Let's Talk About Hormonal Sensitivity

Welcome to this episode with Vibe Froekjaer, Professor in Neuropsychiatry at the Department of Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen University, Denmark. Join us as Vibe and Franziska delve into the question of why some women are more vulnerable to mental health problems during hormonal transitions, unraveling state of the art research on the hypothesis of “hormonal sensitivity”. From discussing the latest findings on genetic and neural mechanisms to the potential of psychoeducation, this episode promises an insightful conversation and valuable takeaways. Discover how understanding hormonal sensitivity can empower women to navigate their mental health journeys more effectively and hear Vibe sharing her vision on the final question: “What is the next question to solve regarding hormonal sensitivity across the female lifespan – and how could we do so?”Timestamps:00:02:10 - The "3 P's" across the female lifespan: puberty, pregnancy & perimenopause00:08:02 - Incidence of mental health problems across the female lifespan: windows of vulnerability?00:09:14 - Why are some women more prone to suffer from hormone-related mental health problems?00:16:57 - Hormonal-related depressive symptoms and the role of serotonin00:19:26 - Hormone variability and gene expression00:26:12 - Large-scale changes in the brain in response to induced hormone variability00:29:02 - Hormonal manipulation effects on reward responses00:33:41 - Is hormonal sensitivity a phenomenon that translates across the lifespan?00:42:03 - What epidemiological data from Denmark tell us about risks for depressive symptoms across transition years00:44:00 - Can we identify women who are hormone sensitive?00:47:41 - What could be preventive and treatment approaches for women identified as hormone-sensitive before hormonal transition phases?00:52:56 - How the concept of hormonal sensitivity can reduce stigma involved in depressive symptoms and empower women00:56:03 - Summary00:58:41 - What is the next question to solve regarding hormonal sensitivity across the female lifespan – and how could we do so?01:03:50 - Closing remarksSound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804Editing: Franziska WeinmarDo you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: [email protected] you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.