--- title: Does stress affect memory differently depending on menstrual cycle phase? description: Stress had no clear effect on how well women remembered information at any menstrual cycle phase. However, in the mid-luteal phase when progesterone is highes url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-cycle-modulation-of-the-relationship-between-cortisol-and-long-term-2008/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does stress affect memory differently depending on menstrual cycle phase? Non-randomised trial, 2008 # Does stress affect memory differently depending on menstrual cycle phase? Stress had no clear effect on how well women remembered information at any menstrual cycle phase. However, in the mid-luteal phase when progesterone is highest, there was a stronger relationship between stress hormone levels and memory. Early or limited evidence Women at different menstrual cycle phases ## What they did Tested women at three different menstrual cycle phases to see whether acute stress (created by putting their hand in ice water) affected memory performance. Women learned information, had stress applied, and were tested on memory recall one week later. Researchers measured both stress hormone levels and memory performance. ## What they found Stress did not significantly affect memory recall in any menstrual cycle phase. However, the relationship between cortisol (stress hormone) and memory recall differed by phase. In the mid-luteal phase, higher cortisol was associated with better memory one week later, whereas no such relationship existed in the follicular phase. Cortisol levels were higher during the mid-luteal phase. ## What it means for you Menstrual cycle hormones affect how stress hormones relate to memory, but this did not translate to measurable changes in how much women actually remembered. The practical significance of this relationship is unclear from this small study. 3 Menstrual cycle phases tested 1 week Time to memory test after learning ## About the study Original title Menstrual cycle modulation of the relationship between cortisol and long-term memory Authors Andreano JM, Arjomandi H, Cahill L Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology Year 2008 Study design Non-randomised trial What was tested Acute stress using cold water immersion Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.03.009](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.03.009) ## Topics [Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/) 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 Cohort study, 2021 Are low antioxidant vitamins or high oxidative stress linked to premenstrual syndrome? Cohort study, 2025 Do pain sensitivity and negative thinking explain how trauma and stress cause PMS or PMDD? Case-control study, 2014 Does past abuse affect pain sensitivity differently in women with menstrual mood disorders? Survey study, 2013 Does stress before learning affect memory differently based on sex and menstrual cycle phase? Case-control study, 2013 Are stress hormones different in women with PMDD? Cohort study, 2026 Does brain structure differ between women with PMDD and healthy controls? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