Mineralocorticoid receptor haplotype, oral contraceptives and emotional information processing

•Oral contraceptives (OCs) affect emotional information processing.•MR haplotype moderates the effects of OCs on emotion recognition and recall characteristics.•Carriers of MR haplotype 2 may be less sensitive to depressogenic side-effects of OCs.

BackgroundOral contraceptives (OCs) affect mood in some women and may have more subtle effects on emotional information processing in many more users. Female carriers of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) haplotype 2 have been shown to be more optimistic and less vulnerable to depression.AimTo investigate the effects of oral contraceptives on emotional information processing and a possible moderating effect of MR haplotype.MethodsCross-sectional study in 85 healthy premenopausal women of West-European descent.ResultsWe found significant main effects of oral contraceptives on facial expression recognition, emotional memory and decision-making. Furthermore, carriers of MR haplotype 1 or 3 were sensitive to the impact of OCs on the recognition of sad and fearful faces and on emotional memory, whereas MR haplotype 2 carriers were not.LimitationsDifferent compounds of OCs were included. No hormonal measures were taken. Most naturally cycling participants were assessed in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle.ConclusionsCarriers of MR haplotype 2 may be less sensitive to depressogenic side-effects of OCs.