Contraceptive pills may affect areas of the brain that process fear
Following previous research showing that hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect areas of the brain, a new study found that taking oral contraceptives causes physiological changes in parts of the brain. .
Frontiers | Morphologic alterations of the fear circuitry: the role of sex hormones and oral contraceptives
Contraceptive Pills Have a Curious Effect on The Fear-Promoting Area of The Brain : ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/contraceptive-pills-have-a-curious-effect-on-the-fear-promoting-area-of-the-brain
Alexandra Brouillard, a physiologist at the University of Quebec, and her colleagues studied 139 healthy adult women aged 23 to 35. Of these, 62 were taking oral contraceptives at the time of the survey, 37 had previously taken oral contraceptives, and 40 had never taken oral contraceptives. In addition, 37 adult men of the same age were also surveyed.
Given the knowledge that women are more prone to anxiety and stress disorders than men, Brouillard and his colleagues compared groups to determine whether oral contraceptive use was associated with short-term or long-term changes in the brain, and whether men and women We investigated whether there is a difference between them.
The results revealed that women currently taking oral contraceptives have a brain region called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), which is located inside the brain's prefrontal cortex and is responsible for thinking, and is thinner than men. became.
The vmPFC is thought to be involved in the regulation of fear. Although it was not possible to determine the effect of changes in thickness on fear, women taking oral contraceptives were found to be less responsive to behavioral therapy than others. Oral contraceptives may suppress areas that suppress fear, such as the vmPFC, making women more susceptible to anxiety and stress.
However, changes in the size of brain regions do not necessarily have negative effects, and it is not possible to draw firm conclusions about individual emotions and behavior based on this finding. Additionally, the effect on the vmPFC appears to disappear when oral contraceptives are discontinued, and the researchers note that ``changes in vmPFC thickness caused by oral contraceptives are reversible,'' but further research is needed to further investigate the effects. states that research is needed.
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