What happens in the brain of women when they have their period?

In the common imagination, a woman who has her rules or who is about to have them is an irritable woman, in a bad mood, ready to jump at the slightest annoyance. "She has her rules or what?", Has become a consecrated expression, which strengthens the taboo still surrounding menstruation.

The key role of female sex hormones

Often considered as shameful and dirty, causing mood swings, sadness, anxiety, the rules are however beneficial for the brain of women. Several studies have indeed proven that they were closely associated with the production of hormones which modified the structure of two areas of the brain: first the hippocampus, zone of the brain involved in the orientation in space, as well as In memorization, but also the amygdal, nucleus playing a role in the empathetic circuit and in the management of fear.

to understand how the hormones produced during the rules have a positive influence on the brain of Women, we must first take an interest in ovaries. They are the ones who produce, at different levels depending on the time of the cycle, estrogens and progesterone.

in an BBC article spotted by Slate, journalist Zaria Gorvett, explains that these two sex hormones , responsible for thickening the mucous membrane of the uterus and deciding when to release the egg, also affect the brain.

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Among the studies having looked at the role played by sex hormones in the modification of the structure of two areas of the brain, is that of psychologist Pauline Maki. In 2002, the scientist studied the consequences of fluctuating the level of estrogens on a group of 16 volunteer women. Each participant was evaluated twice: once just after the rules, when estrogen and progesterone levels were low and approximately one week after ovulation, when estrogen and progesterone levels were high.

Memorization, communication and perception of space

She then noticed that when they presented high hormone rates, women were better to handle the words but had more difficulties in finding yourself in space. On the other hand, when their hormone levels were low, they enjoyed a better perception of space.

How to explain it? For Pauline Maki, female hormones, and in particular estrogens, act on the hippocampus, which grows every month before ovulation. So at the maximum of his abilities, he participates in better memorization and also plays a role in the development of communication skills.

a 2008 study published in the Journal of Women's Health results in the same conclusions and Even further: for neuroscientists, estrogens act on the myelinization of hippocampal neurons. However, better myelinization contributes to a better and faster information processing. Hence these best memorization and communication capacities before ovulation.

better social skills

The second zone of the brain to undergo modifications under the influence of hormones is The tonsil, where emotions are managed, and in particular fear and decision to fight or flee. Curiously, the amygdal also plays a crucial role in avoiding social errors, because understanding why a person is afraid - and decide if we should be too - requires the world from his point of view. P

for the psychologist, the abilities of women to recognize fear reach their maximum level each month, when their estrogen levels are at the highest. This could explain why women who do not produce enough hormones are also less gifted to recognize fear and have less good social capacities.

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