Oral contraception can change the part of the brain responsible for emotions, fears, and anxiety, which can make women more likely to engage in unsafe behaviors.
Researchers from Canada studied 139 women aged 23 to 35 and found that those who used oral contraceptives had thinner areas in the frontal lobe than those who had never taken or stopped taking oral contraceptives.
This thinning is thought to affect social behavior and impulsivity, possibly causing women taking OCs to have less inhibitions, take more risks, and experience less anxiety.
The team said more research needs to be done, but their findings suggest that exposure to sex hormones plays a role in the structure of the nervous system.
Alexandra Brouillard, a researcher at the Université du Québec à Montréal and lead author of the study, told DailyMail.com that her team found that the effects of current oral oral use on this brain region were linked to exposure to synthetic estrogen, which be found. in There are pills in the brain region.
More than 150 million women around the world use oral contraceptives, and birth control pills are 93 to 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy
Brouillard said: “In our research, we show that healthy women are currently using it.” [oral contraceptives] had a thinner ventromedial prefrontal cortex than men.
“This part of the prefrontal cortex is thought to support emotion regulation, such as reducing fear signals in the context of a safe situation.”
“Our finding may represent a mechanism by which COCs may impair emotion regulation in women.”
More than 150 million women around the world use oral birth control pills, and birth control pills are 93 to 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy.
OC is generally considered safe, but there are some risks associated with it, including chest pain, mood changes, weight gain, and stroke.
Of the female subjects, 62 were currently using oral contraceptives, 37 had previously taken oral contraceptives, and 40 women had never taken the pill. For comparison, the researchers also included 41 men.
The team performed MRIs to examine gray matter volume and cortical thickness of brain areas involved in processing information, regulating emotions, storing memories and controlling muscles, as well as sensory perception and decision-making.
Gray matter – also called gray matter – is called the cerebral cortex and forms the outermost layer of the brain.
Greater cortical thickness is thought to be related to intelligence, while thinner is associated with cognitive impairment.
Compared to men, all three groups of women had a greater volume of gray matter in a part of the brain associated with learning, self-control and executive control.
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This may be one reason why men are generally more impulsive than women.
The study also found that only women who were currently using contraceptives experienced thinning in a part of the brain responsible for processing risk and fear and managing emotions.
Thinning of this area is thought to lead to inhibition deficits or loss of social behavior and impulsivity, especially as it relates to the function of the amygdala, the gray matter involved in the perception of emotions.
A reduced amygdala reduces fear conditioning – when a person associates something with a negative outcome and has a fearful response to it.
This may cause women who take OCs to have less inhibitions, take more risks and be less afraid in uncertain situations.
However, Brouillard told DailyMail.com that researchers have yet to examine whether their anatomical findings are associated with significant changes in behavior or mental state.
She said it would be “too presumptuous” to conclude that these brain changes are directly linked to riskier and unsafe behavior.
However, scientists know that these brain regions are involved in such behavior.
Brouillard said women who are prescribed birth control are made aware of the drug’s physical effects, such as the lack of menstruation and ovulation.
However, the influence of OCs on brain development is rarely discussed.
Given the widespread use of contraceptives, it is important to better understand the current and long-term effects of the pills on brain anatomy and emotional regulation, the researchers said.
Brouillard continues: “The goal of our work is not to prevent COC use, but it is important to recognize that the pill can have effects on the brain.”
“Our goal is to increase scientific interest in women’s health and raise awareness about early COC prescription and brain development, a very unknown topic.”
The study was published Tuesday in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
