Phases Of Menstrual Cycle In Women Research Articles

The effect of a low dose of alcohol on allopregnanolone serum concentrations across the menstrual cycle in women with severe premenstrual syndrome and controls

Neurosteroids have been proposed to play an important role in the interaction between alcohol and GABA(A) receptors and for the symptomatology of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The primary aim of this study was to investigate possible alcohol-induced changes in allopregnanolone serum concentrations across different menstrual cycle phases in women with severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and controls. The allopregnanolone and cortisol responses to a low-dose of alcohol were evaluated in 14 women with and 12 women without severe premenstrual syndrome in the follicular and late luteal phases. The effect of a 30-min intravenous alcohol infusion (0.2 g/kg) on allopregnanolone and cortisol serum concentrations was compared to placebo, and compared between cycle phases and groups. Blood samples for measuring allopregnanolone were taken at baseline 25, 55, and 75 min after the start of the alcohol infusion. In the late luteal phase, the alcohol infusion decreased allopregnanolone levels, compared to baseline levels as well as to placebo. The difference in allopregnanolone levels between alcohol and placebo was evident 25 min (P < 0.01), 55 min (P < 0.01), and 75 min (P < 0.05) after start of the infusion. There was no change in allopregnanolone levels during the alcohol infusion in the follicular phase. Also, no difference in alcohol-induced allopregnanolone response between PMS patients and control subjects was detected. Cortisol levels declined during both the placebo and alcohol infusion, but did not differ with respect to which infusion had been given. During the late luteal phase, independent of PMS diagnosis, the low-dose alcohol infusion resulted in decreasing peripheral allopregnanolone levels.

Variability In Plasma VEGF

Plasma VEGF is routinely used as a marker of both angiogenesis and occurrence of breast cancer and has been seen to vary with menstrual cycle phase in women, and with exercise intensity in men. How menstrual cycle phase and exercise intensity interact in women is unclear. PURPOSE To examine the influence of menstrual cycle phase and exercise intensity upon plasma VEGF in women. METHODS 7 eumenorrheic women (age 20–25 years) were examined twice in both the follicular (Foll) and luteal (Lut) phases of the menstrual cycle. Plasma VEGF and serum oestrodiol (E2) and progesterone (P) were measured via ELISA and immunoassay respectively, from venous blood sampled at rest, and immediately following both moderate and heavy exercise. The exercise task was stationary cycling at 70 rpm for 30 min at 80 % of the lactate threshold (Tlac: moderate), or until volitional fatigue at 80 % of the difference between VO 2 max and Tlac: (heavy). RESULTS VEGF at rest did not differ between the Foll (130.2 ± 120 pg/ml) and Lut (132 ± 110 pg//ml) phases (P > 0.05), or between phases or exercise intensity following exercise (Foll moderate: 144.3 ± 127 pg/ml; Foll heavy; 119 ± 119 pg/ml; Lut moderate: 121.5 ± 128 pg/ml; Lut heavy: 158.9 ± 150 pg/ml: P > 0.05). Given the large intersubject variability in the data, VEGF was also analyzed as a change from baseline with similar results. E2 and P were significantly greater at rest in the Lut phase than the in the Foll phase (P <0.05), whilst E2 increased significantly from baseline following heavy exercise in the Lut phase only (Lut rest: 124.56 ± 36.72; Lut heavy: 155.25 ± 16.54: P <0.05). There was no correlation between the reproductive hormones and VEGF (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION The large inter and intrasubject subject variability in the concentration of plasma VEGF appears to mask any potential effects of exercise intensity and menstrual cycle phase. The use of plasma VEGF as a marker for angiogenesis in women may thus be questionable.

