Mineralocorticoid receptor haplotype, oral contraceptives and emotional information processing

D A Hamstra; E R de Kloet; A M van Hemert; R H de Rijk; A J W Van der Does

doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.12.004

Mineralocorticoid receptor haplotype, oral contraceptives and emotional information processing

Neuroscience. 2015 Feb 12:286:412-22. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.12.004. Epub 2014 Dec 10.

Authors

D A Hamstra¹, E R de Kloet², A M van Hemert³, R H de Rijk⁴, A J W Van der Does⁵

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, The Netherlands. Electronic address: d.a.hamstra@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
² Leiden Academic Centre of Drug Research, Leiden University, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.
⁴ DynaCorts Therapeutics, Leidschendam, The Netherlands.
⁵ Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute of Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, The Netherlands; Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands.

PMID: 25497375
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.12.004

Abstract

Background: Oral contraceptives (OCs) affect mood in some women and may have more subtle effects on emotional information processing in many more users. Female carriers of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) haplotype 2 have been shown to be more optimistic and less vulnerable to depression.

Aim: To investigate the effects of oral contraceptives on emotional information processing and a possible moderating effect of MR haplotype.

Methods: Cross-sectional study in 85 healthy premenopausal women of West-European descent.

Results: We found significant main effects of oral contraceptives on facial expression recognition, emotional memory and decision-making. Furthermore, carriers of MR haplotype 1 or 3 were sensitive to the impact of OCs on the recognition of sad and fearful faces and on emotional memory, whereas MR haplotype 2 carriers were not.

Limitations: Different compounds of OCs were included. No hormonal measures were taken. Most naturally cycling participants were assessed in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle.

Conclusions: Carriers of MR haplotype 2 may be less sensitive to depressogenic side-effects of OCs.

Keywords: cognition; emotional information processing; mineralocorticoid receptor; oral contraceptives.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / adverse effects*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Decision Making / drug effects*
Decision Making / physiology
Emotions / drug effects*
Emotions / physiology
Facial Expression
Female
Haplotypes
Humans
Mental Recall / drug effects*
Mental Recall / physiology
Receptors, Mineralocorticoid / genetics*
Recognition, Psychology / drug effects*
Recognition, Psychology / physiology
Young Adult

Substances

Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal
Receptors, Mineralocorticoid