Summary: Researchers suggest that the type of estrogen in hormonal contraception influences anxiety-related behaviors. Researchers found that synthetic estrogens used in birth control led to increased anxiety-like behaviors in female rats compared to natural estrogens.
This study highlights the importance of considering estrogen type when evaluating behavioral side effects of contraceptives. The findings could guide clinical decisions to manage anxiety-related side effects in women using birth control.
Highlights:
- Synthetic estrogens used in birth control are linked to increased anxiety-like behaviors in female rats.
- The study used a rat model to compare synthetic ethinyl estradiol and natural estradiol valerate.
- Spatial memory was similar across groups, but synthetic estrogen increased habitual turning strategies associated with anxiety.
Source: The Endocrine Society
The type of estrogen used in hormonal contraception may influence anxiety-like behaviors, according to data presented by Abigail Hegwood, MS, of the Prakapenka Lab at ENDO 2024, the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Boston, Massachusetts.
“It is plausible that the type of estrogen is a key player in mood-related side effects or cognitive effects related to hormonal contraceptive use,” said Alesia Prakapenka, Ph.D., assistant professor at the biomedical sciences program at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, I will.
According to the CDC, 12.6% of U.S. women ages 15 to 49 reported using oral contraceptives between 2015 and 2017. Prakapenka and colleagues acknowledged that behavioral side effects are one reason many women stop taking combined contraceptives. .
Researchers sought to understand whether or not identifying a type of estrogen was important when it came to assessing behaviors such as anxiety and cognition.
In this rat model study, researchers randomly assigned 36 young adult rats (3 to 4 months old) to synthetic ethinyl estradiol plus dienogest, natural estradiol valerate plus dienogest, or treatment control per vehicle.
After four weeks, rats were assessed on a delayed spontaneous alternation task to examine spatial memory and an elevated plus maze to analyze anxiety-like behavior.
Then, Prakapenka explained, the serum was extracted and examined for estradiol, progesterone, androstenedione and testosterone levels using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and corticosterone levels using a radioimmunoassay.
“We found that female rats treated with synthetic estrogen exhibited elevated anxiety-like behaviors compared to females given vehicle control or natural estrogen,” Prakapenka said, adding that spatial memory was similar in three treatment groups.
It should be noted that navigation on the spatial memory task differed. Synthetic estrogen increased habitual use of the turning strategy compared to control and natural estrogen – a finding associated with anxiety-like behaviors.
“Overall, our results support the idea that estrogen type is important for behavioral outcomes associated with contraceptive use, identifying estrogen type as a potential clinical tool for side effect management behaviors in women,” Hegwood said.
About this research news in psychopharmacology and anxiety
Author: Abigail Hegwood
Source: The Endocrine Society
Contact: Abigail Hegwood – The Endocrine Society
Picture: Image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original research: Results will be presented at ENDO 2024
News Source : neurosciencenews.com
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