Course-based Project

Do hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle lead to enhanced emotional memory in naturally cycling women?

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Abstract

The menstrual cycle plays a crucial role in regulating female reproductive physiology and also influences cognition and emotion in naturally cycling women. This literature review examines the effects of fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels on emotional memory during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Using PsycINFO and PubMed databases, eight studies conducted between 2000 and early 2024 were identified that explored emotional memory in healthy, naturally cycling women. Five of these studies reported superior emotional memory during the luteal phase compared to the follicular phase. However, one study found better emotional memory during the follicular phase, while two others reported no significant differences between the phases. Of the studies that found superior emotional memory, many noted stronger memory for negative images, although the lack of positively valenced stimuli in some experiments made it difficult to draw conclusions regarding emotional valence. Additional methodological differences, particularly in variation in the definition of the follicular and luteal phases across studies, further complicated cross-study comparisons. Overall, while there is some evidence suggesting superior emotional memory (potentially only for negative stimuli) during periods of elevated progesterone in naturally cycling women, future research should address the methodological inconsistencies in the existing literature. These findings are important as enhanced emotional memory may be linked to the higher prevalence of stress-related disorders in females compared to males.

Keywords: Emotional memory, Hormones and memory, Menstrual cycle phases