Progesterone Levels Linked to Brain Patterns Underlying Mood Changes

Researchers from the University of Barcelona published a study in Psychological Medicine showing that higher levels of the hormone progesterone are linked to less distinct brain activity patterns in areas controlling emotions during the menstrual cycle. The study analyzed MRI scan data from 116 naturally cycling women who completed mood questionnaires and provided saliva samples for hormone measurement. The lead author, Dr. Macià Buades-Rotger, explained that when progesterone levels were higher, brain scans showed less clear differentiation between easy and difficult emotional situations, which corresponded with lower mood scores reported by participants. This specific brain mechanism accounted for roughly 7 percent of the variation in weekly mood scores among the participants. Professor Ulrike Krämer noted that these findings could advance personalized clinical treatments for hormone-related mood disorders like premenstrual dysphoria. Additionally, understanding these chemical changes helps normalize experiences of low mood, showing they stem from biological shifts outside conscious control rather than personal shortcomings. Future research should investigate whether similar hormone and emotion control links exist in men, as hormonal variations affect both sexes. The study was funded by a 2022 Young Investigator Award granted by the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation to Macià Buades-Rotger.