Danielle A Hamstra1, E Ronald de Kloet2, Marieke Tollenaar3, Bart Verkuil3, Meriem Manai3, Peter Putman3, Willem Van der Does4. 1. Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands d.a.hamstra@fsw.leidenuniv.nl. 2. Department of Endocrinology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands. 3. Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands. 4. Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
Abstract
RATIONALE: The processing of emotional information is affected by menstrual cycle phase and by the use of oral contraceptives (OCs). The stress hormone cortisol is known to affect emotional information processing via the limbic mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). OBJECTIVES: We investigated in an exploratory study whether the MR-genotype moderates the effect of both OC-use and menstrual cycle phase on emotional cognition. METHODS: Healthy premenopausal volunteers (n=93) of West-European descent completed a battery of emotional cognition tests. Forty-nine participants were OC users and 44 naturally cycling, 21 of whom were tested in the early follicular (EF) and 23 in the mid-luteal (ML) phase of the menstrual cycle. RESULTS: In MR-haplotype 1/3 carriers, ML women gambled more than EF women when their risk to lose was relatively small. In MR-haplotype 2, ML women gambled more than EF women, regardless of their odds of winning. OC-users with MR-haplotype 1/3 recognised fewer facial expressions than ML women with MR-haplotype 1/3. CONCLUSION: MR-haplotype 1/3 carriers may be more sensitive to the influence of their female hormonal status. MR-haplotype 2 carriers showed more risky decision-making. As this may reflect optimistic expectations, this finding may support previous observations in female carriers of MR-haplotype 2 in a naturalistic cohort study.
RATIONALE: The processing of emotional information is affected by menstrual cycle phase and by the use of oral contraceptives (OCs). The stress hormone cortisol is known to affect emotional information processing via the limbic mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). OBJECTIVES: We investigated in an exploratory study whether the MR-genotype moderates the effect of both OC-use and menstrual cycle phase on emotional cognition. METHODS: Healthy premenopausal volunteers (n=93) of West-European descent completed a battery of emotional cognition tests. Forty-nine participants were OC users and 44 naturally cycling, 21 of whom were tested in the early follicular (EF) and 23 in the mid-luteal (ML) phase of the menstrual cycle. RESULTS: In MR-haplotype 1/3 carriers, MLwomen gambled more than EF women when their risk to lose was relatively small. In MR-haplotype 2, MLwomen gambled more than EF women, regardless of their odds of winning. OC-users with MR-haplotype 1/3 recognised fewer facial expressions than MLwomen with MR-haplotype 1/3. CONCLUSION:MR-haplotype 1/3 carriers may be more sensitive to the influence of their female hormonal status. MR-haplotype 2 carriers showed more risky decision-making. As this may reflect optimistic expectations, this finding may support previous observations in female carriers of MR-haplotype 2 in a naturalistic cohort study.
Authors: Carolin A Lewis; Ann-Christin S Kimmig; Rachel G Zsido; Alexander Jank; Birgit Derntl; Julia Sacher Journal: Curr Psychiatry Rep Date: 2019-11-07 Impact factor: 5.285
Authors: Flávia L Osório; Juliana M de Paula Cassis; João P Machado de Sousa; Omero Poli-Neto; Rocio Martín-Santos Journal: Front Psychol Date: 2018-04-11