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Review
. 2020 May;43(5):300-310.
doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.02.004. Epub 2020 Mar 16.

Synthesizing Views to Understand Sex Differences in Response to Early Life Adversity

Kevin G Bath  1
Affiliations
Review

Synthesizing Views to Understand Sex Differences in Response to Early Life Adversity

Kevin G Bath. Trends Neurosci. 2020 May.

Abstract

Sex as a biological variable (SABV) is critical for understanding the broad range of physiological, neurobiological, and behavioral consequences of early life adversity(ELA). The study of the interaction of SABV and ELA ties into several current debates, including the importance of taking into account SABV in research, differing strategies employed by males and females in response to adversity, and the possible evolutionary and developmental mechanisms of altered development in response to adversity. This review highlights the importance of studying both sexes, of understanding sex differences (and similarities) in response to ELA, and provides a context for the debate surrounding whether the response to ELA may be an adaptive process.

Keywords: development; early life adversity; early life stress; evolution; sex as a biological variable; sex differences.

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