The Menstrual Cycle and differences in … Sexual attraction Mood (including PMS) Cognition Sensation and Perception and… lapdancing!

Which of the two faces do you find more attractive? Left Right

Which of the two faces do you find more attractive? Left Right

The Menstrual Cycle & Sexual attraction Women preferred males with more feminized faces. BUT… Penton-Voak et al. Menstrual cycle alters face preference Nature 399, 741-742 (24 June 1999) CRITICAL THINKING ALERT!!

Preference for Feminized Faces Cycle Phase 50% masculinized Preference for Feminized Faces Cycle Phase Mean % femininzation preferred

Preference for Feminized Faces Relationships Mean % femininzation preferred

CRITICAL THINKING ALERT!!

CRITICAL THINKING ALERT!!

CRITICAL THINKING ALERT!!

The Menstrual Cycle & Male Scent Attractiveness Women preferred scent of more symmetrical men at midcycle No difference at low fertility risk Gangestad & Thornhill 1998 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/6/l_016_08.html

CRITICAL THINKING ALERT!!

Changes in mood during the menstrual cycle Many, many studies. Most show that mood is highest mid-cycle, lowest perimenstrually. Classic 1939 psychoanalytic study of “neurotic” women PMS (perimenstrual syndrome) – social context, retrospective studies, expectations.

PMS and reproductive hormones No physiological abnormalities have been consistently linked with steroid hormone concentrations in women with PMS

PMS and reproductive hormones Preventing luteal phase with mifepristone (progesterone antagonist) did not prevent symptoms (Schmidt et al., 1991)

PMS and reproductive hormones But completely shutting down the cycle with GnRH antagonist did (Brown et al., 1993)

PMS and reproductive hormones PMS may reflect a pathological state induced by chronic fluctuations in hormone concentrations associated with long term menstrual cycles.

Do you experience changes in cognition during your cycle?

Cognition When asked on a questionnaire if they have menstruation related cognitive changes – 20% of women say “yes.” No differences in learning and memory across menstrual cycle in most of the dozens of studies. Academic performance does not seem to be significantly affected by menstrual cycle phase.