--- title: Does stress hormone affect women's memory differently depending on menstrual cycle or birth control use? description: Cortisol impaired memory in naturally cycling women but not in women on oral contraceptives, suggesting birth control pills may protect the brain from stress url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/cortisol-and-memory-retrieval-in-women-influence-of-menstrual-cycle-and-oral-2005/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does stress hormone affect women's memory differently depending on menstrual cycle or birth control use? Randomised trial, 2005 # Does stress hormone affect women's memory differently depending on menstrual cycle or birth control use? Cortisol impaired memory in naturally cycling women but not in women on oral contraceptives, suggesting birth control pills may protect the brain from stress hormone effects on memory. Moderate study design Three groups of women: 13 during menstrual phase, 14 in luteal phase, 20 on oral contraceptives ## What they did Three groups of women took either cortisol or placebo in a double-blind crossover study (each woman tried both). The groups were: women during menstrual phase, women in luteal phase, and women on oral contraceptives. One hour after taking cortisol or placebo, they completed a memory test. ## What they found Overall, cortisol significantly impaired memory retrieval. Both naturally cycling groups (menstrual and luteal phase) showed significant memory impairment after cortisol. However, women on oral contraceptives showed no significant effect of cortisol on their memory. ## What it means for you Oral contraceptives may reduce how sensitive the brain is to stress hormones. Natural hormone fluctuations across the menstrual cycle don't seem to protect memory from cortisol effects the way birth control hormones do. The main limits are the small sample size and unknown long-term effects. 13 Women tested during menstrual phase 14 Women tested during luteal phase 30 mg Cortisol dose used ## About the study Original title Cortisol and memory retrieval in women: influence of menstrual cycle and oral contraceptives Authors Kuhlmann S, Wolf OT Journal Psychopharmacology Year 2005 Study design Randomised trial Participants 20 What was tested Single dose of cortisol (30 mg) or placebo, given 1 hour before memory testing Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s00213-005-0143-z](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-005-0143-z) ## Topics [Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/) 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, 2025 Do menstrual problems and poor sleep affect mood and thinking in teenage girls? Review, 2025 How does progesterone affect mood and brain function? Survey study, 2013 Does stress before learning affect memory differently based on sex and menstrual cycle phase? Study, 1976 Do mood and body changes happen at the same time in the menstrual cycle? Cohort study, 2016 Does genetic variation affect how women process emotions at different cycle phases? Randomised trial, 2013 Does the menstrual cycle affect cortisol (stress hormone) levels? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