Prolonged social isolation promotes depressive-like behavior in male and female mice, with sex-related differences in the stress response

After seven weeks of social isolation, both sexes exhibit depressive-like behavior, with sex-related differences in body weight, corticosterone levels, and cellular and molecular signs of neuroinflammation. These findings highlight the importance of temporality and sex as key variables in the behavioral and physiological responses to chronic stress. Given the increased prevalence of depression in women, these results provide new insights into sex-specific susceptibility to chronic stress and may inform the development of tailored diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.