognitive control-related error monitoring is sensitive to both endogenous and exogenous hormones. Specifically, we have previously demonstrated that the association between trait worry and the error-related negativity (ERN), a neurophysiological marker of cognitive control-related error monitoring, is moderated by hormonal contraceptive (HC) use, such that females using HCs showed a larger association between worry and the ERN than naturally cycling (NC) females. In the present investigation, we aimed to replicate this finding in an independent sample of females and extend it by considering the additional role of state worry. Results replicated our finding of a significant association between trait worry and enlarged ERN in females using HCs, which was smaller and nonsignificant in NC females. State worry suppressed the association between trait worry and enlarged ERN in HC users. Finally, NC females showed an association between trait worry and inefficient behavioral performance that was likewise suppressed under state worry. Together, findings reveal a complex interplay between state and trait worry and exogenous and endogenous hormones in associations between anxiety and different aspects of cognitive control.
Predation risk-induced stress in vertebrates: Are ungulates equally susceptible?
Tomasulo C, Losada M, Kołodziej-Sobocińska M … +1 more , Schmidt K
Horm Behav · 2026 Jan · PMID 41447941 · Publisher ↗
Predation risk is a pervasive non-consumptive effect that can elicit acute and chronic physiological responses in prey species. While glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used as indicators of stress, the extent to which lar...
Predation risk is a pervasive non-consumptive effect that can elicit acute and chronic physiological responses in prey species. While glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used as indicators of stress, the extent to which large mammals, particularly ungulates, exhibit hormonal responses to predation risk remains unclear. This review examines whether consistent patterns of physiological stress responses to predation risk occur among vertebrates, with a particular focus on ungulates, and identifies ecological or methodological factors underlying observed variation. A systematic literature search in Web of Science yielded 107 empirical studies measuring GC levels in vertebrates under predation risk. Studies were classified by stress type (acute vs. chronic), conditions (natural vs. experimental), and sampling method (invasive vs. non-invasive). Experimental studies included laboratory rodents. Across vertebrates, 54 % of studies reported elevated GCs under predation risk, while 46 % did not. Acute stress responses were more consistently detected, especially in experimental studies (66 %) and with invasive methods (69 %). Chronic stress effects were less evident, with similar numbers of studies showing increases or no change in GC levels. Among ungulates, 10 of 13 studies showed no clear hormonal changes, likely due to ecological and evolutionary adaptations or the influence of confounding environmental factors. Chronic stress from predation risk is inconsistently detected in wild vertebrates, particularly ungulates. Long-term exposure to predators may not always trigger measurable GC elevation, or prey may mitigate chronic stress via behavioural strategies. Future research should employ multi-method approaches to better capture the complexity of stress responses in large mammals.
Ovarian hormone dynamics and precision menopausal care: A translational agenda.
Vijayasimha M
Horm Behav · 2026 Jan · PMID 41435747 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Standing strong: Effects of social dominance on neural activity and defeat-induced social avoidance in female Syrian hamsters.
Whitten CJ, Kearney JN, Radford AF … +9 more , Hooker MK, Brewer AR, Kaminski EA, Kelly JR, Hennon LN, Perez LI, Jenkins MS, Schulz KM, Cooper MA
Horm Behav · 2026 Jan · PMID 41411924 · Publisher ↗
Social dominance modulates stress vulnerability, yet the neural mechanisms by which dominance status alters responses to stress in females remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine whether activation of neu...
Social dominance modulates stress vulnerability, yet the neural mechanisms by which dominance status alters responses to stress in females remain poorly understood. This study aimed to determine whether activation of neurons in the posterior medial amygdala (MeP) and ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) was associated with reduced stress vulnerability in dominant female Syrian hamsters. We created dominance relationships in hamsters, exposed animals to social defeat stress, tested animals for stress-induced social avoidant responses, and collected tissue for c-Fos immunohistochemistry. Dominant females showed a significantly longer latency to submit during social defeat exposure compared to subordinates, accompanied by elevated c-Fos expression in the infralimbic (IL) and prelimbic (PL) cortex. In addition, dominant females showed greater social interaction in a social avoidance (SA) test compared to subordinates, suggesting resistance to a stress-induced loss of social motivation. Nevertheless, dominant and subordinate hamsters did not differ in c-Fos expression in MeP, IL, or PL neurons during SA testing. These findings suggest that reduced activity of PL and IL neurons during social defeat exposure leads to stress vulnerability in female hamsters and are consistent with the idea that vmPFC activity during stressful experiences enables stress resistance. Delineating the mechanisms by which social dominance alters vmPFC activity in females could have broad implications for understanding sex differences in risk for stress-related disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
Autism and hormones: A perspective from the immune system and the gut microbiome.
