Survey study, 2001
Does the menstrual cycle phase affect spatial ability?
Yes. Women in the luteal phase scored lower on spatial reasoning tests than women in other menstrual phases, but hormone levels didn't explain why.
What they did
82 female university students took a spatial reasoning test (mental rotation test) at different times in their menstrual cycle. Cortisol levels were measured from saliva before and after the test.
What they found
Women in the luteal phase scored lower than women in the menstrual phase, follicular phase, or those on birth control. Men scored higher than all groups of women. Cortisol levels were the same across all phases and were not connected to test scores. The worse performance in the luteal phase was not explained by stress, mood, or feeling unsuccessful.
What it means for you
Something about the luteal phase temporarily worsens spatial ability, but it's not cortisol or stress. The reason remains unclear and may involve other biological or social factors. The study only included university students, so results may not apply to all women.
82
female university students studied
15%
of performance variation explained by menstrual cycle phase
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual cycle variation in spatial ability: relation to salivary cortisol levels
- Authors
- McCormick CM, Teillon SM
- Journal
- Hormones and behavior
- Year
- 2001
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 82
- What was tested
- None (observational study)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1006/hbeh.2000.1636
Topics
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