Sex hormones

Recent articles

Brain scans showing sex-based activation differences.

Brain’s sex differences are subtle and contradictory, large MRI study finds

Sex-based behavioral differences do not match with variations in brain activation or structure in a study of almost 1,000 people.

By Lauren Schenkman
8 July 2026 | 5 min read

Microglia in hypothalamus help kick-start puberty

In a “surprise” role, the cells regulate the neurons that produce gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

By Helena Kudiabor
6 May 2026 | 0 min watch
Research image of patterns of expression of autosomal genes.

Gene activity in human cortex shows striking sex differences

The results mark a “dramatic shift” in how neuroscientists think about sex differences, and they may help explain sex biases in certain neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions.

By Lauren Schenkman
5 May 2026 | 5 min read

Large-scale neuroimaging datasets often lack information specific to women’s health, constraining AI’s analysis potential

Addressing this gap will require collecting widespread data on pregnancy, menopause and other life events women experience—and could bring us closer to the “holy grail” of linking brain and behavior.

By Amy Kuceyeski
16 March 2026 | 0 min watch
Research image of serotonin and dopamine expression in rats.

Sex hormone boosts female rats’ sensitivity to unexpected rewards

During the high-estradiol stages of their estrus cycle, female rats learn faster than they do during other stages—and than male rats overall—thanks to a boost in their dopaminergic response to reward, a new study suggests.

By Angie Voyles Askham
26 November 2025 | 5 min read
Abstract flowing shapes.

Perimenopause: An important—and understudied—transition for the brain

Many well-known perimenopause symptoms arise in the brain, but we still know little about the specific mechanisms at play. More research—in both animals and humans—is essential.

By Marija Kundakovic
12 November 2025 | 6 min read
Developing human fetus.

Gene-activity map of developing brain reveals new clues about autism’s sex bias

Boys and girls may be vulnerable to different genetic changes, which could help explain why the condition is more common in boys despite linked variants appearing more often in girls.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
16 October 2025 | 5 min read
Research image of excitatory neurons in the mouse hippocampus.

Spatial learning circuitry fluctuates in step with estrous cycle in mice

Cyclic shifts in estradiol levels coincide with changes in dendritic spine density and the activity of place cells in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, a new study shows.

By Sydney Wyatt
25 June 2025 | 5 min read
Research image of the spinal meninges in mice.

Immune cells block pain in female mice only

Regulatory T cells in the spinal meninges release endogenous opioids in a sex-specific manner, new work shows.

By Angie Voyles Askham
22 May 2025 | 5 min read
Photograph of a cardinal with male-typical red feathers on one side and more drab, female-typical feathers on the other.

What birds can teach us about the ‘biological truth’ of sex

Part of our job as educators is to give students a deeper understanding of the true diversity of sex and gender in the natural world.

By Nicole M. Baran
22 April 2025 | 7 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Image showing duplicated data.

University probe leads to retraction of four neural tube studies

The University of Maryland conducted an internal investigation that identified image duplications and other data integrity issues in the studies, according to the retraction notices.

By Claudia López Lloreda
16 October 2026 | 6 min read
Illustration of five purple rectangles arranged three-dimensionally like folders on a black background with a pattern of white dots and white plus signs.

Highly cited autism paper earns expression of concern over data duplications

The notice, published in Nature last week, also addressed an image duplication identified by a prominent research-integrity sleuth.

By Madeline Shaw
16 October 2026 | 4 min read
Illustration of pixellated MRI scans morphing into the scales of justice.

Govern neurodata by how it’s used, not where it’s from

New neurodata laws will shape how researchers gather, share and reuse brain data. A use-based governance protects basic researchers and those whose data are being used, without freezing science.

By José M. Muñoz
16 October 2026 | 7 min read