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Grajczyk A, Sobczyk K, Dżaman K. Evaluation of Changes in the Patency of the Nasal Cavity and Eustachian Tube Depending on the Phase of the Menstrual Cycle: A Pilot Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:2044. [PMID: 39335723 PMCID: PMC11430933 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14182044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2024] [Revised: 09/12/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/30/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Estrogen and progesterone, hormones specific to females, undergo fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. The aim of this study was to assess subjective and objective changes in nasal cavity and Eustachian tube patency depending on the phase of the menstrual cycle in two groups of women: those in a follicular phase group and those in a luteal phase group. (2) Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 25 healthy non-pregnant women aged 24 to 32. Based on the phase of the cycle confirmed in sonography, they were divided into follicular phase (FP) and luteal phase (LP) groups. The Eustachian tube and nasal cavity patency examination was carried out using a SNOT-22 Questionnaire, a rhinomanometer, and a tympanometer. (3) Results: We observed that the incidence of nasal obstruction in SNOT-22 was significantly dependent on the cycle phase (p = 0.012) and was lower in the FP compared to the LP. Similar relationships were noticed between the cycle phase and the rhinomanometry outcome, where the LP was associated with a lower flow. We also revealed that the incidence of ear blockage significantly depended on the cycle phase (p = 0.001) and was lower in the FP compared to the LP. Women whose nasal patency deteriorated during the LP also had more negative pressure values in tympanometry. We observed that patients with negative PEAK L and R levels had a lower flow in rhinomanometry. (4) Conclusions: The results highlight the menstrual cycle's substantial impact on both subjective and objective nasal and Eustachian tube patency measurements. The novel finding in this study is that women whose nasal patency deteriorated during the luteal phase also had more negative pressure values in tympanometry. These results suggest that the deterioration of hearing during the menstrual cycle could be a result of swelling of the nasal mucosa and tubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicja Grajczyk
- Department of Otolaryngology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Marymoncka 99/103, 01-813 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Krystyna Sobczyk
- Department of Otolaryngology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Marymoncka 99/103, 01-813 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Dżaman
- Department of Otolaryngology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Marymoncka 99/103, 01-813 Warsaw, Poland
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2
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Ronca F, Blodgett JM, Bruinvels G, Lowery M, Raviraj M, Sandhar G, Symeonides N, Jones C, Loosemore M, Burgess PW. Attentional, anticipatory and spatial cognition fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle: Potential implications for female sport. Neuropsychologia 2024:108909. [PMID: 38762068 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.108909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Current research suggests that menstruating female athletes might be at greater risk of musculoskeletal injury in relation to hormonal changes throughout the menstrual cycle. A separate body of work suggests that spatial cognition might also fluctuate in a similar manner. Changes in spatial cognition could, in theory, be a contributing risk factor for injury, especially in fast-paced sports that require precise, millisecond accuracy in interactions with moving objects in the environment. However, existing theories surrounding causes for increased injury risk in menstruating females largely focus on biomechanical mechanisms, with little consideration of possible cognitive determinants of injury risk. Therefore, the aim of this proof-of-principle study was to explore whether menstruating females exhibit fluctuations in cognitive processes throughout their cycle on a novel sport-oriented cognitive test battery, designed to measure some of the mental processes putatively involved in these sporting situations. A total of 394 participants completed an online cognitive battery, a mood scale and a symptom questionnaire twice, 14 days apart. After exclusions, 248 eligible participants were included in the analyses (mean: 28 ± 6 years) (male = 96, female(menstruating) = 105, female(contraception) = 47). Cycle phase for menstruating females was based on self-reported information. The cognitive battery was designed to measure reaction times, attention, visuospatial functions (including 3D mental rotation) and timing anticipation. Three composite scores were generated using factor analysis with varimax rotation (Errors, Reaction Time, Intra-Individual Variability). Mixed model ANOVAs and repeated measures ANOVAs were performed to test for between and within-subject effects. There was no group difference in reaction times and accuracy between males and females (using contraception and not). However, within subject analyses revealed that regularly menstruating females performed better during menstruation compared to being in any other phase, with faster reaction times (10ms c.ca, p < 0.01), fewer errors (p < 0.05) and lower dispersion intra-individual variability (p < 0.05). In contrast they exhibited slower reaction times (10ms c.ca, p < 0.01) and poorer timing anticipation (p < 0.01) in the luteal phase, and more errors in the predicted ovulatory phase (p < 0.01). Self-reported mood, cognitive and physical symptoms were all worst during menstruation (p < 0.01), and a significant proportion of females felt that their symptoms were negatively affecting their cognitive performance during menstruation on testing day, which was incongruent with their actual performance. These findings suggest that visuospatial and anticipatory processes may fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle in the general population, with better performance during the menstrual phase and poorer performance during the luteal phase. If these extend to associations between phase-specific cognitive performance and injury incidence, they would support a cognitive theory of determinants of injury risk in cycling female athletes, opening an opportunity to develop mitigation strategies where appropriate.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Ronca
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK.
