title: Reproductive Steroid Regulation of Mood and Behavior.
abstract: In this article, we examine evidence supporting the role of reproductive steroids in the regulation of mood and behavior in women and the nature of that role. In the first half of the article, we review evidence for the following: (i) the reproductive system is designed to regulate behavior; (ii) from the subcellular to cellular to circuit to behavior, reproductive steroids are powerful neuroregulators; (iii) affective disorders are disorders of behavioral state; and (iv) reproductive steroids affect virtually every system implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. In the second half of the article, we discuss the diagnosis of the three reproductive endocrine-related mood disorders (premenstrual dysphoric disorder, postpartum depression, and perimenopausal depression) and present evidence supporting the relevance of reproductive steroids to these conditions. Existing evidence suggests that changes in reproductive steroid levels during specific reproductive states (i.e., the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, parturition, and the menopause transition) trigger affective dysregulation in susceptible women, thus suggesting the etiopathogenic relevance of these hormonal changes in reproductive mood disorders. Understanding the source of individual susceptibility is critical to both preventing the onset of illness and developing novel, individualized treatments for reproductive-related affective dysregulation. © 2016 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 6:1135-1160, 2016e.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Crystal Edler
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Schiller
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Anna C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Abate
authors.affiliation: Section on Behavioral Endocrinology, National Institute of Mental Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Rubinow
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents