A new study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
is setting out to change the way we think about the menstrual
cycle. While it’s often been assumed that anyone who’s menstruating
isn’t working at top mental pitch, Professor Brigitte Leeners
and her team of researchers have found evidence to suggest that that’s
not the case. They examined three aspects of cognition across two
menstrual cycles, and found that the levels of oestrogen, progesterone
and testosterone in your system have no impact on your working memory,
cognitive bias or ability to pay attention to two things at once. While
some hormones were associated with changes across one cycle in some of
the women taking part, these effects didn’t repeat in the following
cycle. Overall, none of the hormones the team studied had any
replicable, consistent effect on study participants’ cognition.
Professor Leeners, team lead, said: “As a specialist in reproductive
medicine and a psychotherapist, I deal with many women who have the
impression that the menstrual cycle influences their well-being and
cognitive performance.” Wondering if this anecdotal evidence could be
scientifically proven - and questioning the methodology of many existing
studies on the subject - the team set out to shed some light on this
controversial topic.
The study uses a much larger sample than usual, and
(unlike most similar studies) follows women across two consecutive
menstrual cycles. The team, working from the Medical School Hannover and
University Hospital Zürich, recruited 68 women to undergo detailed
monitoring to investigate changes in three selected cognitive processes
at different stages in the menstrual cycle. While analysis of the
results from the first cycle suggested that cognitive bias and attention
were affected, these results weren’t replicated in the second cycle.
The team looked for differences in performance between individuals and
changes in individuals’ performance over time, and found none.
Professor Leeners said, “The hormonal changes related to the
menstrual cycle do not show any association with cognitive performance.
Although there might be individual exceptions, women’s cognitive
performance is in general not disturbed by hormonal changes occurring
with the menstrual cycle.”
Professor Leeners cautions, however, that there’s more work to do.
While this study represents a meaningful step forward, larger samples,
bigger subsamples of women with hormone disorders, and further cognitive
tests would provide a fuller picture of the way that the menstrual
cycle affects the brain. In the meantime, Professor Leeners hopes her
team’s work will start the long process of changing minds about
menstruation.
Artist removes 1 inch off the peak of England’s highest mountain; Brits want their inch back.
It is still England’s highest mountain, but Scafell Pike is ever so slightly smaller now after an artist stole the top inch of the summit to display in a gallery.
Oscar Santillan, 34, was accused of vandalism after removing the stone pinnacle of the 3,209ft Lake District peak for an exhibition in London.
Ian Stephens, managing director of Cumbria Tourism, said: “This is taking the mickey and we want the top of our mountain back.”
