Estrogen therapy appears to have a beneficial influence on mood in depressed and euthymic perimenopausal women. Conversely, research on combined estrogen and progestogen therapy for depressive symptoms in menopausal women is scarce and inconclusive. Some researchers contend that progestogens have an adverse influence on mood and reduce the benefits of estrogens on mood, whereas other researchers maintain that progestogens have no adverse influence on mood. Progesterone differs from progestins in terms of effects in the brain and might have different effects on mood in comparison. The available evidence, although limited, suggests no adverse influence of progesterone on mood when used in menopausal hormone therapy.