| | - J M Blodgett
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK; NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - G Bruinvels
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - M Lowery
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK; Sport and Wellbeing Analytics Limited, Swansea, UK
| | - M Raviraj
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - G Sandhar
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - N Symeonides
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - C Jones
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK; Sport and Wellbeing Analytics Limited, Swansea, UK
| | - M Loosemore
- Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - P W Burgess
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
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Álvarez F, Fernández-Folgueiras U, Méndez-Bértolo C, Kessel D, Carretié L. Menstrual cycle and exogenous attention toward emotional expressions. Horm Behav 2022; 146:105259. [PMID: 36116197 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Several studies suggest that the menstrual cycle affects emotional processing. However, these results may be biased by including women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in the samples. PMS is characterized by negative emotional symptomatology, such as depression and/or anxiety, during the luteal phase. This study aimed to explore the modulation of exogenous attention to emotional facial expressions as a function of the menstrual cycle in women without PMS. For this purpose, 55 women were selected (from an original volunteer sample of 790) according to rigorous exclusion criteria. Happy, angry, and neutral faces were presented as distractors, while both behavioral performance in a perceptual task and event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. This task was applied during both phases of the menstrual cycle (luteal and follicular, counterbalanced), and premenstrual symptomatology was monitored daily. Traditional and Bayesian ANOVAs on behavioral data (reaction times and errors in the task) and ERP indices (P1, N170, N2, and LPP amplitudes) confirmed the expected lack of an interaction of phase and emotion. Taken together, these results indicate that women free of PMS present steady exogenous attention levels to emotionally positive and negative stimuli regardless of the menstrual phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fátima Álvarez
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049, Spain.
| | | | | | - Dominique Kessel
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - Luis Carretié
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049, Spain
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Cohen ZZ, Gotlieb N, Erez O, Wiznitzer A, Arbel O, Matas D, Koren L, Henik A. Attentional networks during the menstrual cycle. Behav Brain Res 2022; 425:113817. [PMID: 35231499 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The menstrual cycle is characterized partially by fluctuations of the ovarian hormones estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4), which are implicated in the regulation of cognition. Research on attention in the different stages of the menstrual cycle is eclectic with discrepancies in attention definitions, and the three attentional networks (alerting, orienting and executive) and their interaction were not explored during the menstrual cycle. In the current study, we used the ANT-I (attentional network test - interactions) to examine naturally cycling women (NC) and women using oral contraceptives (OC). We tested their performance at two time points that fit, in natural cycles, the follicular phase and the luteal phase. We found no differences in performance between the two time points (day 4 / day 18) for the OC group: the response pattern replicated known ANT-I findings. However, the NC group showed differences between the two time points. In the follicular phase, responses replicated known ANT-I results, but in the luteal phase, alertness did not interact with executive and orienting networks, resulting in a larger congruency effect (executive network) when attention was not oriented to the target in alerting and no alerting conditions. Results-driven exploratory regression analysis of E2 and P4 suggested that change in P4 from the follicular phase/day 4 to the luteal phase/day 18 was a mediator for the alerting effect found between groups. In conclusion, the alerting state, found with or without alertness manipulation, suggests that there is a progesterone-mediated activation of the alerting system during the luteal phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahira Z Cohen
- Department of Psychology and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel; Medical Research Council, Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.
| | - Neta Gotlieb
- Department of Psychology, University of California Berkeley, California, United States.
