Understanding sex differences in psychosis through the exploration of hormonal contributions

Abstract

Sex appears to modulate the risk, clinical presentation, and course of schizophrenia as well as other psychotic disorders. Sex differences in neuroendocrine and/or genetic factors may contribute to these sex differences as well as in social/emotional and cognitive functioning. The goal of this chapter is to better understand these sex differences through the exploration of hormonal contributions to this brain disorder. We specifically focus on sex steroid hormones (e.g., estrogen) as well as sexually dimorphic neurohormones—oxytocin and vasopressin.