About

Jill B. Becker is a Patricia Y. Gurin Collegiate Professor of Psychology at the University of Michigan's Department of Psychology. Her research focuses on sex differences and sexual differentiation of neural systems involved in drug abuse and motivation, with over thirty years of study in this area. Her early work demonstrated sex differences in dopamine release from the striatum, influenced by neonatal and adolescent hormone manipulations, and how estradiol modulates dopamine release in female rats. Her research has elucidated mechanisms mediating the rapid and direct effects of estradiol on the female striatum, investigating how ovarian hormones influence behavior related to psychomotor stimulants and drug-taking behaviors in rats. More recently, her laboratory studies neural mechanisms underlying sex differences in cocaine preference and consumption, as well as how estradiol alters motivation from food to mating in female rats. Her methods include in vivo microdialysis, fast scan cyclic voltammetry, drug self-administration, and operant conditioning, aiming to connect behavioral measures with neurobiological mechanisms. Her findings parallel clinical observations that women accelerate drug use more rapidly than men. Her work is funded by NIH and NSF grants.

Research topics

• Internal medicine
• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Developmental psychology
• Medicine
• Psychiatry

Selected publications

• Twenty years of sex and gender science in health research: a policy statement from the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences

  Biology of Sex Differences · 2026-05-11

  articleOpen access

  Sex and gender are fundamental determinants of health, disease risk, and treatment responses, yet they remain inconsistently and inadequately integrated into biomedical research. Despite major funding and regulatory policies over the past two decades, sex and gender continue to be treated primarily as descriptive variables rather than drivers of discovery. As the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD) marks twenty years of leadership in this field, this policy statement articulates OSSD's position on best practices for the integration of sex and gender in health research. Drawing on empirical evidence, landmark policies, and persistent gaps in implementation, this statement provides clear guidance for researchers, funders, and journals. OSSD explicitly recommends prespecified sex- and gender-responsive questions, appropriate study design and statistical power, transparent analysis and reporting, and accountability mechanisms to translate into practice. Adoption of these standards is essential to improving scientific rigor, reproducibility, and clinical relevance.

  PublisherDOI

• Sex Specific Attenuation of Reward Preference

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-02-10

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract Estradiol receptor signaling has a sex-specific impact on the brain’s reward pathways, enhancing cocaine reinforcement in females but not in males. Selective activation of G-Protein Coupled Estradiol Receptor 1 (GPER-1) in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) attenuates the reinforcing effects of 0.1% saccharin (SACC) and cocaine in males but not females. This study investigated GPER-1 activation in the DLS and systemically using the GPER-1 agonist, G1, to assess its effect on SACC and cocaine preference in male and female rats. Five experiments were conducted using gonad-intact and gonadectomized animals to determine dose-response effects and the influence of circulating hormones. Intra-DLS GPER-1 activation with 20% G1 selectively reduced SACC preference in intact males but not females, while higher and lower concentrations had no effect. Systemic G1 administration attenuated cocaine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in both sexes in a dose-dependent way. Interestingly, systemic administration of G1 did not alter SACC preference in either sex, regardless of the presence or absence of gonadal hormones. These findings suggest that GPER-1 activation influences reward processing in a site, reward, and sex-dependent manner. Highlights Selective activation of the membrane-associated estradiol receptor, GPER-1, in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) attenuates preference for a 0.1% saccharin solution (SACC) in male but not female rats. Systemic activation of the membrane-associated estradiol receptor, GPER-1, attenuates cocaine-induced condition place preference (CPP) in both males and females in a dose-dependent way. Systemic GPER-1 activation does not influence SACC preference in either sex.

  PublisherDOI

• Sex- and site-specific effects of GPER-1 activation on saccharin vs cocaine preference in male and female rats

  Hormones and Behavior · 2025-06-18

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Estradiol (E2) receptor signaling has a sex-specific impact on the brain's reward pathway, enhancing cocaine reinforcement in females but not in males. Selective activation of G-Protein Coupled Estradiol Receptor 1 (GPER-1) in the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) attenuates the reinforcing effects of 0.1 % saccharin (SACC) and cocaine in males but not females. This study investigated GPER-1 activation in the DLS and systemically using the GPER-1 agonist G1 to assess its effect on SACC and cocaine preference in male and female rats. Five experiments were conducted using gonad-intact and gonadectomized animals to determine dose-response effects and the influence of circulating hormones. Intra-DLS GPER-1 activation with 20 % G1 selectively reduced SACC preference in intact males but not females, while higher and lower concentrations had no effect. Systemic G1 administration attenuated cocaine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in both sexes in a dose-dependent way. Interestingly, systemic administration of G1 did not alter SACC preference in either sex, regardless of the presence or absence of gonadal hormones. These findings suggest that GPER-1 activation influences reward processing in a site-, reward-, and sex-dependent manner.

