Oral contraceptives and depressive symptomatology: Biologic mechanisms

Parry, Barbara L.; Rush, A. John

doi:10.1016/0010-440x(79)90006-3

Cited by 34 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…WirzJustice (1995) In women, hormonal changes associated with the reproductive cycle may provoke affective changes in predisposed individuals. Examples include depression associated with oral contraceptives (Parry and Rush 1979), the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (Hamilton et al 1984;Endo et al 1978;Halbreich and Endicott 1985), the postpartum period (Parry and Hamilton 1990), and menopause (Winokur 1973). Sex differences in the rates of depression begin to appear after puberty (Weissman et al 1984;Angold et al 1998), a time of major change in the neuroendocrine reproductive axis.…”

Section: Women Have Twice the Incidence Of Major Depression Compared mentioning

confidence: 99%

Chronobiological Basis of Female-Specific Mood Disorders

Parry

Newton

2001

Neuropsychopharmacology

112

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Women have twice the incidence of major depression compared with men. They are prone to develop episodes of depression during times of reproductive hormonal change at puberty, with use of oral contraceptives, during the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle, postpartum and during the perimenopause (see review: Parry 1995a). WirzJustice (1995) In women, hormonal changes associated with the reproductive cycle may provoke affective changes in predisposed individuals. Examples include depression associated with oral contraceptives (Parry and Rush 1979), the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (Hamilton et al. 1984;Endo et al. 1978;Halbreich and Endicott 1985), the postpartum period (Parry and Hamilton 1990), and menopause (Winokur 1973). Sex differences in the rates of depression begin to appear after puberty (Weissman et al. 1984;Angold et al. 1998), a time of major change in the neuroendocrine reproductive axis. From this time onward, women have a greater lifetime risk for major depression than men. Women predominate with respect to unipolar depression (Weissman et al. 1984), the depressive subtype of bipolar illness (Angst 1978), and cyclical forms of affective illness such as rapid cycling manic-depressive illness (Wehr 1984) and seasonal affective disorder (Rosenthal et al. 1984). Furthermore, the risk for major depression in both men and women appears to be increasing in recent generations (Weissman et al. 1984;Klerman and Weissman 1989).The fluctuation of ovarian steroids during specific phases of the reproductive cycle may bear some relationship to the particular vulnerability of women for mood disorders. The ovarian hormones could exert their effects on mood directly or indirectly by their effect on neurotransmitter, neuroendocrine, or circadian systems (McEwen and Parsons 1982;Albers 1981;Albers et al. 1981;Thomas and Armstrong 1989; Parry 1995a,b). Although each of these systems has been implicated in the pathogenesis of depressive illness, the circadian basis of these disorders has received the least attention. We have designed our studies with their particular chronobiological focus because the predisposition of women for major depression has not been investigated systematically with respect to the interaction of Chronobiology, Women and Depression S103 the unique cyclic reproductive neuroendocrine axis in women and circadian physiology. Although chronobiological disturbances have been described in depression (Kripke et al. 1978;Wehr and Goodwin 1980), the characterization of chronobiological disturbances in reproductive-related mood disorders in women remains to be elucidated. Below we review the circadian rhythm abnormalities that we have observed in premenstrual dysphoric disorder, pregnancy and postpartum depression and menopause. As reproductive hormones modulate the synchrony or coherence between different components of the circadian system (Thomas and Armstrong 1989), we hypothesize that these changing hormones during the premenstrual, postpartum and menopausal periods may destabilize circ...

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Section: Women Have Twice the Incidence Of Major Depression Compared mentioning

confidence: 99%

Chronobiological Basis of Female-Specific Mood Disorders

Parry

Newton

2001

Neuropsychopharmacology

112

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“…Some psychological research examines whether hormonal contraception causes mood disorders, namely depression. In the 60s and 70s, when oral contraceptive pills used higher dose hormones, using oral contraception briefly seemed to increase depressive symptoms (Parry & Rush, 1979). In contrast, recent studies with current hormonal contraceptives, which use lower doses, find no association or that hormonal contraceptive use lowers depressive symptoms (Keyes et al, 2013;O'Connell, Davis, & Kerns, 2007).…”

Section: Psychological Aspects Of Contraceptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychological Aspects of Contraception, Unintended Pregnancy, and Abortion

Steinberg

Rubin

2014

Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences

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The knowledge of important biopsychosocial factors linking women's reproductive health and mental health is increasing. This review focuses on psychological aspects of contraception, unintended pregnancy, and abortion because these are common reproductive health experiences in U.S. women's lives. This review addresses the mental-health antecedents and consequences of these experiences, mostly focusing on depression and depressive symptoms before and after unintended pregnancy and contraception. As mental-health antecedents, depressive symptoms predict contraceptive behaviors that lead to unintended pregnancy, and mental-health disorders have been associated with having subsequent abortions. In examining the mental-health consequences, most sound research does not find abortion or contraceptive use to cause mental-health problems. Consequently, evidence does not support policies based on the notion that abortion harms women's mental health. Nevertheless, the abortion-care setting may be a place to integrate mental-health services. In contrast, women who have births resulting from unintended pregnancies may be at higher risk of postpartum depression. Social policies (e.g., paid maternity leave, subsidized child care) may protect women from mental-health problems and stress of unplanned children interrupting employment, education, and pre-existing family care responsibilities.

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“…The possible mode of action of these hormones is discussed by Parry and Rush (1979) who review theories related to depletion of biogenic amines by the action of progesterone, which increases M.A.O. activity and the vitamin deficiency theories proposed by Leeton (1974).…”

Section: Oral Con Tracepti Vesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adverse Psychiatric Reactions to Modern Medication

Whitlock

1981

Aust N Z J Psychiatry

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From this survey it will be apparent that many psychiatric reactions to drugs are largely caused by their direct toxic actions or from combinations of drugs. As such, they are often dose related, although age and slow speed of detoxification will increase the risk of patients developing delirium, hallucinations, sleep disturbances, anxiety etc. Similar toxic reactions can also occur when drugs to which a patient has developed some measure of tolerance are abruptly withdrawn. In this context the effects of drugs upon patterns of sleep may be important determinants of adverse withdrawal symptoms. In contrast are the reactions which resemble one or other of the functional psychoses. In these patients it appears that a past history of an affective or schizophrenic psychosis is the best predictor of a similar illness being precipitated by a particular drug. Nonetheless, with substances like reserpine and cycloserine there is good reason for thinking that, given a sufficient quantity, practically any patient can develop an adverse psychiatric reaction.

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Oral contraceptives and depressive symptomatology: Biologic mechanisms

Cited by 34 publications

References 53 publications

Chronobiological Basis of Female-Specific Mood Disorders

Chronobiological Basis of Female-Specific Mood Disorders

Psychological Aspects of Contraception, Unintended Pregnancy, and Abortion

Adverse Psychiatric Reactions to Modern Medication

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