Psychopharmacology
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Little is known about the interactions between ovarian hormones across the menstrual cycle and responses to psychoactive drugs in humans. Preclinical studies suggest that ovarian hormones such as estrogen and progesterone have direct and indirect central nervous system actions, and that these hormones can influence behavioral responses to psychoactive drugs. ⋯ These findings suggest that estrogen may enhance the subjective responses to a stimulant drug in women, but that this effect may be masked in the presence of progesterone.