Ovarian hormones are not only modulators of cognitive function, emotion regulation and mental health, but also seem to affect brain plasticity and functional connectivity, During the menstrual cycle, women experience cyclic fluctuation of the ovarian hormone estradiol, which is closely associated with neuroplasticity/changes in brain structure in regions with high estradiol receptor density, such as the amygdala, hippocampus/parahippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), striatum, and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Further functional connectivity between these areas seems to be associated with hormonal changes dependent on the menstrual cycle phase. But next to estradiol, also other hormones like progesterone fluctuate across the menstrual cycle. In the past, effects of ovarian hormone levels were often investigated in combination. However, one way to disentangle the impact of estradiol from that of other hormones on neuroplasticity, emotion regulation and mood states, can be the experimental increase of estradiol via estradiol administration. In this double-blinded within-subject study, women were administered either estradiol valerate or placebo during the early follicular phase (thus when ovarian hormone concentrations are low) before undergoing neuroimaging. Parts of the study are already described in Rehbein et al., 2021 and 2022.
Age range
19 Years – 35 Years
Sex
FEMALE
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Impact of E2 concentration on brain structure
Timeframe: From first measurement up to 6 months, with at least two months apart; each time: approx. 6 minutes during neuroimaging
Impact of E2 concentration and state emotion regulation on brain structure
Timeframe: From first measurement up to 6 months, with at least two months apart; each time: approx. 6 minutes during neuroimaging (structure) and 20 minutes (emotion regulation task)
Impact of E2 concentration and emotion regulation traits on brain structure
Timeframe: From first measurement up to 6 months, with at least two months apart; each time: approx. 6 minutes during neuroimaging
Impact of E2 concentration on resting state functional connectivity
Timeframe: From first measurement up to 6 months, with at least two months apart; each time: approx. 7 minutes during neuroimaging
Impact of E2 concentration and state emotion regulation on connectivity
Timeframe: From first measurement up to 6 months, with at least two months apart; each time: approx. 7 minutes (connectivity) and 20 minutes (emotion regulation task)
Impact of E2 concentration and emotion regulation traits on functional connectivity
Timeframe: From first measurement up to 6 months, with at least two months apart; each time: approx. 7 minutes (connectivity) during neuroimaging
Impact of E2 concentration and associated structural brain changes on connectivity
Timeframe: From first measurement up to 6 months, with at least two months apart; each time before and after pill intake (6 minutes structure and 7 minutes connectivity)