Reproductive health experts believe that hormonal contraceptives are a good option for adolescents because they are safe and highly effective in preventing pregnancy.
A new study in young rats associates synthetic hormones in oral contraceptives, patches and injections with disorganized signaling between cells in the prefrontal cortex, a region of the brain that continues to develop throughout puberty. . Compared to control rats, animals given hormonal contraceptives also had higher levels of corticosterone, a stress hormone similar to cortisol in humans.
Scientists at Ohio State University began this line of research in the prefrontal cortex, the region that regulates mood. Because several previous studies have associated early adolescent use of hormonal contraceptives with the risk of depression in adulthood. Most important, however, is learning how contraception affects the developing brain so that individuals can weigh the risks and benefits of reproductive health choices, researchers say. says.
“Birth control has had a significant positive impact on women’s health and autonomy, so I’m not suggesting that adolescents shouldn’t be taking hormonal contraceptives,” said senior study author. said Benedetta Leuner, associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University.
“What we need is to know what the synthetic hormones are doing in our brain so we can make informed decisions. If you do decide to use birth control, you’ll pay more attention to the warning signs if you’re aware of the possible mood-related side effects.”
The research poster was presented today (Tuesday, November 15, 2022) at Neuroscience 2022, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.
An estimated two in five teenage girls in the United States have had sex between the ages of 15 and 19, and the majority use contraception, especially condoms. Of those who use contraception, nearly 5% use hormonal contraceptives, also known as long-acting reversible contraceptives. These products are also prescribed to treat acne and heavy menstruation.
Despite its popularity, “little is known about how hormonal contraception affects the teenage brain and behavior,” says co-author Kathryn, an associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University. Lenz said, “Adolescence is a highly underexplored period of dramatic brain changes and dramatic hormonal changes that we don’t really understand.”
Researchers gave a combination of synthetic estrogen and progesterone, commonly found in hormonal contraceptives, for three weeks to female rats about one month old, which corresponds to early puberty in humans. Researchers confirmed that these contraceptives disrupted the animals’ reproductive cycles. These birth control pills work by stopping the ovaries from producing hormones at levels needed to produce eggs, making the lining of the uterus difficult for an egg to implant.
Blood samples showed that treated rats produced more corticosterone than untreated animals. Corticosterone levels remained elevated in treated rats after recovery from exposure to experimental stressors. suggesting that hormone production was consistently higher than in control animals.
Analysis of gene activation markers in the animal’s prefrontal cortex showed a reduction in excitatory synapses in that region of the brain in treated rats compared to controls, but no change to inhibitory synapses. It did not – a phenomenon that could lead to an imbalance in normal signaling patterns and lead to behavioral changes. Loss of only excitatory synapses in the prefrontal cortex has been associated with exposure to chronic stress and depression in previous studies.
“What this means for the functionality of a particular circuit is not yet known, but it may give clues as to where to look next in terms of what the functional consequences will be.” ,” said Lenz.
Researchers are conducting additional studies targeting hormonal contraceptive effects on the brain during puberty and late adolescence. It is a difficult time to be. The reasons behind the drug’s effectiveness are also an open question.
“These are synthetic hormones, so are they affecting the brain because of their synthetic properties, or are they affecting the brain because they are blocking naturally produced hormones?” she said. said. “It’s a difficult question to answer, but it’s an important question.”
First author Rachel Gilfarb, a graduate student in Leuner’s lab, presented a poster. Other Ohio co-authors include Meredith Stewart, Abhishek Rajesh, Sanjana Ranade, and Courtney Dye.
More information: https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/10619/presentation/70469
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Materials provided Ohio State UniversityOriginal by Emily Caldwell. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
