Review, 1996
How does estrogen affect mood and memory?
Yes. Estrogen affects mood and memory by changing levels of brain chemicals that control emotion and behavior. Low estrogen is linked to PMS, depression after childbirth, and postmenopausal depression, though human studies remain limited.
What they did
This is a review of research on how estrogen affects brain chemicals. The authors examined examples of estrogen's effects on monoamine neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, and on neuropeptides like arginine vasopressin.
What they found
Estrogen increases dopamine D2 receptors and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors in brain areas that control mood, emotion, cognition, and behavior. Low estrogen levels are associated with PMS, postpartum depression, and postmenopausal depression. Estrogen causes a 100-fold increase in arginine vasopressin messenger RNA in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. This may enhance memory and provide a model for understanding how estrogen affects mood and cognition.
What it means for you
Low estrogen during the menstrual cycle may explain why some women experience depression before their period. This explains why estrogen therapy and serotonin-boosting drugs like fluoxetine help treat PMS depression. The main limit is that this is a review and it remains unclear whether all mechanisms found in animal studies apply to humans.
100-fold
increase in arginine vasopressin messenger RNA in a brain region
D2 receptors
dopamine receptors increased by estrogen
5-HT2A receptors
serotonin receptors increased by estrogen
About the study
- Original title
- Estrogen control of central neurotransmission: effect on mood, mental state, and memory
- Authors
- Fink G, Sumner BE, Rosie R et al.
- Journal
- Cellular and molecular neurobiology
- Year
- 1996
- Study design
- Review
- What was tested
- None
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1007/bf02088099
Topics
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