Research Progress on the Animal Models and Mechanisms of Psychological Stress-Induced Reproductive Dysfunction

doi:10.12280/gjszjk.20260238

Abstract

Abstract:

Psychological stress disrupts reproductive function through a multi-system network, which is a research focus in reproductive medicine. Common methods for modeling chronic psychological stress include chronic restraint stress, chronic unpredictable mild stress, social defeat stress, social isolation stress, and early-life stress. Psychological stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis while inhibiting the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, leading to abnormal sex hormone secretion. It also induces oxidative damage and chronic inflammatory responses in reproductive tissues. Gut microbiota dysbiosis further amplifies the stress effect through the gut-brain-gonad axis, and epigenetic modifications mediate the long-term persistence and transgenerational transmission of stress effects. Future efforts should integrate multi-omics technologies to construct the standardized animal models of chronic stress, and to explore early intervention targets and personalized treatment strategies for stress-related reproductive dysfunction, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for clinical prevention and treatment.

Key words: Stress, psychological, Disease models, animal, Reproduction, Infertility, Neuroendocrinology, Epigenesis, genetic

LIU Jin-yu, MA Rui-hong, ZHAO Zhi-mei. Research Progress on the Animal Models and Mechanisms of Psychological Stress-Induced Reproductive Dysfunction[J]. Journal of International Reproductive Health/Family Planning, 2026, 45(4): 306-310.

Figures/Tables 2

References 37

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名称	造模原理	核心行为学改变
慢性束缚应激	躯体+心理限制	焦虑样行为、探索性下降
慢性不可预知性温和应激	不可预测性刺激	快感缺失、绝望行为
社交挫败应激	社会对抗失败	社交回避、焦虑、抑郁
社交隔离应激	长期社会剥夺	认知缺陷、焦虑、攻击性
早期生命应激	早期亲子依恋中断	成年后应激敏感性升高、HPA轴编程改变

名称	造模原理	核心行为学改变
慢性束缚应激	躯体+心理限制	焦虑样行为、探索性下降
慢性不可预知性温和应激	不可预测性刺激	快感缺失、绝望行为
社交挫败应激	社会对抗失败	社交回避、焦虑、抑郁
社交隔离应激	长期社会剥夺	认知缺陷、焦虑、攻击性
早期生命应激	早期亲子依恋中断	成年后应激敏感性升高、HPA轴编程改变