--- title: Does the menstrual cycle change how the brain responds to stress? description: Yes. In the late luteal phase (before your period), stress affected brain emotion regions differently than in other cycle phases, with unexpected lower respon url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/neural-mechanisms-underlying-changes-in-stress-sensitivity-across-the-menstrual-2010/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does the menstrual cycle change how the brain responds to stress? Non-randomised trial, 2010 # Does the menstrual cycle change how the brain responds to stress? Yes. In the late luteal phase (before your period), stress affected brain emotion regions differently than in other cycle phases, with unexpected lower response in the late luteal phase. Women with higher natural hormone changes showed smaller brain responses to stress. Early or limited evidence 28 healthy women ## What they did Crossover study where 28 healthy women were tested twice: once in late luteal phase (just before period) and once in late follicular phase (after period). At each visit, they either received stress induction or control condition, then measured their brain responses to facial expressions with fMRI. ## What they found During late luteal phase, negative mood was highest and heart rate increase from stress was mildly higher. Stress had opposite effects in the two cycle phases, with surprisingly lower brain response in the late luteal phase. Women with larger increases in allopregnanolone (a hormone) across their cycle showed smaller brain responses after stress in the late luteal phase. ## What it means for you Stress may affect women's brains differently depending on where they are in their cycle, and a natural hormone called allopregnanolone may protect emotion-processing brain regions during the late luteal phase. The findings are limited because only 28 healthy women were tested. 28 healthy women tested 2 menstrual cycle phases compared ## About the study Original title Neural mechanisms underlying changes in stress-sensitivity across the menstrual cycle Authors Ossewaarde L, Hermans EJ, van Wingen GA et al. Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology Year 2010 Study design Non-randomised trial What was tested Stress induction (psychological stress task) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.08.011](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.08.011) ## Topics [Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Mood swings and emotion regulation](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-emotional-regulation/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Neurosteroids (allopregnanolone)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-neurosteroids/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Non-randomised trial, 2024 Does luteal phase sertraline treatment affect stress hormones and inflammation in PMDD? Randomised trial, 2023 Does a smartphone app for heart rate variability biofeedback reduce premenstrual and depressive symptoms? Case-control study, 2021 Do women with PMS have different cortisol levels and patterns? Survey study, 2010 Do women in different menstrual phases respond to stress differently than men? Cohort study, 2001 Do women with PMDD handle stress hormones differently than women without it? Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