Menstrual cycle and sex affect hemodynamic responses to combined orthostatic and heat stress

Women have decreased orthostatic tolerance compared with men, and anecdotal evidence suggests women are more susceptible to orthostatic intolerance in warm environments. Because estrogen and progesterone affect numerous physiological variables that may alter orthostatic tolerance, the purpose of our study was to compare orthostatic tolerance across the menstrual cycle phases in women during combined orthostatic and heat stress and to compare these data with those of men. Eight normally menstruating women and eight males (22 +/- 4.0 and 23 +/- 3.5 yr, respectively) completed the protocol. Women were studied during their early follicular (EF), ovulatory (OV), and midluteal (ML) phases. Men were studied twice within 2-4 wk. Heart rate, cardiac output, blood pressure, core temperature (T(c)), and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) were measured during three head-up tilt tests, consisting of two tilts in the thermoneutral condition and one tilt after a 0.5 degrees C rise in T(c). There was no difference in orthostatic tolerance across the menstrual cycle phases, despite higher CVC in the ML phase after heating (EF, 42.3 +/- 4.8; OV, 40.1 +/- 3.7; ML, 57.5 +/- 4.5; P < 0.05). Orthostatic tolerance in the heat was greater in men than women (P < 0.05). These data suggest that although many physiological variables associated with blood pressure regulation fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, orthostatic tolerance in the heat remains unchanged. Additionally, our data support a clear sex difference in orthostatic tolerance and extend upon previous data to show that the sex difference in the heat is not attributable to fluctuating hormone profiles during the menstrual cycle.

Incidence of chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea depending on the timing of treatment by menstrual cycle phase in women with early breast cancer

The aim of this study was to characterize the factors associated with chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea (CIA) and to examine whether the phase of the menstrual cycle at chemotherapy start could affect the rate of CIA in premenopausal women with early breast cancer. CIA was defined as the cessation of menses for at least 3 months during or after chemotherapy. Menstrual phase was defined as days 1-6, follicular phase as days 7-14, luteal phase as days 15-20 and premenstrual phase as days 21-28. Univariate and multivariate predictors of CIA were examined. Among 111 premenopausal women, univariate analysis showed a higher incidence of CIA in patients treated in the follicular phase rather than in other menstrual cycle phases (67.6% compared with 45.5%; P=0.03). The rate of CIA increased with age: 65.2% and 45.8% in patients aged >42 and </=42 years, respectively (P=0.05). Upon multivariate analysis these differences remained statistically significant and duration of chemotherapy of more than six cycles correlated significantly with the incidence of CIA (P=0.03). The major implication of this analysis is that the timing of treatment within the menstrual cycle may potentially modulate the onset of CIA. This work and its future confirmation using prospective randomized trials would be useful in predicting the likelihood of CIA and in counseling breast cancer patients, especially those with a good prognosis who benefit less from chemical castration.

Pain perception across the menstrual cycle phases in women with chronic pain.

The menstrual cycle has been reported to alter pain perception but the patterns differ among studies. It has been reported that estrogens may influence somatic sensory processes. The present aim was to investigate whether the perception of pain varies by phases of the menstrual cycle. 20 women with chronic low pain volunteered to participate and were asked to rate their pain each day during three successive menstrual cycles. The menstrual cycle was divided into four and five phases to be able to compare results. Analysis showed there were phase differences in pain ratings during the menstrual cycle. Regardless of whether the menstrual cycle was divided into four or five phases, women rated pain significantly higher in the menstrual and premenstrual phases than in the midmenstrual and ovulatory phases. This is consistent with other studies showing less pain sensitivity during phases of the menstrual cycle associated with high estrogen. Women with high pain frequency reported more frequently a passive coping style and catastrophizing thoughts.

Re: Mastectomy and Oophorectomy by Menstrual Cycle Phase in Women With Operable Breast Cancer

Re: Mastectomy and Oophorectomy by Menstrual Cycle Phase in Women With Operable Breast Cancer

RESPONSE Re: Mastectomy and Oophorectomy by Menstrual Cycle Phase in Women With Operable Breast Cancer

RESPONSE Re: Mastectomy and Oophorectomy by Menstrual Cycle Phase in Women With Operable Breast Cancer

Acute psychiatric admission and menstrual cycle phase in women with schizophrenia.

