The Effects of Cognitive and Physical Stress on Cardiovascular Reactivity Among Smokers and Oral Contraceptive Users

Blood pressure and heart rate responses to cognitive (mental arithmetic) and physical (cold pressor) stress were monitored in four groups of women: 1) smokers/non oral contraceptive (OC) users, 2) non-smokers/OC users, 3) smokers/OC users, and 4) non-smokers/non-OC users (control). All subjects were reactive to both types of stress. The results suggest that oral contraceptive use among smokers may enhance systolic blood pressure reactivity to cognitive stress when compared to smokers/non-OC users. Also, OC use among women with a parental history of heart disease was marginally associated with elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses to the cold pressor test. These findings suggest that oral contraceptive use may interact with smoking and parental history of heart disease and warrant further investigation.     

Effects of menstrual phase and parental history of hypertension on cardiovascular response to cognitive challenge

The effects of parental history of hypertension and menstrual phase on systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) and heart rate (HR) responses to two frustrating cognitive tasks were examined in 47 normotensive, young adult women. Subjects with and without a parental history of hypertension were scheduled to be tested during either the follicular (days 7-11 of a 28-day cycle) or luteal (days 17-22) phase of the menstrual cycle. During the laboratory session, HR, SBP, DBP, and self-report of affective states were measured while subjects performed two cognitive tasks (mental arithmetic and concept formation). Results indicated that the magnitude of SBP responses to the two tasks was significantly greater in subjects tested during the follicular phase than in subjects tested in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. No effect of parental hypertension was observed on cardiovascular response measures, though offspring of hypertensive parents reported experiencing significantly less anger during the tasks than subjects with normotensive parents.     

女大学生月经周期应激敏感性的生理心理评估

目的:评估女大学生在月经周期不同阶段应激敏感性的变化。方法:在经前、经后和排卵期对29名月经周期规律的女大学生进行静息、心算任务的心理生理测试。结果:心率变化最显著,排卵期的心率显著大于经前和经后;在排卵期和经后心算心率显著大于静息心率,而在经前两者之间无显著差异;在心率变异性上,仅发现低频成分在静息状态显著大于心算状态;皮肤电反应在心算状态显著大于静息状态。结论:女大学生在经前应激敏感性最高。     

Psychophysiological and neuroendocrine responses to laboratory stressors in women: Implications of menstrual cycle phase and stressor type

This study assessed stressor and menstrual phase effects on psychophysiological and neuroendocrine responses to laboratory stressors in freely cycling women (N = 78, ages 18-45). Participants performed counterbalanced stressors [Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) or cold pressor test (CP)] during their follicular and luteal menstrual cycle phases between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. to control for cortisol rhythm. Participants rested 30-min, performed the stressor, and then recovered 30-min while electrocardiography continuously monitored heart rate (HR). Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), salivary cortisol, and state anxiety were assessed at timed intervals. HR, SBP, and cortisol varied more over the course of luteal than follicular phase testing. A three-way interaction revealed state anxiety reactivity was greater with the PASAT during the follicular phase. DBP showed equal and persistent reactivity with both stressors during both cycle phases. Results extend the stressor-specific HPAA hypothesis and have important methodological implications for women's biopsychology research.     

Tobacco withdrawal in women and menstrual cycle phase

Because negative mood is a characteristic of both tobacco withdrawal and menstrual discomfort, withdrawal may vary by menstrual cycle phase. Tobacco withdrawal, mood, and menstrual discomfort were assessed in premenopausal women who quit smoking during either the follicular (Days 1-14 postmenstrual onset; n = 41) or luteal (Day 15 or longer postmenstrual onset; n = 37) phase of the menstrual cycle and maintained biochemically verified smoking abstinence during the postquit week. Women quitting during the luteal phase reported significantly greater increases in tobacco withdrawal and self-reported depressive symptoms than women quitting during the follicular phase. These results indicate that selecting a quit-smoking day early in the follicular phase may attenuate withdrawal and negative affect in premenopausal female smokers.     

