“Let’s Talk About Women” is a podcast initiative of the International Research Training Group (IRTG) 2804 (Tübingen x Uppsala), which investigates women's mental health across the reproductive lifespan.
Here we share insights from interdisciplinary research on women's mental health by talking to experts in fields of neuroscience, psychology, biology, and medicine. Beyond that, we will shed light on ongoing doctoral projects among our PhD candidates to get a glimpse into state-of-the-art and hot-topic research.
This podcast is not only for fellow researchers inside and outside the area of women's mental health, but also for people interested in science and curious about this topic!
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
“Let’s Talk About Women” is a podcast initiative of the International Research Training Group (IRTG) 2804 (Tübingen x Uppsala), which investigates women's mental health across the reproductive lifespan.
Here we share insights from interdisciplinary research on women's mental health by talking to experts in fields of neuroscience, psychology, biology, and medicine. Beyond that, we will shed light on ongoing doctoral projects among our PhD candidates to get a glimpse into state-of-the-art and hot-topic research.
This podcast is not only for fellow researchers inside and outside the area of women's mental health, but also for people interested in science and curious about this topic!
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Let's Talk WITH Young Researchers: our podcast sideline in which we give the word to young researchers in the field of women's mental health!
In this episode, meet Romina Garcia de leon, PhD researcher at the Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto and part of the Laboratory of Behavioural Neuroendocrinology at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, where she works under the supervision of the one-and-only Dr. Liisa Galea.
We discuss Romina's preclinical research on the heterogeneity of peripartum depression and the role hormones and immune signaling play - including in treatment. Romina also speaks openly about the challenges of pursuing a PhD, but also about what she loves about it. At the end of the podcast, Romina answers our renowned "3 burning questions":
Do you want to get in touch with Romina? Reach out to: Romina.Garcia@camh.ca
... or find her here:
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
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How are metabolism, cognition, mood, and overall health connected - and do these interactions differ between women and men across the lifespan?
In this episode, Franziska talks to Prof. Manfred Hallschmid from the University of Tübingen, where he researches the links between brain function, metabolic processes, and sleep.
Manfred explains how our brain and body communicate when it comes to food intake and mental well-being - and how these processes shift during major hormonal transition phases such as puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. What role do sex hormones play in these changes?
In the outlook, Manfred shares the key questions he believes the field needs to tackle next and what’s the one thing he wishes more people understood about metabolism and well-being.
The topic of metabolism has never been this fascinating - join us as Manfred connects the dots of food intake, hormones, and mental health across the lifespan.
If you would like to get in touch with Manfred, you can find him here: https://www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/de/das-klinikum/mitarbeiter/profil/1965
... or reach him at: manfred.hallschmid@uni-tuebingen.de
Timestamps:
00:25: Introduction of our guest Manfred Hallschmid and his field of research
01:17: What is metabolism?
02:25: Which systems in the body and the brain are involved in food intake?
06:25: Top-down and bottom-up pathways linking metabolism with cognitive function, mental health, and mood
14:44: Key sex differences in metabolism and their onset
21:03: Influence of sex hormones on metabolism
27:10: How do the hormonal fluctuations across the female life span impact metabolism?
42:42: Summary
45:00: Future directions in research
48:05: Take home message
49:55: Closing remarks
Outline & questions: Nina Goll & Franziska Weinmar
Sound recording: Nina Goll with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
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Welcome Prof. Dr. Pia Schober, who brings us a sociological perspective on our field of research!
Pia is a professor at the University of Tübingen, where she leads the Chair of Microsociology in the Department of Sociology and is also part of our IRTG 2804. As an expert on gender-specific and social inequalities focusing on the impact of childcare and education policies, Pia talks about historic and current trends of the gender revolution in this podcast. Why does the gender revolution seem to be stalling? Is there a "paradox in women's well-being" - and how could we explain it?
Listen to explore a different perspective and gather food for thought to start a discussion in your circles too!
If you would like to get in touch with Pia, you can find her here: https://uni-tuebingen.de/fakultaeten/wirtschafts-und-sozialwissenschaftliche-fakultaet/faecher/fachbereich-sozialwissenschaften/soziologie/institut/personen/prof-pia-s-schober/
... or reach her at: pia.schober@uni-tuebingen.de
Timestamps:
00:25: Introduction of our Guest Pia Schober and her field of research
01:47: How is gender defined in sociology?
