Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of neuroscience, shedding new light on how mice synchronize their fear responses when faced with stress. In a study published in Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science, scientists found that male-female pairs exhibit synchronized fear responses even under stressful conditions, unlike same-sex pairs. The findings suggest that opposite-sex pairs may rely on a more flexible coordination strategy that doesn’t break down under emotional pressure.
The study involved mice learning to associate a sound with a mild but unpleasant stimulus, and then measuring how closely their behaviors aligned when paired together. The researchers found that males tended to copy each other’s actions, while females adapted by self-correcting their behavior. This distinct approach to synchronization may reflect different social processing mechanisms.
When stress was introduced, male-female pairs consistently stayed in sync, even when the animals were strangers. In contrast, same-sex pairs were more likely to fall out of step. The findings have implications for our understanding of anxiety and PTSD, as well as emotional regulation in humans.
The study’s lead author, Alexei Morozov, noted that opposite-sex pairs “showed a surprising resilience” when faced with stress. The researchers suggest that this unique coordination strategy may be key to understanding how sex and emotional context shape social behavior in other species, including people.
While the research was conducted in mice, the study’s insights could inform strategies for supporting individuals who struggle with fear and stress regulation. As Vadim Bolshakov, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, noted, “This clever and well-designed study offers a new way to measure how animals synchronize their fear responses — and shows that males and females do it differently.”
The study was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s Seale Innovation Fund.
Source: https://neurosciencenews.com/fear-stress-male-female-psychology-28576