Neuroscientist Carina Heller has joined a cadre of investigators who are filling in gaps in women’s health research by hopping into brain-imaging machines themselves. Credit: Ann-Christine Buck
Neuroscientist Carina Heller took matters into her own hands to investigate how the birth control pill affects the brain. In a groundbreaking study, she scanned her own brain daily for 75 days over the course of a year. This study sheds light on the brain changes women experience while on the pill, aiming to fill gaps in women’s health research.
Each morning, Heller underwent an hour and a half brain scan at the University of Minnesota, observing rhythmic changes in brain volume and connectivity throughout her natural cycle. Her work, along with other researchers like Laura Pritschet, is contributing to a broader understanding of women’s health.
Her findings suggest that brain morphology and connectivity fluctuate daily during the natural cycle and are impacted by birth control pills. This research may help women make more informed decisions about taking the pill and its effects on hormone cycles.
Could a male birth control pill be the solution in the future? The research is ongoing, with preliminary results presented at the annual Society for Neuroscience conference.
