Conclusion
These results suggest biochemical alterations to the HPA axis regulation which may elicit a glucocorticoid resistance in females after chronic stress and may contribute to the sex-biased vulnerability to stress-related psychiatric disorders.
Results
Our results indicate increased depressive-like behavior in males and females which correlated with increased corticosterone levels following CUS. However, females displayed more anxiety-like behaviors with and without CUS. Interestingly, we found trends toward dysregulation of GR protein expression in CUS females, and an increase in the GR inhibitory protein, FKBP51, in the cytosol of CUS males but not females.