No Differences in Value-Based Decision-Making Due to Use of Oral Contraceptives

• Published in: Frontiers in endocrinology (Lausanne) Vol. 13; p. 817825
• Main Authors: Lewis, Carolin A, Kimmig, Ann-Christin S, Kroemer, Nils B, Pooseh, Shakoor, Smolka, Michael N, Sacher, Julia, Derntl, Birgit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 22.04.2022
• Subjects: Bayes Theorem; Contraceptives, Oral - pharmacology; delay discounting; Endocrinology; Estradiol; Female; Humans; impulsive choice; Menstrual Cycle; oral contraceptives; ovarian hormones; probability discounting; Progesterone; value-based decision-making; loss; oral contraceptives; ovarian hormones; impulsive choice; risk; value-based decision-making; probability discounting; delay discounting
• ISSN: 1664-2392; 1664-2392
• DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.817825

Fluctuating ovarian hormones have been shown to affect decision-making processes in women. While emerging evidence suggests effects of endogenous ovarian hormones such as estradiol and progesterone on value-based decision-making in women, the impact of exogenous synthetic hormones, as in most oral contraceptives, is not clear. In a between-subjects design, we assessed measures of value-based decision-making in three groups of women aged 18 to 29 years, during (1) active oral contraceptive intake (N = 22), (2) the early follicular phase of the natural menstrual cycle (N = 20), and (3) the periovulatory phase of the natural menstrual cycle (N = 20). Estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and sex-hormone binding globulin levels were assessed in all groups blood samples. We used a test battery which measured different facets of value-based decision-making: delay discounting, risk-aversion, risk-seeking, and loss aversion. While hormonal levels did show the expected patterns for the three groups, there were no differences in value-based decision-making parameters. Consequently, Bayes factors showed conclusive evidence in support of the null hypothesis. We conclude that women on oral contraceptives show no differences in value-based decision-making compared to the early follicular and periovulatory natural menstrual cycle phases.