Physiology of the Menstrual Cycle

Cephalalgia ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 148-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
S D Silberstein ◽  
G R Merriam
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Sex Hormones ◽  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Premenstrual Syndrome ◽  
Contraceptive Use ◽  
Menstrual Migraine ◽  
Normal Female ◽  
Receptor Density ◽  
Cns Neurons

The normal female life cycle is associated with a number of hormonal milestones: menarche, pregnancy, contraceptive use, menopause, and the use of replacement sex hormones. All these events and interventions alter the levels and cycling of sex hormones and may cause a change in the prevalence or intensity of headache. The menstrual cycle is the result of a carefully orchestrated sequence of interactions among the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary, and endometrium, with the sex hormones acting as modulators and effectors at each level. Oestrogen and progestins have potent effects on central serotonergic and opioid neurons, modulating both neuronal activity and receptor density. The primary trigger of menstrual migraine appears to be the withdrawal of oestrogen rather than the maintenance of sustained high or low oestrogen levels. However, changes in the sustained oestrogen levels with pregnancy (increased) and menopause (decreased) appear to affect headaches. Headaches that occur with premenstrual syndrome appear to be centrally generated, involving the inherent rhythm of CNS neurons, including perhaps the serotonergic pain-modulating systems.

The Association of Menstrual Migraine with the Premenstrual Syndrome

Cephalalgia ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 422-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Facchinetti ◽  
I Neri ◽  
E Martignoni ◽  
L Fioroni ◽  
G Nappi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Diagnostic Criteria ◽  
Patient Group ◽  
Premenstrual Syndrome ◽  
Migraine Without Aura ◽  
Menstrual Migraine ◽  
Menstrual Cycles ◽  
Menstrual Distress

To investigate the comorbidity of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menstrual migraine, the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ) was prospectively administered for two consecutive menstrual cycles to 22 patients with menstrual migraine, 12 cases with migraine without aura and 15 patients with PMS. MDQ scores varied throughout the menstrual cycle in each patient group, the wider changes being shown by patients with PMS. Fourteen menstrual migraine patients and 4 migraine without aura patients achieved diagnostic criteria for PMS over two menstrual cycles. In these patients MDQ scores did not differ from PMS sufferers at any stage of the menstrual cycle. The premenstrual increase of each cluster of PMS symptoms was identical in menstrual migraine and PMS subjects with the exception of negative affect. We suggest that PMS symptoms should be taken into account in the IHS diagnostic criteria for menstrual migraine.

scholarly journals Methodological Approach of the Iron and Muscular Damage: Female Metabolism and Menstrual Cycle during Exercise Project (IronFEMME Study)

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 735
Author(s):  
Ana B. Peinado ◽  
Victor M. Alfaro-Magallanes ◽  
Nuria Romero-Parra ◽  
Laura Barba-Moreno ◽  
Beatriz Rael ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Resistance Exercise ◽  
Muscle Damage ◽  
Sex Hormones ◽  
Iron Metabolism ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Follicular Phase ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Exercise Protocol

Background: The increase in exercise levels in the last few years among professional and recreational female athletes has led to an increased scientific interest about sports health and performance in the female athlete population. The purpose of the IronFEMME Study described in this protocol article is to determine the influence of different hormonal profiles on iron metabolism in response to endurance exercise, and the main markers of muscle damage in response to resistance exercise; both in eumenorrheic, oral contraceptive (OC) users and postmenopausal well-trained women. Methods: This project is an observational controlled randomized counterbalanced study. One hundered and four (104) active and healthy women were selected to participate in the IronFEMME Study, 57 of which were eumenorrheic, 31 OC users and 16 postmenopausal. The project consisted of two sections carried out at the same time: iron metabolism (study I) and muscle damage (study II). For the study I, the exercise protocol consisted of an interval running test (eight bouts of 3 min at 85% of the maximal aerobic speed), whereas the study II protocol was an eccentric-based resistance exercise protocol (10 sets of 10 repetitions of plate-loaded barbell parallel back squats at 60% of their one repetition maximum (1RM) with 2 min of recovery between sets). In both studies, eumenorrheic participants were evaluated at three specific moments of the menstrual cycle: early-follicular phase, late-follicular phase and mid-luteal phase; OC users performed the trial at two moments: withdrawal phase and active pill phase. Lastly, postmenopausal women were only tested once, since their hormonal status does not fluctuate. The three-step method was used to verify the menstrual cycle phase: calendar counting, blood test confirmation, and urine-based ovulation kits. Blood samples were obtained to measure sex hormones, iron metabolism parameters, and muscle damage related markers. Discussion: IronFEMME Study has been designed to increase the knowledge regarding the influence of sex hormones on some aspects of the exercise-related female physiology. Iron metabolism and exercise-induced muscle damage will be studied considering the different reproductive status present throughout well-trained females’ lifespan.