Social complexity and hormonal influences on sexual behavior in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

Rhesus females in multi-animal groups mate only during the mid-follicular and periovulatory portions of their ovarian cycle, whereas females in pair-tests often mate at all cycle phases. We investigated the influence of social context on hormonal mediation of rhesus sexual behavior by observing the same males and females in both pair-tests and in single male/multi-female group-tests. Five intact adult female rhesus were tested with each of four males during their follicular, periovulatory, and luteal cycle phases as verified by steroid radioimmunoassay. Male initiated behaviors of approach, hiptouch, mount, and ejaculation were significantly above luteal levels during periovulatory group-tests, with periovulatory approach and hiptouch frequencies also significantly above follicular levels. Approach did not vary with the female's cycle phase in pair-tests and both follicular and periovulatory frequencies of hiptouch, mount, and ejaculation were higher than luteal levels. Pair-test frequencies were greater than group-test frequencies at all cycle phases, except for male approach, where the difference depended upon female cycle phase. When group-tested, females approached the male, presented, and handslapped most frequently during periovulatory tests. In pair-tests, females approached and handslapped equally during follicular and periovulatory tests and lower luteally, but presents did not vary cyclically. Females approached males significantly more frequently during pair- than group-tests, but there were no consistent differences between the two social conditions for present and handslap. In group-tests, periovulatory females were approached and threatened by other group females significantly more often that they were at other cycle phases. These results demonstrate that the female's hormonal state more clearly influences the sexual behavior of rhesus in multi-female social groups than in pair-tests. This suggests that full expression of hormonal influences on rhesus sexual behavior requires a multi-female social environment and indicates a possible role for competition between females in modulating hormonal influences on sexual behavior.     

Effects of the menstrual cycle on mood, neurocognitive and neuroendocrine function in healthy premenopausal women

BACKGROUND: Neurocognitive functioning may be impaired in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle due to associated changes in hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis function. This study examines the relationship between changes in neurocognition and HPA axis function in different phases of the menstrual cycle. METHOD: Fifteen female volunteers, free from psychiatric history and hormonal medication were tested twice, during mid-follicular and late-luteal phases in a randomized, crossover design. Mood, neurocognitive function, and basal cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were profiled. RESULTS: Relative to the follicular phase, verbal fluency was impaired in the luteal phase and reaction times speeded on a continuous performance task, without affecting overall accuracy. 'Hedonic' scores on the UWIST-MACL scale were decreased in the luteal phase. There was also evidence of changes in the function of the HPA axis, with 24 h urinary cortisol concentrations and salivary DHEA levels being significantly lower during the luteal phase. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that luteal phase HPA axis function is lower than in the follicular phase in premenopausal healthy women. This putative biological difference may be important for our understanding of the aetiopathogenesis of menstrually related mood change and neurocognitive disturbance.     

Endocrinology: The impact of cigarette smoking on the plasma concentrations of gonadotrophins, ovarian steroids and androgens and upon the metabolism of oestrogens in the human female

This study compares the plasma gonadotrophin, oestradiol, andandrogen and salivary progesterone concentrations in a singlemenstrual cycle between 25 normal pre-menopausal women who smokecigarettes and 21 who are non-smokers. The effect of smokingon luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatility and the urinary excretionof oestrogens is also described. Cigarette smoking did not consistentlysuppress LH pulsatility. There was no significant differencein the length of either the follicular or luteal phases. Therewere no significant differences in the mean plasma oestradiolconcentrations in the follicular phase in smokers compared tonon-smokers. There were no significant differences in the meansalivary progesterone concentration in the luteal phase in smokerscompared to non-smokers. There was no significant differencein plasma concentrations of testosterone, androstenedione anddehydroepiandrosterone sulphate. There was also no significantdifference between the urinary concentrations of oestradiol,oestrone or oestriol. We have been unable to demonstrate a detrimentaleffect of cigarette smoking on any of the important endocrinecharacteristics of the menstrual cycle, and we conclude thatthese data suggest that the anti-oestrogenic effect of smokingdoes not work through alterations in pituitary or follicularendocrine function or in alterations in the metabolism of oestrogens.     

