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Updated: May 20, 2026
DTI of the Visual Pathway - White Matter Tracts and Cerebral Lesions
Published on: August 26, 2014
Does the use of hormonal contraceptives cause microstructural changes in cerebral white matter? Preliminary results
Timo De Bondt1, Wim Van Hecke, Jelle Veraart
1Department of Radiology, University of Antwerp, Antwerp University Hospital, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650, Antwerp, Belgium. timo.debondt@ua.ac.be
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of monophasic combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) and menstrual cycle phase in healthy young women on white matter (WM) organization using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
Methods:
Thirty young women were included in the study; 15 women used COCP and 15 women had a natural cycle. All subjects underwent DTI magnetic resonance imaging during the follicular and luteal phase of their cycle, or in different COCP cycle phases. DTI parameters were obtained in different WM structures by performing diffusion tensor fibre tractography. Fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were calculated for different WM structures. Hormonal plasma concentrations were measured in peripheral venous blood samples and correlated with the DTI findings.
Results:
We found a significant difference in mean diffusivity in the fornix between the COCP and the natural cycle group. Mean diffusivity values in the fornix were negatively correlated with luteinizing hormone and estradiol blood concentrations.
Conclusion:
An important part in the limbic system, the fornix, regulates emotional processes. Differences in diffusion parameters in the fornix may contribute to behavioural alternations related to COCP use. This finding also suggests that the use of oral contraceptives needs to be taken into account when designing DTI group studies.
