Randomised trial, 2023
Does estrogen and progesterone around the period help with suicidal thoughts?
In 26 women with suicidal thoughts, giving estrogen and progesterone before the period changed some brain chemicals that may relate to suicide risk. This is very early research with a small sample, so we cannot be sure yet.
What they did
A crossover RCT where 26 psychiatric outpatients with recent suicidal thoughts received either hormones or placebo at different points in their menstrual cycle. Blood samples were taken 3 times per cycle and tested for brain chemicals and immune markers.
What they found
Progesterone-derived brain chemicals increased when women took the hormone treatment. Other brain-related chemicals decreased with treatment. Immune markers in the blood did not follow a monthly pattern but each one predicted suicidal thoughts, depressed mood, or anxiety.
What it means for you
This research helps explain why suicidal thoughts sometimes get worse around the period in some women with psychiatric illness. However this is a small exploratory study, so larger studies are needed to know if hormone treatment would actually help. The findings describe patterns in 10 different biomarkers measured during the menstrual cycle.
26
women with suicidal thoughts
3
blood draws per menstrual cycle
10
biomarkers studied
About the study
- Original title
- Effects of estrogen and progesterone on neuroactive steroids and cytokines in patients with suicidality
- Authors
- Barone JC, Wenzel E, Alluri V et al.
- Journal
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Year
- 2023
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- What was tested
- Perimenstrual (around period) administration of estradiol and progesterone versus placebo
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106359
Topics
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