PROGESTERONE AS A WAY TO PREVENT ANXIETY

 

PROGESTERONE AS A WAY TO PREVENT ANXIETY 

Progesterone has always been hormone-related, mostly in reproduction. However, it plays a big role in the regulation of mood, cognition, and neuroprotection. It can do this due to their interactions with neurotrophic factors like brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The effect of progesterone over BDNF and how it can reduce anxiety symptoms and potentially prevent neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s are discussed in studies like “Progesterone Promotes Anti-Anxiety/Depressant-like Behavior and Trophic Actions of BDNF in the Hippocampus of Female Nuclear Progesterone Receptor, but Not 5α-Reductase, Knockout Mice” By. Cheryl A. Frye and “Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and related mechanisms that mediate and influence progesterone-induced neuroprotection” By. Singh Meharvan. 

Dr. Frye talks about progesterone and how it plays an important role in controlling mood and behavior, most specifically how it plays a role in anxiety disorders. BDNF plays a role in anti-anxiety and antidepressant-like effects due to the metabolic allopregnanolone characteristics.  Therefore, an increase in BDNF production and function would decrease the risk of anxiety and depressive disorders. This is where progesterone comes in, as it has been seen that progesterone improves BDNF and makes it work better therefore making neuronal building and overall function work better. On a similar note, Dr. Meharvan talks also mention the importance of progesterone and how it can decrease the risk factor of developing a neurodegenerative disease. As mentioned earlier, BDNF Is improved with the increase of progesterone. An improved version of his BDNF protein will decrease the chances of the creation of protein aggregates which are the main cause of Alzheimer’s. 

Both sources highlight the use of BDNF and how it is enhanced by progesterone in different regions of the brain. The first study notes that progesterone primes the hippocampus via BDNF by suggesting that GABA-A receptors are regulated by allopregnanolone and, therefore, BDNF function affects mood regulation. The second study talks about how progesterone makes BDNF function and expression stronger in synaptic plasticity helps the brain recover when damage is present and even prevents neurons from damaging as easily, therefore, protecting it from neurodegenerative disease. 

Both researchers talk about how progestin and its therapeutic effect on neurodegenerative disorders and neuropsychiatric illness. Based on the results in mice prototypes, progesterone has a positive effect on BDNF.  However, different types of progesterone target different areas of the brain and some have been shown to not affect the improvement of BDNF. Progestin (synthetic progesterone) has a different effect on the brain in contrast to natural progesterone, which could be a potential difficulty when developing pharmaceutical treatments.  Nonetheless, other studies have shown that natural progesterone has a low effect on and, in some cases, is unable to increase BDNF. This is why there should be further research on this specific area to determine which type of progesterone contributes better to the improvement of BDNF. 

WORK CITED: 

Singh, Meharvan, et al. “Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and related mechanisms that mediate and influence progesterone-induced neuroprotection.” Frontiers in endocrinology vol. 15 1286066. 26 Feb. 2024, doi:10.3389/fendo.2024.1286066

Frye, Cheryl A et al. “Progesterone Promotes Anti-Anxiety/Depressant-like Behavior and Trophic Actions of BDNF in the Hippocampus of Female Nuclear Progesterone Receptor, but Not 5α-Reductase, Knockout Mice.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 26,3 1173. 29 Jan. 2025, doi:10.3390/ijms26031173