How exercise builds stress resilience differently in women and men
Sex and circuit-specific determinants of exercise-induced stress resilience
This project looks at how exercise protects against anxiety and depression after stress, focusing on differences between women and men.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11318980 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use rat models to study how voluntary exercise (wheel running) changes behavior and brain activity after stressful events. They compare males and females and measure how exercise affects serotonin-producing neurons and inhibitory signals between movement-related brain regions and stress centers. The team combines behavior tests, brain recordings, and molecular analyses to map the circuits that give females faster protection from stress. The findings aim to identify specific brain pathways behind sex differences in exercise-driven stress resilience.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with stress-related anxiety or mood disorders, particularly women, would be the most relevant population for future human trials informed by this work.
Not a fit: People with mental health problems unrelated to stress resilience, or those unable to exercise or tolerate interventions targeting these brain circuits, may not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to exercise-based or circuit-targeted approaches to prevent or reduce anxiety and depression, especially in women.
How similar studies have performed: Previous animal and clinical studies show exercise can reduce anxiety and depression and the investigators' rat data show stronger, faster protection in females, but the specific circuit mechanisms proposed here are largely novel.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Greenwood, Ben N — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Greenwood, Ben N
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.