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.
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
Topics
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