Mineralocorticoid receptor haplotype, oral contraceptives and emotional information processing.

ABSTRACT

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.