The impact of oxytocin on stress: the role of sex

Accumulating research indicates oxytocin plays a significant role in regulating the behavioral and neurobiological responses to stress. Evidence from preclinical models suggests the effect of oxytocin on stress-responsivity appears to be dependent on individual characteristics, including sex. Although the interaction between oxytocinergic and stress systems has been widely studied in rodents, recent efforts have been made to examine the interface between these two systems in humans. This brief review examines how administration of oxytocin can influence the neuroendocrine, behavioral, and neural responses to stress, explores how sex may impact these effects, and provides considerations for future work.