  PublisherDOI

• Effects of housing conditions and social behavior on methamphetamine self-administration in male and female rats

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2025-02-25

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  ABSTRACT: Social support is a potentially protective factor against substance use disorders (SUDs). Previous studies in animal models for SUDs have shown that when females are pair housed, they have lower motivation for cocaine and methamphetamine (METH) than females who are single housed. In males, however, social housing has not had the same beneficial effect. This study investigates effects of social housing on METH self-administration in females or males when both cage mates are self-administering METH. The study also investigated how the quality of the relationships changed after METH self-administration. The results show that singly housed females self-administered more METH than socially housed females, while males in both social housing conditions self-administered METH at the same rate. The social behavior data showed that females given saline spent more time apart, however the females given METH spent more time together, suggesting that their social behavior may play a role in the attenuation of METH self-administration. Males' social behavior remained unchanged after METH and the dominant male in a pair self-administered more METH than the non-dominant male. Females' self-administration was not affected by dominance. The results of this study show that social housing provides some protective benefits to females, but not males, for METH self-administration. Further, the type of relationship between cage mates affects males' self-administration and may explain why social housing with a same sex mate is not beneficial for males. Background: Social support is a potentially protective factor against substance use disorders (SUDs). Previous studies in rats have shown that when females are pair housed, they have lower motivation for drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine (METH), than females who are single housed. In males, however, socially housed and singly housed males both have the same motivation for drugs such as cocaine. Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate if social housing would attenuate METH self-administration in females or males when both cage mates are self-administering METH on an intermittent access schedule (IntA). The study also investigated how the quality of those relationships changed after METH self-administration, if dominance played a role in the rate of self-administration, and the extent to which the quality of the relationships was related to METH self-administration. Methods: Male and female rats were individually housed or housed in same sex pairs from around day 42, then animals underwent self-administration of METH (0.3 mg/kg/inf) on an IntA schedule of reinforcement. Both animals in a pair self-administered METH. Social behavior was evaluated prior to and throughout the period when animals were self-administering METH. Results: The results showed that in females, single housed females self-administered more METH than pair housed females, while males in both housing conditions self-administered METH at the same rate. More singly housed females on day one of the IntA had high rates of self-administration, compared to socially housed females. Differences attenuated after the first session, but singly housed females still self-administered METH to a greater extent than pair housed females overall. The social behavior data showed that females given saline spent more time apart while the females given METH spent more time together. This suggested that social behavior may contribute to the attenuation of self-administration in females. Males' social behavior largely remained unchanged after METH and males continued to exhibit dominance behaviors. Furthermore, males' METH self-administration was affected by dominance, with dominant males exhibiting greater responding for METH than non-dominant males. Conclusions: Social housing provides some protective benefits to females, but not males, for METH self-administration. Further, the type of relationship between cage mates affects males' self-administration and may explain why social housing with a same sex mate is not beneficial for males.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sex differences research is important!

  Biology of Sex Differences · 2025-03-10 · 14 citations

  editorialOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sex Differences in Dopamine Release in Nucleus Accumbens and Dorsal Striatum Determined by Chronic Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry: Effects of Social Housing and Repeated Stimulation

  Journal of Neuroscience · 2024-06-12 · 8 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  We investigated sex differences in dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and dorsolateral striatum (DLS) using a chronic 16-channel carbon fiber electrode and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV). Electrical stimulation-induced (ES; 60 Hz) DA release was recorded in the NAc of single- or pair-housed male and female rats. When core (NAcC) and shell (NAcS) were recorded simultaneously, there was greater ES DA release in NAcC of pair-housed females compared with single females and males. Housing did not affect ES NAc DA release in males. In contrast, there was significantly more ES DA release from the DLS of female rats than male rats. This was true prior to and after treatment with methamphetamine. Furthermore, in castrated (CAST) males and ovariectomized (OVX) females, there were no sex differences in ES DA release from the DLS, demonstrating the hormone dependence of this sex difference. However, in the DLS of both intact and gonadectomized rats, DA reuptake was slower in females than that in males. Finally, DA release following ES of the medial forebrain bundle at 60 Hz was studied over 4 weeks. ES DA release increased over time for both CAST males and OVX females, demonstrating sensitization. Using this novel 16-channel chronic FSCV electrode, we found sex differences in the effects of social housing in the NAcS, sex differences in DA release from intact rats in DLS, and sex differences in DA reuptake in DLS of intake and gonadectomized rats, and we report sensitization of ES-induced DA release in DLS in vivo.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sex differences in substance use disorders

  Elsevier eBooks · 2024-05-20 · 2 citations

  book-chapterSenior authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• The Interplay Among Natural Menopause, Insomnia, and Cognitive Health: A Population-Based Study