02:50: What kind of social inequalities are related to gender and how has this changed over time?
08:14: Factors, phases and current trends of the gender revolution
17:00: Benefits of the gender revolution
23:44: The longitudinal female well-being paradox
36:33: Summary
39:00: How can we move towards a less polarized discussion around gender, while acknowledging the effect that gender has on mental health & well-being?
47:01: What methods does Pia Schober use in her research?
49:21: Closing remarks
Outline & questions: Hanna Wierenga & Franziska Weinmar
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Let's Talk WITH Young Researchers: our podcast sideline in which we give the word to young researchers in the field of women's mental health!
In this episode, meet Zoé Bürger, PhD researcher in the Women's Mental Health and Brain Function lab in Tübingen, where she has been working with Prof. Birgit Derntl.
We talk about Zoé's research on hormonal contraception, specifically the hormonal IUD, and stress. Besides, Zoé shares her PhD journey over the past years, how she faced challenges, and found her "village". In the end of the podcast, Zoé answers our famous quick "3 Burning Questions":
Do you want to get in touch with Zoé? Reach out to: Zoe.Buerger@med.uni-tuebingen.de
... or find her on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoebuerger/
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
March is Endometriosis Awareness Month - so Let's Talk About Endometriosis!
In this conversation, Elle Murata, PhD researcher in the Cognitive Neuroendocrinology Lab at the University of California, is sharing insights into neuroscience research on endometriosis.
What is endometriosis? Why is it important to consider endometriosis in neuroscience research? How are Elle and her research group exploring the topic? Elle is here to answer all these questions!
In addition, she talks about the challenges of this research, her experiences as a young researcher and what she envisions for the future field.
Visit the Cognitive Neuroendocrinology Jacob's Lab website here: https://jacobs.psych.ucsb.edu/
If you would like to get in touch with Elle, you can find her here: https://jacobs.psych.ucsb.edu/people/elle-murata
... or reach her at: elle.murata@psych.ucsb.edu
Timestamps:
00:26 Introduction of our guest Elle Murata and her field of research
01:48 What is endometriosis?
08:17 Why is it important to investigate endometriosis from a neuroscientific point of view?
14:15 Elle's neuroscience research project on endometriosis
24:39 Aims & hypotheses of the project
26:29 Possible implications
32:35 Challenges of this research topic
35:58 Summary
38:55 Closing remarks & future directions in research
39:50 Elle's experience as a young researcher
Outline & questions: Franziska Weinmar
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How do hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle or when using oral contraceptives ("the pill") affect cognitive functions?
In this episode, Franziska speaks with Prof. DDr. MMMag. Belinda Pletzer (Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg), a leading expert in cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology, especially when it comes to hormone-brain interactions. With a diverse background spanning biology, psychology, philosophy, and mathematics, Belinda's research focuses particularly on the effects of sex hormones and gender-related aspects of neuroscience, such as the effects of hormonal contraceptives on the female brain.
Together we explore if and how cognitive performance and brain activity are affected by the menstrual cycle, premenstural syndrome (PMS), and oral contraceptives. Belinda also shares her hypothesis on hormonal sensitivity across the female lifespan and whether more or actually less sensitivity could be a risk factor for mental health. As always, we conclude with an outlook on how our guest envisions the future development of the research field.
Join us for a deep dive into this enlightening conversation - and find out if the myth that all women are affected by the menstrual cycle holds true...
Visit the website of Belinda's research group: https://ccns.plus.ac.at/labs/sexandgender/
... and Belinda's profile: https://ccns.plus.ac.at/labs/sexandgender/members/belinda_pletzer/
If you would like to get in touch with Belinda, you can reach her at: Belinda.Pletzer@plus.ac.at
Timestamps:
00:27 Introduction of Belinda Pletzer and her field of research
02:20 The menstrual cycle and its phases
05:18 Oral contraceptives and their influence on the menstrual cycle
08:20 How do we define cognitive functions?