The clinical observation of a possible relation between the phases of the menstrual cycle and psychotic illness dates well back to the beginning of the nineteenth century. This relation is considered to provide further evidence for the protective effect of oestrogens in schizophrenic women and is summarised by the so-called oestrogen hypothesis. In addition, the hypoestrogenism hypothesis postulates a hypofunction of the gonads in women with schizophrenia with subsequent oestrogen deficiency syndrome. The aim of the present clinical study was to answer the question whether there is a perimenstrual increase in hospital admissions of women suffering from an exacerbation of schizophrenia. Two samples of premenopausal women with schizophrenia were investigated (sample 1: n = 115; sample 2: n = 170). In both samples there was a significant increase in admissions in the perimenstrual phase - three days before and three days after the first day of the menses (sample 1: P = 0.002, sample 2: P = 0.028, binomial test). 37.4% of the patients were admitted during the perimenstrual phase of the cycle in sample 1, 31.8% in sample 2. Regarding age, age at onset, and duration of illness, no difference was found between the group admitted to hospital during the perimenstrual phase versus the group admitted during the rest of the menstrual cycle in either of the samples. The results are discussed in relation to the possibly underlying physiological mechanisms.

Menstrual Cycle and Zidovudine Pharmacokinetics in HIV-Infected Women

To examine the pharmacokinetics of zidovudine during each menstrual cycle phase in women with HIV-1 infection. Open-label, nonblinded study. The immunodeficiency clinic at the Erie County Medical Center, Buffalo, New York. 12 HIV-seropositive women started and completed the study. Inclusion criteria for subjects included an acceptable medical history, chemistry profile, a complete blood count with differential, lymphocyte profile, urinalysis and history of regular menstrual cycles. All patients received a 100mg dose of zidovudine in a fasted state on three occasions. 8-hour pharmacokinetic profiles in the 12 women were obtained during the menstrual, follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Serum estradiol, progesterone, cortisol and CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts were also obtained during each menstrual cycle phase. Considerable intra- and interpatient variability in zidovudine pharmacokinetics was evident. Plasma concentrations declined in a linear fashion over 4 hours following drug administration, with a prolonged elimination phase for most subjects. The overall mean elimination half-life of zidovudine was 1.6 ± 0.76h (range 0.56 to 3.7h) and the overall mean oral clearance was 2.32 ± 0.88 L/h/kg (range 1 to 4.7 L/h/kg). Time to maximum plasma drug concentration was 0.58 ± 0.27h, 0.77 ± 0.64h and 0.63 ± 0.29h during the menstrual, follicular and luteal phases, respectively (p = 0.555). The mean peak plasma concentration of zidovudine was 684 ± 502 μg/L, 666 ± 562 μg/L and 527 ± 210 μg/L during the three phases, respectively (p = 0.472). The mean zidovudine area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) during the studied phases was 781 ± 279 μg h/L, 875 ± 391 μg h/L and 693 ± 176 μg h/L, respectively (p = 0.128). The AUC was negatively correlated with estradiol serum concentration (r = −0.329, p < 0.05). Conclusion: There were no significant differences in the zidovudine pharmacokinetic parameters across the menstrual cycle phases, but there was high inter-subject variability during each cycle phase. A significant negative relationship was found between zidovudine AUC and estradiol concentrations, suggesting that zidovudine glucuronidation may change in relation to the menstrual cycle phase. Hormonal variation and fluctuations in women, especially estrogen, may therefore explain in part the unpredictability of zidovudine exposure after an oral dose. This may impact plasma concentrations of zidovudine and potentially cause fluctuating concentrations throughout prolonged periods each month.

