Michael P Hengartner1, Tillmann H C Kruger2, Kirsten Geraedts3, Enrico Tronci4, Toni Mancini4, Fabian Ille5, Marcel Egli5, Susanna Röblitz6, Rainald Ehrig7, Lanja Saleh8, Katharina Spanaus8, Cordula Schippert9, Yuanyuan Zhang2, Brigitte Leeners3. 1. Department of Applied Psychology, Zurich University for Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Switzerland. Electronic address: michaelpascal.hengartner@zhaw.ch. 2. Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Germany. 3. Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland. 4. Department of Computer Science, University of Roma "La Sapienza", Italy. 5. Center of Competence in Aerospace, Biomedical Science & Technology, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland. 6. Computational Systems Biology Group, Zuse Institute, Berlin, Germany; Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany. 7. Computational Systems Biology Group, Zuse Institute, Berlin, Germany. 8. Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland. 9. Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School, Germany.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Female sex hormones may play a crucial role in the occurrence of cycle-related mood disorders. However, the literature is inconsistent and methodologically stringent observational studies on the relationship between sex hormones and negative affect are lacking. METHODS: In this longitudinal multisite study from Hannover, Germany, and Zurich, Switzerland, we examined oestrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone serum levels in association with negative affect as measured with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Negative affect and hormone assays were collected at four consecutive time points comprising menstrual, pre-ovulatory, mid-luteal and premenstrual phase across two cycles (n=87 and n=67 for the first and second cycles). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was assessed once prior to the first cycle and included as a secondary measure. RESULTS: Mean negative affect scores did not significantly fluctuate across both cycles and there was in particular no symptom increase premenstrually. No sex hormone consistently related to repeated measures of negative affect across two consecutive cycles. The BDI sum-score assessed at baseline was not related to hormone levels across the first cycle. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first multisite longitudinal study on the association between negative affect and sex hormone levels encompassing two consecutive menstrual cycles. Negative affect did not fluctuate across the cycle and there was no direct and uniform association between sex hormones and self-reported negative affect. These findings suggest that moderators such as personality traits and epigenetics should be considered in future research.
BACKGROUND: Female sex hormones may play a crucial role in the occurrence of cycle-related mood disorders. However, the literature is inconsistent and methodologically stringent observational studies on the relationship between sex hormones and negative affect are lacking. METHODS: In this longitudinal multisite study from Hannover, Germany, and Zurich, Switzerland, we examined oestrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone serum levels in association with negative affect as measured with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Negative affect and hormone assays were collected at four consecutive time points comprising menstrual, pre-ovulatory, mid-luteal and premenstrual phase across two cycles (n=87 and n=67 for the first and second cycles). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was assessed once prior to the first cycle and included as a secondary measure. RESULTS: Mean negative affect scores did not significantly fluctuate across both cycles and there was in particular no symptom increase premenstrually. No sex hormone consistently related to repeated measures of negative affect across two consecutive cycles. The BDI sum-score assessed at baseline was not related to hormone levels across the first cycle. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first multisite longitudinal study on the association between negative affect and sex hormone levels encompassing two consecutive menstrual cycles. Negative affect did not fluctuate across the cycle and there was no direct and uniform association between sex hormones and self-reported negative affect. These findings suggest that moderators such as personality traits and epigenetics should be considered in future research.
Authors: Imke Matthys; Justine Defreyne; Els Elaut; Alessandra Daphne Fisher; Baudewijntje P C Kreukels; Annemieke Staphorsius; Martin Den Heijer; Guy T'Sjoen Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2021-01-14 Impact factor: 4.241