Changes in Mood and Autonomic Functioning During the Menstrual Cycle

Abstract

The autonomic nervous system activity and mood ratings of 12 women were studied 6 days a week for a complete menstrual cycle. The daily procedure consisted of a resting period, a series of 5 mild tones, time estimation (TE), and reaction time (RT) trials, and a final resting period. Significant increase in heart rate (HR), respiration rate, and body temperature, and a significant decrease in resting skin conductance (SC) were found during the luteal phase. During the ovulatory phase there were significant increases in autonomic responsivity, as shown by greater amplitude of SC response in the TE and RT situations as well as in faster SC drop‐rate and greater HR variability. All of these autonomic variability measures coincided with a significant peak in feelings of elation and vigor. Significant age effects were that older women had higher basal body temperatures, less marked HR variability, and tended to have lower levels of SC, particularly in the luteal phase of the cycle. The results are discussed in terms of the psychophysiological effects of estrogen and progesterone.

Changes of respiratory sinus arrhythmia during the menstrual cycle depend on average heart rate

“…Despite this importance, physiological knowledge about cardiac autonomic control during the normal menstrual cycle is scarce. In earlier studies, several physiological parameters connected to autonomic activity like heart rate (HR, Do¨ring and Feustel 1953;Hildebrandt and Witzenrath 1969;Kaplan et al 1990; Kirsch and Geer 1988;Little and Zahn 1974;Manhem and Jern 1994) or galvanic skin response (Kirsch and Geer 1988;Little and Zahn 1974) were studied during the menstrual cycle. In recent years, highly sensitive approaches such as measurement of HR variability (HRV) have become available, which facilitate non-invasive investigations of cardiac autonomic control (Appel et al 1989;Bigger et al 1992;Lehofer et al 1997;Moser et al 1994Moser et al , 1995Porges 1986).…”

Evaluation of Psychological Symptoms in Premenstrual Syndrome using PMR Technique

“…Furthermore, during the luteal phase there is evidence of increased physiologic response to stress as measured by heart rate, blood pressure, adrenocortical activity, and urinary excretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine. Other studies however, have shown no changes in heart rate and respiratory rate or adrenocortical responsivity throughout the menstrual cycle [8,10,11].…”

The menstrual cycle and the tyramine pressor response test.

“…Little & Zahn (1974) observed an increase in autonomic responsiveness during the preovulatory phase. Wineman (1971) was of the opinion that the luteal phase is associated with increased sympathetic activity.…”

“…Our data support the contention that weight gain may be lacking or less pronounced during treatment with the 'cardiosdective' P-adrenoceptor blocking agent atenolol. (Wineman, 1971;Little & Zahn, 1974). In animal studies Wirz-Justice & Lichtsteiner (1976) reported increased noradrenaline (NA) uptake at different areas of the brain in pro-oestrus females than in male rats.…”