Effects of extraversion on the McCollough Effect: a gender difference

We have previously reported reliable extraversion–introversion differences in the McCollough Effect (ME), with male extraverts reporting stronger effects than introverts and have demonstrated that ME strength within observers is affected by cholinergic agents in men and by menstrual cycle phase in women. We speculated that the ME is a sensitive indicator of central neurotransmitter activity and of more generalised changes in arousal. In the first of two experiments with extraverted and introverted women we supported the prediction that a specific effect, post-adaptation exercise, which raises cholinergic levels, significantly reduced ME strengths. However, we did not find the predicted extraversion effect. A second experiment tested the possibility that extraversion had been confounded by hormonal fluctuations by comparing ME strengths in groups of extraverted ambiverted and introverted women across five phases of the menstrual cycle and in similar groups of men. We found the predicted extraversion differences in men, but not in women, who showed a significant phase effect and concluded that the effect of extraversion on the ME may not be generalised from men to women.

Physical work causes suppression of ovarian function in women.

The suppression of reproductive function is known to occur in women engaging in activities that require high energetic expenses, such as sport participation and subsistence work. It is still unclear, however, if reproductive suppression is a response to high levels of energy expenditure, or only to the resulting state of negative energy balance. To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence that work-related energy expenditure alone, without associated negative energy balance, can lead to the suppression of reproductive function in women. We document suppression of ovarian function expressed as lowered salivary progesterone levels in women from an agricultural community who work hard, but remain in neutral energy balance. We propose two alternative evolutionary explanations (the 'pre-emptive ovarian suppression' hypothesis and the 'constrained down-regulation' hypothesis) for the observed results.

Assessment of menstrual cycle phase in women with schizophrenia

There has been little research investigating how symptoms of schizophrenia and changes in symptomatology across the course of the illness relate to measures of quality of life in patients. We examined this issue in 45 patients assessed at hospital admission for illness exacerbation, at stabilization (prior to discharge) and at follow-up (5–9 months post-discharge). Symptom ratings at each time period consisted of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Negative Symptom Assessment (NSA). The Heinrichs–Carpenter Quality of Life Scale (QLS) was administered upon admission to the hospital (assessing the 3 months prior to admission) and again at follow-up. Correlational analyses revealed relationships of both positive and negative symptoms with quality of life. These relationships are particularly strong at stabilization. Stepwise regression analyses revealed changes in the NSA motivation component to be most important in predicting quality of life for the patients at follow-up. BPRS psychosis and paranoia components are important predictors of quality of life at stabilization (but not during acute exacerbation). These results are important in terms of understanding the impact of changes in symptomatology on the quality of life for patients with schizophrenia as well as in targeting specific symptom clusters for treatment to maximize quality of life post-hospitalization.

Arousal and stress response across the menstrual cycle in women with three perimenstrual symptom patterns

The purpose of this study was to compare arousal levels and stress response across menstrual cycle phases in women with three perimenstrual symptom patterns. Women with low symptom severity (LS, N = 28), were compared with those with a premenstrual syndrome (PMS, N = 15) and premenstrual magnification (PMM, N = 19) pattern across postmenses and premenses phases. Each woman was assessed during relaxation and in response to mental task and symptom imaging stressors during a postmenses and premenses day. Results of baseline skin conductance (SCL), electromyogram (EMG), and finger temperature (T) demonstrated arousal premenses in women with the PMS pattern, but not in women with the LS pattern. In addition, women with the PMS pattern experienced increased EMG and SCL response to stressors premenses. Women with the PMM pattern experienced a rise in finger temperature premenses, opposite the pattern of the women with LS or PMS. These results support development of symptom management strategies to reduce arousal and modulate stress response for women with PMS who seek help for their symptoms. In addition, the difference in arousal and stress response observed in women with PMS and PMM support development of different symptom management strategies for these two groups of women.

Dependence of spectral power of EEG rhythms on menstrual cycle phases in women suffering from epilepsy

The effect of menstrual cycle on EEG parameters is investigated in norm, in epilepsy becoming acute in menstrual and perimenstrual periods (catamenial), and in epilepsy whose exacerbation is not connected with menstrual cycle. The ten dencies to the decrease of spectral power in cycle luteal phase in healthy women and women suffering from epilepsy are mentioned. The primary role of spectrum low-frequency components and total power level in neurodynamics of catamenial epilepsy is shown.