Study, 2024
Does PMS affect how well women can think and concentrate?
Yes. Women with PMS had difficulty concentrating in the week before their period. Having a baby did not change how women think long-term.
What they did
Researchers compared women when they had PMS symptoms and when they did not. Women took tests for depression, anxiety, memory, attention, focus, spatial organization, and thinking skills. The researchers also compared women who had given birth to those who had not.
What they found
PMS clearly affected women's attention and concentration. There was no clear effect on visual memory, spatial organization, thinking skills, or word recall. Giving birth had no clear long-term effect on any of these abilities.
What it means for you
If you have PMS, you may find it harder to focus in the days before your period starts. This appears to be temporary and linked to your cycle. The study had a small sample size because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.
About the study
- Original title
- Effects of Premenstrual Syndrome and Giving Birth on Women’s Cognitive Abilities
- Authors
- Zeynep Kavaklı
- Journal
- BAU Health and Innovation
- Year
- 2024
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- No intervention - observational comparison during different phases of the menstrual cycle
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.14744/bauh.2024.09719
Topics
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