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 …