Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29134192›Full record

ArticleeNeuro

Problems and Progress regarding Sex Bias and Omission in Neuroscience Research.

Tyler R Will, Stephanie B Proaño, Anly M Thomas, Lindsey M Kunz, Kelly C Thompson, Laura A Ginnari, Clay H Jones, Sarah-Catherine Lucas, Elizabeth M Reavis, David M Dorris and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in eNeuro. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 96 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
96citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

96 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Importance of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses of Animal Studies: Challenges for Animal-to-Human Translation.Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science : JAALAS · 2020
    Pooled it
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  5. Trial
  6. Modulation of premotor cortex response to sequence motor learning during escitalopram intake.Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism · 2021
    Trial
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Nucleus accumbens medial shell D1 and D2 medium spiny neurons signal the valence of conditioned stimuli in a sex-dependent manner.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Article
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  13. Review
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36 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Tyler R WillDepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Stephanie B ProañoGraduate Program in Zoology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Anly M ThomasGraduate Program in Physiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Lindsey M KunzDepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Kelly C ThompsonDepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Laura A GinnariDepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Clay H JonesDepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Sarah-Catherine LucasDepartment of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
Elizabeth M ReavisDepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.
David M DorrisDepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.ORCID 0000-0003-4612-7667
John MeitzenDepartment of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC.

Funding

Translational Research Support CoreP30ES025128 · NIEHS · NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH · PI Sue Fenton · 2015 to 2026
$18.3M
Elucidating the mechanisms by which estradiol regulates female striatal neuron excitabilityR01MH109471 · NIMH · NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY RALEIGH · PI MEITZEN, JOHN · 2016 to 2020
$1.8M
NIEHS NIH HHS P30 ES025128NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH109471
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Neuroscience research has historically ignored female animals. This neglect comes in two general forms. The first is sex bias, defined as favoring one sex over another; in this case, male over female. The second is sex omission, which is the lack of reporting sex. The recognition of this phenomenon has generated fierce debate across the sciences. Here we test whether sex bias and omission are still present in the neuroscience literature, whether studies employing both males and females neglect sex as an experimental variable, and whether sex bias and omission differs between animal models and journals. To accomplish this, we analyzed the largest-ever number of neuroscience articles for sex bias and omission: 6636 articles using mice or rats in 6 journals published from 2010 to 2014. Sex omission is declining, as increasing numbers of articles report sex. Sex bias remains present, as increasing numbers of articles report the sole use of males. Articles using both males and females are also increasing, but few report assessing sex as an experimental variable. Sex bias and omission varies substantially by animal model and journal. These findings are essential for understanding the complex status of sex bias and omission in neuroscience research and may inform effective decisions regarding policy action.

Indexed as

NeurosciencesAnimalsFemaleMaleMiceRatsSexismAnimal modelsjournalsneurosciencesex biassex omission

Identifiers

PMID29134192
PMCPMC5677705

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.