The 32nd Live Lecture of JCBP: Estrogen and the HPA Axis: Neuroendocrine Pathways of PTSD in Women

The Journal of Clinical and Basic Psychosomatics will hold this live lecture titled "Estrogen and the HPA Axis: Neuroendocrine Pathways of PTSD in Women" on Bilibili and WeChat Channels at 20:00 on August 28, 2025 (GMT+08:00).

The prevalence of PTSD in females is significantly higher than in males (approximately 2:1), and a possible mechanism involves the bidirectional regulation of HPA axis function by cyclical fluctuations in estrogen. During the low-estrogen phase, reduced expression of hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors weakens the negative feedback inhibition of the HPA axis, leading to prolonged cortisol exposure. Excess cortisol, in turn, impairs hippocampal-dependent fear extinction and suppresses the synthesis of brain-derived neurotrophic factors, thereby strengthening the consolidation of traumatic memories. In contrast, the high-estrogen phase enhances the inhibitory function of the prefrontal cortex–amygdala pathway and facilitates the renewal of fear memory. Clinical studies further indicate that interventions tailored to estrogen cycle stages—such as exposure therapy synchronized with the follicular phase—can improve symptom relief rates in PTSD patients, offering a promising gender-specific therapeutic approach.

We are honored to invite Dr. Cailan Hou, Director of the Department of Psychology at Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital and Guangdong Provincial Mental Health Center, Medical Doctor and Doctoral Supervisor, as the keynote speaker of this conference. The session will be hosted by Professor Jinsong Liu, Deputy Director of the Department of Gastroenterology at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Chief Physician, Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor. We sincerely welcome all scholars to join and actively participate in this academic live lecture.

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