Study, 1985
Do baboons show behavior changes around their period similar to PMS symptoms?
Yes. Female baboons showed increased aggressive behavior and less interest in mating around menstruation, which are similar to some behavioral symptoms women report with PMS.
What they did
Researchers watched 13 female baboons in Kenya for a total of 115 hours. They observed the baboons during 24 menstrual periods, noting how active they were, how close they stayed to other baboons, and how they interacted socially. They compared this behavior around menstruation to behavior around the time of ovulation.
What they found
Before and during menstruation, the baboons showed changes in activity levels and social behavior compared to other times of their cycle. During the menstrual period, they showed increased aggressive interactions with other baboons and decreased (but still present) sexual interactions with adult males, compared to the ovulation time.
What it means for you
Animals closely related to humans show menstrual cycle-related behavior changes similar to some PMS symptoms. This suggests the biological basis for these changes may be shared across primate species and might help explain why women experience similar mood and behavior changes. The main limit is that this is animal research, not human research, so findings may not directly apply to women.
13
female baboons observed
115
hours of observation
24
menstrual periods studied
About the study
- Original title
- Perimenstrual behavior changes among female yellow baboons: Some similarities to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in women
- Authors
- Hausfater G, Skoblick B
- Journal
- American journal of primatology
- Year
- 1985
- Study design
- Study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1002/ajp.1350090302