Bolding, Judith (2021) Oral contraceptive use during brain development throughout puberty. Master's Thesis / Essay, Biomedical Sciences.
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Abstract
Oral contraceptives (OCs) are one of the most prescribed types of medication worldwide. The rate at which they are prescribed to teenagers has increased over the last decade. During the teenage years, the brain goes through development to prepare for adulthood. This development in puberty is particularly sensitive to the sex hormones estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone. During puberty, these sex hormones exert activational and organizational changes in the brain. The organizational changes permanently determine certain behavioural responses to stimuli. OCs contain synthetic ver-sion of estradiol and/or progesterone and thus changes the normal hormonal environment. So, how would OC use during puberty affect the hormone-sensitive brain development? The limited research studying the effect of OC use during puberty reports changes in brain structure and function, and stress reactivity. Pubertal OC use also increases the risk of antidepressant use, depres-sion, and suicide attempts markedly. These results are worrying and should prompt some caution when prescribing OCs to teenagers. However, far more research has to be conducted to get a better picture of the effects on brain development and to be able to conclude if OC prescription to teenagers is harmful.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master's Thesis / Essay) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Scheurink, A.J.W. |
| Degree programme: | Biomedical Sciences |
| Thesis type: | Master's Thesis / Essay |
| Language: | English |
| Date Deposited: | 02 Aug 2021 09:38 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Aug 2021 09:38 |
| URI: | https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/25532 |
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