Status: We are currently looking for participants (probably until the end of 2025). Approximately 20 people have already successfully participated.
- Dopamine, a key neurotransmitter in the brain’s reward system, significantly impacts our motivation, mood, and energy. It is known that dopamine levels undergo natural fluctuations during the menstrual cycle, subsequently shaping our motivation and behavior. However, the interplay between sexual hormones such as progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone with dopamine, especially regarding our mood and energy, remains a largely unexplored field. This study aims to unravel and understand the connections between neuronal, behavioral, and physical changes during the menstrual cycle.
- For this study, we are seeking healthy participants, both women and men, aged between 20 and 35 years. Participation in the study includes four sessions and will require up to 12 hours of your time in total. To investigate the effects of dopamine, we will use Levodopa, a precursor of dopamine, in tablet form. For your participation in the study, you will receive compensation of up to €120.
- If you are interested in participating, you can find all the necessary information on this page. We warmly invite you to contact us through the form provided. We cordially invite you to send us a message via the contact form. We will then get in touch with you to discuss the next steps together.
Your study team
Brief summary
Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle can increase women’s susceptibility to mental health challenges. These fluctuations lead to neuronal changes in the brain and affect energy and mood homeostasis through altered dopamine transmission. Our research goal is to explore the interaction between sexual hormones and dopamine and to understand their influence on motivation, mood, and energy control. In doing so, we will evaluate individual biomarkers, including changes in brain structure, functional brain responses, and connectivity during task-based decisions.
In this pharmaco-neuroimaging study, Levodopa will be administered to healthy participants to directly examine dopamine’s effects, while brain activity and connectivity are recorded using MRI. Additionally, the effect of Levodopa on participants’ willingness to work for rewards will be explored using a motivational task conducted during different phases of the menstrual cycle.
We aim to gain deeper insights into how hormonal fluctuations and dopamine interact and influence reward learning. Such understanding could lay the foundation for improved therapeutic approaches for motivation problems related to the menstrual cycle. By including both women and men in our studies, we also want to illuminate possible gender-specific differences in reward-based learning related to sexual hormones.