Epidemiological studies consistently show that anxiety and mood
disorders are two to three times more prevalent in women than in men,
and women are more likely than men to develop posttraumatic stress
disorder in response to a traumatic event. One of the more intriguing
questions in psychiatric research today is the reason behind these
gender differences. Attempting to answer this question ultimately
improves our ability to prevent and treat these illnesses.
Gender Differences in Mood and Anxiety Disorders: From Bench to Bedside
compiles the latest research on gender differences in mood and anxiety
disorders. It examines studies investigating whether the presentation
and course of illness differ by gender, including the symptom profile,
the likelihood of relapse, and the chronicity of the illness.
Contributors present data on - The relationship between female
reproductive milestones and psychiatric illness as a way to explain
gender differences in disease prevalence, treatment response, and course
- New neuroimaging techniques that help to examine gender differences
in brain structure and function and shed light on the differences
between the sexes in emotion and cognition
- The abnormalities in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis,
which contribute to women's increased risk for depressive and anxiety
disorders
- Perimenopause and menopause studies that link women's increased
susceptibility to mood disorders to women's variable sensitivity to the
psychotropic effects of exogenous gonadal steroids
- The effects of estrogen on monoamine function and the implications of
these effects for psychotherapy
In summary, this book conveys what is known to date as well as what we
have yet to learn about the nature and causes of gender differences in
mood and anxiety disorders. It goes a long way toward improving our
knowledge of normal brain function and pathophysiology and ultimately
helping us treat patients who have these serious disorders.
