1
|
Maslahati T, Schultebraucks K, Galve Gómez M, Hellmann-Regen J, Otte C, Wingenfeld K, Roepke S. Effects of oral contraceptives on intrusive memories: a secondary analysis of two studies using the trauma film paradigm in healthy women. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2023; 14:2282003. [PMID: 38039055 PMCID: PMC10990444 DOI: 10.1080/20008066.2023.2282003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Women are more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than men. Recent research suggests an impact of oral contraceptive (OC) intake on PTSD and intrusive memories, a hallmark symptom of PTSD. Although a majority of women use OCs at some point in their lives, the effects on PTSD pathogenesis are only poorly understood.Objective: In the current paper, we aimed to investigate the impact of OC intake on the acquisition and consolidation of intrusive memories in healthy women after watching a trauma film paradigm.Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of a pooled dataset (N = 437) of two previously conducted and published studies investigating the effect of oxytocin on the development of intrusive memories.Results: Women taking OCs showed an attenuated decline of intrusive memories over time after having watched the trauma film compared to naturally cycling women (F(2.75, 1167) = 3.79, p = .03, η p 2 = .01).Conclusion: These findings indicate that the intake of OCs is associated with the development of intrusive memories after a trauma film paradigm. This indication emphasizes the need to further investigate the complex impact of OCs and gonadal hormones on fear learning processes and PTSD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tolou Maslahati
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Schultebraucks
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
- Division of Healthcare Delivery Science, Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Milagros Galve Gómez
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julian Hellmann-Regen
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Otte
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- DZPG (German Center for Mental Health), partner site Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Wingenfeld
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- DZPG (German Center for Mental Health), partner site Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Roepke
- Clinic for Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|