Estradiol and Stress Reactivity in Women

Stress reactivity and prevalence of stress related diseases differ between pre- and postmenopausal women. Thus, hormonal fluctuations may present a general vulnerability factor for stress-related diseases. Especially, the gonadal hormone estradiol (E2) seems to modulate the activity of stress related brain areas. The hippocampus and prefrontal areas control the amygdala's response to stress, and E2 may directly modulate the activity, connectivity and structure of these areas. In premenopausal women E2 seems to reduce stress reactivity. However, in postmenopausal women, who no longer produce E2 from the ovaries, E2 seem to increase stress reactivity. With the proposed study the investigators want to directly test E2's modulating effects (disentangled from other gonadal hormones) on stress reactivity of premenopausal women during their early follicular phase, and postmenopausal women by subjecting both groups of women to a psychosocial stress task in a neuroimaging environment.