---
title: Does alcohol change brain activity during the menstrual cycle?
description: Yes. Alcohol changed how the brain worked during thinking tasks, with effects varying by menstrual cycle phase, though the study was small.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-alcohol-on-electrical-organisation-in-the-brain-during-a-visuospatial-2014/
---

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- Does alcohol change brain activity during the menstrual cycle?

Randomised trial, 2014

# Does alcohol change brain activity during the menstrual cycle?

Yes. Alcohol changed how the brain worked during thinking tasks, with effects varying by menstrual cycle phase, though the study was small.

 Moderate study design

24 women

## What they did

24 women were given alcohol or placebo during two phases of their menstrual cycle (follicular and early luteal). Brain activity was recorded while they did a working memory task.

## What they found

Alcohol decreased theta power in the brain and lower right brain correlation. Women in the follicular phase who drank alcohol showed lower arousal and attention. But working memory task performance did not get worse.

## What it means for you

Alcohol changes how the brain works during thinking tasks, and this varies by menstrual cycle phase. The findings help explain how hormones and alcohol affect the brain, but the study was small (24 women).

24

women studied

2

menstrual cycle phases tested

## About the study

Original title [Effect of alcohol on electrical organisation in the brain during a visuospatial working memory task and its relationship with the menstrual cycle] Authors Sanz-Martin A, Hernández-González M, Guevara MÁ et al. Journal Revista de neurologia Year 2014 Study design Randomised trial Participants 24 What was tested Moderate dose alcohol or placebo Read the paper [doi.org/10.33588/rn.5803.2013054](https://doi.org/10.33588/rn.5803.2013054)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)

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