10:24 Investigating cognitive functions - Belinda's research
12:58 Does the menstrual cycle affect cognitive performance?
22:28 Belinda's research on PMS, mood and cognitive performance
33:08 Do oral contraceptives affect cognitive performance?
41:11 Hot Topic: Hormonal sensitivity - Belinda's hypothesis
46:30 Summary
49:54 Closing remarks and future directions in research
Outline & questions: Franziska Weinmar
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) approximately affects 2-5% of women around the world. In this episode we have Dr. Liza Kaltsouni, postdoc at Uppsala University, Department of Women's and Children's Health, as an expert in our podcast. During her PhD, Liza Kaltsouni conducted research on PMDD and collected various data, including brain data in the MRI scanner. This has influenced her holistic perspective on PMDD and the multimodal network approach needed to understand this multimodal disorder. In addition to pursuing such a multimodal approach for future research on PMDD, Liza emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary work and the inclusion of the people for whom the research is intended. Following the motto “nothing good is easy”, Liza calls on us to listen more. And you can start today - by listening to this enlightening conversation!
Timestamps:
00:27 Introduction of our guest Dr. Liza Kaltsouni & her field of research
01:46 What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and how is it differed to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) ?
05:57 What do we know about underlying causes of PMDD?
12:13 Hormonal sensitivity hypothesis
18:22 What do we know about PMDD & brain structure + function?
27:57 Multimodal study project & findings of Liza Kaltsouni
37:55 Implications of Liza's research
41:10 Current available treatment for PMDD
44:59 Outlook: Upcoming treatment possibilities for PMDD?
48:50 Summary
52:27 Closing remarks & future directions in research
Want to get in touch with Liza?
elisavet.kaltsouni@uu.se
https://www.uu.se/en/contact-and-organisation/staff?query=N19-2428
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar at Recording Studio Blasenhus, Uppsala University
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Let's Talk WITH Young Researchers: our podcast sideline in which we give the word to young researchers in the field of women's mental health!
In this episode, meet Hanna Wierenga, PhD Candidate in the IRTG2804, who is working with Prof. Pia Schober (Tübingen) and Prof. Alkistis Skalkidou (Uppsala) on gender identity and ideologies and mental health, specifically during and after pregnancy.
We talk about Hanna's PhD projects and journey so far, how she deals with setbacks and that a PhD is like detective work. In the end of the podcast, Hanna answers our quick "3 Burning Questions":
Do you want to get in touch with Hanna Wierenga? Reach out to: hanna.wierenga@uu.se
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar at Recording Studio Blasenhus, Uppsala University
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Despite being one of the major hormonal transition phases in the female lifespan, menopause is still underrepresented in medicine and research. Fortunately, this is changing - among others due to our guest, Dr. Claudia Barth, senior researcher at Diakonhjemmet Hospital and the Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research in Oslo, who is an expert on female hormonal transitions and their effect on the brain and mental illness. In this episode Franziska sits down with Claudia to demystify menopause, asking about symptoms, mental health, and what we know about changes in the brain during the menopause transition. Also, they dive into why menopause has remained a blind spot in neuroscience so far and why this matters. With a glimpse into Claudia’s ERC grant on “Mapping Perimenopause", this episode offers a hopeful vision for future research on women’s health, where menopause is finally getting the attention it deserves.
Website to the ENIGMA consortium: https://enigma.ini.usc.edu/
Website to the ENIGMA Neuroendocrinology workgroup: https://enigma.ini.usc.edu/ongoing/enigma-neuroendocrinology/
Website to the ENIGMA Early Onset Psychosis workgroup: https://enigma.ini.usc.edu/ongoing/enigma-eop-working-group/
If you would like to get in touch with Claudia, you can reach her at: claudia.barth@medisin.uio.no
... or find her work at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Claudia-Barth
Timestamps:
00:27: Introducing Dr. Claudia Barth and her field of research
02:17: How do we define menopause?
05:38: What happens during menopause?
