---
title: Can estrogen and progesterone be used to treat mood disorders in women?
description: This review discusses how female hormones affect the brain and may play a role in mood disorders like PMDD. It does not provide specific findings about whethe
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/using-estrogen-and-progesterone-to-treat-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-2025/
---

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- Can estrogen and progesterone be used to treat mood disorders in women?

Review, 2025

# Can estrogen and progesterone be used to treat mood disorders in women?

This review discusses how female hormones affect the brain and may play a role in mood disorders like PMDD. It does not provide specific findings about whether hormone treatment works.

 Early or limited evidence

Not applicable (review article, not a study of specific people)

## What they did

This is a review that examined how female hormones (estrogen and progesterone) affect brain processes and whether these hormones could be used to treat PMDD, depression after childbirth, and depression in menopause.

## What they found

The review notes that female hormones affect how brain cells communicate, grow, and develop. Hormonal fluctuations appear to contribute to mood disorders in women. The abstract does not present specific results about whether hormone treatments work.

## What it means for you

The review suggests hormones are important for brain health and mood, but does not describe specific findings about treating women with hormones for mood disorders.

2025

recent review year

estrogen

hormone for mood

PMDD

main condition reviewed

## About the study

Original title Using estrogen and progesterone to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder, postnatal depression and menopausal depression Authors Mu E, Chiu L, Kulkarni J Journal Frontiers in pharmacology Year 2025 Study design Review What was tested Review of hormone treatments Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2025.1528544](https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2025.1528544) Original abstract

Female gonadal hormones, particularly estrogen and progesterone, are not only central to reproductive health but also play a crucial role in regulating mood, cognition, and overall brain health. These hormones have a significant impact on the central nervous system, influencing key processes such as neurotransmission, neuroplasticity, and brain development. Increasing evidence shows that hormonal fluctuations contribute to the onset and progression of mental health disorders that disproportionately affect women, particularly premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), postnatal depression (PND), and menopausal depression. This paper explores the current evidence regarding the neurobiological effects of female hormones on the brain and discusses the therapeutic approaches in conditions such as PMDD, PND, and menopausal depression.

Reproduced under CC-BY.

## Topics

[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Perimenopause and menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-perimenopause/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)

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Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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