Are Hormones a "Female Problem" for Animal Research? - Shansky, R.M.

Question 1

Estrous Cycle

Answer 1

Female rats equivalent to the human menstrual cycle, includes phases of low and high concentrations of estrogen and progesterone.

Question 2

SABV

Answer 2

Sex as a biological variable; mandates to consider this in research were introduced by the NIH and CIHR
SABV will help rectify the current imbalance in knowledge about the brain and ensure that in the future, more of the data collected in the laboratory represents both sexes

Question 3

Summary

Answer 3

When females are studied through a male lens, the true crux of the research question for females can be missed.
- Illnesses such as major depressive disorder and PTSD are twice as prevalent in women, yet the tests to model their symptoms in rodents were developed and validated in males
- No clear pattern how ovarian hormones affect outcomes in these tests, complicating preclinical research on mood disorders that are clearly hormonally linked, such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder or postpartum depression.
- Tests were designed for and to test for male specific behaviors, not for females