--- title: Do sex hormones affect women's cognitive functions across the menstrual cycle? description: No. Changes in estrogen and progesterone did not affect memory, learning, or thinking abilities. Cognitive performance remained stable across the cycle. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/basic-cognitive-functions-across-the-menstrual-cycle-in-a-controlled-female-2014/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do sex hormones affect women's cognitive functions across the menstrual cycle? Cohort study, 2014 # Do sex hormones affect women's cognitive functions across the menstrual cycle? No. Changes in estrogen and progesterone did not affect memory, learning, or thinking abilities. Cognitive performance remained stable across the cycle. Early or limited evidence 16 young healthy female medical students (average age 21.56 years) with no history of menstrual, psychiatric, or neurological disorders ## What they did 16 young healthy female medical students with an average age of 21.56 years took cognitive tests at three cycle phases: early follicular, ovulatory, and mid-luteal. Blood hormone levels were measured and timing was verified using a specific hormone peak. ## What they found Most women performed above average on cognitive tests. There were no significant changes in immediate memory, working memory, delayed recall, verbal learning, delayed verbal learning, or verbal fluency at any cycle phase. Test results did not correlate with measured hormone levels. ## What it means for you Everyday thinking and memory abilities may not change with the menstrual cycle in healthy young women. The main limitation is that this is a very small, homogeneous group of medical students with no health problems, so findings may not apply to all women. 16 women studied 21.56 average age in years 3 cycle phases tested ## About the study Original title Basic cognitive functions across the menstrual cycle in a controlled female cohort Authors Mihalj M, Drenjančević I, Včev A et al. Journal Medicinski glasnik : official publication of the Medical Association of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina Year 2014 Study design Cohort study Participants 16 What was tested None Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24496361/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24496361/) ## Topics [Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/) 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 Do brain wave patterns change across the menstrual cycle? Systematic review, 2026 Can digital tools help diagnose PMDD? Systematic review, 2025 How do cognition and behavior change across the menstrual cycle in people with PMDD? Systematic review, 2025 Does how well women think change throughout their menstrual cycle? Randomised trial, 2025 Does the menstrual cycle phase affect how much alcohol impairs women's memory? Randomised trial, 2024 Does estradiol prevent thinking problems before the period in women with suicidal thoughts? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