Call for Submissions: The Role of Sex in Neurodevelopment
Journal: Behavior Genetics
Aim and Scope: One of most fundamental chromosomal characteristics among many species including humans is the differential assortment of sex chromosomes. How sex chromosomes and associated genes influence neurodevelopment is the topic of this special issue. Some startling findings have surfaced in the literature, for instance the observation that males exposed prenatally to toxic gases during the Bhopal gas explosion in 1985 suffered more serious neurodevelopmental consequences than females. Similarly, males exposed to the COVID-19 virus prenatally had higher rates of neurodevelopmental sequelae than females. More generally, public health data show different developmental trajectories for a range of neurobehavioral traits in males and females throughout the lifespan, for instance speech, language, and literacy development in childhood or the difference in male and female prevalence rates of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. How biological, environmental, social, and cultural factors and their interplay shape neurodevelopment is not yet well understood and likely fraught with many misconceptions.
To contribute to a broader understanding of the influence of sex on neurodevelopment, we welcome papers on a wide array of relevant aspects, including human and animal studies, genetics/genomics, gene expression, proteomics, neuroscience, typical or atypical development, clinical translations, any phase of the lifespan, and any misconceptions regarding female and male neurodevelopment. Behavioral phenotypes of interest for humans include, but are not limited to, any type of communication (both spoken and written; any other forms), verbal and nonverbal cognition, interpersonal behaviors, and social and cultural aspects.
Both empirical research articles and theoretical papers are welcome. Authors must follow Behavior Genetics publishing guidelines.
Submission Process: Researchers interested in submitting an article for the special issue will first submit a brief (maximum 300 words) abstract that includes the following information:
- Tentative title and description of proposed paper
- Justification of how the paper fits with the special issue’s aim and scope
- List of authors, including each author’s contact information and affiliations
Abstracts should be submitted by October 31 to Beate Peter, Ph.D. (Beate.Peter@asu.edu) and Tanya Phung, Ph.D. (tanya.n.phung@gmail.com). The guest editors will review abstracts and invite authors of selected abstracts to submit full manuscripts. Please note that all invited manuscripts will undergo a formal peer review process; invitation to submit a full manuscript does not guarantee publication in the special issue.
Important Dates:
- October 31, 2025: Deadline for statements of interest (max 300 words)
- December 1, 2025: Invitations for full manuscript submissions sent out
- May 1, 2026: Full manuscript draft submission deadline
Note that once a manuscript has successfully undergone peer review and is accepted, it will be published online right away, regardless of the acceptance status of other manuscripts.
Please contact Beate Peter, PhD (Beate.Peter@asu.edu) with any questions.