Drugs for the premenstrual syndrome

1965 ◽  
Vol 3 (20) ◽  
pp. 77-79
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Premenstrual Syndrome ◽  
Menstrual Flow ◽  
Separate Condition

The premenstrual syndrome includes a variety of symptoms, which regularly recur at the same phase of each menstrual cycle, commonly during the premenstruum and early during menstruation.1 2 The onset of full menstrual flow usually brings complete and dramatic relief. Irritability, tension, depression, lethargy, careless behaviour, and feeling bloated are common. Other symptoms occur less often, for example headache, migraine, backache and other muscle and joint pains, asthma, rhinitis, urticaria, and epilepsy.1 The symptoms may continue cyclically after the menopause. Dysmenorrhoea is not associated with the premenstrual syndrome: it appears to be a quite separate condition.

Menstrual Migraine is Not Pathogenetically Related to Premenstrual Syndrome

Cephalalgia ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 411-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
VK Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Premenstrual Syndrome ◽  
Side Effect ◽  
Biological Significance ◽  
Menstrual Migraine ◽  
Adaptive Mechanism ◽  
Primary Event ◽  
Epidemiological Evidence ◽  
Endogenous Opioid ◽  
Opioid Activity ◽  
The Common

Facchinetti and colleagues present epidemiological evidence regarding comorbidity between menstrual migraine and premenstrual syndrome, and suggest that premenstural symptoms should be incorporated in the diagnostic criteria for menstrual migraine (1). The crux of the matter, however, should be the concern regarding the nature or biological significance of the common neuroendocrine link of transient and cyclic failure of endogenous opioid activity in both premenstrual syndrome and menstrual migraine patients. Is this a primary event of pathogenetic importance (which would merit inclusion in the definition) or the concomitant side effect of a carefully orchestrated adaptive mechanism?

scholarly journals Research on the Effects of the Extract of Polygala fallax Hemsl on Sex Hormones and ?-EP in Perimenopausal Rat Models

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siyuan Yang ◽  
Zhiyong Cao ◽  
Jiabao Chen ◽  
Gang Fang
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Sex Hormones ◽  
Dose Group ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Normal Group ◽  
Dose Effect ◽  
High Dose Group ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Model Group ◽  
Rat Models

Objective: To study the effects of the ethnic medicine Polygala fallax Hemsl with Guangxi characteristics on the sex hormones and ?-EP in research objective perimenopausal rat models. Methods: 40 female SPF rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, including the normal, model, high-dose and low-dose groups. Rats of three groups except for the normal one were treated with perimenopausal modelling through the method of subcutaneous injection of compound 4-VCD for 15 consecutive days. Rats of the normal and model group were normally fed without any treatment. Rats of the high-dose and low-dose groups were administered by high- and low-dose intragastric administration of the extract of Polygala fallax Hemsl. According to the menstrual cycle of the vaginal smear of the rat, each menstrual cycle is a course of treatment and 6 consecutive courses of treatment would be given. The indexes of serum sex hormones (E2, FSH, LH) and ?-EP of rats in each group were observed after treatment. Results: After the treatment of 6 cycles, for the levels of ?-EP and E2, the model group was lowest (P<0.05), the normal group was highest (P<0.05); and the high-dose group was higher than the low-dose group; For the levels of FSH and LH, the normal group was lowest (P<0.05), the model group was highest (P<0.05), and the high-dose group was lower than the low-dose group. Conclusion: Guangxi characteristic national medicine Polygala fallax Hemsl can effectively improve the levels of serum sex hormones and ?-EP in perimenopausal rat models and relieve the related symptoms with a certain dose-effect relationship.

