--- title: Does the menstrual cycle affect how women's brains process emotions? description: Women's brain activity during emotion processing changes with menstrual cycle phase. In the late-luteal phase, women showed reduced reward processing, less en url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/sex-differences-during-emotion-processing-are-dependent-on-the-menstrual-cycle-2019/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does the menstrual cycle affect how women's brains process emotions? Case-control study, 2019 # Does the menstrual cycle affect how women's brains process emotions? Women's brain activity during emotion processing changes with menstrual cycle phase. In the late-luteal phase, women showed reduced reward processing, less enjoyment, and more sadness compared to the mid-follicular phase and compared to men. Moderate study design 20 healthy women without PMS and 20 healthy men, naturally cycling women ## What they did Researchers performed brain imaging (fMRI) on 20 healthy women without PMS and 20 healthy men. Women were scanned during mid-follicular and late-luteal phases. During scans, participants viewed emotional images and watched funny videos while researchers measured brain activity. ## What they found During negative emotion viewing, men showed increased activity in the right hippocampus compared to women in the mid-follicular phase, and increased activity in the right cerebellum compared to women in the late-luteal phase. During amusement, women in the late-luteal phase showed reduced connections between reward and decision-making brain areas and reported less amusement and more sadness compared to men. ## What it means for you The brain's emotion centers change activity across the menstrual cycle in women. The late-luteal phase (when PMS occurs) shows a biological pattern toward experiencing less pleasure and more sadness. This may explain mood symptoms of PMS and PMDD. This study only included women without PMS, so it shows normal variation rather than what happens in PMS or PMDD itself. 20 women without PMS 20 healthy men Luteal phase reduced pleasure and increased sadness ## About the study Original title Sex differences during emotion processing are dependent on the menstrual cycle phase Authors Dan R, Canetti L, Keadan T et al. Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology Year 2019 Study design Case-control study What was tested None; brain imaging study Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.09.032](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.09.032) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety disorders and OCD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-anxiety-disorders/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/) 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 Survey study, 2001 How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how is it related to other psychiatric conditions? Case-control study, 1997 Are PMDD and eating disorders related? Systematic review, 2026 Can digital tools help diagnose PMDD? Case-control study, 2026 Do women with PMS handle emotions differently at different times of the cycle? 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? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