Veilleux C, Erenben ED, Ismail N
Horm Behav · 2026 Jan · PMID 41406883 · Publisher ↗
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects 2.7 % of individuals worldwide, and it is characterized by abnormal social interactions, communication deficits, restricted interactions, and repetitive behaviors. This disorder app...
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects 2.7 % of individuals worldwide, and it is characterized by abnormal social interactions, communication deficits, restricted interactions, and repetitive behaviors. This disorder appears early in life, and it has been diagnosed more frequently in males than in females. Several factors have been shown to be associated with the onset of ASD. However, the mechanisms underlying the onset of this neurodevelopmental disorder and the higher prevalence in males remain unclear. This review discusses the role of hormonal imbalances, immune system activation during the prenatal (maternal immune activation) and the neonatal periods (neonatal immune activation), immune dysregulation and gut dysbiosis in the development of ASD. It also highlights the many interactions between these systems and demonstrates the true complexity of this disorder.
An evolutionary shift to prioritizing mating over care is associated with consistently high androgen levels in male threespine stickleback.
Maciejewski MF, Bell AM
Horm Behav · 2026 Jan · PMID 41389766 · Full text
Steroid hormones play a crucial role in regulating social behaviors in vertebrates, but the mechanisms by which hormones mediate the evolution of these traits remain an open question. Here, we use liquid chromatography-m...
Steroid hormones play a crucial role in regulating social behaviors in vertebrates, but the mechanisms by which hormones mediate the evolution of these traits remain an open question. Here, we use liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to quantify a panel of steroids in breeding males of two recently diverged populations of threespine stickleback. The common ecotype provides paternal care, whereas the white ecotype has evolutionarily lost care. Hormone levels were quantified in both ecotypes at three reproductive stages: (1) after completing a nest, (2) soon after mating, when commons begin providing care and whites remove their embryos from the nest, and (3) four days after mating, when commons are performing parental care and are no longer courting females while whites are not providing care and are courting females. Androgens declined in commons when males began providing care but remained elevated in whites across stages, possibly to maintain the production of "spiggin," the androgen-dependent glue males use to construct nests. Progestogen levels were consistently low in whites and were lowest in commons after mating, suggesting an antagonistic relationship between progestogens and sexual behavior. Both ecotypes showed elevated glucocorticoid levels after mating, suggesting that the stress axis may not have diverged between ecotypes. Altogether, these results provide evidence that the ecotypes regulate steroid levels differently, supporting the ways in which they balance mating and parental effort. Our data suggest a variety of mechanisms by which steroid signaling and regulation can change during the early stages of evolutionary divergence between behaviorally distinct populations.
Thioredoxin interacting protein mediates corticosterone-induced depressive-like behavior in male mice.
Llanes-Cuesta MA, Tan H, Khasraghi AA … +1 more , Wang JF
Horm Behav · 2026 Jan · PMID 41337794 · Publisher ↗
Chronic stress is a major risk factor for depression and other psychiatric disorders. Chronic treatment with stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) has been found to induce oxidative damage and depressive-like behaviors in...
Chronic stress is a major risk factor for depression and other psychiatric disorders. Chronic treatment with stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) has been found to induce oxidative damage and depressive-like behaviors in rodents. Thioredoxin (Trx) antioxidant system includes Trx, Trx reductase (TrxR) and Trx-interacting protein (Txnip), and plays an important role in regulating oxidative stress. Trx is an oxidoreductase and reverses protein oxidation, TrxR maintains Trx reducing activity, while Txnip is an endogenous inhibitor for Trx. In this study, we explored the role of Trx system in chronic CORT treatment-induced neuronal damage and depressive-like behaviors in mice. We found that although chronic CORT treatment had no effect on Trx and TrxR protein levels, this treatment increased Txnip protein levels in primary cultured mouse cerebral cortical neurons. We also found that CORT treatment reduced cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation. Because CREB phosphorylation is important in promoting neuronal differentiation, we further analyzed the effect of CORT treatment on dendritic outgrowth. We found that CORT treatment decreased dendritic outgrowth in cultured neurons and knocking down Txnip gene reversed CORT-decreased dendritic outgrowth. We also found that treatment with CORT for 21 days induced depressive-like behaviors in mice but knocking down Txnip in medial frontal cortex prevented CORT-induced depressive-like behaviors. Our results suggest that upregulation of Txnip by CORT may inhibit Trx activity, leading to oxidative damage, and impairment in neuronal differentiation, contributing to the development of depression.
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