Mental stress‐induced haemoconcentration in women: Effects of menstrual cycle phase

Objectives In women, variation in the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) has been reported with phase of the menstrual cycle. Mental stress‐induced rheological and haemodynamic perturbations have been implicated in the triggering of MI. This study examined cardiovascular reactions to mental stress across the menstrual cycle, as a factor contributing to the known variation between the menstrual cycle phases in MI incidence. Methods Rheological and haemodynamic activity during rest and a prolonged mental stress task were assessed in 12 women during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Results The stress task increased haematocrit, colloid osmotic pressure, blood pressure and heart rate, and decreased heart rate variability and R‐wave to pulse interval. However, there were no effects of menstrual phase on rheological or haemodynamic function at rest or in response to mental stress. There were also no moderating menstrual cycle effects for the rheological or haemodynamic reactions over time to this prolonged stress task. Conclusions Our findings do not support the hypothesis that variations in reactions to mental stress can explain the reported variations in risk for MI across the menstrual cycle.     

Assessment of Baroreceptor Reflex Function During Mental Stress and Relaxation

This paper describes a method of measuring baroreceptor cardiac reflex sensitivity noninvasively from spontaneous patterns of blood pressure and interbeat interval, and the application of this technique in psychophysiology. Baroreflex function was assessed in 24 female volunteers during relaxation and performance of the cold pressor test and a non-verbal mental arithmetic task. Blood pressure and interbeat interval were monitored continuously from the finger using the vascular unloading technique. Sequences of three or more cardiac cycles were identified over which systolic blood pressure increased progressively in conjunction with lengthening interbeat interval, or systolic blood pressure decreased as interbeat interval was reduced. The regression between systolic blood pressure and interbeat interval was computed as an index of baroreflex sensitivity. Relaxation was associated with a small prolongation of interbeat interval, whereas baroreflex sensitivity increased from 17.1 to 19.8 ms/mmHg. Baroreflex sensitivity was reduced significantly during mental arithmetic (mean 14.2 ms/mmHg) but not during the cold pressor test (mean 17.4 ms/mmHg). The difference between mental arithmetic and the cold pressor test may be related to the relative intensity of cardiac and vascular responses in the two situations. The implications of these results for the understanding of behavioural influences on haemodynamic function are discussed and the advantages of noninvasive methods are considered.     

Psychoneuroendocrine stress responses and mood as related to the menstrual cycle

Psychoneuroendocrine stress responses were studied in normally ovulating women in the follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Psychologic stress was induced by having the subjects perform a battery of cognitive tasks under time pressure. Blood samples were drawn after each session for radioimmunoassay of 17 beta-estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, prolactin, cortisol, and androstenedione. Urine samples were obtained for estimation of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol. The results showed that psychoneuroendocrine stress responses as estimated by urinary excretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline varied significantly across the menstrual cycle, the highest values being obtained in the luteal phase. Self-reported mood and somatic symptoms showed distinct phase-related changes, with more negative mood states predominating in the luteal and menstrual phases and increased positive mood states in the follicular and ovulatory phases.     

Sex steroid hormones and circulating IgE levels.

The possible influence of sex steroid hormones on circulating IgE levels in general and IgE anti-Candida antibodies in particular was studied by quantification of plasma levels of progesterone, estradiol and IgE (total and anti-Candida-specific) in females during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, and during pregnancy. IgE levels during the follicular and luteal phases were not significantly different, although the mean values for the luteal phase were slightly lower. This trend was apparent in daily samples from two normal females during one menstrual cycle. During pregnancy, when the levels of circulating sex steroids were high, IgE levels were only slightly higher than in the follicular and luteal phases. In men and in gonadal dysgenetics, circulating progesterone levels were similar to those of women during the follicular phase (i.e., lower than in the luteal phase or in pregnancy), but the IgE levels were not different. The apparently low levels of IgE during the luteal phase may therefore be due to physiological factors other than fluctuations in the sex steroid hormones. From the present studies, it is apparent that sex steroid hormones have little or no effect on humoral IgE levels, in marked contrast to previously described correlations for other immunoglobulins, especially anti-Candida antibodies.     

Cardiovascular functioning during the menstrual cycle.

