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Birth Control Pills Associated With Thinning of Brain Structures
[Breitbart] A new study finds the use of birth control pills is associated with significantly lower cortical thickness in certain brain structures believed to be important in the response to emotional stimuli.The study, published by the journal Human Brain Mapping, states that oral contraceptives (OCs) "contain steroid hormones that may affect the brain's structure and function." Researchers Nicole Petersen, Alexandra Touroutoglou, Joseph Andreano, and Larry Cahill studied 90 women, 44 users of the combination form of oral contraceptives, and 46 non-users, and compared the cortical thickness and volume of various brain regions between the two groups. They found significant thinning in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex in the women on birth control pills. "These regions are believed to be important for responding to rewards and evaluating internal states/incoming stimuli, respectively," the authors write. Posted by: Besoeker 2015-05-18 |
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