Trends in Research Related to Premenstrual Syndrome and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: a Bibliometric Analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingzhou Gao ◽  
Hui SUN ◽  
Changlong ZHANG ◽  
Dongmei GAO ◽  
Mingqi QIAO
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Premenstrual Syndrome ◽  
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder ◽  
The United States ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Publication Number ◽  
Research Hotspots

Abstract Background The global incidence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is increasing, with increasing suicide reports. However, the bibliometric analysis of global research on PMS and PMDD is rare. We aimed to evaluate the global scientific output of research on PMS and PMDD and to explore their research hotspots and frontiers from 1945 to 2018 using a bibliometric analysis methodology.Methods Articles with research on PMS and PMDD between 1945 and 2018 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). We used the bibliometric method, CiteSpace V and VOSviewer to analyze publication years, journals, countries, institutions, authors, research hotspots, and trends. We plotted the reference co-citation network, and we used keywords to analyze the research hot spots and trends.Results We identified 2,833 publications on PMS and PMDD research from 1945 to 2018, and the annual publication number increased with time, with fluctuations. Psychoneuroendocrinology published the highest number of articles. The United States ranked the highest among the countries with the most publications, and the leading institute was UNIV PENN. Keyword and reference analysis indicated that the menstrual cycle, depression and ovarian hormones were the research hotspots, whereas prevalence, systematic review, anxiety and depression and young women were the research frontiers.Conclusions We depicted overall research on PMS and PMDD by a bibliometric analysis methodology. Prevalence and impact in young women , systematic review evaluations of risk factors, and the association of anxiety and depression with menstrual cycle phases are the latest research frontiers that will pioneer the direction of research in the next few years.

scholarly journals Negative Mood Is Associated with Diet and Dietary Antioxidants in University Students During the Menstrual Cycle: A Cross-Sectional Study from Guangzhou, China

Antioxidants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Lingling Bu ◽  
Yuting Lai ◽  
Yingyan Deng ◽  
Chenlu Xiong ◽  
Fengying Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
University Students ◽  
Premenstrual Syndrome ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Menstrual Phase ◽  
Carbonated Beverage ◽  
The Relationship

Postpubescent females may have negative mood or premenstrual syndrome during the menstrual cycle; with the emotional and physical symptoms interfering with their quality of life. Little is known about the relationship of dietary behaviors and dietary antioxidant intake with negative mood or premenstrual syndrome in university students in China; so we explored the relationship between negative mood and dietary behavior in female university students during the three menstrual cycle phases. Random sampling was used to enroll 88 individuals from a university in Guangzhou; China in the study. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. During the menstrual phase, tea, black coffee and carbonated beverage intake was higher in the group with a high negative affect scale score than in the low score group (p < 0.05). Likewise; during the premenstrual phase, fresh fruit (banana and red Chinese dates) intake was higher in the group with a high negative affect scale score than in the low-score group (p < 0.05). The logistic regression analysis results showed that negative mood was positively associated with tea, coffee, and carbonated beverage intake during the menstrual phase (β = 0.21, p = 0.0453, odds ratio = 1.23), and negative mood was positively associated with banana and red Chinese dates intake during the premenstrual phase (β = 0.59, p = 0.0172, odds ratio = 1.81). Our results suggest that negative mood may be associated with diet and specific food in university postpubescent females.

scholarly journals Cerebellar network organization across the human menstrual cycle

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan Fitzgerald ◽  
Laura Pritschet ◽  
Tyler Santander ◽  
Scott T. Grafton ◽  
Emily G. Jacobs
Keyword(s):  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Sex Hormones ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Sex Steroid ◽  
Sex Steroid Hormone ◽  
Human Cerebellum ◽  
Brain States ◽  
Human Menstrual Cycle ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Day By Day

AbstractThe cerebellum contains the vast majority of neurons in the brain and houses distinct functional networks that constitute at least two homotopic maps of cerebral networks. It is also a major site of sex steroid hormone action. While the functional organization of the human cerebellum has been characterized, the influence of sex steroid hormones on intrinsic cerebellar network dynamics has yet to be established. Here we investigated the extent to which endogenous fluctuations in estradiol and progesterone alter functional cerebellar networks at rest in a woman densely sampled over a complete menstrual cycle (30 consecutive days). Edgewise regression analysis revealed robust negative associations between progesterone and cerebellar coherence. Graph theory metrics probed sex hormones’ influence on topological brain states, revealing relationships between sex hormones and within-network integration in Ventral Attention, Dorsal Attention, and SomatoMotor Networks. Together these results suggest that the intrinsic dynamics of the cerebellum are intimately tied to day-by-day changes in sex hormones.

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