Effects of the menstrual cycle on dressing behavior in the cold

The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of the menstrual cycle on dressing behavior in cold exposure. Rectal and skin temperatures, temperature sensation and metabolic rate were measured in seven women during the luteal (L) and the follicular (F) phases of the menstrual cycle, as was their dressing behavior in these two phases. The subjects were instructed to dress so as to feel comfortable when the ambient temperature was decreased from 30 degrees C to 15 degrees C (07:00-09:00). Most subjects dressed more quickly and with thicker clothing in the L phase. They felt cooler in the L phase during the last 30 min of the temperature fall. Rectal and skin temperatures showed significant differences between L and F phases and metabolic rate was significantly higher in the L phase. The results can be interpreted in terms of the establishment of a higher set-point in core temperature during the L phase.     

Endocrine regulation of the menstrual cycle

Physiological data concerning the serum concentrations and the pituitary content of varian steroids and gonadotropins, respectively, are reviewed. On the basis of these physiological data results from experimental studies are critically evaluated as far as their significance for the understanding of the physiology of the cycle is concerned. Data from the literatur and results from own studies are incorporated in a concept of the endocrine regulation of the human menstrual cycle.     

The menstrual cycle and punitiveness.

Studied the levels of punishment and reliability of punishments/judgments made by menstruating or premenstrual women by having Ss read vignettes of 7 different college disciplinary cases and select a level of punishment. 12 menstrual, 10 premenstrual, and 13 intermenstrual women participated, as did 10 males of comparable age and background. Two additional groups of 7 women each were led to believe they were (1) in the premenstrual phase or (2) still several days away from it. Findings show that punitiveness and reliability of judgments did not differ across menstrual phases or between males and females. The task was perceived as more difficult by males and by females led to believe they were premenstrual. A relationship was found between severity of menstrual symptoms and punitiveness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sleep and the menstrual cycle.

To evaluate changes in sleep across the phases of the menstrual cycle, sleep-wake diaries were completed by 32 healthy women twice daily for 2 menstrual cycles. There was a significant increase in sleep onset latency and a significant decrease in sleep efficiency and sleep quality during the luteal phase. This increase in sleep disturbance was observed in the entire sample and was not related to the severity of other premenstrual symptoms. However, women having increased severity of other premenstrual symptoms reported greater luteal increase in daytime sleepiness. Thus, although menstruating women are likely to show increased sleep disturbance during the luteal phase, those with other, more severe premenstrual symptoms are more likely to experience a luteal increase in daytime sleepiness. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Women, alcohol and the menstrual cycle

This review presents evidence which implicates a role for menstrual cycle phase in the response of pre-menopausal women to moderate alcohol intake. It is concluded that the majority of published studies have suffered from poor methodological design and have employed inadequate means of cycle phase identification. Contradictory and ill-founded findings have been reported. The best evidence to date suggests that women eliminate alcohol more rapidly during the mid-luteal phase of the cycle. This finding needs to be substantiated by further studies.     

Does the menstrual cycle influence cystometry?

Alterations in the hormonal milieu associated with the menstrual cycle appear to influence the dynamic interaction between the bladder and urethra as well as detrusor function, probably because of the common embryological origin of the lower genital and urinary tracts. In this retrospective study we investigated the effect of the menstrual cycle on cystometric diagnosis. A retrospective case note review of 687 consecutive patients attending the urogynecology unit of St Georges University Hospital, a tertiary referral center, was carried out. The study group comprised 57 women with regular menstrual periods. In both patients whose symptoms were adversely affected premenstrually and those whose symptoms were not influenced by the menstrual cycle, the majority of normal cystometric diagnoses were made in the luteal phase: 45.5% vs. 25% (P < or = 0.002) and 38.5% vs. 4.8% (P < or = 0.05), respectively. Diagnoses of genuine stress incontinence, detrusor instability and mixed genuine stress incontinence and detrusor instability were most frequently made in the follicular phase of the cycle. More normal cystometric diagnoses were made in the influenced group (36.8%) than in the uninfluenced group (21%) (P < 0.02). The results of this preliminary study indicate that the timing of cystometric evaluation may influence the detection of a positive diagnosis. The luteal phase may not be the correct time to make an accurate diagnosis, especially in patients whose symptoms are influenced by their menstrual cycle.     

The regulation mechanism of the female menstrual cycle

The hormonal patterns during menstrual cycle, which consist of cyclic alterations in gonadotropins, estradiol, and progesterone, are controlled by hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian feedback mechanism. GnRH produced in hypothalamus acts on the pituitary cells to secrete FSH and LH, which stimulate the follicular development. The developed follicles secrete estradiol, progesterone, inhibin, activin, and follistatin. Estradiol and progesterone, at different concentrations and/or ratios, either positively or negatively control the feedback of hypothalamic-pituitary axis in regulating the secretion of GnRH, FSH and LH. Inhibin and follistatin selectively suppress, whereas activin enhances the secretion of FSH in the pituitary. Recently, various additional factors produced by the ovary have been identified to contribute to the follicular development by paracrine and/or autocrine regulation as well as to feedback on hypothalamic-pituitary unit.     

