Emotional and cognitive effects of estrogen

[Deleted]

I've been feeling oddly affectionate, if that's the right word.. like I want to be all close and emo, and consciously that's the last thing on my mind. It just creeps in on me and I'm like, "Woah, okay.. hello.. interesting.. um... Yeah, that's not going to happen. Great, now I'm depressed." Ahh, estrogen. So many new feelers. So, I've felt the blues, the general floating-on-a-cloud feeling, a reduction of emotional inhibition, and now the feeling of needing affection. I'm pretty sure my ADD symptoms have reduced a bit, as well, although not enough that I don't need meds. Oh, and check this out:

"Estrogen, specifically estradiol, the predominant estrogen for women during childbearing years,
has come under scrutiny as a potent influence on cognition, memory and plasticity of the brain.
Research released from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and UCLA shows that estradiol
can act like a neurotransmitter as well as a hormone in the bloodstream. The UMass/UCLA study
revealed that estradiol is actually created within the neurons of the pre-frontal cortex and facilitates
the speedy transmission of neurologic impulses. Estradiol also increases the concentration of neuro-
transmitters such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. In other words, estradiol helps
the brain work better and faster."  — bit.ly/1GP5d1s

Science pretty much said it: women are smarter than men!

[Deleted]

Mar 24, 2015 19:51:25 GMT 8 @illuminess said:

Science pretty much said it: women are smarter than men!

A generalization, but I do think it has a lot of bearing on how women can multi-task as I've seen women who can have two conversations going on, be on the phone while typing up an order for a client. Most male born people are only able to focus on one thing at a time, I admire intelligent women over the types who prefer to project the air brained self image. Having been on female HRT for a number of years I have learned to think in both male and female terms simultaneously, my wife says I can now think with both sides of my brain which is useful and makes me more readily received when in a group of several women. Probably that aspect and the fact that I no longer project the typical underlying male sexuality which is offsetting to some women who can become more relaxed when that is not evident.

[Deleted]

I've always been rather whole-brained. I think logically and abstractly without a problem. I've always been very emotional, but also unaffected by emotional manipulation. I love my brain.

[Ayla]

I had learned to shut down emotion. My survival strategy was complete phlegmatism. As emotional as a stone. It didn't draw attention and others mistook this for strength.

Reinventing or rediscovering myself would not have been possible without low dose hrt. It felt like a progressive uncovering of emotion, a baring of feelings. A little overwhelming at times but so much more connection, more texture, depth and richness of experience

My brain does feel like it is working faster and I feel more human, authentic and present. All these benefits as well as minimising dysphoria ...

[Deleted]

Estrogen turns some MtF people into fearful, tearful and sometimes pathetic overly emotional creatures. The cognitive effects come from what I call brain swing where the the thought process goes from an inherently basic masculine mentality to one that is more female-centric which is not always in one's best interests initially as it takes some length of time before the thought processes become more equally centered like the bubble in a level. I think that's how we get all the gushy, "I wanna kiss you" types and crybabies in the MtF ranks that we don't see in the FtM side, as those folks on testosterone experience the flip side of the coin.

[Deleted]

Mar 26, 2015 2:48:58 GMT 8 Shan said:

Estrogen turns some MtF people into fearful, tearful and sometimes pathetic overly emotional creatures. The cognitive effects come from what I call brain swing where the the thought process goes from an inherently basic masculine mentality to one that is more female-centric which is not always in one's best interests initially as it takes some length of time before the thought processes become more equally centered like the bubble in a level. I think that's how we get all the gushy, "I wanna kiss you" types and crybabies in the MtF ranks that we don't see in the FtM side, as those folks on testosterone experience the flip side of the coin.

Yeah, that never happened with me. I just felt mentally and emotionally balanced for the first time in 33 years. Darn testosterone poisoning!

[Deleted]

Mar 25, 2015 4:19:21 GMT 8 Ayla said:

My brain does feel like it is working faster and I feel more human, authentic and present. All these benefits as well as minimising dysphoria ...

YES.