Del Río, J. P., Tapia, V., Soto, H., & Vigil, P. (2024). Neuroactive hormones and personal growth: associations in Chilean adolescents (ages 12-25) with ovulatory dysfunction. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1433437. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1433437
Del Río JP, Tapia V, Soto H, Vigil P. Neuroactive hormones and personal growth: associations in Chilean adolescents (ages 12-25) with ovulatory dysfunction. Front Psychol. 2024;15:1433437. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1433437
Del Río, Juan Pablo, et al. "Neuroactive hormones and personal growth: associations in Chilean adolescents (ages 12-25) with ovulatory dysfunction." Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 15, 2024, pp. 1433437.
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Reproductive Health Research Institute, Santiago, Chile.
Linked to ROR, the Research Organization Registry
RRM Academy Synopsis
Ovulatory dysfunction in teens went with lower self-esteem scores
Teens and young women with ovulatory dysfunction had lower self-esteem and self-concept clarity than reference data. The Chilean study checked 117 females aged 12 to 25 one time. Many scored high for tension, confusion, fatigue and depression. Certain hormone levels tracked with those scores.
About 7 in 10 teens and young women with ovulatory dysfunction scored high for tension. Source: Del Río JP et al., 2024, PMID 39233885.Study at a glance, cross-sectional study of 117 females aged 12 to 25: Ovulatory dysfunction in teens went with lower self-esteem scores. Source: Del Río JP et al., 2024, PMID 39233885.
Key Findings
Compared with reference data, the 117 participants, aged 12 to 25, scored lower on self-concept clarity and self-esteem.
Tension scored high in 71.25% and confusion in 62.5%. Aggressiveness was 33.75%, depression 52.6% and fatigue 58.22%.
Higher glucose went with lower self-esteem (r = -0.249; p = 0.010), as did DHEAS (r = -0.224; p = 0.026) and insulin (r = −0.191; p = 0.049), after BMI adjustment.
Participants with higher estradiol had lower aggressiveness scores (coef = -0.0648; p = 0.001).
Those with elevated depression scores had higher TSH values (p = 0.001).
Interpretation
This cross-sectional study compared scores against published norms. Teens and young women with ovulatory dysfunction scored lower on self-esteem and self-concept clarity. They also showed more tension, confusion, fatigue and depression. The authors point to body image, early life experience, past birth control use and family history as factors that may shape these patterns. The findings support longer studies of this hormone-mood link.
RRM Context
Restorative reproductive medicine looks for the cause behind an irregular cycle. Here, insulin resistance (55.5%) and high androgens (54.8%) were the most common diagnoses. Diagnosis of ovulatory dysfunction drew on cycle length, mucus charting, blood tests and ultrasound.
Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.
Abstract
Introduction
Hormones produced by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-gonadal (HPAG) axis are crucial for modulating central nervous system (CNS) function and development throughout a person's life. Disruptions in HPAG function can impact psychological development, particularly during adolescence-a period marked by psychological growth and the maturation of the HPAG axis. An early indicator of HPAG alterations is ovulatory dysfunction (OD), a common condition among adolescents.
Methods
This study explored the associations between neuroactive hormones and personal growth in adolescents with OD. Female participants aged 12-25 years with OD were recruited, and assessments were conducted to profile their basic hormonal levels and various dimensions of individual development, including self-concept clarity, sense of coherence, self-esteem, perfectionism, self-control, and mood states.
Results
Adolescents with OD (n = 117) had lower self-concept clarity and self-esteem compared to reference data. A significant portion of the sample displayed elevated levels of tension (71.25%), confusion (62.5%), fatigue (58.22%), and depression (52.6%). Self-esteem scores were negatively correlated with DHEAS (r = -0.224; p = 0.026) and glucose (r = -0.249; p = 0.010). Higher levels of free testosterone were associated with increased depression scores (coef = 0.2398; p = 0.002), whereas higher estradiol levels were linked to lower aggressiveness scores (coef = -0.0648; p = 0.001).
Discussion
These findings indicate that hormonal imbalances in adolescents with OD could affect personal growth. Further research is needed to establish causal relationships between the variables considered.
