---
title: Do changing hormone levels across the menstrual cycle and into menopause affect mental health?
description: Yes, this review says that shifts in estrogen and progesterone across the reproductive lifespan are linked to mood conditions like PMS, PMDD, and mood problem
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-influence-of-ovarian-activity-and-menopause-on-mental-health-evidence-from-2025/
---

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- Do changing hormone levels across the menstrual cycle and into menopause affect mental health?

Review, 2025

# Do changing hormone levels across the menstrual cycle and into menopause affect mental health?

Yes, this review says that shifts in estrogen and progesterone across the reproductive lifespan are linked to mood conditions like PMS, PMDD, and mood problems during perimenopause and menopause, but it does not test this directly, it summarises other research.

 Early or limited evidence

No single group studied directly; reviews existing human and animal studies on hormones and mental health.

## What they did

This is a review article, not a new study. The authors compared findings from past research in both animal models and women to look at how hormone changes across the reproductive lifespan affect brain function and mental health.

## What they found

The review reports that changes in estradiol and progesterone are linked to effects on neurotransmitters, brain plasticity, and brain activity patterns, and that these changes are associated with PMS, PMDD, and mood disorders during perimenopause and menopause. No specific statistics, percentages, or sample sizes are given in the abstract.

## What it means for you

This supports the idea that PMS and PMDD have a real biological basis in hormone-driven brain changes, not just 'in your head'. The main limit is that this is a summary of other people's research, not a new experiment, so it cannot give exact numbers or prove cause and effect, and it mixes animal and human data.

## About the study

Original title The influence of ovarian activity and menopause on mental health: Evidence from animal models and women Authors Neitzke EV, Dos Santos FG, Zanini BM et al. Journal Physiology & behavior Year 2025 Study design Review What was tested None tested, this is a literature review comparing findings from animal and human studies. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114886](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114886)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Perimenopause and menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-perimenopause/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)

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

Systematic review, 2026

Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 2026

Does a history of mood problems with your period predict depression during menopause?

Systematic review, 2025

Do drugs that stop ovulation help women with PMS?

Review, 2016

How do reproductive hormones affect mood and behavior in women?

Review, 2012

Is depression linked to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause?

Review, 2002

What are the reproductive-related mood disorders and how are they connected?

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