Recommendations for the inclusion and study of sex and gender in research

David P. Finn; Brian E. McGuire; Simon Beggs; Katelynn E. Boerner; Karen D. Davis; Ruth Defrin; Yves De Koninck; Hemakumar Devan; Ryan Donovan; Eleonora Fetter; Herta Flor; Brona M. Fullen; Catherine R. Healy; Edmund Keogh; Rohini Kuner; Miriam Kunz; Rebecca M. Lane; Stefan Lautenbacher; Emeran A. Mayer; Jeffrey S. Mogil; Siobhain M. O’Mahony; Kieran O’Sullivan; Louise Riordan; Michael W. Salter; Francesco Scarlatti; George Shorten; Kathleen A. Sluka; Jennifer N. Stinson; Kevin E. Vowles; Suellen M. Walker; Ipek Yalcin; Michelle Roche

doi:10.1038/s41593-025-02164-1

Recommendations for the inclusion and study of sex and gender in research

David P. Finn
, Brian E. McGuire
, Simon Beggs
, Katelynn E. Boerner
, Karen D. Davis
, Ruth Defrin
, Yves De Koninck
, Hemakumar Devan
, Ryan Donovan
, Eleonora Fetter
, Herta Flor
, Brona M. Fullen
, Catherine R. Healy
, Edmund Keogh
, Rohini Kuner
, Miriam Kunz
, Rebecca M. Lane
, Stefan Lautenbacher
, Emeran A. Mayer
, Jeffrey S. Mogil

Siobhain M. O’Mahony, Kieran O’Sullivan, Louise Riordan, Michael W. Salter, Francesco Scarlatti, George Shorten, Kathleen A. Sluka, Jennifer N. Stinson, Kevin E. Vowles, Suellen M. Walker, Ipek Yalcin, Michelle Roche

University of Galway
University College London
University of British Columbia
University Health Network
University of Toronto
Tel Aviv University
Université Laval
University of Otago
Central Institute of Mental Health
Heidelberg University
University College Dublin
University of Bath, Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences
University of Bath, Department of Psychology
Augsburg University
University of Bamberg
University of California at Los Angeles
McGill University
University of Limerick
Chronic Pain Ireland
Insight Centre for Data Analytics
University of Iowa
Queen's University Belfast
Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires and Intégratives

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Sex and gender are important variables in research, but they are inconsistently explored. The international PAINDIFF Network makes 13 recommendations for studying sex and gender as variables in pain research, which are applicable across the spectrum of biopsychosocial research. Five universal recommendations apply to the majority of research studies: (1) include males and females as standard practice, (2) account for sex in randomization or counterbalancing and testing order, (3) power for sex differences when sex is a primary experimental variable, (4) include detailed reporting of experimental design, and (5) conduct sex-disaggregated analysis and reporting. Three additional recommendations specifically for preclinical studies and five additional recommendations for human and clinical studies are included. Recommendations for stakeholders, such as editors, reviewers, funding bodies and policymakers, have also been developed. Wide adoption and implementation of these recommendations will reduce variability, improve reproducibility and enhance the translatability of research findings within and beyond the field of pain.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature Neuroscience
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-02164-1
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 2025

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10.1038/s41593-025-02164-1

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Finn, D. P., McGuire, B. E., Beggs, S., Boerner, K. E., Davis, K. D., Defrin, R., De Koninck, Y., Devan, H., Donovan, R., Fetter, E., Flor, H., Fullen, B. M., Healy, C. R., Keogh, E., Kuner, R., Kunz, M., Lane, R. M., Lautenbacher, S., Mayer, E. A., ... Roche, M. (Accepted/In press). Recommendations for the inclusion and study of sex and gender in research. Nature Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-02164-1

@article{39f94307584d45f2be99159f175c35d5,

title = "Recommendations for the inclusion and study of sex and gender in research",

abstract = "Sex and gender are important variables in research, but they are inconsistently explored. The international PAINDIFF Network makes 13 recommendations for studying sex and gender as variables in pain research, which are applicable across the spectrum of biopsychosocial research. Five universal recommendations apply to the majority of research studies: (1) include males and females as standard practice, (2) account for sex in randomization or counterbalancing and testing order, (3) power for sex differences when sex is a primary experimental variable, (4) include detailed reporting of experimental design, and (5) conduct sex-disaggregated analysis and reporting. Three additional recommendations specifically for preclinical studies and five additional recommendations for human and clinical studies are included. Recommendations for stakeholders, such as editors, reviewers, funding bodies and policymakers, have also been developed. Wide adoption and implementation of these recommendations will reduce variability, improve reproducibility and enhance the translatability of research findings within and beyond the field of pain.",

