---
title: Does the menstrual cycle change how the brain processes sound?
description: No. The brain's processing of sound did not change between the day before menstruation and 9 days after cycle start, despite significant mood changes.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-mood-changes-and-gating-of-the-auditory-evoked-potential-1987/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Does the menstrual cycle change how the brain processes sound?

Study, 1987

# Does the menstrual cycle change how the brain processes sound?

No. The brain's processing of sound did not change between the day before menstruation and 9 days after cycle start, despite significant mood changes.

 Early or limited evidence

12 women (8 college students, 4 from a PMS clinic)

## What they did

Researchers measured how 12 women's brains processed sound at two times in their cycle: the day before their period and 9 days after it started. The group included 8 college students and 4 women from a PMS clinic. They used a test that plays pairs of sounds and measures brain responses, and compared results to men.

## What they found

Women showed significant changes in self-ratings of mood between the two recording periods. However, the brain's sound-processing wave was unchanged between the two recordings. The brain responses also did not differ from age-matched male controls.

## What it means for you

The menstrual cycle does not appear to change how the brain processes sound, even though mood clearly changes. Premenstrual mood changes do not have the same brain activity pattern seen in mania. The main limits are this is a very small study with a mixed group from different sources.

12

women in study

8

college students

9

days after cycle start for second recording

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual mood changes and gating of the auditory evoked potential Authors Waldo MC, Graze K, de Graff Bender S et al. Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology Year 1987 Study design Study Participants 12 Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/0306-4530(87)90020-5](https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4530(87)90020-5)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Bipolar disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bipolar/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)

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

Randomised trial, 2026

Does aerobic or resistance exercise reduce anxiety in women with PMS?

Systematic review, 2022

Do mental health disorders get worse during the menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 2026

How does PMS affect test anxiety in nursing students?

Study, 2026

Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition?

Study, 2026

What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

Survey study, 2023

How common are PMS, PMDD, anxiety, and depression in rural adolescent girls?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