--- title: Do PMS and PMDD affect attention and short-term memory in teenage girls? description: Yes, somewhat. Teenage girls with PMS/PMDD did worse on a test of attention and interference control than girls without it, and their performance dropped furt url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-effects-of-pms-pmdd-on-attention-and-shortterm-memory-in-adolescent-girls-2021/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do PMS and PMDD affect attention and short-term memory in teenage girls? Survey study, 2021 # Do PMS and PMDD affect attention and short-term memory in teenage girls? Yes, somewhat. Teenage girls with PMS/PMDD did worse on a test of attention and interference control than girls without it, and their performance dropped further in the luteal (premenstrual) phase. Early or limited evidence 36 adolescent girls (14-18 years) with PMS/PMDD and 30 without, tested in two menstrual cycle phases. ## What they did 86 adolescents aged 14 to 18 filled out a premenstrual symptom questionnaire. From this, 36 girls with PMS/PMDD and 30 girls without it (controls) were tested twice: once in the follicular phase and once in the luteal phase, using memory and attention tests (including the Stroop test) plus mood and behavior questionnaires. ## What they found Girls with PMS/PMDD performed worse than controls on the part of the Stroop test that measures interference (the ability to ignore distracting information), and this was worse in the luteal phase than the follicular phase. There was no significant group difference on the memory test (VADS-B), but within the PMS/PMDD group, luteal-phase scores were weaker than follicular-phase scores, while controls showed no phase difference. ## What it means for you PMS/PMDD in teenagers may come with some difficulty concentrating and resisting distraction, especially before a period, which could affect schoolwork. The study was small and cross-sectional, so it cannot prove PMS/PMDD causes these changes, only that they occur together. 86 Total adolescents screened 36 Girls with PMS/PMDD analysed 30 Control girls analysed ## About the study Original title The effects of PMS/PMDD on attention and shortterm memory in adolescent girls Authors Cansu Çobanoğlu Osmanlı Journal Dusunen Adam The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences Year 2021 Study design Survey study Participants 86 What was tested None (observational comparison across menstrual cycle phases). Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.14744/dajpns.2021.00150](https://doi.org/10.14744/dajpns.2021.00150) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Schizophrenia and psychosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-psychosis/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) 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 Review, 2026 What should doctors know about PMS and PMDD in teenagers? Survey study, 2025 Are girls with ADHD or autism more likely to have severe PMS or PMDD? Survey study, 2025 Are women with ADHD more likely to have PMDD? Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS and PMDD among college girls, and what are their symptoms? Case report, 2022 Can PMDD cause brief psychotic episodes in young adolescents? Cohort study, 2013 Are brain abnormalities in PMDD related to how severe the condition is? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