Randomised trial, 2025
Does the menstrual cycle phase affect how much alcohol impairs women's memory?
Yes, women's working memory was less impaired by alcohol during the late follicular phase (when estradiol is high) compared to the early follicular phase (when estradiol is low), suggesting higher estradiol may protect against alcohol's cognitive effects.
What they did
75 premenopausal women completed two test sessions during early and late follicular phases. At each session, they did a memory task first after placebo, then 60 minutes after drinking a controlled dose of alcohol (0.6 g per kilogram of body weight). The memory task was a visual letter test (N-Back).
What they found
Working memory performance was impaired by alcohol compared to placebo at both early and late follicular phases. However, the amount of impairment was significantly less pronounced during the late follicular phase than during the early follicular phase.
What it means for you
Women may be more protected against alcohol's effects on memory during the time of their cycle when estradiol is highest (around ovulation). This could explain why women's sensitivity to alcohol varies across their cycle. Results need confirmation in larger studies.
75
women studied
0.6 g/kg
alcohol dose
2
menstrual cycle phases tested
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual cycle phase affects alcohol impairment of working memory
- Authors
- McGarrigle WJ, Griffith AK, Martel MM et al.
- Journal
- Alcohol, clinical & experimental research
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 75
- What was tested
- Controlled alcohol dose (0.6 g per kilogram of body weight) versus placebo
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/acer.70031
Topics
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