Role of Hormone Replacement Therapy in Mood Swings

Hormones are the body's chemical "messengers," delivering important directives that influence growth, metabolism, reproduction, sexual function and mood. How hormones affect mood in women, in particular, is a topic of intense interest amongst medical professionals. Women are more likely to suffer from depression and mood swings than men, and researchers continue to study hormones as a major contributing factor. As a woman moves through the various stages of life, she might experience fluctuating moods as hormone levels ebb and flow. Here's what scientists are learning about the role of hormones in mood swings.

Hormones and the Brain

• Hormones and neurotransmitters travel some of the same brain paths, and even share some of the brain's receptor sites. These common paths and sites are located in parts of the brain that have been linked to mood, which leads scientists to believe that hormones could influence changes in mood. Specifically, the hormones estrogen and progesterone have been shown to affect behavior and mood, according to a 2008 study by the Canadian Medical Association (see References).

The Reproductive Years

• Women of reproductive age appear to be particularly susceptible to mood swings and depression. This is believed to be a result of increased sensitivity to the hormonal fluctuations that characterize pregnancy and childbirth. Sometimes these mood changes become chronic and debilitating, as seen in cases of postpartum depression. Some women experience mood changes in the days prior to the onset of menstruation (also called premenstrual syndrome or PMS). Physicians will sometimes prescribe mild doses of hormones in the form of birth control pills for women experiencing cyclical mood swings.

Perimenopause

• The National Institutes of Health reported findings in 2000 (see References) that revealed that perimenopausal women experiencing mood disorders responded favorably to estrogen therapy. Research further indicated that the treatment was "comparable" to anti-depressant therapy. Women participating in the study reported feeling more content, less sad and less irritable. For many scientists, this is further evidence that fluctuating hormone levels contribute to mood disorders. It is thought, however, that it was the stabilization of hormonal activity rather than a correction of low hormone levels, that improved the mood of study participants.

Menopause

• Mood changes are a common complaint of women during the menopausal years. Scientists believe this is related to endocrine changes during this phase of life. Once menopause is reached, estrogens tend to stabilize, but at low levels. Mood disorders and depressive episodes can develop. Some menopausal women have shown a good response to hormone replacement therapy in this stage of life.

Hormone Replacement Therapy as Treatment

• While studies involving the role of hormone replacement therapy on mood swings continue to demonstrate that this therapy has a largely positive effect, there are still many questions left unanswered. The most pressing of these involves the long-term effects of hormone replacement. Short-term, the therapy appears to be safe, though some studies hint at a possible link between hormone replacement, heart disease and cancer. Until more is known, the use of antidepressants remains the preferred medicinal treatment for suspected hormone-related mood disorders.