Effects of menstrual cycle phases on approach-avoidance behaviors in women: a behavioral and event-related potentials study

Menstrual cycle influences approach-avoidance behavior in females as a result of fluctuations in sex hormone levels, but the underlying neuropsychological processes are unknown. Therefore, we collected the approach-avoidance behavior and electroencephalogram (EEG) data of 27 naturally cycling women during early follicular, late follicular, and mid-luteal phases, focusing on the effects of estradiol and progesterone levels on women's approach-avoidance behavior. Results found that women in the late follicular phase approached positive stimuli more quickly, and N2 amplitudes were the smallest for impulsive benefit-approach reaction. Women in the mid-luteal phase avoided negative stimuli more quickly, and P1/N2 amplitudes were the smallest for impulsive harm-avoidance reaction. Correlation results showed that estradiol levels positively predicted benefit-approach behavior, and progesterone levels positively predicted harm-avoidance behavior. Behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) results suggest that women in different menstrual cycles have different sensitivities to approach-avoidance behaviors of different emotional stimuli, characterized by less consumption of cognitive resources in the early stages of emotional motivation processing, which is in part mediated by estradiol and progesterone. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between ovarian hormones and approach-avoidance behavior in women.