Effects of external evaluation on artistic creativity.

Examined the conditions under which the imposition of an extrinsic constraint upon performance of an activity can lead to decrements in creativity. 95 female undergraduates worked on an art activity either with or without the expectation of external evaluation. In addition, Ss were asked to focus on either the creative or the technical aspects of the activity or they were given no specific focus. Finally, some Ss expecting evaluation were given explicit instructions on how to make their artworks. As predicted, Ss in the evaluation groups produced artworks significantly lower on judged creativity than did Ss in the nonevaluation control groups. The only evaluation group for which this pattern was reversed had received explicit instructions on how to make artworks that would be judged creative. A possible reconciliation of these 2 disparate results is proposed, and practical implications are discussed. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The menstrual cycle and response to erotic literature

133 undergraduate females responded to a pre-experimental questionnaire assessing their contraceptive use (28% on contraceptive pills), sexual experience (71% had had sexual intercourse), and present phase of menstrual cycle. Ss then read an erotic story intended to induce sexual arousal. Results of a self-report postexperimental questionnaire assessing sexual arousal and genital stimulation show no significant response differences based on menstrual cycle phases for Ss not using contraceptive pills. Greatest degree of arousal and sensation was experienced by Ss on contraceptive pills who were in the menstrual phase of the cycle; least arousal and sensation was experienced by Ss on contraceptive pills who were in the premenstrual phase of the cycle. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Serum immunoglobulins E are related to menstrual cycle

During a cross sectional epidemiological survey on a general population sample, 596 fertile women underwent total serum IgE determination. They completed an interviewer-administered standardized questionnaire and were categorized according to their menstrual period. They were divided into two groups: those from days 10 to 20, who were considered to be in the periovulatory phase, and those in the other phases. IgE mean values were significantly different (p = 0.01) in the two groups: particularly, lower IgE values were found in those in periovulatory phase, after accounting for smoking habit and atopic status. By multiple regression analysis, taking into account the independent effects of menstrual period, age, smoking habit, hours of fast, skin prick test reactivity and presence of cough, significantly lower IgE values in the periovulatory phase were found. We hypothesize the possibility that a decrease of IgE concentration occurs during midcycle: a reduced immune response might facilitate the ovuli implantation. Further studies are necessary to longitudinally investigate the trend of IgE in the same women, as well as the distributions and the trends of other immunoglobulins.     

Effect of post-coital contraceptive methods on the endometrium and the menstrual cycle

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of treatment with ethinylesteradiol-levonorgestrel or danazol on ovarian function, gonadotrophin release and endometrial development during the time when a pregnancy may occur following unprotected intercourse. METHODS: Women with regular menstrual cycles were followed during one control, one treatment and one follow-up month. The women obtained either a combination of 0.5 mg levonorgestrel and 0.1 mg ethinylestradiol (Yuzpe regimen: n = 16) or 600 mg danazol orally and repeated after 12 hours (n = 16). The treatment was administered on either cycle day (cd) 12 or day LH +2. An endometrial biopsy was obtained once on cd LH +6 to +8 in the subjects treated on cd LH +2 both in control and treatment cycles, and morphometric analysis was performed. The concentrations of LH, pregnandiol (P2G), and estrone (EIG) glucuronide were followed daily in morning urine during control and treatment cycles. RESULTS: Following treatment with the Yuzpe regimen on cd 12 the LH surge was either undetectable (three subjects), postponed to cd 16 to 22 (three subjects) or cd 38 to 39 (two subjects) with lower P2G and LH levels than in the control cycle. Following preovulatory treatment with danazol, no LH peak could be detected in four subjects and in the remaining four subjects the LH peak varied between cd 13 and cd 24. The mean area under the curve for LH was significantly lower, the levels of EIG were slightly higher and the P2G levels were unaffected in comparison with the control cycle. Neither of the two treatments administered on cd LH +2 affected the hormonal pattern and only a discreet effect on the development of the endometrium was seen after the EE/LNG treatment. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that the contraceptive effect of postcoital treatment with EE/LNG and danazol is mainly due to an inhibition or delay of ovulation and insufficient corpus luteum function. The direct effect on the endometrium is limited, if any.     

Do gastrointestinal symptoms vary with the menstrual cycle?

This systematic review presents both the physiological and symptom-based studies which have explored gastrointestinal variation across the menstrual cycle. Understanding this variation may be helpful in identifying the origin of pelvic pain, particularly as the symptoms associated with causes, such as endometriosis, also vary across the cycle. One-third of otherwise asymptomatic women may experience gastrointestinal symptoms at the time of menstruation, and almost 50% of women with irritable bowel syndrome report a perimenstrual increase in symptoms.     