11:40: Menopause and the brain
17:35: Vulnerabilities and associated diseases
21:32: Why do we know so little? Menopause and research
31:55: Menopause and mental health
43:22: Outlook: Claudia's ERC Project on "Mapping Perimenopause"
50:56: Summary
54:06: Closing remarks and future directions in research
Outline & questions: Franziska Weinmar
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After our summer break we're back to talk about women! In this episode we dive into the period of adolescence with Dr. Jolien Trekels, who is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina. Jolien unpacks how the adolescent brain and body develop during this critical period and explains the complex effects of social media on well-being, from the negative to the positive. Through a bio-psycho-social lens, Jolien and Franziska discuss state-of-the-art insights into mental health and gender differences on how today’s youths interact with social media. We end this episode as always with a look ahead and Jolien's thoughts on the future directions in this research field.
Timestamps:
00:27 Introduction of Dr. Jolien Trekels
02:12 About adolescence: How is this period characterized?
03:32 Changes in the brain and the body
08:50 What is (social) media?
11:09 Negative effects of social media on well-being
15:09 The "Swiss cheese model"
17:09 Positive effects and negative effects of social media in adolescence
29:07 Sex/gender differences in social media use patterns and mental health
37:38 Influence of hormones on adolescent girls regarding their social media use
39:45 Summary
42:30 Closing remarks & future directions in research
Outline & questions: Edita Karavidaj & Franziska Weinmar
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
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Let's Talk WITH Young Researchers: our new podcast sideline in which we give the word to young researchers in the field of women's mental health!
We kick-off with our very own Gloria Matte Bon, PhD Candidate in the IRTG2804, who is working with Prof. Tobias Kaufmann, applying computational models to investigate sex differences in brain structure, with particular focus on hormonal transition periods and women’s mental health.
We end this podcast by introducing a new closing category and Gloria is the first one to answer our "3 Burning Questions":
Gloria's hot-off-the-press-paper: Modeling brain sex in the limbic system as phenotype for female-prevalent mental disorders (Matte Bon, Kraft, Comasco, Derntl, & Kaufmann, 2024). https://bsd.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13293-024-00615-1
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
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Computational methods and machine learning are currently THE hot-topics and they are also applied in neuroscience research, showing us where the field is heading in the future. If you have ever wondered how these methods work, what their advantages - but also limitations - are and how they are implemented in research on women's mental health: We got you!
In this episode Franziska is hosting Tobias Kaufmann, professor of neurotechnology and computational psychiatry at the University of Tübingen, who is also part of the IRTG2804. Tobias explains the basics of computational methods and gives us concrete examples of his own work, providing a first glimpse into the computational world. Also, we hear about his new ERC project: "HealthyMom: Modeling and maintaining maternal mental health".
Timestamps:
00:25 Introduction
01:18 Computational psychiatry: Advantages & limitations
10:15 Tobias' computational methods & examples: Prediction & classification models
21:14 Computational methods in women's (mental) health: Focus on adolescence
30:11 HealthyMom Project: Brain plasticity during pregnancy loss
40:26 Recruitment information for Healthy Mom Study
41:30 Summary
43:40 Next steps in computational psychiatry and women's mental health
Website to Kaufmann Lab: https://www.kaufmannlab.org/
About the HealthyMom Project: https://www.kaufmannlab.org/post/20230202-erc-consolidator-grant/
References:
Outline & questions: Franziska Weinmar & Gloria Matte Bon
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Celebrate with us the first anniversary episode of Let's Talk About Women!! - This time as PhD Candidate Franziska is hosting Dr. Nicole Petersen, Assistant Professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, California. Directing the Translational Neuroimaging Lab, Nicole's research focuses on neuromodulation and neuroendocrinology. Amongst others, she has investigated the effects of the menstrual cycle and oral contraceptives on brain and behavior.
In this episode, Nicole explains what "SHAPERs" are and what we know about their effects on the brain - but also what gaps there are still today. As one of the founding chairs of the ENIGMA Consortium for Neuroendocrinology, Nicole introduces the idea of ENIGMA and the working group and explains how this can contribute to rigorous studies, which will allow us to address exactly these knowledge gaps.
Timestamps:
02:00 - Introduction of our guest Dr. Nicole Petersen and her field of research
02:30 - Explaining underlying concepts: What are hormones?
04:22 - Do sex hormones have functions beyond reproduction?
