The role of estrogen receptor β and nicotinic cholinergic receptors in postpartum depression.
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a devastating disease occurring in approximately 20% of women. Women who suffer from PPD appear to be more sensitive to postpartum hormonal changes than women who do not experience this form of depression. Furthermore, women who quit smoking prior to or during pregnancy, and who develop PPD, are at an increased risk of smoking relapse. Unfortunately, the mechanistic relationship between the pathophysiology of PPD and smoking relapse is unknown. Here we review the roles of both estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) and cholinergic nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) in the pathogenesis of depression and propose a mechanistic rationale to explain the high rate of smoking relapse exhibited by women who develop PPD.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, 3515 E. Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, FL, 33611, USA. jfernan1@health.usf.edu
Jamie Winderbaum
JW
Fernandez
J Alex
JA
Grizzell
Lynn
L
Wecker
D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000378:metabolism*; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000378:metabolism*
D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic