Extensive data highlight the existence of major differences in individuals' susceptibility to
stress [1–4]. While genetic factors [5, 6] and exposure to early life stress [7, 8] are key …

Our review focuses on findings from mammals as part of a Special Issue “30th Anniversary
of the Challenge Hypothesis”. Here we put forth an integration of the mechanisms through …

Social hierarchy greatly influences behavior and health. Both human and animal studies
have signaled the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as specifically related to social hierarchy …

Stress-related mood disorders like anxiety and depression are more prevalent in women
than men and are often associated with hypothalamic–pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis …

Dominance relationships are identified by changes in agonistic behavior toward specific
individuals. While there are considerable individual and species differences in dominance …

Social experience can generate neural plasticity that changes how individuals respond to
stress. Winning aggressive encounters alters how animals respond to future challenges and …

Social stress is a negative emotional experience that can increase fear and anxiety.
Dominance status can alter the way individuals react to and cope with stressful events. The …

Although some studies have investigated the effects of dietary l-tryptophan on agonistic
behavior, research on adult fish specimens is still lacking. Moreover, submissive behaviors …

Social rank is frequently established through aggressive encounters between new
conspecifics. Despite increasing evidence suggesting that social rank is critical for the well …

Identifying the physiological and behavioral mechanisms that underlie stress vulnerability is
a crucial step toward identifying novel targets for the prevention and treatment of stress …