Chemicals found in birth control pills could be changing the structure of women’s brains, with some worrying results.

Neuroscientists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have found that steroid hormones in birth control pills could affect the way the brain works due a thinner structure caused by synthetic estrogen and progestogen.

A study of 90 women – 44 of which were taking birth control pills – found that the group who used oral contraceptives had “significantly lower cortical thickness measurements” in two parts of the brain.

The areas affected were the lateral orbitofrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex in the center of the brain.

These two regions are involved in emotion regulation, decision-making and reward response, and the researchers believe that their findings could help explain why some women become anxious or depressed when taking birth control pills.

“Some women experience negative emotional side effects from taking oral contraceptive pills, although the scientific findings investigating that have been mixed,” lead author of the study, Nicole Petersen, told The Huffington Post.

“So it’s possible that this change in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex may be related to the emotional changes that some women experience when using birth control pills,” Petersen explained.

Birth Control Pills Also Linked to Pseudotumor Cerebri

This recent finding is not the only negative side effect of birth control pills that affect the brain. Pseudotumor cerebri, or PTC, literally translates to “false brain tumor.”

False brain tumors result from pressure from cerebrospinal fluid in the skull that mimics symptoms of a brain tumor without a tumor being present. One of the most serious complications is extreme pressure on an optic nerve.

If the optic nerve is damaged, permanent blindness or vision loss can be a result.

Pseudtumor cerebri symptoms include:

• Headaches/migraines
• Nausea/vomiting
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision, double vision, or vision loss (blind spots) in one or both eyes
• Tinnitus (a ringing, whooshing, pulsing, or buzzing sound in one or both ears)
• Neck, shoulder, or back pain/stiffness
• Cognitive problems (forgetfulness)
• Depression
• Motor neurological problems (difficulty walking)

Pseudotumor Cerebri Lawsuits

PTC has been linked to birth control pills as far back as 1995. Pseudotumor cerebri lawsuits claim that birth control pill and IUD manufacturers did not make these risks known to the public. Many contraceptive devices and medications have been the subject of lawsuits including Yaz, Mirena (IUD), Depo-Provera (birth control shot), ParaGard (copper IUD), and Gianvi.

If you or a loved one has developed pseudotumor cerebri or a “false brain tumor” following birth control use, you may be able to obtain compensation for your pain and suffering by filing a birth control lawsuit.