New research indicates that women perform better cognitively during menstruation, despite perceiving their performance as worse. The study found that participants reacted faster and made fewer errors during their period. This research highlights the need for further understanding of how menstrual cycles impact women’s cognitive functions and athletic performance. Researchers hope these findings will encourage positive discussions between athletes and coaches about performance and well-being throughout the menstrual cycle.
A recent study by UCL and ISEH found that women performed better in cognitive tests during menstruation, challenging common perceptions and suggesting that menstrual cycle phases could significantly impact sports-related injury risks and overall health.
According to new research from the University College London (UCL) and the Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health (ISEH), participants responded more quickly and made fewer errors during menstruation, even though they expected their performance to decline.
The study, published in Neuropsychologia, is the first to assess sport-related cognition during the menstrual cycle and is part of a larger research project supported by the FIFA Research Scholarship.
The findings act as a proof-of-principle that specific types of cognition fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, which could have implications for injury and other aspects of women’s health.
Previous sports medicine research has shown that women seem to be at greater risk of sport-related injury during the luteal phase, which is the time between ovulation and menstruation. This is possibly related to the significant hormonal changes that occur throughout the menstrual cycle. But precisely how these changes are linked to an increased likelihood of injury is unknown at present.
Methodology and Cognitive Tests
In this study, researchers at UCL and ISEH collected reaction time and error data from 241 participants who completed a battery of cognitive tests 14 days apart. Participants also completed a mood scale and a symptom questionnaire twice. Period-tracking apps were used to estimate which phase of their cycle the participants were in when they took the tests.
The tests were designed to mimic mental processes that are typical in team sports. In one test, participants were shown smiling or winking faces and asked to press the space bar only when they saw a smiley face, to test inhibition, attention, reaction time, and DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2024.108909
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