Case-control study, 2022
Does the menstrual cycle affect how women without PMS pay attention to emotional faces?
No, women without PMS show the same level of attention to emotional faces throughout their menstrual cycle. This suggests emotional changes during the cycle may be specific to people who have PMS.
What they did
55 women without PMS (selected from 790 volunteers using strict screening criteria) were shown happy, angry, and neutral faces while doing a visual task. Their reaction times, errors, and brain electrical activity were recorded during both the luteal phase and the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle. Daily premenstrual symptoms were also monitored.
What they found
Statistical analysis found no significant difference in how women without PMS paid attention to emotional faces between the luteal and follicular phases. Their reaction times, errors, and brain activity patterns remained the same regardless of menstrual phase.
What it means for you
In women without PMS, the menstrual cycle does not affect emotional processing or attention to emotions. This supports the idea that emotional changes during the cycle may be specific to PMS and not a normal part of menstruation. The study used careful methodology but the final sample was small and heavily filtered from a larger group.
55
Women without PMS who participated
790
Women originally screened
2
Menstrual phases tested
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual cycle and exogenous attention toward emotional expressions
- Authors
- Álvarez F, Fernández-Folgueiras U, Méndez-Bértolo C et al.
- Journal
- Hormones and behavior
- Year
- 2022
- Study design
- Case-control study
- Participants
- 55
- What was tested
- Visual task with emotional faces while brain activity was recorded
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105259
Topics
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