Effects of stress on reproduction in non-rodent mammals: the role of glucocorticoids and sex differences
Open accessAbstract
The means by which stress influences reproduction is not clearly understood, but may involve a number of endocrine, paracrine and neural systems. Stress impacts on the reproductive axis at the hypothalamus (to affect GnRH secretion) and the pituitary gland (to affect gonadotrophin secretion), with direct effects on the gonads being of less importance. Different stressors have different effects and there are differences in response to short- and long-term stress. Many short-term stresses fail to affect reproduction and there are reports of stimulatory effects of some 'stressors'. There are species differences in the way that specific stressors affect reproduction. Sex differences in the effects of a particular stressor have been delineated and these may relate to effects of stress at different levels of the hypothalamo-pituitary axis. The significance of stress-induced secretion of cortisol varies with species. In some instances, there appears to be little impact of short-term increases in cortisol concentrations and protracted increases in plasma concentration seem to be required before any deleterious effect on reproduction is apparent. Issues of sex, sex steroid status, type of stressor and duration of stress need to be considered to improve understanding of this issue.
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The effects of acute stress on fertility are variable; males and females respond differently, and whether acute stress suppresses or enhances fertility depends on individual characteristics such as dominance status.
“The effects of acute response to challenge, however, are much more variable; males and females do not respond in the same way, and whether acute stress suppresses or enhances fertility depends on individual characteristics such as dominance status (e.g., Chichinadze and Chichinadze, 2008; Korte et al., 2005; Tilbrook et al., 2000)”
From The Adaptive Calibration Model of stress responsivity (2011) · cites this paper as Tilbrook et al., 2000
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- Authors
- Tilbrook, A.
- Affiliations
- Monash University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Tilbrook, A.
- ORCID
- Tilbrook, A.
- Venue
- Reviews of Reproduction
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2000-05-01
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 105-113
- ISSN
- 1359-6004 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2136091506
- Cited by
- 467
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 34
- FWCI
- 10.35
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Reviews of Reproduction (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Hypothalamic control of reproductive hormones
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Biology and Fertility
- Keywords
- stress, reproduction, glucocorticoids, cortisol, sex differences, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, GnRH secretion, gonadotropin secretion, species differences, short-term stress, long-term stress, sex steroids
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Haplorhini, Female, Glucocorticoids, Gonadotropins, Hydrocortisone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Luteinizing Hormone, Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone, Male, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Reproduction, Sex Characteristics, Sheep, Stress, Physiological
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