Depression in women: windows of vulnerability and new insights into the link between estrogen and serotonin.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this commentary is to provide an update on the research in both preclinical and clinical models regarding the cross-talk between estrogen and various serotonin molecular markers and the possible implications this may have on female-related mood disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Animal and human studies provide strong and consistent evidence suggesting that estrogen is able to regulate the serotonin pathway at various levels. The general trend that emerges is that estrogen administration increases serotonin availability by altering mRNA and protein levels of various serotonin markers and by decreasing serotonin breakdown. These effects may have direct implications on female mood disorders such as premenstrual disorders and depression during pregnancy, postpartum, and during the menopausal transition.