05:44 - The acronym SHAPERs & how it emphasizes on the dual role of sex hormones
08:38 - How are sex hormones associated with specific psychological aspects?
10:29 - Example: The influence of sensitivity to sex hormones on emotions
12:26 - Mysteries in neuroscience: How exactly are psychological conditions related to sex hormones?
14:18 - Why are some women more sensitive to hormones & mental health disorders?
17:20 - What does research say about the effects of SHAPERs on the brain?
23:20 - Is it especially important to investigate SHAPERs in women?
26:44 - The ENIGMA Neuroendocrinology consortium: aims & how to join!
34:26 - Summary
36:20 – Future directions in research & next steps for investigating women’s mental health
41:09 – Closing remarks
Website to the ENIGMA consortium: https://enigma.ini.usc.edu/
Website to the ENIGMA Neuroendocrinology workgroup: https://enigma.ini.usc.edu/ongoing/enigma-neuroendocrinology/
If you would like to get in touch with Nicole, you can reach her at: npetersen@ucla.edu
... or find her research group here: https://www.translational-neuroimaging.com/home
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to this episode with Vibe Froekjaer, Professor in Neuropsychiatry at the Department of Clinical Medicine, Copenhagen University, Denmark.
Join us as Vibe and Franziska delve into the question of why some women are more vulnerable to mental health problems during hormonal transitions, unraveling state of the art research on the hypothesis of “hormonal sensitivity”. From discussing the latest findings on genetic and neural mechanisms to the potential of psychoeducation, this episode promises an insightful conversation and valuable takeaways. Discover how understanding hormonal sensitivity can empower women to navigate their mental health journeys more effectively and hear Vibe sharing her vision on the final question: “What is the next question to solve regarding hormonal sensitivity across the female lifespan – and how could we do so?”
Timestamps:
00:02:10 - The "3 P's" across the female lifespan: puberty, pregnancy & perimenopause
00:08:02 - Incidence of mental health problems across the female lifespan: windows of vulnerability?
00:09:14 - Why are some women more prone to suffer from hormone-related mental health problems?
00:16:57 - Hormonal-related depressive symptoms and the role of serotonin
00:19:26 - Hormone variability and gene expression
00:26:12 - Large-scale changes in the brain in response to induced hormone variability
00:29:02 - Hormonal manipulation effects on reward responses
00:33:41 - Is hormonal sensitivity a phenomenon that translates across the lifespan?
00:42:03 - What epidemiological data from Denmark tell us about risks for depressive symptoms across transition years
00:44:00 - Can we identify women who are hormone sensitive?
00:47:41 - What could be preventive and treatment approaches for women identified as hormone-sensitive before hormonal transition phases?
00:52:56 - How the concept of hormonal sensitivity can reduce stigma involved in depressive symptoms and empower women
00:56:03 - Summary
00:58:41 - What is the next question to solve regarding hormonal sensitivity across the female lifespan – and how could we do so?
01:03:50 - Closing remarks
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, PhD candidate Franziska Weinmar interviews Dr. Adriene Beltz, visiting Tübingen from the University of Michigan. The topic of today’s episode are hormonal intrauterine devices, short IUD. From contraceptives beyond the “pill” and hormonal contraceptive trends worldwide, they discuss how the IUD works, why it is important to look at potential effects of IUDs separately from oral contraceptives and what research there is on the IUD and mental health as well as the brain. Further, they discuss how a specific method of research, “intense longitudinal data”, can help understand individual variability within people to do better science and go towards individualized medicine.
Timestamps:
01:30 Hormonal contraceptives beyond the “pill”
05:00 Trends in contraception worldwide / by age
06:45: How does the hormonal IUD work?
08:15: Hormonal levels in IUDs
10:30 Systemic IUD effects?
12:30 Combining OC and IUD in research?
15:00 IUDs in neuroscience research and types of progestins
23:10 IUD & the brain
25:50 Why is it so important to investigate hormonal contraceptives and IUDs specifically?
29:30: Summary
34:00 Outlook with focus on methods
37:30 Intense longitudinal data – what is it and why is it important
40:00 Paths to individualized medicine?
