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Ikarashi K, Sato D, Edama M, Fujimoto T, Ochi G, Yamashiro K. Fluctuation of fine motor skills throughout the menstrual cycle in women. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15079. [PMID: 38956128 PMCID: PMC11219923 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65823-6] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The effect of the menstrual cycle on fine motor skills is unclear. This study determined whether the menstrual cycle affected fine motor skills and related neural activities. Nineteen women with regular menstrual cycles were tested for fine motor skills using two types of tasks: grooved pegboard task (GPT), which evaluates motor control with high freedom of movements, and force modulation task (FMT), which evaluates more complex and fine motor control with low freedom of movements. We also assessed primary motor cortex intracortical circuits and sensorimotor integration using paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation to reveal why the menstrual cycle affects fine motor skills. The present study indicated that fine motor skills assessed by FMT varied throughout the menstrual cycle while those measured by GPT did not. These results suggest that fine motor skills requiring more complex and fine control may be affected by the menstrual cycle. Additionally, changes in fine motor skills throughout the menstrual cycle may be associated with the severity of menstruation-related symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koyuki Ikarashi
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Daisuke Sato
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan.
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan.
| | - Mutsuaki Edama
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan
- Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Tomomi Fujimoto
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Genta Ochi
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
| | - Koya Yamashiro
- Institute for Human Movement and Medical Sciences, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, 1398 Shimami-Cho, Kita-Ku, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan
- Department of Health and Sports, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
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Willett JA, Cao J, Johnson A, Patel OH, Dorris DM, Meitzen J. The estrous cycle modulates rat caudate-putamen medium spiny neuron physiology. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 52:2737-2755. [PMID: 31278786 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The neuroendocrine environment in which the brain operates is both dynamic and differs by sex. How differences in neuroendocrine state affect neuron properties has been significantly neglected in neuroscience research. Behavioral data across humans and rodents indicate that natural cyclical changes in steroid sex hormone production affect sensorimotor and cognitive behaviors in both normal and pathological contexts. These behaviors are critically mediated by the caudate-putamen. In the caudate-putamen, medium spiny neurons (MSNs) are the predominant and primary output neurons. MSNs express membrane-associated estrogen receptors and demonstrate estrogen sensitivity. However, how the cyclical hormone changes across the estrous cycle may modulate caudate-putamen MSN electrophysiological properties remains unknown. Here, we performed whole-cell patch-clamp recordings on male, diestrus female, proestrus female, and estrus female caudate-putamen MSNs. Action potential, passive membrane, and miniature excitatory post-synaptic current properties were assessed. Numerous MSN electrical properties robustly differed by cycle state, including resting membrane potential, rheobase, action potential threshold, maximum evoked action potential firing rate, and inward rectification. Strikingly, when considered independent of estrous cycle phase, all but one of these properties do not significantly differ from male MSNs. These data indicate that female caudate-putamen MSNs are sensitive to the estrous cycle, and more broadly, the importance of considering neuroendocrine state in studies of neuron physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime A Willett
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Graduate Program in Physiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Grass Laboratory, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Jinyan Cao
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Ashlyn Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Opal H Patel
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - David M Dorris
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - John Meitzen
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA.,Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
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Cao J, Willett JA, Dorris DM, Meitzen J. Sex Differences in Medium Spiny Neuron Excitability and Glutamatergic Synaptic Input: Heterogeneity Across Striatal Regions and Evidence for Estradiol-Dependent Sexual Differentiation. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:173. [PMID: 29720962 PMCID: PMC5915472 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Steroid sex hormones and biological sex influence how the brain regulates motivated behavior, reward, and sensorimotor function in both normal and pathological contexts. Investigations into the underlying neural mechanisms have targeted the striatal brain regions, including the caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens core (AcbC), and shell. These brain regions are of particular interest to neuroendocrinologists given that they express membrane-associated but not nuclear estrogen receptors, and also the well-established role of the sex steroid hormone 17β-estradiol (estradiol) in modulating striatal dopamine systems. Indeed, output neurons of the striatum, the medium spiny neurons (MSNs), exhibit estradiol sensitivity and sex differences in electrophysiological properties. Here, we review sex differences in rat MSN glutamatergic synaptic input and intrinsic excitability across striatal regions, including evidence for estradiol-mediated sexual differentiation in the nucleus AcbC. In prepubertal animals, female MSNs in the caudate-putamen exhibit a greater intrinsic excitability relative to male MSNs, but no sex differences are detected in excitatory synaptic input. Alternatively, female MSNs in the nucleus AcbC exhibit increased excitatory synaptic input relative to male MSNs, but no sex differences in intrinsic excitability were detected. Increased excitatory synaptic input onto female MSNs in the nucleus AcbC is abolished after masculinizing estradiol or testosterone exposure during the neonatal critical period. No sex differences are detected in MSNs in prepubertal nucleus accumbens shell. Thus, despite possessing the same neuron type, striatal regions exhibit heterogeneity in sex differences in MSN electrophysiological properties, which likely contribute to the sex differences observed in striatal function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyan Cao
