Mineralocorticoid receptor haplotype, oral contraceptives and emotional information processing.

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.