Publications by authors named "Melanie Maron"
Background: The female sex hormones estradiol (E) and progesterone (P) galvanize the ventral striatal reward pathway. E elevates ventral striatal dopamine and accelerates drug-cued reinstatement, while P has opposing 'protective' effects on drug-related behavior. We hypothesize that women may exhibit greater ventral striatal responses to smoking cues (SCs) during the late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (MC) when E is high and unimpeded by P, and reduced responses during the late luteal phase when P is high.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- * Research shows that women in the late follicular phase of their menstrual cycle may be more vulnerable to smoking cues and have reduced brain function related to self-control, increasing their risk of relapse.
- * This study aims to link hormonal status with brain and behavioral responses to smoking cues over three menstrual cycles, using neuroimaging and psychological assessments to better understand how hormonal changes affect smoking behavior in women.
Article Synopsis
- * The study examined resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in naturally cycling, cigarette-dependent women in the follicular phase versus the luteal phase, revealing significant differences in brain connectivity.
- * Findings suggest that decreased rsFC in specific brain regions during the follicular phase correlates with lower attentional bias toward smoking cues, contributing to a better understanding of how menstrual cycles impact smoking behavior and treatment strategies.