42:00 Diversity in research via intensive longitiudinal data
45:00 Summary and teaser for future episodes on stress & the IUD
Many thanks to Zoé Bürger for contributing to this episode!
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to a special episode, coming to you live and on-site from the Lorentz Center in Leiden, the Netherlands!
The Lorentz Center serves as a dynamic workshop hub, hosting international scientific meetings which bring together brilliant minds and foster an open and interactive atmosphere.
In this episode, PhD Candidate Franziska Weinmar is taking you directly to the Lorentz workshop on "Hormonal fluctuations across the female lifespan". With 40 participants including researchers and clinicians from approximately 6 countries, this five-day intensive gathering in February 2024 promises lively exchanges, discussions, and reflections.
Join Franziska as she takes you through a series of 9 conversations, capturing the very fresh impressions and thoughts from different participants. Get ready to hear the pulse of the workshop, where ideas converge and minds collide – all in pursuit to move the field of research and clinical practice forward. And stay tuned for the announced outcomes!
Speakers, in order of appearance:
00:01:38: Ellen de Bruijn, Professor, Leiden University
00:10:19: Birit Broekman, Medical Specialist, Amsterdam UMC
00:15:33: Anne Marieke Doornweerd, PhD Candidate, Utrecht University
00:27:25: Klara Sifalakis-Spalek, Postdoctoral Researcher, Amsterdam UMC
00:34:36: Alkistis Skalkidou, Professor, Uppsala University
00:40:12: Lotte Gerritsen, Associate Professor, Utrecht University
00:46:4: Hanna Wierenga, PhD Candidate, IRTG 2804, University of Tübingen
00:52:50: Claudia Barth, PhD, Diakonhjemmet Hospital Oslo
01:03:09: Birgit Derntl, Professor, IRTG 2804, University of Tübingen
01:12:10 Closing Remarks
Many thanks to the Lorentz Center for providing the space and opportunity for this workshop!
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Follow the FLAME (Female Lifespan Association for Mental Health and Neuroendocrinology) for future updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/female-lifespan-research-initiative?trk=public_post-text
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Tune in to this episode for an enlightening conversation on the profound transformations of the brain in transition to mother- and parenthood: PhD candidate Franziska is interviewing Dr. Magdalena Martínez-García, researcher in the “Neuromaternal” group in Madrid. Using longitudinal neuroimaging studies, she and her team investigate structural and functional neuroplasticity across different stages of pregnancy and beyond. Don't miss out and join us when we dive into how (and why) both the maternal and paternal/parental brains are shaped by pregnancy, experience as well as time shared with the offspring.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:44 What happens during pregnancy within the mother's body?
04:00 What is neuroplasticity?
06:05 Neuroplasticity during pregnancy
18:18 Do pregnancy-related changes in the brain reverse?
23:35 Why does the brain of mothers-to-be change?
27:20 Why we should NOT be scared of pregnancy-related neuroplasticity and brain volume shrinkage!
32:02 What are neural plasticity mechanisms during pregnancy in human mothers?
37:01 Research on brains of fathers and parents
42:03 Time spent with the child matters: experience-induced plasticity
43:46 What is the importance of research on the parental brain?
47:20 Summary
50:25 The next step in research on neuroplasticity of peripartum and parenthood
Many thanks to Julia Siódmiak for contributing to this episode!
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
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With our first episode in 2024, we are back and ready to talk about stress and stress regulation! In this episode PhD candidate Franziska Weinmar hosts Dr. Lydia Kogler, a clinical psychologist by training, expert on the neuroscience of stress and associate of the IRTG2804. Together they dive into the complex world of stress and stress regulation - especially if and how women and men differ in this regard. To this end, this episode leaves us with more insights, a suggestion on how to improve our resilience to stress, and curiosity for future talks on this topic!
Stress is part of our everyday life. But what does stress mean and how does the body react to stress? In this episode Lydia explains:
01:21: What is stress? (01:21)
05:30: How does the stress response leads to behavioural and endocrine adaptations?
08:28: The role of cortisol
11:49: How do we induce stress in the lab?
14:22: What neurological changes come with stress?
15:34: How chronic stress affects the body...
