Bases neurobiológicas de vulnerabilidad psiquiátrica a lo largo de las etapas de la vida hormonal de la mujer

women are about twice more likely than men to suffer from depression, it has been hypothesized that reproductive events (i.e., premenstrual, pre and postpartum, menopausal transition) may represent vulnerability periods for depression, in part because of a heightened sensitivity to intense hormonal fluctuations. 1) most women report physical or emotional symptoms premenstrually, some being severe enough to be diagnosed as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (pmdd); some recent studies suggest that pmdd is biologically different from major depression; 2) while pregnancy does not increase the risk for depression, women with a past history of depression are at risk for recurrent episodes or relapse if antidepressant medications are discontinued; 3) hormonal changes during the postpartum period may trigger symptoms of postpartum depression; 4) almost half of perimenopausal women are clinically depressed, and over a third experience their first episode of depression in the perimenopausal period. the increase in major depressive episodes during this period has been linked to erratic gonadal hormonal changes.