Menopause and Mood: The Role of Estrogen in Midlife Depression and Beyond.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review/expert clinical overview without primary data or systematic review methodology.
PubMed 37500244 · doi:10.1016/j.psc.2023.04.004
What was done
This narrative review synthesizes the clinical and neurobiological relationship between the menopause transition, estrogen fluctuations, and midlife depression, and summarizes psychopharmacologic, behavioral, and hormonal management options.
What was found
No quantitative data or effect sizes are reported in the abstract. The review describes the menopause transition and early postmenopausal years as periods of heightened vulnerability to depression driven in part by neuromodulatory effects of estrogen and rapid estradiol fluctuations, often complicated by vasomotor symptoms and sleep disturbances.
Why it matters
It highlights the mechanistic link between reproductive endocrine transitions and mood disorders, reinforcing the role of multimodal interventions for midlife women.
Limits
This is a narrative review without original data, systematic search criteria, or quantitative synthesis.
Cited by
- supports Declining estrogen levels can contribute to or cause depression in women.