| | - Offer Erez
- Soroka University Medical Center and School of Medicine, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
| | - Arnon Wiznitzer
- Rabin Medical Center and Sacker faculty of medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
| | - Oded Arbel
- Mindfulness Clinic, Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
| | - Devorah Matas
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
| | - Lee Koren
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel.
| | - Avishai Henik
- Department of Psychology and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
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5
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Legerlotz K, Nobis T. Insights in the Effect of Fluctuating Female Hormones on Injury Risk—Challenge and Chance. Front Physiol 2022; 13:827726. [PMID: 35250631 PMCID: PMC8891628 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.827726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
It is time to take on the challenge of investigating the complex effect of fluctuating female hormones on injury risk as this offers a chance to improve female athletes’ health and performance. During the recent decade, the body of knowledge on female hormones and injury risk has largely been increased. New insights have been offered regarding the association of certain phases of the menstrual cycle and injury prevalence as well as regarding relationships between hormone levels and musculoskeletal changes such as, for example, ligamentous stiffness and knee laxity. However, current research often follows the theme of a causal relationship between estrogen levels and musculoskeletal function or injury and thus—one might argue—further enhances a rather simplistic approach, instead of uncovering complex relationships which could help in establishing more nuanced ways of preventing female injuries. To uncover real effects and to truly understand the physiological responses, we suggest to reflect on potential bias regarding research questions and current approaches. It may enhance future studies to apply a more nuanced approach to causation, to include multidimensional perspectives and to implement an interdisciplinary methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Legerlotz
- Movement Biomechanics, Institute of Sport Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Kirsten Legerlotz,
| | - Tina Nobis
- Berlin Institute for Integration and Migration Research, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Valentina S, Blasio A, Ferragud A, Quadir SG, Iyer MR, Rice KC, Cottone P. Characterization of a differential reinforcement of low rates of responding task in non-deprived male and female rats: Role of Sigma-1 receptors. Neuropharmacology 2021; 200:108786. [PMID: 34516984 PMCID: PMC9869339 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Impulsive action can be defined as the inability to withhold a response and represents one of the dimensions of the broad construct impulsivity. Here, we characterized a modified differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL) task developed in our laboratory, in which impulsive action is measured in ad libitum fed/watered subjects. Specifically, we first determined the effects of both sex and estrous cycle on impulsive action by systematically comparing male and estrous-synchronized female subjects. In addition, we evaluated the convergent validity of this modified DRL task by testing the effects of the D2R/5HT2AR antagonist, aripiprazole, and the noncompetitive NMDAR antagonist, MK-801. Finally, we tested the effects of the selective antagonist BD-1063 and agonist PRE-084 of Sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) on impulsive action using this modified DRL task. We found that female rats showed and increased inability to withhold a response when compared to males, and this effect was driven by the metestrus/diestrus phase of the estrous cycle. In addition, aripiprazole and MK-801 fully retained their capability to reduce and increase impulsive action, respectively. Finally, the selective Sig-1R antagonist, BD-1063 dose-dependently reduced the inability to withhold a response in both sexes, though more potently in female rats. In summary, we show that impulsive action, as measured in a modified DRL task which minimizes energy-homeostatic influences, is a function of both sex and estrous cycle. Furthermore, we validate the convergent validity of the task and provide evidence that Sig-1R antagonism may represent a novel pharmacological strategy to reduce impulsive action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabino Valentina
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Angelo Blasio
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Antonio Ferragud
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sema G Quadir
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Malliga R Iyer
- Section on Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kenner C Rice
- Drug Design and Synthesis, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Pietro Cottone
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES Preclinical and clinical studies suggest that males and females may be differentially affected by cannabis use. This study evaluated the interaction of cannabis use and biological sex on cognition, and the association between observed cognitive deficits and features of cannabis use. METHODS Cognitive measures were assessed in those with regular, ongoing, cannabis use (N = 40; 22 female) and non-using peers (N = 40; 23 female). Intelligence, psychomotor speed, and verbal working memory were measured with the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Digit Symbol Test, and Digit Span and Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, respectively. Associations between cognitive measures and cannabis use features (e.g., lifetime cannabis use, age of initiation, time since last use of cannabis, recent high-concentration tetrahydrocannabinoid exposure) were also evaluated. RESULTS No main effects of group were observed across measures. Significant interactions between group and biological sex were observed on measures of intelligence, psychomotor speed, and verbal learning, with greatest group differences observed between males with and without regular cannabis use. Psychomotor performance was negatively correlated with lifetime cannabis exposure. Female and male cannabis use groups did not differ in features of cannabis use. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest that biological sex influences the relationship between cannabis and cognition, with males potentially being more vulnerable to the neurocognitive deficits related to cannabis use.
