Joseph D. Dougherty, Ph.D., Washington University School of Medicine, will study the basis of sex differences across common psychiatric disorders. While depression and anxiety are more prevalent among women, both autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder occur more among men. Dr. Dougherty's team will search for possible differences in brain cell activity, and possibly structure, that give rise to these sex differences. In particular, they will look for genetic differences between men and women in a specific brain region, the locus coeruleus, which is a key treatment target for many psychiatric conditions.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
Autism Research Database (AFD)
