Randomised trial, 2015
Does menstrual cycle change stress effects on cortisol and memory?
Yes. When hormones are low (follicular), stress triggers strong cortisol responses that impair emotional memory, but when hormones are high (luteal), stress does not produce this cortisol response.
What they did
40 women (20 follicular, 20 luteal phase) learned word pairs to perfection. Next day: either control or Trier Social Stress Test (TSST: public speaking plus math). Then they recalled the words. Researchers measured cortisol and memory.
What they found
Women in the follicular phase showed a significant cortisol rise to the stress test, while women in the luteal phase did not. Stress reduced emotional word retrieval accuracy in both phases. However, individual differences in cortisol rise predicted memory impairment only in the follicular phase.
What it means for you
When hormones are low, stress produces stronger cortisol responses that harm emotional memory. When hormones are high, the body has more protection from this stress response. However, stress still impairs memory through other mechanisms in both phases.
40
Total number of women
18-40
Age range (years)
50% White
Racial or ethnic composition
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual cycle effects on cortisol responsivity and emotional retrieval following a psychosocial stressor
- Authors
- Maki PM, Mordecai KL, Rubin LH et al.
- Journal
- Hormones and behavior
- Year
- 2015
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- What was tested
- Trier Social Stress Test
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.06.023
Topics
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