Disgust sensitivity in relation to menstrual cycle phase in women with and without an infection

Abstract

Objectives The compensatory prophylaxis hypothesis (CPH) proposes that evolved psychological mechanisms enhance the avoidance of potential contaminants during periods of reproductive immunomodulation in order to decrease a chance of infection. However, the results of previous studies are inconclusive. Our aim was to investigate the differences in disgust sensitivity during phases of menstrual cycle in regularly cycling young healthy women and among women who reported having an infection. Methods The disgust sensitivity was measured using Two Domains of the Three Domain Disgust Scale (TDDS), Padua Inventory (PI), and photographs during the internet‐based survey. Women (N = 527) were divided by phases of menstrual cycle using two different methods on the basis of reported cycle length and the number of days since the onset of their most recent menstrual bleeding. Results The women who had an infection and who were in luteal phase had higher scores in Pathogen Disgust Domain than women in follicular phase. However, they did not differ in other assessments of disgust sensitivity. Conclusions The results provide weak support for the CPH hypothesis. We found differences in disgust sensitivity in women who declared having an infection—participants in the luteal phase scored higher in the Pathogen Domain Scale of TDDS than women in the follicular phase. We suggest that future studies should measure levels of sex steroids and immunological markers of infection.

Pharyngeal Detection of Staphylococcus aureus as a Possible Factor Related to Disgust Sensitivity in Humans

“…More distinct effects and stronger responses might be observed if individuals were confronted with more ecologically valid disgust elicitors, e.g., photos, movies, objects [4], or were interviewed on their real-life behaviors. Furthermore, apart from cortisol and testosterone, also other hormones, that were not controlled in this study (e.g., progesterone), may also impact an individual's disgust sensitivity [5,6]. Although recent studies showed that changes in sex hormones levels in the menstrual cycle are not related with disgust sensitivity [7], it would be worth to control for estradiol and progesterone levels in future research.…”

“…For instance, women in the first trimester of pregnancy, when maternal immunity is suppressed, exhibit elevated disgust sensitivity [4]. Furthermore, longitudinal studies showed that changes in pathogen disgust sensitivity in menstrual cycle correspond to changes in immunovulnerability, that fluctuates within the cycle, following changes in immunomodulatory hormones levels, such as progesterone [5,6]; but see also for no result [2,7]. Additionally, cocaine-dependent individuals, whose immune functions are compromised, exhibit hypersensitivity to stimuli conveying a risk of infection and increase in the secretion of salivary IL-6 in response to the disgust provocation, possibly indicating an anticipatory mechanism to an imminent infectious challenge [8].…”

Disgust Sensitivity Among Women During the COVID-19 Outbreak

“…All women completed at least one questionnaire on disgust level. The first wave of data was collected in 2017 as part of a study that examined relations between disgust sensitivity and menstrual cycle phases in women (Miłkowska et al, 2019). In March 2020, Polish government introduced special restrictions due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases, including social distancing, closing of state borders, schools, cinemas, most stores, and restricting the number of people in churches.…”

Infection threat shapes our social instincts

“…During the luteal phase, as during the first trimester of pregnancy, the immune system is damped down to prevent it from attacking any fertilized cells that might be starting to develop; after all, just like parasites do, such cells happen to carry foreign genetic material. It has indeed been reported that, among women who are currently fighting an infection, being in the luteal rather than the follicular phase increases pathogen disgust (Milkowska et al 2019; see also Pilarczyk et al 2019). Pathogen disgust is also higher in women who are in the first three months of pregnancy (Fessler et al 2005).…”