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.
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/
Topics
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