Call for Papers – Stress: Stress and sex: gonads, hormones and receptors
Do you have original research or review papers you wish to publish on sex-specific factors and their role in stress? Stress invites you to submit your paper to its latest Article Collection entitled ‘Stress and sex: gonads, hormones and receptors’.
Emerging evidence indicates that the processing of stressors and subsequent biological responses are modulated by sex-specific factors, including gonadal hormones and receptors. This article collection brings together research examining how sex hormones like estrogens, progestogens and androgens influence responses to stress across molecular, cellular, circuit and behavioral levels. By highlighting interactions between stress and gonadal factors, this collection provides insight into the sex-dependent mechanisms affecting stress-related physiology and pathology. These findings collectively underscore the importance of considering sex as a factor in stress research, opening avenues for targeted therapeutic approaches.
Understanding the biological mechanisms responsible for the interplay of stress and sex is essential for advancing personalized approaches in mental and physical health. Stress-related disorders, such as anxiety, depression and metabolic dysfunction, have differing prevalence and symptom expression between males and females, influenced in part by hormonal status and receptor signaling across the lifespan. Gonadal hormone receptors modulate fundamental aspects of the stress response, including synaptic signaling, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and autonomic function. These effects vary widely depending on factors such as age and reproductive stage, affecting susceptibility and resilience to stressors. This article collection aims to advance understanding of sex-specific stress responses, promoting more effective treatments for stress-related conditions.
This article collection is open to all aspects of the interactions between stress biology and sex-based factors, focusing on the role of gonadal hormones and receptors. Topics include, but are not limited to, the modulation of the HPA axis by sex hormones, the influence of gonadal hormones on stress-related neural plasticity, receptor-mediated effects on stress perception and coping strategies, as well as consequences for systemic function. Further, we invite studies examining sex-specific vulnerability to stress-related disorders, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and cardiometabolic disorders. A range of article types are welcome, including original research articles presenting new empirical data, as well as review articles and perspectives synthesizing current findings or offering conceptual/theoretical insights.
For further information, please view the journal Aims and Scope and Instructions for authors. The deadline for submissions is 1 August 2025.
Please reach out to Commissioning Editor Darcy Hodge ([email protected]) for more information and to receive a discount on the journal’s Article Processing Charge (APC).
