Abstract
Purpose of Review: Women are twice as likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to men after a traumatic experience. The purpose of this mini review was to explore recent research on biological contributors to this sex difference. Recent Findings: We identified 51 studies published since 2019. Studies found that beyond the influence of sex on the prevalence and symptoms of PTSD, there is evidence for and against sex-based differences in genetic and epigenetic factors (n = 8), brain structure and function (n = 11), neuroendocrine and inflammatory responses (n = 5), and in the role of sleep on emotional memory processing (n = 1). Sex differences were also observed in recovery and during PTSD treatment (n = 16). Finally, there is emerging evidence of sex-differentiated risk for medical and psychiatric comorbidities in PTSD (n = 10). Summary: Rapid advances are being made using integrated multidisciplinary approaches to understand why females are at a heightened risk for developing PTSD.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 233-245 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Current psychiatry reports |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 May 2023 |
Keywords
- PTSD
- Post-traumatic stress
- Sex characteristics
- Sex differences
- Trauma