engleski

Efficiency in spatial and verbal tasks during the menstrual cycle

Numerous investigations have shown that changes in levels of sex hormones are responsible for changes in mood and efficiency during the menstrual cycle. It has been reported that high levels of estrogen and/or progesterone improved the skills such as verbal fluency and articulation for which females typically show better results than males. In contrast, low levels of these hormones improved the spatial abilities in which male usually show a better results (Kimura, 1996 ; Hampson, 1990 ; Hausmann et al., 2000). Using various verbal and spatial tasks at different levels of complexity, the aim of the study was to explore the effects of the menstrual cycle on cognitive functions, as well as the relationship between efficiency and masculinity/femininity, as personality characteristic, during different phases of menstrual cycle. Seventeen female subjects (18 to 21 years), with a regular menstrual cycle of 28 days and not using oral contraceptives, took part in this study. Subjects performed the verbal fluency and mental rotations tasks during the early and late follicular phase, as well as midluteal phase. Endler’s State Anxiety Questionnaire was administered before performing the tasks in each phase. For assesssments of masculinity and femininity, the subjects also filled the Bem Sex Roles Inventory. The results showed the best mental rotation task performance in the early follicular phase, which is characterised by a low level of estrogen and progesterone. The most pronounced during this phase of menstrual cycle was also the masculinity. In contrast, the best performance in tasks of verbal fluency occurred during the midluteal phase, when levels of estrogen and progesterone are the highest. Femininity and cognitive component of anxiety did not change across the menstrual cycle. The results of this study showed that only changes in efficiency in spatial tasks were in relation with changes masculinity.

menstrual cycle ; sex hormones ; cognitive functions

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