A woman’s menstrual cycle affects her brain in a number of ways, one more positive and one more negative. Hormones such as estrogens, progesterone, and testosterone fluctuate during a woman’s menstrual cycle, and the various “surges” of these hormones in the body can influence women’s mood and self-esteem . But what changes does it produce in the brain?
During PMS, hormones begin to fluctuate and alter brain chemistry that keeps us balanced and alert . Once the menstrual cycle arrives (every 28 days on average) the ups and downs in estrogen begin and their echo in the female brain. According to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the increase in estrogen levels during these days stimulates the release of endorphins that eliminate that kind of “mental fog” that women feel during the syndrome. premenstrual, since estrogen levels are directly associated with a woman’s emotional well-being ; For this reason, the first days of menstruation are marked, in some women, by an increase in energy, happiness and even inspiration.
But this increase in estrogen also increases synaptic connectivity in the hippocampus , up to 25%, the study shows, affecting short-term memory and decision-making. Therefore, impulsive decisions are ruled out during these days, due to the increase in the hormone. The higher the estrogen levels, the less impulsive a woman is .
Menstrual pain, common in 3 out of 4 women of childbearing age, is variable and its intensity, if it becomes severe, can even cloud cognitive functioning; This is because stronger pain causes changes in the volume of gray matter in the brain , as already determined by a study published in the journal Pain . However, menstrual pain affects not only gray matter but the overall cognitive functioning of the female brain. Women experience a decrease in their ability to carry out complex tasks as their performance is diminished in aspects such as attention.
