Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42339149›Full record

ReviewBiological psychiatry global open science2026

Adolescent Hormonal Contraceptive Use in the Context of Brain Development and Depression Risk: A Review and Considerations for Future Research.

Niamh MacSweeney, Taleah Dumoulin, Eira R Aksnes, Claudia Barth, Arielle Crestol, Carina Heller, Hedvig Nordeng, Yara J Toenders, Katharina Winkler-Crepaz, Belinda Pletzer and 2 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Biological psychiatry global open science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Niamh MacSweeneyPROMENTA Research Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Taleah DumoulinPROMENTA Research Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Eira R AksnesPROMENTA Research Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Claudia BarthDivision of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Arielle CrestolDivision of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Carina HellerMasonic Institute for the Developing Brain, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Hedvig NordengPharmacoEpidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Yara J ToendersDepartment of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Katharina Winkler-CrepazDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
Belinda PletzerDepartment of Psychology and Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
Adriene M BeltzDepartment of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Christian K TamnesPROMENTA Research Centre, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) contain synthetic gonadal hormones that act on receptors widely distributed throughout the brain, thereby altering the body's endogenous hormonal milieu in ways that may influence brain and behavior. Although HCs are among the most commonly prescribed medications for female adolescents, their effects on the developing brain and mental health remain poorly understood. This gap is concerning given that adolescence is marked by substantial hormonal change, neurodevelopment, and a sharp rise in depression risk among female youth. In this review, we synthesize current evidence on associations between adolescent HC use, depression risk, and brain structure and function. Epidemiological studies have consistently reported associations between HC use during adolescence and increased depression risk, but causal interpretation is limited by residual confounding. Neuroimaging research remains scarce, particularly in adolescents, and rarely accounts for heterogeneity in HC formulations and characteristics of use or for endogenous hormonal variation related to puberty or the menstrual cycle. We outline 3 considerations to guide future research: accounting for HC heterogeneity, incorporating developmental features of adolescent menstrual cycles, and situating HC use within its broader developmental and sociocultural context. We conclude by emphasizing the need for rigorous developmentally sensitive research to counter misinformation and better support adolescents' reproductive and mental health care needs.

Indexed as

Adolescent depressionBrain developmentHormonal contraceptivesImagingWomen’s healthYouth mental health

Identifiers

PMID42339149
PMCPMC13284459

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.