Hundreds of millions of people worldwide use hormonal contraceptives (HCs), which have been an essential part of reproductive health care for decades. Throughout that time, however, research on the neural and behavioral consequences of HCs was minimal and plagued by poor methodology. HC effects – and users – were assumed to be homogenous. Fortunately, research has surged in the last 10 years, affording tentative conclusions and opening new research directions about the roles of HCs in neurocognition and mental health. Thus, the goal of this talk is to synthesize the extant literature, drawing particular attention to heterogeneous aspects of use that seem to matter for behavior, ranging from variation in HC formulations to individual differences among users. Special consideration will be given to the specificity of HC effects, potential organizational influences, and brain and behavioral research methods that might ultimately inform personalized HC approaches.

Dr. Adriene Beltz is an associate professor of psychology and leads the Methods, Sex Differences, and Development Lab at the University of Michigan. She received her Ph.D. in psychology, specializing in social, cognitive, and affective neuroscience, from the Pennsylvania State University, where she also completed a postdoctoral position in human development and family studies. Dr. Beltz's research is funded by the James S. McDonnell Foundation, the National Institute of Mental Health, and the National Institute on Aging. She has received numerous honors and awards, including the Anne Anastasi Distinguished Early Career Contributions Award from American Psychological Association Division 5 and an Association for Psychological Science Rising Star Award.

Sponsored by the David A. Edwards Psychology Fund. Free and open to the public.