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Quadros MA, Granadeiro M, Ruiz-Tagle A, Maruta C, Gil-Gouveia R, Martins IP. Cognitive performance along the migraine cycle: A negative exploratory study. CEPHALALGIA REPORTS 2020. [DOI: 10.1177/2515816320951136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Migraine patients frequently report cognitive difficulties in the proximity and during migraine attacks. We performed an exploratory comparison of executive functioning across the four stages of the migraine cycle. Consecutive patients with episodic migraine undertook cognitive tests for attention, processing speed, set-shifting, and inhibitory control. Performance was compared between patients in different migraine stages, controlling for attack frequency and prophylactic medication. One hundred forty-three patients (142 women, average age 36.2 ± 9.9 years) were included, 28 preictal (≤48 h before the attack), 21 ictal (during the attack), 18 postictal (≤24 h after attack), and 76 interictal. Test performance (age and literacy adjusted z-scores) was not significantly different across migraine phases, despite a tendency for a decline before the attack. This negative study shows that cognitive performance fluctuates as patients approach the attack. To control for individual variability, this comparison needs to be better characterized longitudinally with a within-patient design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Ana Quadros
- Laboratório de Estudos de Linguagem, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Marta Granadeiro
- Laboratório de Estudos de Linguagem, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Amparo Ruiz-Tagle
- Laboratório de Estudos de Linguagem, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Carolina Maruta
- Laboratório de Estudos de Linguagem, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Católica Research Centre for Psychological Family and Social Wellbeing, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Raquel Gil-Gouveia
- Headache Outpatient Clinic, Department of Neurosciences, University Hospital de SantaMaria, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Isabel Pavão Martins
- Laboratório de Estudos de Linguagem, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
- Headache Outpatient Clinic, Department of Neurosciences, University Hospital de SantaMaria, Lisboa, Portugal
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Antonio RDL, Pompeia S. A fractionated analysis of hot and cool self-regulation in cigarette smokers from different socioeconomic backgrounds. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220222. [PMID: 31430293 PMCID: PMC6701789 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Smoking cigarettes and low socioeconomic status (SES) are both related to impaired cognition. However, it is unknown whether people of lower SES, who comprise most tobacco smokers worldwide, are more susceptible to cognitive impairment associated with smoking. In this non-randomized, cross-sectional study we investigated the effects of cigarette smoking, SES and their interaction on dissociable executive or “cool” and “hot” measures of behavioural self-regulation. Participants (n = 80) were selected among young physically and mentally healthy smokers and non-smokers who had graduated high school and were from different SES backgrounds. Cool self-regulation was measured by executive function tasks that tap inhibition, updating, shifting, dual tasking, planning, access to long-term memory (semantic fluency), and working memory capacity. Hot measures assessed self-reported impulsivity, delay discounting and risk taking. Exposure to tobacco (cotinine, exhaled carbon monoxide, tobacco dependence, cigarette consumption) was assessed to determine to what extent it mediated the cognitive effects of smoking. Nicotine abstinence and its acute effects were controlled, as were sex, age, schooling, and psychiatric symptoms despite the fact that smokers and non-smokers were selected as being as similar as possible in these demographic characteristics. Lower SES (less years of parental schooling) was associated with worse performance on tasks that measured all cool domains except dual tasking and fluency, while smoking status was related to impaired delayed discounting and impulsivity (hot domains), effects that were not mediated by tobacco exposure. Smoking and SES, however, did not interact. In short, impaired performance in measures of most cool skills was associated with SES irrespective of smoking status; in contrast, regardless of SES, smokers showed specific impairment in hot self-regulation domains (more difficulty resisting immediate temptations and weighing future consequences of actions). Possible explanations for the lack of mediation of tobacco exposure on hot skills of smokers are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel de Luna Antonio
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Curso de Naturologia, Universidade Anhembi Morumbi, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail:
| | - Sabine Pompeia
