Neuroendocrine mechanisms in the links between early life stress, affect, and youth substance use: A conceptual model for the study of sex and gender differences

This literature review examines how early life stress affects children's development, particularly through hormonal and brain changes during puberty. The authors propose that girls and boys may respond differently to early stress, with girls potentially experiencing greater hormonal disruption that leads to emotional problems and substance use. The review calls for future research to pay closer attention to sex and gender differences when studying how childhood stress leads to mental health and substance use problems.

Key points

• Early life stress is associated with both substance use and mental health problems in young people
• The authors propose that females may experience greater hormonal dysregulation than males during puberty following early life stress
• Greater hormonal dysregulation in females may increase internalizing symptoms and substance use
• Sex and gender differences in neuroendocrine development should be considered in research linking early stress to negative outcomes
• The review focuses on three developmental areas: neuroendocrine development, pubertal brain maturation, and development of internalizing symptoms

Limitations

This is a narrative literature review presenting a conceptual model rather than evaluating an intervention or presenting new empirical data, so it cannot provide direct evidence of effectiveness or outcomes in specific populations. The document does not present primary research findings or test the proposed model empirically.