Menstruation doesn’t affect cognitive function

Professor Brigitte Leeners of the University of Zurich in Switzerland and her colleagues found that the hormonal changes that occur with menstruation have no impact on cognitive function. About time. I’ve never believed it.

The menstrual cycle involves the rise and fall of three key hormones: oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone.

These hormones work to prepare the uterine lining for pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, the uterine lining is shed.

For their study, the researchers set out to gain a better understanding of whether or not menstruation affects cognitive functioning. To reach their findings, the researchers enrolled 88 women of reproductive age who had regular menstrual cycles.

Participants underwent tests that measured changes in three cognitive functions – attention, cognitive bias and working memory – four times during their menstrual cycle. Their hormone levels were also monitored.

The data revealed that changes in levels of oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone appeared to affect cognitive bias and attention. However, this finding could not be replicated.

On further analysing 68 of the women during a second menstrual cycle, the researchers found no evidence that hormonal changes affected attention, cognitive bias, or working memory.

Based on these results, the researchers believe that menstruation is unlikely to affect a woman’s brain power.

Professor Leeners said that such studies would benefit from including larger groups of women, as well as women with hormone disorders.