---
title: Does genetic variation affect how women process emotions at different cycle phases?
description: Yes. Women with certain gene variants showed different emotional responses depending on cycle phase and oral contraceptive use, though results varied by which
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/mineralocorticoid-receptor-haplotype-moderates-the-effects-of-oral-2016/
---

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- Does genetic variation affect how women process emotions at different cycle phases?

Cohort study, 2016

# Does genetic variation affect how women process emotions at different cycle phases?

Yes. Women with certain gene variants showed different emotional responses depending on cycle phase and oral contraceptive use, though results varied by which variant they had.

 Early or limited evidence

93 healthy West-European women, 49 using oral contraceptives and 44 naturally cycling

## What they did

93 healthy women (49 taking oral contraceptives, 44 naturally cycling) completed tests of emotional cognition and decision-making. Naturally cycling women were tested in the early follicular phase (21 women) or mid-luteal phase (23 women).

## What they found

Results varied by gene variant. Women with one gene variant gambled more in the mid-luteal phase when risk was small. Women with another gene variant gambled more in the mid-luteal phase regardless of the odds. Oral contraceptive users with a specific gene variant recognized fewer facial expressions than naturally cycling women in the mid-luteal phase with the same variant.

## What it means for you

Some women may be more sensitive to hormonal changes across the cycle based on their genes. The study is small and exploratory, so larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

93

total women

49

oral contraceptive users

44

naturally cycling women

## About the study

Original title Mineralocorticoid receptor haplotype moderates the effects of oral contraceptives and menstrual cycle on emotional information processing Authors Hamstra DA, de Kloet ER, Tollenaar M et al. Journal Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) Year 2016 Study design Cohort study Participants 93 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1177/0269881116647504](https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881116647504)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[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/)

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