Cognitive abilities, such as verbal fluency and mental rotation, are most sensitive to changes in sex steroids but poorly studied in the context of hormonal contraceptive usage. Therefore, we investigated the performance of mental rotation and verbal fluency in young (21.5±1.8 years) healthy oral contraceptive (OC) users (23 women) and non-users (20 women) during the follicular, ovulatory and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. Salivary 17β-estradiol, progesterone and testosterone levels were assayed to evaluate hormonal differences between groups and the phases of the menstrual cycle. To assess the effects of progestins having androgenic/anti-androgenic properties, OC users were subdivided into the third and new generation OC users. In addition, positive and negative affects as factors possibly affecting cognitive performance were evaluated. Salivary 17β-estradiol and progesterone levels were significantly lower in hormonal contraception users. Level of salivary testosterone was slightly lower in the OC users group with significant difference only during ovulatory phase. Naturally cycling women performed better on verbal fluency task as compared to OC users. Subjects who used the third generation (androgenic) OCs generated significantly fewer words as compared to new generation (anti-androgenic) OC users and non-users. The third generation OC users demonstrated significantly longer RT in MRT task as compared to non-users. The MRT, verbal fluency and mood parameters did not depend on the phase of menstrual cycle. The parameters of the PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) scales did not differ between OC users and non-users. Our findings show that hormonal contraception has an impact on verbal and spatial abilities. Different performances between users of oral contraceptives with androgenic and anti-androgenic properties suggest an essential role for the progestins contained in OCs on cognitive performance.
hormonal contraceptive effects mental rotation verbal fluency cognition, oral contraceptive cognitive performance sex steroids, androgenic anti-androgenic progestin cognitive effects OC users, oral contraceptive pill verbal spatial ability women, third generation new generation oral contraceptive cognitive differences, estradiol progesterone testosterone salivary levels OC users cognition, hormonal contraception mental rotation reaction time women, menstrual cycle phase cognitive performance OC non-users, progestin type oral contraceptive verbal fluency spatial ability, oral contraceptive effects brain function young women
PMID 21454017 21454017 DOI 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.03.001 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.03.001
Cite this article
Grikšienė, R., & Ruksenas, O. (2011). Effects of hormonal contraceptives on mental rotation and verbal fluency. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 36(8), 1239-1248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.03.001
Grikšienė R, Ruksenas O. Effects of hormonal contraceptives on mental rotation and verbal fluency. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2011;36(8):1239-1248. doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.03.001
Grikšienė, Ramunė, and Osvaldas Ruksenas. "Effects of hormonal contraceptives on mental rotation and verbal fluency." Psychoneuroendocrinology, vol. 36, no. 8, 2011, pp. 1239-1248.
Keywords
Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal
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