Sex Differences in Reaction to Chronic Unpredictable Stress in the House Mouse (Mus m. musculus) of Wild Origin

    October 2025 in “ Preprints.org ”
    Tatiana K. Laktionova, Maria A. Klyuchnikova, Ilya G. Kvasha, Olga Laktionova, Vera V. Voznessenskaya
    TLDR Male and female mice handle stress differently.
    The study investigated sex-specific effects of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) in wild-derived house mice over 5 weeks. Stressed females gained less weight and showed prolonged grooming and fewer immobility episodes in behavioral tests, while stressed males had shorter immobility times and higher hair corticosterone levels. These findings suggest different stress coping strategies between sexes, highlighting the need for sex-specific stress assessment protocols.
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