- 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
| | - Jaime A. Willett
- 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
- Graduate Program in Physiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - David M. Dorris
- Department of Biological Sciences, 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
- *Correspondence: John Meitzen,
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Ghosh S, Ghosh T, Dutta Chowdhury S, Wrotniak BH, Chandra AM. Factors associated With the development of motor proficiency in school children of Kolkata: A cross-sectional study to assess the role of chronic nutritional and socio-economic status. Dev Psychobiol 2016; 58:734-44. [PMID: 27020315 DOI: 10.1002/dev.21413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Development of coordinated movements is determined among others by individual growth and environmental factors, but the dynamic relationship between motor proficiency and potential contributing factors such as chronic nutritional status and socio-economic status (SES) is not known in school children of Kolkata. AIM To characterize the motor proficiency in school children of Kolkata and to investigate association of chronic nutritional and SES on motor proficiency. METHODS Motor proficiency in 843 school children of Kolkata aged 5-12 years was assessed by the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor-Proficiency-Second Edition-Short Form (BOT-2 SF). Chronic nutritional status was determined from height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ) using WHO reference and SES was measured using the updated Kuppuswamy's scale. RESULTS Children's motor proficiency was poor compared with the reference values. Children classified as severely undernourished and children of lower SES were found to be "below average" and "well-below average" in motor proficiency categories compared with normal nourished groups and children of upper SES. Children's BOT-2 SF standardized scores decreased incrementally with the severity of chronic undernutrition and lower grades of SES. CONCLUSION Chronic undernutrition and lower SES are associated with poorer motor proficiency in children. Understanding the complex interrelationships that shape childen's motor skills can help inform the development of health promotion programs and tailored interventions to help children reach their full potential. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 58:734-744, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satabdi Ghosh
- Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University College of Science and Technology, University of Calcutta, 92, A.P.C. Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700 009, India
| | - Tusharkanti Ghosh
- Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University College of Science and Technology, University of Calcutta, 92, A.P.C. Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700 009, India
| | - Sutanu Dutta Chowdhury
- Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University College of Science and Technology, University of Calcutta, 92, A.P.C. Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700 009, India
| | - Brian H Wrotniak
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA.,Department of Physical Therapy, D'Youville College, Buffalo, NY
| | - Ananga Mohan Chandra
- Neurophysiology Laboratory, Department of Physiology, University College of Science and Technology, University of Calcutta, 92, A.P.C. Road, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700 009, India
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Choudhary AK, Alam T, Jiwane R, Kishanrao SS. A Comparative Analysis of Dietary Habits on Sensory Motor Association and Heart Rate Variability during Menstrual Cycle. J Clin Diagn Res 2016; 10:CC04-8. [PMID: 26894059 DOI: 10.7860/jcdr/2016/16421.7068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Dietary habits can make a big difference on both physical and mental aspects of the body. Menstrual disorder frequently affects the quality of life of adolescent and young adult women. Menstrual cycle irregularities may be associated with psychological stress, and endocrine disturbances. Monitoring of sensory-motor association and cardiovascular activity across the menstrual cycle has not been evaluated with dietary habits. AIM The present study was carried out to bridge the relationship between dietary habits and endogenous sex hormone mediated sensory motor association and heart rate variability (HRV) among young females during different phases of menstrual cycle. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study was carried out on healthy volunteered 100 female medical students in the age group of 19-25 years with regular menstrual cycle. Group I (n=45) vegetarians, Group II (n=25) eggetarians and Group III (n= 30) non-vegetarians, where n denotes the number of individuals in each group. Sensory-motor association (reaction time) and cardiovascular activity (HRV) was evaluated. RESULTS We observed among all the dietary habits (vegetarians, eggetarians and non-vegetarians) the reaction time and HRV was comparable in follicular and menstrual phase, however it was significantly altered in luteal phase when compared to follicular and menstrual phase. Moreover, among all the dietary habits, non-vegetarians showed more significant alteration of reaction time and HRV in luteal phase when compared to vegetarians and eggetarians, as well as there was positive correlation between visual and auditory reaction time and negative correlation between LF and HF in luteal phase, among all the dietary habits. CONCLUSION We concluded sensorimotor association and regulation of autonomic tone is modified in luteal phase comparable to follicular phase and menstrual phase; however non-vegetarian had showed more significant alterations as compared to eggetarians and vegetarians. These suggest that sympathetic nervous activities are predominant in the luteal phase as compared to follicular phase, and this sympathetic dominance is more among non-vegetarians, which may be due to their higher BMI. The alterations in the balance of ovarian hormones might be responsible for these changes. Long-term intake of vegetarian diets may facilitate vagal regulation of the heart without increasing the sympathetic modulations of the cardiovascular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arbind Kumar Choudhary
- Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, People's College of Medical Science and Research Centre , Bhopal, India
| | - Tanwir Alam
- Assistant Professor, Department of Physiology, People's College of Medical Science and Research Centre , Bhopal, India
| | - Rekha Jiwane
- Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, People's College of Medical Science and Research Centre , Bhopal, India
| | - Sadawarte Sahebrao Kishanrao
- Professor and HOD, Department of Physiology, People's College of Medical Science and Research Centre , Bhopal, India
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Zoghi M, Vaseghi B, Bastani A, Jaberzadeh S, Galea MP. The Effects of Sex Hormonal Fluctuations during Menstrual Cycle on Cortical Excitability and Manual Dexterity (a Pilot Study). PLoS One 2015; 10:e0136081. [PMID: 26308341 PMCID: PMC4550432 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To investigate whether hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle affect corticospinal excitability, intracortical inhibition (ICI) or facilitation (ICF) in primary motor cortex, and also whether the hormonal fluctuations have any effect on manual dexterity in neurologically intact women. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty volunteers (10 Female, 10 Male) were included in this study. The levels of progesterone and estradiol were measured from saliva during the women's menstrual follicular, ovulation and mid-luteal phases. Motor evoked potentials were recorded from the right first dorsal interosseous muscle. Single and paired-pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) were delivered in a block of 20 stimuli. With paired-pulse technique, 3ms and 10ms inter-stimulus intervals were used to assess ICI and ICF, respectively. The Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT) was completed in each session before the TMS assessments. Male participants were tested at similar time intervals as female participants. RESULTS Mixed design ANOVA revealed that GPT score in female participants was significantly lower at the mid-luteal phase compared to the ovulation phase (p = 0.017). However, it was not correlated with progesterone or estrogen fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. The results also showed that the effect of phase, sex and the interaction of phase by sex for resting motor threshold, ICI or ICF were not significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION Manual dexterity performance fluctuates during the menstrual cycle in neurologically intact women, which might be due to the balance of the neuromodulatory effects of P4 and E2 in the motor cortex during different phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Zoghi
- Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bita Vaseghi
- School of Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Frankston, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Andisheh Bastani
- Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shapour Jaberzadeh
- School of Primary Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Frankston, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mary P. Galea
- Department of Medicine (Royal Melbourne Hospital), The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia
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Hampson E, Levy-Cooperman N, Korman JM. Estradiol and mental rotation: relation to dimensionality, difficulty, or angular disparity? Horm Behav 2014; 65:238-48. [PMID: 24394702 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2012] [Revised: 12/23/2013] [Accepted: 12/26/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Several studies have reported that performance on spatial rotation tests is better at menses than at high estradiol phases of the menstrual cycle in women. These effects are debated because nearly all reports of menstrual cycle variability have relied on a single test, the Mental Rotations Test (MRT, Vandenberg and Kuse, 1978). In the present study, we investigated key features of the MRT that might be responsible for its association with estradiol levels. We hypothesized that associations could be demonstrated for other tasks that share the same characteristics. Forty-four women ages 20-38 years, matched on education and general ability, were assessed at low (n=24) or high (n=20) estradiol stages of the menstrual cycle on a set of spatial tests that varied in dimensionality, plane of rotation, angular disparity, and effortfulness. Saliva was used to quantify estradiol and progesterone. Low estradiol was found to be associated with significantly better accuracy on the MRT and also on a mental rotation task that required large angles of rotation but employed only two-dimensional object representations and rotations limited to the picture plane. In contrast, a task using identical stimuli that required only small angles of rotation did not show an estradiol effect. A group difference also was seen on a test of perceptual closure. The results confirm that the estradiol effect is not limited to the MRT, and identify the rotational element, but also aspects of figural perception, as possible processes that may be responsive to estrogens. These findings advance our understanding by showing an association between estradiol and discrete spatial processes. Implications for understanding the origins of the robust sex difference commonly observed on the MRT are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Hampson
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
| | | | - Jennifer M Korman
- Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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