Effects of ovarian source, patient age, and menstrual cycle phase on in vitro maturation of immature human oocytes

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficiency of in vitro maturation, expressed by nuclear maturation, of oocytes aspirated during gynecologic surgeries or collected from excised ovaries. To assess the effect of patient age and cycle phase at collection on the oocyte's ability to mature in vitro. To examine the time course of oocyte maturation in vitro. DESIGN: Nuclear maturation based on patient criteria compared. SETTING: University-based IVF program and research center. PATIENT(S): Consented patients undergoing gynecologic surgeries or patients undergoing oophorectomy. INTERVENTION(S): Oocytes were maintained in culture for 48 hours and evaluated for maturation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Nuclear maturation evaluated as germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) or progression to the metaphase II (MII) stage. RESULT(S): A significantly higher percentage of oocytes collected during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle underwent GVBD than did oocytes collected during the luteal phase (60% versus 48%, respectively). The percentage of oocytes reaching the MII stage, from these two groups, was not different. No statistically significant differences in maturation were observed in oocytes from different ovarian sources or from patients >40 or <40 years of age. CONCLUSION(S): These data suggest that oocytes collected during the follicular phase are more likely to undergo GVBD than oocytes collected during the luteal phase. In this study, ovarian source, age, or cycle phase did not influence the final meiotic maturation of oocytes to metaphase II.     

Tobacco withdrawal in women and menstrual cycle phase.

Because negative mood is a characteristic of both tobacco withdrawal and menstrual discomfort, withdrawal may vary by menstrual cycle phase. Tobacco withdrawal, mood, and menstrual discomfort were assessed in premenopausal women who quit smoking during either the follicular (Days 1–14 postmenstrual onset; n?=?41) or luteal (Day 15 or longer postmenstrual onset; n?=?37) phase of the menstrual cycle and maintained biochemically verified smoking abstinence during the postquit week. Women quitting during the luteal phase reported significantly greater increases in tobacco withdrawal and self-reported depressive symptoms than women quitting during the follicular phase. These results indicate that selecting a quit-smoking day early in the follicular phase may attenuate withdrawal and negative affect in premenopausal female smokers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Attempted suicide and menstrual cycle. An epidemiologic study

Acute-phase reactant proteins have been considered in searching for new biochemical tumor markers useful at initial diagnosis, staging and monitoring of colorectal cancer. In this study, we aimed to determine the role of acute-phase reactant proteins in combination with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) at the preoperative staging of colorectal cancer. In 22 patients with cancers of the colon and rectum and in 9 control patients without cancer, the serum levels of CEA, CA 19-9, C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha 1-antitrypsin (AAT) and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) were measured. While statistical analysis did not show significant correlations between serum CEA, AAT and CRP levels with the stage of disease, the significant correlations between serum CA 19-9 and AAG concentrations with the extent of cancer were detected (p < or = 0.0197 and p < or = 0.0378, respectively). Multivariate discriminant analysis gave a final prognostic model that included serum CA 19-9 and AAG levels with a significance of p < or = 0.0089. The Linear regression analysis also gave a form of (Stage = 0.04667 + 0.0077 x CA 19-9 + 0.0068 x - AAG) for staging. We considered that the serum AAG levels, in combination with serum CA 19-9 concentrations may have an important role in the preoperative staging of colorectal cancer.     

The timing of breast cancer surgery during the menstrual cycle

A number of recent studies have suggested that survival among premenopausal women after primary treatment of breast cancer may be affected by the estimated hormonal milieu at the time of surgery, especially in those with axillary lymph node metastases. The concept has created considerable controversy and has resulted in the publication of many negative reports. However, several biological mechanisms have been suggested for the observed survival advantage. These include cyclical patterns of immune function, as well as cell division and cell death, that correlate with hormonal fluctuations of the menstrual cycle. Comparisons among studies of timing have been complicated by differences in menstrual cycle divisions, variability in the sources of study populations, limited availability of menstrual history data, and changes over the past 2 decades in primary and adjuvant breast cancer therapy. Several recent publications have been enhanced by the availability of serum collected at the time of surgery that enables accurate measurement of the hormonal milieu. In these studies, the likelihood of misclassification by menstrual cycle phase is reduced, and dependence on recalled menstrual history is eliminated. High progesterone levels have been associated with improved survival. These findings have encouraged some to suggest that perioperative administration of progesterone or tamoxifen (Nolvadex) may provide a preventive avenue comparable to scheduling surgery during the luteal phase. Further multidisciplinary studies are needed, however, to clarify the influence of the naturally occurring or medically induced hormonal milieu at the time of breast cancer surgery on survival in premenopausal women.