--- title: Does stress before learning affect memory differently based on sex and menstrual cycle phase? description: Yes. Without stress, women remembered more words than men, but when exposed to stress, men's performance improved to match women's. In the luteal phase, highe url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/acute-pre-learning-stress-and-declarative-memory-impact-of-sex-cortisol-response-2013/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does stress before learning affect memory differently based on sex and menstrual cycle phase? Survey study, 2013 # Does stress before learning affect memory differently based on sex and menstrual cycle phase? Yes. Without stress, women remembered more words than men, but when exposed to stress, men's performance improved to match women's. In the luteal phase, higher stress hormones were linked to worse memory. Moderate study design 119 university students (32 men, 87 women aged 18-25) ## What they did 119 young adults (32 men and 87 women) aged 18-25 were tested at different points in the menstrual cycle. Half took a stress test before a memory task, half didn't. Researchers measured stress hormone levels. ## What they found Without stress, all groups of women recalled more words than men. With stress, men's performance improved to match women's level. In women in the luteal phase, higher stress hormone levels were linked to worse memory performance. ## What it means for you Women's memory under stress depends on where they are in their cycle. This shows cycle phase affects how stress impacts thinking. Limitation: college students only, tested in a lab, some groups had small numbers. 119 Total participants tested 87 Women 32 Men ## About the study Original title Acute pre-learning stress and declarative memory: impact of sex, cortisol response and menstrual cycle phase Authors Espin L, Almela M, Hidalgo V et al. Journal Hormones and behavior Year 2013 Study design Survey study Participants 119 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.03.013](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.03.013) ## Topics [Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Survey study, 2010 Does sexual interest change across the cycle and what role do pain, sleep and hormones play? Cohort study, 2021 Are low antioxidant vitamins or high oxidative stress linked to premenstrual syndrome? Survey study, 2025 Do menstrual problems and poor sleep affect mood and thinking in teenage girls? Cohort study, 2025 Do pain sensitivity and negative thinking explain how trauma and stress cause PMS or PMDD? Review, 2025 How does progesterone affect mood and brain function? Case-control study, 2014 Does past abuse affect pain sensitivity differently in women with menstrual mood disorders? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