Non-randomised trial, 2018
Does estradiol hormone level affect how the brain responds to sexual content?
Higher estradiol during fertile phases may make the brain more responsive to erotic words, but this very small study cannot confirm this effect.
What they did
Brain imaging study of 19 young women with regular cycles. Each woman tested three times: during follicular phase, around ovulation, and during luteal phase. During each test, they saw erotic and neutral words while brain activity was recorded using EEG. Hormone levels were also measured.
What they found
Brain response (late positive potential) to erotic words was stronger than to neutral words in all three phases. During follicular phase and ovulation, higher estradiol was linked to stronger brain response to erotic words. Progesterone levels had no clear effect. Cycle phase itself did not significantly change brain response.
What it means for you
Estradiol may increase how much attention the brain pays to sexual stimuli during fertile times. This is a very small study with indirect brain measures, so results need confirmation in larger groups.
19
Number of women
3
Cycle phases tested
Estradiol only
Hormone linked to brain response
About the study
- Original title
- Fluctuations of estradiol during women's menstrual cycle: Influences on reactivity towards erotic stimuli in the late positive potential
- Authors
- Munk AJL, Zoeller AC, Hennig J
- Journal
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Year
- 2018
- Study design
- Non-randomised trial
- What was tested
- Exposure to erotic and neutral words during different cycle phases; hormone measurement
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.02.028
Topics
Related studies
Systematic review, 2026
Do brain wave patterns change across the menstrual cycle?
Systematic review, 2026
Can digital tools help diagnose PMDD?
Systematic review, 2025
How do cognition and behavior change across the menstrual cycle in people with PMDD?
Systematic review, 2025
Does how well women think change throughout their menstrual cycle?
Randomised trial, 2025
Does the menstrual cycle phase affect how much alcohol impairs women's memory?
Randomised trial, 2024
Does estradiol prevent thinking problems before the period in women with suicidal thoughts?