There are sex differences in the rates and presentation of most psychiatric disorders. High levels of stress make psychiatric disorders worse. The Neuroendocrinology and Behavior Laboratory (NBL) uses a variety of techniques from behavioral neuroscience, neuroendocrinology, and cellular and molecular biology to identify neurobiological mechanisms by which stressor exposure can bias males and females towards different disease-relevant pathology.

Specific research interests include:

• Sex differences in the effects of the stress neuropeptide, corticotropin releasing factor, on arousal and cognition 
• The effects of early life adversity on steroid hormones, cognition, and motivated behavior in males and females
• Sex differences in the mechanisms by which stress alters attention and other cognitive processes