Variations in cardiovascular functioning during the 'normal' menstrual cycle have been little researched. Resting-blood pressures, resting-heart rate, rate-pressure product (RPP) and a derived index of fitness (Schneider Index) were monitored throughout natural, hormonally defined menstrual cycles. Volunteers were 26 women (20-48 years) who had regular (25-35 days) cycles. Their blood pressures and heart rate (at rest and according to Schneider's protocol) were measured at the same time daily (Monday-Friday) for 5 weeks. Daily, early morning-urine samples were assayed for sex hormones enabling accurate definition of cycle phase for each woman. Resting systolic-blood pressure was significantly higher in the ovulatory phase (P < 0.05) than in the follicular or luteal phases, but resting-diastolic pressures did not differ significantly between phases. Resting-heart rate was significantly higher in both ovulatory (P < 0.01) and luteal (P < 0.01) phases than in the menstrual and follicular phases. The Schneider Index was higher during the follicular phase than during the ovulatory (P < 0.005) or luteal (P < 0.01) phases, the RPP was higher during the ovulatory phase than during the bleeding (P < 0.05) and follicular (P < 0.005) phases. These findings provide a pattern of menstrual cycle-related variation in cardiovascular functioning that can be related to established actions of the ovarian steroids.     

Endocrinology: Vasopressin and atrial natriuretic hormone response to hypertonic saline during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle

We studied the hormonal responses to hypertonic saline duringthe follicular (days 2–9) and luteal (days 21–28)phases of the menstrual cycle in nine healthy young women, aged19–25 years. On both study days, each woman was infusedwith 5% hypertonic saline for 1 h at the rate of 0.1 ml/kg/min.Serum progesterone and oestradiol concentrations confirmed thereported stage of the menstrual cycle. No difference in weightor haematocrit was observed between the two stages of the studyfor each woman. Baseline blood pressure, serum sodium, plasmaosmolality, plasma vasopressin and thirst levels were almostidentical for both stages, and changed to the same degree duringinfusion of hypertonic saline. Baseline atrial natriuretic hormoneconcentrations were higher during the follicular phase and becamesignificantly higher than during the luteal phase followinginfusion of hypertonic saline. We concluded that the intravascularvolume during the luteal phase may be effectively decreasedin comparison to the follicular phase.     

A prospective study evidencing rhinomanometric and olfactometric outcomes in women taking oral contraceptives.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the changes in olfactory sensitivity of oral contraceptive (pill) users. METHODS: Sixty women underwent rhinomanometric and olfactometric determinations during the follicular, periovular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, and at day 7, 14 and 21 of contraceptive intake. Thirty-one women used 30 microg ethinyl oestradiol plus 75 microg gestodene and 29 women used 20 microg ethinyl oestradiol plus 150 microg desogestrel. RESULTS: Rhinomanometry showed higher but not statistically significant values during the periovular phase than in the follicular and luteal phases. Olfactometry showed a higher sensitivity during the follicular and periovular phases than during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. The rhinomanometric surveys in pill users were statistically different from those of the luteal phase (P < 0.02) and the follicular and periovular phases (P < 0.001). The olfactometric thresholds during the period of contraceptive use were statistically different from those of the follicular phase for a few odorous substances, and from those of the periovular phase for each odorous substance, but similar to those of the luteal phase (P = NS). CONCLUSIONS: Unlike the rhinomanometric airflow and trans-nasal pressure, the olfactory threshold to odours seems to depend on the variations of the ovarian steroids during the menstrual cycle and on the iatrogenic effects of oral contraceptives.     

Cardiovascular recovery from stress predicts longitudinal changes in blood pressure

Cardiovascular reactivity and recovery were examined as predictors of blood pressure changes over 3 years. Blood pressure and heart rate readings were obtained from 73 men and women aged 18-20 years during cold pressor, mental arithmetic, tourniquet ischemia, cycle exercise and step exercise tasks. Regression analyses indicated that after adjustment for initial blood pressure, initial age, initial body-mass index, sex, parental history of hypertension, and length of follow-up, heightened heart rate reactivity to mental arithmetic was associated with increased follow-up systolic blood pressure (DeltaR(2)=0.04, P<0.05). Systolic blood pressure recovery from cold pressor and tourniquet ischemia were also positively related to follow-up systolic blood pressure (DeltaR(2)=0.04 and 0.04, respectively, P<0.05) and remained so even after adjustment for the corresponding cardiovascular reactivity measures. These findings suggest that cardiovascular reactivity and recovery measures are modest predictors of longitudinal changes in blood pressure.     

