Association between a history of depression and anti-m\xfcllerian hormone among late-reproductive aged women: the Harvard study of moods and cycles

Samuel W Golenbock,Geralyn M Lambert-Messerlian,Elizabeth E Eklund,Lauren A Wise,Bernard L Harlow

doi:10.1186/s40695-020-00056-x

Samuel W Golenbock, Geralyn M Lambert-Messerlian + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s40695-020-00056-x

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Abstract

BackgroundThere is conflicting evidence regarding the association between a history of depression and risk of early menopause. In a cohort of premenopausal women, we investigated the association between depression history and ovarian reserve, as measured by anti-müllerian hormone (AMH).MethodsThe Harvard Study of Moods and Cycles (HSMC) was a prospective cohort study of women living in the Boston, MA metropolitan-area (1995–1999). Women aged 36–45 years at cohort entry (1995) were sampled from seven Boston metropolitan-area communities using census directories. We measured serum AMH in early-follicular phase venous blood specimens from 141 women with a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID)-confirmed history of depression and 228 without such a history. We calculated prevalence ratios (PR) for the association between characteristics of depression history and low AMH (≤1.4 ng/mL), adjusting for several potential confounders.ResultsThe prevalence of low AMH was similar among depressed (57.5%) and non-depressed (57.9%) women (Adjusted [Adj] PR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.75, 1.08). Among depressed women, results were not appreciably different among those who had ever used antidepressants and those with comorbid anxiety. Modest inverse associations between depression and low AMH were seen among women aged 36–40 years (Adj PR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.52, 1.09) and nulliparous women (Adj PR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.59, 1.00). No dose-response association with greater duration or length of depressive symptoms was observed.ConclusionsOverall, the prevalence of low AMH was similar for depressed and non-depressed women 36–45 years of age. Surprisingly, among younger and nulliparous women, those with a history of depression had a slightly reduced prevalence of low AMH relative to those without such a history. These results do not indicate reduced ovarian reserve among women with a history of depression.

Highlights

As women age, they encounter profound changes in reproductive function and associated health
Did not adjust for oral contraceptive use Discussion We hypothesized that women with a history of depression would show an earlier decrease in serum anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, after controlling for age, based on prior studies suggesting that early perimenopause occurs to a greater extent among depressed women
Prior studies consistently describe an age-related decline in serum AMH concentrations [34,35,36,37], as well as modest reductions in serum AMH concentrations related to cigarette smoking [6, 38]

Summary

Introduction

They encounter profound changes in reproductive function and associated health. The transition to menopause is a complex process involving multiple stages characterized by endocrine changes, dysregulated folliculogenesis, and physiologic and psycho-social symptoms. The menopausal transition has been studied in detail and characterized according to stages in a prospective, longitudinal, multicenter Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation [1]. There is evidence that symptoms of depression increase over the course of the menopausal transition [3]. The biological basis for increased risk of depression with aging among women has not been determined with certainty. There is conflicting evidence regarding the association between a history of depression and risk of early menopause. In a cohort of premenopausal women, we investigated the association between depression history and ovarian reserve, as measured by anti-müllerian hormone (AMH)

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