Infertility
Acceptance and commitment therapy adapted for women with infertility: a pilot study of the Infertility ACTion program (2024) Lay summary…
The effect of physical activity on fertility: a mini review (2023) Lay summary…
Efficacy of psychological interventions for mental health and pregnancy rates among individuals with infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2023) Lay summary…
Fertility knowledge among women struggling to conceive without medical intervention (2022) Lay summary
Infertility-related distress and clinical targets for psychotherapy: a qualitative study (2021) Lay summary
Sexual function among distressed women struggling to conceive without medical intervention (2021) Lay summary
The relationship between psychological coping and mood across the menstrual cycle among distressed women struggling to conceive (2021) Lay summary
Psychological coping strategies associated with improved mental health in the context of infertility (2021) Lay summary
The psychological impact of fertility treatment suspensions during the COVID-19 pandemic (2021) Lay summary
The Effectiveness of Psychological Interventions on Mental Health, Quality of Life, and Relationship Satisfaction for Individuals and/or Couples Undergoing Fertility Treatment (2020) Lay summary
Perimenopause
Menopause and mental health (2023) Lay summary
Within-person changes in reproductive hormones and cognition in the menopause transition (2023) Lay summary
Premenstrual mood symptoms in the perimenopause (2021) Lay summary
The role of estradiol fluctuation in the pathophysiology of perimenopausal depression: a hypothesis paper (2021) Lay summary
Endocrine and psychosocial moderators of mindfulness-based stress reduction for the prevention of perimenopausal depressive symptoms: a randomized controlled trial (2021) Lay summary
Testosterone and depressive symptoms during the menopause transition (2021) Lay summary
Perimenopausal vasomotor symptoms and the cortisol awakening response: A brief report (2021) Lay summary
Sensitivity to estradiol fluctuation predicts clinically significant depressive symptoms in the menopause transition (2020) Lay summary
The effect of perimenopausal transdermal estradiol and micronized progesterone on markers of risk for arterial disease in peri- and early postmenopausal women (2020) summary
Estradiol fluctuation, sensitivity to stress, and depressive symptoms in the menopause transition: a pilot study (2019) summary
Safety of estradiol treatment in perimenopausal asymptomatic women – Reply (2018) summary
Efficacy of transdermal estradiol and micronized progesterone in the prevention of depressive symptoms in the menopause transition: a randomized clinical trial (2018) summary
Naturally occurring changes in estradiol concentrations in the menopause transition predict morning cortisol and negative mood in perimenopausal depression (2016) summary
Cardiovascular, hemodynamic, neuroendocrine, and inflammatory markers in women with and without vasomotor symptoms (2016) summary
Estradiol variability, stressful life events and the emergence of depressive symptomatology during the menopause transition (2016) summary
Depression and insulin resistance: additional support for the novel heuristic model in perimenopausal depression – Reply (2015) summary
Ovarian hormone fluctuation, neurosteroids and HPA axis dysregulation in perimenopausal depression: a novel heuristic model (2015) summary
Sleep quality, depressive symptoms and altered stress reactivity in perimenopausal women (2015) summary
Hormone replacement therapy in the treatment of perimenopausal depression (2014) summary
Menstrual Cycle
Menstrual Cycle
Menstrual cycle influences on cue-induced smoking cravings and heart rate variability (2023) summary
Menstrual cycle changes in estradiol, stress reactivity, and emotion recognition (2023) summary
The effect of reproductive hormones on women’s daily smoking across the menstrual cycle (2021) summary
Miscellaneous
Effects of parenthood and gender on well-being and work productivity among Canadian academic research faculty amidst the COVID-19 pandemic (2022) summary
The role of chronic psychosocial stress in explaining racial differences in stress reactivity and pain sensitivity (2017) summary
Mood disorders and cardiovascular disease (2012) summary
Infertility
Sander B, Gordon JL. (2023). Menstrual cycle changes in estradiol, stress reactivity, and emotion recognition. Psychoneuroendocrinology 153, 106179 Lay summary…
The FEMM Study
Fluctuating Estrogen and Menopausal Mood
To examine the role that sensitivity to estrogen fluctuations may play in the development of perimenopausal depression, our lab completed the year-long FEMM study in February 2019. We recruited 101 women aged 45-55 years to participate in two phases of research.
​
For the first 3 months, we assessed their mood and menopause symptoms (i.e., hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems) while measuring stress hormones in their saliva and reproductive hormones in their urine every week for 3 months. Then we measured the participants' moods monthly for 9 months and analyzed the data.
​
We found that there were differences in how women's moods responded to changes in estrogen levels: 39% experienced negative changes in mood when their estrogen levels changed—about 20 were sensitive to both increases and withdrawals, 12 per cent were sensitive to increases, and 7 per cent were sensitive to withdrawals. The majority of women in the study, 61 per cent, were insensitive to estrogen changes.
​
These results show that there is variability in estrogen sensitivity, predicting whether someone will experience depressive mood during perimenopause.
Thanks to the women who participated in our study and the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) for funding it.
Why might certain women be more likely to experience depressive mood during perimenopause? Our research suggests that the hormonal environment of the menopause transition may contribute to this increased risk by making women more sensitive to stress, and more vulnerable to depressed mood when they encounter stressful life events.
​
Psychological interventions aimed at reducing stress sensitivity may therefore benefit this population. Funded by the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, the Mindful Menopause Project aimed to test the efficacy of an intervention called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), an 8-week group program which combines yoga and meditation techniques, in reducing the risk of depression in the menopause transition. MBSR focuses on awareness of the present moment, non-judgmental acceptance, and being non-reactive in the face of stress.
​
We recruited 104 women to participate in the MBSR program, assessed their mood, stressful life events, and estrogen sensitivity. We found that mindfulness can prevent the development of depressive mood in the menopause transition. Women who had more stressful life events and higher sensitivity to estrogen fluctuation saw the greatest benefit.
​
The results of this study are promising, by showing that a hormonal mood disorder does not require a hormonal intervention!
Perimenopausal Depression
Collapsible text is great for longer section titles and descriptions. It gives people access to all the info they need, while keeping your layout clean. Link your text to anything, or set your text box to expand on click. Write your text here...
This leads us to our current project...
The AIMS Study
Is estrogen sensitivity really ALLO sensitivity?
Allopregnanalone (ALLO) is the main metabolite made in the body from the hormone progesterone. ALLO influences receptors in the brain that affect a person's stress response and has been implicated in premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).​
​
The AIMS study will examine the role ALLO may play in perimenopausal depression. We are currently recruiting women age 42-55 in Regina and Saskatoon who report an increase in depressive mood since the onset of perimenopause.
​
Thanks to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for funding this project.
​