Estrogen protected rats against heart attack-related depression by preventing the production of inflammation-causing chemicals in the brain. (2018)
From the article:
Adult female rats without ovaries – mimicking menopause – were compared to adult males and adult females with ovaries. Half of the “menopausal” rats received estrogen supplements while the other half did not. Sex-matched rats without heart failure served as controls. The animals were given several standardized tests to assess depression-like behavior, learning, memory and the ability to experience pleasure. The researchers also took blood samples to measure inflammation levels in the brain (neuroinflammation).
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The male rats, but not the female rats, with heart failure showed signs of depression and brain inflammation compared to their controls. In contrast, the menopausal females displayed higher rates of depression-like behavior than all of the males studied. However, the group receiving estrogen showed no depression – their levels were on par with the control females with ovaries – and no increase in inflammation in brain areas involved in mood and pleasure.