Home

_{April 7, 2025}

Even under stress, male-female pairs had each other’s backs

When faced with a potential threat, mice often freeze in place. Moreover, when two animals are together, they typically freeze at the same time, matching each other’s periods of immobility. 

In a new study, researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC found that coordination during fear looks different in males and females — and changes when stress is involved. Male-female mouse pairs consistently stayed in sync during stressful situations, even when the animals were strangers. Same-sex pairs were more likely to fall out of step. 

The findings, published in Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science, suggest that opposite-sex pairs may rely on a more flexible or complex coordination strategy — one that doesn't break down under emotional pressure.