Menstrual phase and cognition: Indirect evidence for opposite effects of higher levels of estrogens and progesterone on effortful processes

Abstract Background: Many studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of estrogens on cognitive efficiency in women. In contrast, progesterone may adversely affect cognition. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the associations between estimated higher estrogen and progesterone levels and a variety of neurocognitive measures reflecting deep/effortful vs. more automatic processes. Method: Twenty-four cycling women, including healthy women and patients with schizophrenia, were administered a battery of cognitive and neuropsychological tests. The participants were divided into higher and lower estrogen and progesterone groups according to the menstrual phase on the day of testing. Results: Regression analyses revealed that higher estrogen levels were associated with better scores in diverse cognitive domains. These associations pertained mostly to measures that reflect deep or effortful processes. In contrast, higher progesterone levels were associated with decreased scores on various memory tasks, including verbal, visual, and working memory tasks, and associations were specifically observed with measures that reflect deep or effortful verbal memory processes. Conclusion: Estrogens and progesterone may have opposite effects on certain memory processes that possibly rely on the frontal lobe.