Effects of menstrual cycle and neuroticism on females' emotion regulation

Fifteen highly neurotic women and 21 women who were low in neuroticism participated in this study. The women were surveyed three times over a single menstrual cycle during the mid-late luteal, menstrual, and late follicular phases. Each time, the participants were asked to use reappraisal to regulate their emotions, which were evoked by a sad film clip, and their subjective emotional experiences and physiological responses were recorded. The results showed that neuroticism had no impact on emotion regulation, and the females experienced fluctuations in their emotion regulation success over their menstrual cycle. During the menstrual phase, women reported significantly higher levels of reappraisal, but subjective sadness did not differ throughout the three phases. Additionally, the regulation effects on galvanic skin response (GSR) were smaller during the menstrual phase than in the mid-late luteal phase. These results suggested that women in the menstrual phase expended more effort but gained less success at regulating their emotions.     

AUTONOMIC BALANCE CHANGES DURING THE HUMAN MENSTRUAL CYCLE

Five female students were each tested 5 days a week throughout one menstrual cycle with a 3 day overlap into the next cycle. The autonomic variables reported are: sub-lingual temperature, heart period, diastolic blood pressure, palmar and volar conductance, salivary output, and log conductance change. These measures were taken in order to estimate autonomic factor scores (ā). Significant menstrual phase differences in ā scores and sub-lingual temperature were demonstrated. The ā score estimates an autonomic factor for an individual at a particular time; low scores represent relative sympathetic nervous system (SNS) dominance. During menses, the follicular, and the ovulatory phases, ā scores were higher; during the luteal phase the ā scores were lowest. It was concluded that high estrogen levels are accompanied by decreased SNS function.     

Relationship among reproductive variables,sucrose taste reactivity and feeding behavior in humans

Magnitude-estimation of sucrose pleasantness and sweetness, and feeding behavior, were investigated in female and male college students. The subjects were individually tested five times over a five-week period. Female test intervals were scheduled to include the menses, pre-ovulatory, and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. The data were analyzed by gender, length of menses, and phase of the menstrual cycle. The results of these analyses were consistent for both the sucrose taste reactivity tests and feeding tests. Male and long-menses females exhibited similar response patterns; and their pattern was significantly different from that of the short-menses females. The mean log pleasantness ratings of the males and long-menses females were significantly smaller than those of the short-menses females. Furthermore, both long-menses females and males behaved similarly in a time-limited surreptitious feeding test. They consumed significantly more food than did short-menses females. Phase of the menstrual cycle did not alter pleasantness response patterns, but there was one phase effect in the feeding tests. Luteal phase intake of short-menses females was elevated relative to that of the menses phase. These findings demonstrate that reproductive variables participate in the control of human regulatory behaviors.     

The relationship between menstrual cycle phases and suicide attempts

OBJECTIVE: The validity of prior studies on the menstrual cycle and suicide attempts assumes that suicidal women accurately describe their cycles. The three objectives of this study were 1) to explore whether prior inconsistencies are due to the effects of sample selection and method of assessment of the menstrual cycle, 2) to assess the relationship between the menstrual cycle phase and suicide attempts, and 3) to establish the role of sexual hormones in suicide attempts. METHODS: The original sample included 134 women who came to the emergency room of a general hospital after a suicide attempt. One hundred eight female blood donors were recruited as control subjects. The menstrual cycle was divided into follicular, midcycle, and luteal phases using two clinical methods and serum hormonal assessment. Dividing the follicular phase into menstrual and nonmenstrual phases was also considered. RESULTS: Two of 11 previously used sampling methods produced a sample size similar to that of the hormonal assessment. kappa values between the two clinical and the endocrinological methods were low (0.40-0.50). The number of suicide attempts during the follicular phase (particularly during the menstrual phase) was significantly higher than expected. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the inability to control for other variables and limitations, the results of this study suggest that sample selection could introduce biases and that studies relating psychiatric symptomatology and menstrual cycle phases need to use hormonal determinations. New studies are needed to verify that suicide attempts are more frequent during the follicular phase (particularly during the menstrual phase).