Review, 2016
How do reproductive hormones affect mood and behavior in women?
Reproductive hormones are powerful regulators of mood and behavior. Changes in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can trigger mood problems in women who are biologically sensitive to these changes.
What they did
The authors reviewed evidence on how reproductive hormones affect mood and behavior and examined links between hormone changes and mood disorders including PMS, PMDD, postpartum depression, and perimenopausal depression.
What they found
Reproductive hormones affect virtually every brain system involved in depression. The review confirms that reproductive steroids regulate mood and behavior. Changes during specific reproductive states (menstrual cycle, pregnancy, postpartum, menopause) trigger mood dysregulation in some women.
What it means for you
Understanding how reproductive hormones work in the brain could lead to better treatments. Some women may be born with greater sensitivity to hormone changes. Identifying this sensitivity is important for preventing mood disorders and developing personalized treatments.
About the study
- Original title
- Reproductive Steroid Regulation of Mood and Behavior
- Authors
- Schiller CE, Johnson SL, Abate AC et al.
- Journal
- Comprehensive Physiology
- Year
- 2016
- Study design
- Review
- What was tested
- None
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1002/cphy.c150014
Topics
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