Sex hormones affect acute and chronic stress responses in sexually dimorphic patterns: Consequences for depression models.

•Effects of gonadectomy on patterns of stress hormone reaction differ per sex.•Effects of gonadectomy on patterns of brain stress molecule reaction differ per sex.•Peripheral and central sex steroid levels change independently following gonadectomy.•There is no correlation between neuro-steroids and hypothalamic stress molecules.•Intact or gonadectomized rats can model different types of depression.