Are Your Hormones Secretly Running the Show in Your Brain?

'Hormones are powerful chemicals produced by glands and organs in our bodies, and they play a major role in keeping us healthy. They help control things like growth, sleep, and even our emotions. Scientists have discovered that hormones can have a big impact on our mood and mental health, sometimes making us feel happy, sad, or anxious. While we often think we control our feelings, hormones can influence them in ways we might not notice. Hormones travel through our bloodstream and attach to special receptors, sending signals that tell our bodies what to do. For example, insulin helps our cells use sugar for energy. There are many different hormones, and together they manage hundreds of processes, including how we feel.

Researchers have found that changes in hormone levels can affect our emotions by interacting with neurotransmitters in the brain. These neurotransmitters, like serotonin and dopamine, help regulate mood. When hormone levels go up or down, it can disrupt our sleep, make us feel tired, or even cause anxiety and depression. This is especially true during major hormonal changes, such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. For example, girls and boys have similar rates of depression as children, but when they reach adolescence, girls are twice as likely to experience depression. This difference continues throughout life, and scientists believe hormones are a big reason why.

Women experience many hormonal changes throughout their lives, including during their menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. Before a period, levels of oestrogen and progesterone drop, which can lead to feelings of sadness, irritability, and anxiety for some women. Some women have a severe mood disorder called PMDD, which causes extreme mood swings and anxiety before menstruation. High levels of oestrogen before ovulation can make women feel happier, while another hormone called allopregnanolone has calming effects. After giving birth, women experience a sharp drop in hormones, which can lead to depression. During menopause, hormone levels change again, and some women experience mood problems, memory issues, and brain fog.

Men also go through hormonal changes as they age, but these changes are slower and less dramatic than in women. Still, some men experience mood changes as their testosterone levels decrease. Hormones can affect the production of serotonin and dopamine in the brain, which are important for mood regulation. Chronic stress can cause the body to produce too much cortisol, a stress hormone, which can damage brain regions like the hippocampus and amygdala, leading to problems with memory, concentration, and emotional control.

Oxytocin, known as the 'love hormone,' helps us bond with others and can counteract the effects of stress. It is released during moments of closeness, like childbirth and breastfeeding, and helps us feel safe and supported. Imbalances in thyroid hormones can also affect mood, causing anxiety when levels are too high and depression when they are too low. Doctors often check hormone levels when patients report mood changes, and correcting these imbalances can help improve mental health.

Scientists are using their knowledge of hormones to develop new treatments for mood disorders. For example, a drug called Brexanolone mimics the calming effects of allopregnanolone and has been effective in treating postpartum depression. Hormone replacement therapy can help some women during menopause, and testosterone supplements may help men with low levels. However, not everyone responds the same way to these treatments, and researchers are still trying to understand why some people are more sensitive to hormonal changes than others. By learning more about how hormones affect our minds, scientists hope to create better treatments for depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. '