Marija Kundakovic: Epigenetics, Brain Sex Differences, Environmental Factors, and Mental Health

The brains of males and females are different and it is important to understand how these differences give rise to different behavioral traits of men an women. These sex differences arise during brain development, manifest throughout life and are controlled in part by estrogen and testosterone.  The brains of females and males, and their differential vulnerability to mental and other neurological disorders may be influenced by prenatal and early life environmental factors including stress or exposure to pollutants such as  ‘forever chemicals’.  Professor Mariha Kundakovic at Fordham University is making major contributions to understanding brain sex differences and particularly the roles of ‘epigenetic’ molecular and structural modifications to the genome.  Here she talks about her research and its implications for the causes of and treatments for anxiety disorders and depression.

LINKS:

Review article: epigenetic mechanisms and sex differences in the brain and behavior:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10841872/pdf/nihms-1935382.pdf

Review on influence of hormones on the brain during the estrous cycle:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10050126/pdf/nihms-1850437.pdf

Sex hormones and risk for anxiety disorders and depression:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9715398/pdf/nihms-1848030.pdf