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 & perimenopause

00:08:02 - 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 serotonin

00:19:26 - Hormone variability and gene expression

00:26:12 - Large-scale changes in the brain in response to induced hormone variability

00:29:02 - Hormonal manipulation effects on reward responses

00:33:41 - 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 years

00:44:00 - 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 women

00:56:03 - Summary

00:58:41 - What is the next question to solve regarding hormonal sensitivity across the female lifespan – and how could we do so?

01:03:50 - Closing remarks

Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804

Editing: Franziska Weinmar

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