author = "Finn, \{David P.\} and McGuire, \{Brian E.\} and Simon Beggs and Boerner, \{Katelynn E.\} and Davis, \{Karen D.\} and Ruth Defrin and \{De Koninck\}, Yves and Hemakumar Devan and Ryan Donovan and Eleonora Fetter and Herta Flor and Fullen, \{Brona M.\} and Healy, \{Catherine R.\} and Edmund Keogh and Rohini Kuner and Miriam Kunz and Lane, \{Rebecca M.\} and Stefan Lautenbacher and Mayer, \{Emeran A.\} and Mogil, \{Jeffrey S.\} and O{\textquoteright}Mahony, \{Siobhain M.\} and Kieran O{\textquoteright}Sullivan and Louise Riordan and Salter, \{Michael W.\} and Francesco Scarlatti and George Shorten and Sluka, \{Kathleen A.\} and Stinson, \{Jennifer N.\} and Vowles, \{Kevin E.\} and Walker, \{Suellen M.\} and Ipek Yalcin and Michelle Roche",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Springer Nature America, Inc. 2025.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1038/s41593-025-02164-1",

language = "English",

journal = "Nature Neuroscience",

issn = "1097-6256",

publisher = "Nature Research",

}

Finn, DP, McGuire, BE, Beggs, S, Boerner, KE, Davis, KD, Defrin, R, De Koninck, Y, Devan, H, Donovan, R, Fetter, E, Flor, H, Fullen, BM, Healy, CR, Keogh, E, Kuner, R, Kunz, M, Lane, RM, Lautenbacher, S, Mayer, EA, Mogil, JS, O’Mahony, SM, O’Sullivan, K, Riordan, L, Salter, MW, Scarlatti, F, Shorten, G, Sluka, KA, Stinson, JN, Vowles, KE, Walker, SM, Yalcin, I & Roche, M 2025, 'Recommendations for the inclusion and study of sex and gender in research', Nature Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-025-02164-1

TY - JOUR

T1 - Recommendations for the inclusion and study of sex and gender in research

AU - Finn, David P.

AU - McGuire, Brian E.

AU - Beggs, Simon

AU - Boerner, Katelynn E.

AU - Davis, Karen D.

AU - Defrin, Ruth

AU - De Koninck, Yves

AU - Devan, Hemakumar

AU - Donovan, Ryan

AU - Fetter, Eleonora

AU - Flor, Herta

AU - Fullen, Brona M.

AU - Healy, Catherine R.

AU - Keogh, Edmund

AU - Kuner, Rohini

AU - Kunz, Miriam

AU - Lane, Rebecca M.

AU - Lautenbacher, Stefan

AU - Mayer, Emeran A.

AU - Mogil, Jeffrey S.

AU - O’Mahony, Siobhain M.

AU - O’Sullivan, Kieran

AU - Riordan, Louise

AU - Salter, Michael W.

AU - Scarlatti, Francesco

AU - Shorten, George

AU - Sluka, Kathleen A.

AU - Stinson, Jennifer N.

AU - Vowles, Kevin E.

AU - Walker, Suellen M.

AU - Yalcin, Ipek

AU - Roche, Michelle

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Sex and gender are important variables in research, but they are inconsistently explored. The international PAINDIFF Network makes 13 recommendations for studying sex and gender as variables in pain research, which are applicable across the spectrum of biopsychosocial research. Five universal recommendations apply to the majority of research studies: (1) include males and females as standard practice, (2) account for sex in randomization or counterbalancing and testing order, (3) power for sex differences when sex is a primary experimental variable, (4) include detailed reporting of experimental design, and (5) conduct sex-disaggregated analysis and reporting. Three additional recommendations specifically for preclinical studies and five additional recommendations for human and clinical studies are included. Recommendations for stakeholders, such as editors, reviewers, funding bodies and policymakers, have also been developed. Wide adoption and implementation of these recommendations will reduce variability, improve reproducibility and enhance the translatability of research findings within and beyond the field of pain.

AB - Sex and gender are important variables in research, but they are inconsistently explored. The international PAINDIFF Network makes 13 recommendations for studying sex and gender as variables in pain research, which are applicable across the spectrum of biopsychosocial research. Five universal recommendations apply to the majority of research studies: (1) include males and females as standard practice, (2) account for sex in randomization or counterbalancing and testing order, (3) power for sex differences when sex is a primary experimental variable, (4) include detailed reporting of experimental design, and (5) conduct sex-disaggregated analysis and reporting. Three additional recommendations specifically for preclinical studies and five additional recommendations for human and clinical studies are included. Recommendations for stakeholders, such as editors, reviewers, funding bodies and policymakers, have also been developed. Wide adoption and implementation of these recommendations will reduce variability, improve reproducibility and enhance the translatability of research findings within and beyond the field of pain.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105026462855

U2 - 10.1038/s41593-025-02164-1

DO - 10.1038/s41593-025-02164-1

M3 - Review article

C2 - 41461929

AN - SCOPUS:105026462855

SN - 1097-6256

JO - Nature Neuroscience

JF - Nature Neuroscience

ER -

Recommendations for the inclusion and study of sex and gender in research

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