Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2025

Author Spotlight: Exploring Microglial Interactions with Stress-Response Circuitry Using the Limited Bedding and Nesting Model
Published on: July 12, 2024
Sex Differences in the Associations Among Early Life Adversity, Inflammation, and Cognition
Erin Logue1,2, Charles B Nemeroff1,3
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Mulva Clinic for Neurosciences, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
Abstract:
Early life adversity (ELA) has long been recognized to negatively impact a variety of health outcomes, with increasingly recognized long-term implications for neurocognitive function. ELA may affect the brain through multiple mechanisms, including chronic inflammation. One potential moderator of the pathway from ELA to neuroinflammation to cognitive dysfunction is sex. ELA may leave females potentially even more vulnerable to cognitive impairment in later life. This review discusses the influence of ELA on cognitive function across much of the lifespan, how inflammation is implicated in this process, and the current state of knowledge regarding sex differences in these relationships. We conclude with a discussion of unanswered questions and suggestions for future research, including the incorporation of genetic data.
Related Concept Videos
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Psychoneuroimmunology: Cardiovascular Disease
A key area of focus in PNI is the relationship between stress and coronary...
Biological Influences on Intelligence
The Sympathetic Nervous System
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
Adler's Individual Psychology

