Study, 2017
Does the premenstrual phase affect how fast women react?
Yes. Reaction time increased significantly during the premenstrual phase. Both visual and auditory reaction times became longer compared to after the period.
What they did
100 healthy women aged 18 to 20 were tested during the premenstrual phase and again during the postmenstrual phase. They were shown visual and auditory signals and researchers measured how quickly they responded to each type of stimulus.
What they found
Weight increased during the premenstrual phase. Both auditory reaction time and visual reaction time were prolonged during the premenstrual phase compared to the postmenstrual phase.
What it means for you
Women's brains may process information more slowly before their period. This could be because of fluid and salt retention during the premenstrual phase that affects the brain. The study only looked at women aged 18 to 20, so results may not apply to other ages.
100
women aged 18 to 20
18 to 20
age range in years
About the study
- Original title
- Effect of premenstrual stress on reaction time of 18-20 years age group
- Authors
- Shrikrishna Nagorao Bamne, Avantika S. Bamne
- Journal
- National Journal of Physiology Pharmacy and Pharmacology
- Year
- 2017
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 100
- What was tested
- Observation of reaction time during premenstrual vs. postmenstrual phases
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.5455/njppp.2017.7.0307618032017
Topics
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