A new study by Canadian researchers has found that birth control pills can affect brain function in women. The study examined the effects of oral contraceptives on the thickness of a specific brain region known as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and its potential relationship to emotional regulation in women. Specifically, birth control can change the way women deal with fear. The ventromedial part of the prefrontal cortex is a part of the brain that plays a crucial role in regulating emotions and processing fear signals when we are safe. The researchers found that women who were currently using combined oral contraceptives containing synthetic hormones had thinner ventromedial prefrontal cortex than men. This finding suggests a possible mechanism by which oral contraceptive use may interfere with emotion regulation. The study aims to track both the immediate and long-term effects of combined oral contraceptive use, as well as the role of naturally produced and synthetic sex hormones in the brain. Women are generally informed about the physical side effects of combined oral contraceptives, such as suppression of the menstrual cycle and ovulation, but the study looked at the potential effects of these hormones on brain development, especially in girls. To conduct the study, the team recruited women who were currently using combined oral contraceptives, women who had used them before the study but had stopped, women who had never used hormonal contraception, and men. This comparison allowed them to assess the relationship between combined oral contraceptive use and both current and long-term changes in brain structure, and to identify potential gender differences, as women are more prone to anxiety and stress-related disorders than men. the men. The study found that combined oral contraceptive users showed reduced cortical thickness of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex compared to men, suggesting that the drugs may increase the risk of emotion regulation problems during use. However, the researchers also note that these effects may be reversible when the contraceptives are discontinued, as the group that discontinued their use did not show the same anatomical changes as current users. However, the researchers stress the need for further studies to confirm these findings. The research was published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology. References: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2023.1228504/full