Sex differences in neonatal stress reactivity
Abstract
The question of whether a sexually dimorphic stress reaction exists prior to extensive socialization was addressed by examining sex differences in physiological and behavioral stress reactivity, in healthy, term neonates, after a mildly stressful behavioral assessment procedure. The Neonatal Behavior Assessment Scale (NBAS; Brazelton, 1973) was administered to 18 male and 18 female neonates. Heart rate (HR), salivary cortisol, and behavioral states were assessed before and after the exam. Sex differences included higher cortisol response in males and a greater change in HR and higher NBAS motor performance cluster score in females. Salivary cortisol, HR change, NBAS cluster scores, and behavioral states after NBAS provided 100% discrimination between male and female infants. These findings suggest that there are neonatal sex differences in behavioral and physiological stress reactivity prior to socialization.
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“For example, prenatal gonadal hormones affect gender identity and sexuality, which, along with secondary sex characteristics and hormones, lead to different socialization experiences, which, in their turn, impact the body’s gonadal hormone production (128, 129).”
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- Authors
- Davis, M., & Emory, E.
- Affiliations
- Emory University (US)
- ORCID
- Davis, Maryann
- Venue
- Child Development
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 1995-02
- Volume
- 66
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 14
- ISSN
- 0009-3920 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2141710243
- Cited by
- 138
- References
- 59
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 1.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Child Development (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network (American Medical Association) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (1f32mh009892-01)
- National Institute of Mental Health (MH 09892-01, K01-MH00060)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Keywords
- sex differences, sex differences in stress response, salivary cortisol, heart rate, term infants, infant motor performance, behavioral state
- MeSH terms
- Arousal, Female, Heart Rate, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Infant, Newborn, Male, Neurologic Examination, Sex Factors, Socialization, Stress, Psychological
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