- Departamento de Psicobiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Krentzel AA, Meitzen J. Biological Sex, Estradiol and Striatal Medium Spiny Neuron Physiology: A Mini-Review. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:492. [PMID: 30618639 PMCID: PMC6299026 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens core and shell are important striatal brain regions for premotor, limbic, habit formation, reward, and other critical cognitive functions. Striatal-relevant behaviors such as anxiety, motor coordination, locomotion, and sensitivity to reward, all change with fluctuations of the menstrual cycle in humans and the estrous cycle in rodents. These fluctuations implicate sex steroid hormones, such as 17β-estradiol, as potent neuromodulatory signals for striatal neuron activity. The medium spiny neuron (MSN), the primary neuron subtype of the striatal regions, expresses membrane estrogen receptors and exhibits sex differences both in intrinsic and synaptic electrophysiological properties. In this mini-review, we first describe sex differences in the electrophysiological properties of the MSNs in prepubertal rats. We then discuss specific examples of how the human menstrual and rat estrous cycles induce differences in striatal-relevant behaviors and neural substrate, including how female rat MSN electrophysiology is influenced by the estrous cycle. We then conclude the mini-review by discussing avenues for future investigation, including possible roles of striatal-localized membrane estrogen receptors and estradiol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda A Krentzel
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - John Meitzen
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.,W. M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.,Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States.,Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
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11
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Hurley R, Machado L. Using transcranial direct current stimulation to improve verbal working memory: A detailed review of the methodology. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2018; 40:790-804. [DOI: 10.1080/13803395.2018.1434133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roanne Hurley
- Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Liana Machado
- Department of Psychology and Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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12
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Souza DDS, Luckwu B, Andrade WTLD, Pessoa LSDF, Nascimento JAD, Rosa MRDD. Variation in the Hearing Threshold in Women during the Menstrual Cycle. Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2017; 21:323-328. [PMID: 29018493 PMCID: PMC5629086 DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1598601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2016] [Accepted: 11/03/2016] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle and their relationship with hearing problems have been studied. However, they have not been well explained. Objective The objective of our study is to investigate the variation in hearing thresholds in women during the menstrual cycle. Method We conducted a cohort and longitudinal study. It was composed of 30 volunteers, aged 18-39 years old, of which 20 were women during the phases of the menstrual cycle and 10 were men (control group) who underwent audiometry and impedance exams, to correlate the possible audiological changes in each phase of the menstrual cycle. Results There were significant changes in hearing thresholds observed during the menstrual cycle phases in the group of women who used hormonal contraceptives and the group who did not use such contraceptives. Improved hearing thresholds were observed in the late follicular phase in the group who did not use hormonal contraceptives and the hearing thresholds at high frequencies were better. Throughout the menstrual cycle phases, the mean variation was 3.6 db HL between weeks in the group who used hormonal contraceptives and 4.09 db HL in the group who did not use them. Conclusions The present study found that there may be a relationship between hearing changes and hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle based on changes in the hearing thresholds of women. In addition, this study suggests that estrogen has an otoprotective effect on hearing, since the best hearing thresholds were found when estrogen was at its maximum peak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayse da Silva Souza
- Postgraduate Program in Cognitive Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidade Federal da Paraíba - UFPB, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Brunna Luckwu
- Department of Speech Pathology, UFPB, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Marine Raquel Diniz da Rosa
- Department of Speech Pathology and of the Postgraduate Program in Cognitive Neuroscience and Behavior, UFPB, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil
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Biassoni F, Iannello P, Antonietti A, Ciceri MR. Influences of Fertility Status on Risky Driving Behaviour. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Federica Biassoni
- Department of Psychology; Catholic University of the Sacred Heart; Milan Italy
| | - Paola Iannello
- Department of Psychology; Catholic University of the Sacred Heart; Milan Italy
| | | | - Maria Rita Ciceri
- Department of Psychology; Catholic University of the Sacred Heart; Milan Italy
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14
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Influence of selected phases of the menstrual cycle on performance in Special judo fitness test and Wingate test. ACTA GYMNICA 2016. [DOI: 10.5507/ag.2016.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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