How hormones affect stress responses in the brain
Official title: Role of gonadal steroids in stress-sensitive neural circuits
Funded at University of Tennessee Knoxville · NIH-10727406 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how certain hormones affect how animals handle stress, especially in social situations, by comparing dominant and subordinate Syrian hamsters to learn more about why some animals cope better with stress than others, which could help us understand stress-related issues in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Knoxville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Knoxville, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | August 14, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $153,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R03MH134181-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10727406 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have experienced social stress or trauma and are interested in understanding their stress responses.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have a history of stress-related issues or those who are not interested in the biological aspects of stress resilience may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how gonadal steroids influence stress-sensitive neural circuits, particularly in the context of social hierarchies. Using a model of Syrian hamsters, the study examines the differences in stress responses between dominant and subordinate animals. The researchers will analyze brain activity and hormonal influences to understand why some individuals are more resilient to stress than others. This work aims to uncover the biological mechanisms that contribute to stress resilience, which could have implications for understanding stress-related disorders in humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new insights into how to enhance stress resilience in individuals, potentially reducing the risk of developing stress-related disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding the role of social hierarchies and hormonal influences on stress responses, indicating that this approach has potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tennessee Knoxville
Knoxville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cooper, Matthew a — University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Study coordinator: Cooper, Matthew a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Tissue fission and fusion: how cells shape organs during development
A study in zebrafish will explore how forces inside and between cells drive the splitting and joining of tissue to form body organs.
-
Strategies for HIV-to-HIV kidney transplants to increase organ donations
This project looks at making HIV-to-HIV kidney transplantation more common to help people with HIV get transplants faster by boosting organ donation and changing practice.
-
BRIDGEX: Safer, clearer AI-guided robotic surgery through shared learning
A project to let surgeons and engineers share and improve explainable AI tools for robotic surgery, while protecting patient data.
-
Optogenetic control of bacterial persistence to study biomaterial infections
A small NIH grant aims to use blue light to turn on a bacterial persistence mechanism in a lab model, helping us understand and fight infections on medical devices.
-
How fever and hot spots inside immune cells boost neutrophil defense against Staphylococcus aureus
This project studies how fever and hot spots inside immune cells affect neutrophil defense and bacterial survival, with a focus on Staphylococcus aureus.
-
Conquering Pain Together: A Family-Based Pain Support for Appalachian Breast Cancer Patients on AET
A family-centered program tests a supportive, culturally tailored approach to reduce pain for breast cancer patients on endocrine therapy in Appalachia.
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.