18:58: ... and mental health
Next, Lydia talks about sex/gender differences:
22:58: Sex differences in the stress response...
26:25: ... its neural basis....
27:17: ... and psychological effects
28:00 Sex differences in stress related disorders
30:18: Reasons behind sex differences
33:50: Consequences of sex differences in stress response
35:15: Why is it important to look into sex differences?
39:24: Mechanisms of stress regulation
44:49: How self-esteem influences the stress response
49:00: Sex differences on a neuronal level...
50:03: ... and a hormonal level
50:18: Implications of coping mechanisms
52:00: Summary
54:57: What is the next question to ask about sex/gender differences in stress response or regulation, especially considering female-specific processes?
Many thanks to Anna Denninger for contributing to this episode!
Sound recording: Franziska Weinmar with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
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In this episode, we're hosting cognitive neuroscientist Prof. Sara Mednick who is visiting Tübingen all the way from the University of California, Irvine. Being an expert in biorhythms, she explains the importance of natural up- and downstates such as related to sleep, the menstrual cycle and the transition to menopause. What are biorythms and how can we use especially downstates to improve our wellbeing? How can we use the knowledge on hormonal changes to balance our mood and cognition? Sara is here to give us a new perspective on our natural rhythms!
Timestamps:
01:30 What are biorythms?
03:31: What is the power of downstates?
06:42: How can we use biorythms & downstates for our wellbeing & cognition?
08:00: Sleep as restorative downstate
12:40: What is the menstrual cycle?
14:32: How does the menstrual cycle affect other biorythms?
15:50: Sleep as mood buffer during the menstural cylce
21:40: A change in prespective on the menstrual cylce
30:40: Changes in sleep in the transition to menopause
34:22: Subjective vs. objective measures of sleep & cognition
39:45: Wellbeing during (the transition) to menopause
42:53: Summary
44:40: A future vision for women's mental health: awareness, reseach & empowerement.
Sara's popular-scientific books: https://www.saramednick.com/books
Thanks to Nina Röhm for supporting & exchanging ideas in preparation of this episode!
Sound recording: Nina Röhm with the equipment of the IRTG2804
Editing: Franziska Weinmar
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
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In this episode we talk about one of the major transition periods many women will undergo throughout their life: pregnancy. How does the field of psych-neuro-immunology help us to understand pregnancy and related mental health problems?
From Uppsala in Sweden, PhD Candidate Franziska Weinmar is interviewing Dr. Emma Fransson, a child psychologist and associate professor at Uppsala University and at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
Emma’s research focuses on mental and reproductive health, specifically in identifying biomarkers for pregnancy-related complications. These include mental health problems such as postpartum depression, which is affecting up to one in five women after giving birth.
Dive with us into the interactions of the immune system, the brain, and psychological wellbeing, as we outline what is happening during pregnancy, what makes some women vulnerable for depression associated to pregnancy, and how we can use this information in the future.
Timestamps:
01:30 What happens during pregnancy?
05:10 What is “psycho-neuro-immunology”?
07:35 Pregnancy as a psycho-neuro-immunological transition phase
09:05 What factors contribute to postpartum depression?
11:55 Major depression and postpartum depression: Differences and subtypes?
14:50 Inflammatory markers during pregnancy: Risk for postpartum depression?
18:15 Predictive markers for postpartum depression?
20:40 Screening and prediction of depressive symptoms across the postpartum period
25:45 Preventive approaches of postpartum depression: Using psycho-neuro-immunology.
29:18 What do we know about the pregnant brain?
33:24 How does postpartum depression affect the child?
36:36 Summary
38:33 What is the next big step for research in psychoneuroimmunology during pregnancy, especially when considering pregnancy-related mental health?
Thanks to Hanna Wierenga for exchanging ideas in preparation of this episode!
Sound recording: Recording Studio Blasenhus, Uppsala University
Editing: Franziska Weinmar with support from Andreas Forsberg (Recording Studio Blasenhus, Uppsala University)
Do you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions? Get in touch with us: irtg2804.podcast@gmail.com
Are you intrigued by this topic and want to be kept updated? Follow us on twitter: @irtg2804 or instagram: @irtg2804
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