A recent study explores the impact of oral contraceptives on women’s brains, particularly on regions linked to fear. In particular, it highlights the underrepresentation of women in research on anxiety.
This will also interest you
(ON VIDEO) Post-traumatic stress disorder After a particularly emotionally intense event, some people may suffer from trauma accompanied by many…
An article published in Frontiers in Endocrinology examined the impact of oral contraceptives on women’s brains, focusing on areas of the brain associated with fear. Fear is a vital emotion for survival; However, excessive fear can lead to anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders result from inappropriate management of fear. Furthermore, this study is particularly interesting simply because it doordoor on women. Indeed, women are historically underrepresented in studies on fear or anxiety.
Women are naturally predisposed to fear, especially those who take the pill
The study included healthy adults aged 23 to 35:
- 62 women currently on oral contraceptives;
- 37 women who had previously used oral contraceptives;
- 40 women who had never used hormonal contraceptives;
- 41 men.
Analyzes included measures of volumevolume of the mattermatter gray and cortical thickness in regions of the brain linked to fear. The results indicate that women, compared to men, have a greater volume of gray matter in a region involved in the promotion of fear. Current users of oral contraceptives had less thickness in an area associated with fear inhibition, while it was thicker in women who had never used hormonal contraceptives.
