Clarifying the Mechanisms Underlying Estradiol's Effect on Human Behaviour

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17ß-estradiol (E2) is steroid hormone and a potent estrogen that plays an important role in female sexual development and functioning. In addition to being present in nearly every bodily system, including the reproductive, cardiovascular, and skeletal systems, estrogen receptors populate the female brain, including the limbic structures that play a critical role in regulating responses to emotional stimuli. The potential psychological effects of E2 have therefore long been of interest but remain poorly characterised. Furthermore, the mechanisms by which E2 affects behaviour in women remain unclear. This lack of clarity may relate to a mounting body of literature suggesting that the effects of E2 are likely to vary enormously from one individual to another; failure to take this individual variability into account will greatly limit the ability to identify the mechanisms underlying its effects. Recent research, including my own work, also suggests that the behavioural effects of E2 fluctuation may be even more important than E2 levels per se, which may also help explain the remaining lack of clarity surrounding E2's effects. The proposed program of research aims to clarify the neuroendocrine and perceptual, cognitive, and behavioural mechanisms by which E2 influences emotion and general affect by addressing these and other limitations of the existing research. Candidate mechanisms to be explored include E2 effects on GABAergic neurosteroids, stress reactivity, emotion recognition, and emotional memory. The long-term objective of this research program is to identify potential genetic contributions to individual differences in sensitivity to E2.