Women More Sensitive to Stress Than Men?

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Women More Sensitive to Stress Than Men?

Chronic Stress May Harm Women More

By Warner

WebMD Medical News

Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD

on Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Nov. 15, 2005 -- Constant stress at work or at home may be may be

more dangerous for women than men, according to a new study that

shows women are more sensitive to the effects of chronic stress.

" It's generally understood that females respond more strongly to

acute (immediate, short-term) stress than males, " says researcher

Helmer Figueiredo, PhD, of the University of Cincinnati's department

of psychiatry, in a news release. " Our research shows that this may

also be the case in more clinically relevant chronic-stress conditions. "

Researchers found levels of the stress hormone corticosterone were

much higher in female rats exposed to chronic stress than male rats.

Corticosterone is released by the adrenal glands in response to

stress in the same manner that the stress hormone cortisol is

released in humans. When an animal experiences stress, these stress

hormones are produced to aid the animal in survival and recovery.

" When appropriately handled by the body, stress can have beneficial

implications in preparing the organism for the 'fight or flight'

response, " says Figueiredo. However, under intense chronic

conditions, when extreme levels of these hormones are produced,

stress can seriously harm the body.

For example, exposure to high levels of these stress hormones can

lead to a bigger waistline, which is a major risk factor of heart

disease, and impair the immune system's ability to fight disease and

infection.

Stress Takes Heavier Toll on Women

In the study, presented today at the annual meeting of the Society

for Neuroscience in Washington, researchers compared the effects of

chronic stress in male and female rats. The rats were subjected to

unpredictable and intense stress, such as vibration, being in a cold

room, or a hot or cold swim, twice daily for 15 days.

The results showed that the exposure to chronic stress prevented

normal weight gain in both male and female rats.

But the female rats had much more of the stress hormone in their

bloodstream compared with the males.

In addition, chronically stressed female rats had a decrease in the

weight of immune organs relative to male rats, suggesting their

immune function may be more sensitive to the effects of chronic

stress and became impaired.

" Serious disorders such as major depression, anxiety, and autoimmune

dysfunctions, all linked to higher levels of circulating

glucocorticoids (stress hormones), are more prevalent among women

than men, " says researcher Herman, PhD, professor and stress

neurobiologist at the University of Cincinnati, in the release. " This

animal research provides a nice link between chronic stress and the

physiological response to stress by females. "

Researchers say a better understanding of the differences in how men

and women respond to stress may lead to better drugs to fight stress-

related diseases that affect women disproportionately.

SOURCES: Society for Neuroscience 35th Annual Meeting, Washington,

Nov. 12-16, 2005. News release, University of Cincinnati.

http://www.webmd.com/content/Article/115/111611.htm