Birth control pills may subtly change what a woman remembers
Women who have a prescription for birth control pills may save a significant amount of money when they purchase these and other drugs from a Canadian internet pharmacy.
Women who have a prescription for birth control pills may save a significant amount of money when they purchase these and other drugs from a Canadian internet pharmacy. Oral contraceptives are very popular among women in the U.S. Although these medications are both safe and effective for many people, some may experience memory changes, according to new research from UC Irvine.
Shawn Nielsen and colleagues revealed that the hormonal fluctuations that occur as a result of taking birth control pills may have some cognitive effects. They emphasized that the drugs do not damage memory, and that they change the type of information some women remember, not the quantity.
The researchers showed groups of women photographs of a mother, a son and a car accident. One group was told that the car had hit a curb, while the other group was informed that the car had hit and critically injured the boy.
One week later, the participants were given a surprise test to see how much they remembered. Those who were on the birth control pill better remembered the details of the accident, while those who were not using contraceptives recalled imagery such as a fire hydrant being next to the car.
The findings appear in the journal Neurobiology of Learning and Memory.
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