Work

Effects of oral contraceptive pills on brain networks: A replication and extension

Year: 2024

Type: preprint

Abstract: Neuroimaging research has identified significant effects of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) on brain networks. A wide variety of approaches have been employed, largely in observational samples, with few converging results. This study therefore was designed to test for replication and extend this previous work using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial of the effects of OCPs on brain networks. Using functional MRI, we focused on brain regions identified in prior studies. Our analyses did not strictly replicate previously reported effects of OCPs on functional connectivity. Exploratory analyses suggested that traditional seed-based approaches may miss broader, network-level effects of OCPs on brain circuits. We applied data-driven, multivariate techniques to assess these network-level changes, A deeper understanding of neural effects of OCPs can be important in helping patients make informed decisions regarding contraception, mitigating unwanted side effects. Such information can also identify potentially confounding effects of OCPs in other neuroimaging investigations.

Source: bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

DOI: 10.1101/2024.10.10.617472

Authors: Gino Haase, Jason Liu, Timothy Jordan, Andrea Rapkin, Edythe D. London, Nicole Petersen

Institutions: University of California, Los Angeles, University of Cambridge, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Emory University

Language: English

Topic: Functional Brain Connectivity Studies

Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience

Field: Neuroscience

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse