ABSTRACT
In the more than quarter of a century since the introduction of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques to the armamentarium of the scientist exploring the inner workings of the human brain, relatively few neuroimaging studies have focused on the interplay between gonadal steroids, neurochemistry, and brain function. Nowhere is this void more obvious than when it comes to examining the role of hormonal fluctuations in disorders associated with reproductive function such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS)/premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), postpartum depression, or mood changes occurring during the menopause or with the use of steroid contraceptives. Indeed, the vast majority of studies utilizing NMR and other imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to study women under various hormonal conditions, focus, not on the brain, but on the breast, uterus, and ovaries.