  Nature and Science of Sleep · 2023-02-01 · 20 citations

  articleOpen access

  Purpose: The interrelationships among age at menopause, sleep, and brain health have been insufficiently studied. This study sought to examine the influence of age at natural menopause and insomnia symptoms on long-term cognitive function among US women. Patients and Methods: Our study included a nationally representative cohort of US adults age 50+ from the Health and Retirement Study (2008-2018). We restricted this cohort to 5880 women age 50+, from a diverse racial and ethnic groups. Age at menopause was retrieved from baseline (2008) for women having natural menopause. Five questions were used to identify women with insomnia symptoms (2010 and 2012): trouble falling asleep, nighttime awakenings, early morning awakenings, feelings of nonrestorative sleep, and use of sleep aids. A battery of four neuropsychological tests was conducted biennially (years) to evaluate cognitive function. Longitudinal associations between age at natural menopause and cognitive function were estimated with mixed effects models with a random intercept. Insomnia symptoms were examined as potential mediators or modifiers in the pathway between age at menopause and cognition. Results: One year earlier in age at menopause was associated with a 0.49 lower mean in composite cognitive score, in any given survey year (adjusted p = 0.002). Earlier age at menopause was associated with higher risk of developing insomnia symptoms (eg, trouble falling asleep OR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96, 0.99), and insomnia symptoms were associated with worse cognitive performance (eg, trouble falling asleep, beta = -0.5, p-value = 0.02). Therefore, insomnia symptoms could potentially mediate the association between age at natural menopause and cognition. Conclusion: Earlier age at menopause is associated with a lower score in cognitive performance. This association may be mediated by insomnia symptoms. Our findings spotlight that among women who experience early menopause, there is the need for studies of sleep-based interventions to mitigate cognitive decline.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Sex Differences in Dopamine Release in Nucleus Accumbens and Dorsal Striatum Determined by Chronic Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry: Effects of social housing and repeated stimulation

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2023-08-16 · 1 citations

  preprintOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Abstract We investigated sex differences in dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and dorsolateral striatum (DLS) using a chronic 16-channel carbon fiber electrode and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV). Electrical stimulation (ES; 60Hz) induced DA release was recorded in the NAc of single or pair-housed male and female rats. When core (NAcC) and shell (NAcS) were recorded simultaneously, there was greater ES DA release in NAcC of pair-housed females compared with single females and males. Housing did not affect ES NAc DA release in males. In contrast, there was significantly more ES DA release from the DLS of female rats than male rats. This was true prior to and after treatment with methamphetamine. Furthermore, in castrated (CAST) males and ovariectomized (OVX) females, there were no sex differences in ES DA release from the DLS, demonstrating the hormone dependence of this sex difference. However, in the DLS of both intact and gonadectomized rats, DA reuptake was slower in females than in males. Finally, DA release following ES of the medial forebrain bundle at 60Hz was studied over four weeks. ES DA release increased over time for both CAST males and OVX females, demonstrating sensitization. Using this novel 16-channel chronic FSCV electrode, we found sex differences in the effects of social housing in the NAcS, sex differences in DA release from intact rats in DLS, sex differences in DA reuptake in DLS of intake and gonadectomized rats, and we report sensitization of ES-induced DA release in DLS in vivo . Significance Statement Dopamine release is not uniform or fixed. In the nucleus accumbens, pair housing, compared with individual housing, is shown to differentially affect dopamine responsiveness to stimulation in a sex-dependent and region-specific way. There are also sex differences in stimulated dopamine release in the dorsolateral striatum of intact rats, which are not seen in gonadectomized rats, indicating the hormone dependence of this sex difference. However, reuptake of dopamine was slower in females than in males, independent of gonadal hormones. Importantly, the electrical stimulation-induced dopamine release in the dorsolateral striatum of gonadectomized rats demonstrated sensitization of dopamine release in vivo within animals for the first time. Thus, stimulated dopamine release exhibits sex-specific neuroplasticity that is modified in females by the housing conditions.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Immediate and Long-Term Effects of Tibial Nerve Stimulation on the Sexual Behavior of Female Rats

  Neuromodulation Technology at the Neural Interface · 2023-01-05 · 7 citations

  articleOpen access
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R21DA027924

  NIH · $390k · 2012

• NIH Grant R01NS025662

  NIH · $249k · 1991

• NIH Grant R01DA023990

  NIH · $336k · 2011

• NIH Grant R21DA032856

  NIH · $404k · 2014

• NIH Grant R01NS022157

  NIH · $1.0M · 1996

Frequent coauthors

• Thomas Steckler

  2029 shared

• Jos Prickaerts

  Maastricht University

  1793 shared

• Craig A. Erickson

  Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

  1754 shared

• Christopher J. McDougle

  Massachusetts General Hospital

  1754 shared

• Kimberly A. Stigler

  Indiana University School of Medicine

  1754 shared

• Robert L. Balster

  1733 shared

• David J. Posey

  Indiana University School of Medicine

  1707 shared

• Sharon Walsh

  University of Cincinnati

  1693 shared

Labs

• Becker LabPI

Education

• Ph.D., Neuroscience

  University of Illinois System

  1980

• M.A., Human Development

  University of Kansas

  1976

• B.A., Human Development

  University of Kansas

  1973

Awards & honors

• Patricia Y. Gurin Collegiate Professor of Psychology