Resumen

CASTILLO LOPEZ, Javier Antonio; CELY ANDRADE, José Leonardo  y  MANRIQUE-ABRIL, Fred G. Cognitive performance in college women throughout the menstrual cycle. Univ. Psychol. [online]. 2008, vol.7, n.1, pp. 173-183. ISSN 1657-9267.

To determine whether fluctuations of estrogen levels across the menstrual cycle influence cognitive performance, 13 university women between 20 and 23 years old were tested in four cognitive tasks; verbal memory, visuo-spatial ability, short term memory and visuo-motor coordination, three times across a menstrual cycle. Radioimmunoassay tests were performed in order to determine the hormonal state. Significant differences were not found in visuo-spatial ability and visuo-motor coordination performance, but results suggest a better verbal memory performance associated with high estrogen levels; short term memory performance didn’t show to be sensitive to fluctuations in estrogen levels.

Palabras clave : Menstrual cycle; Estradiol; Verbal memory; Visuo-spatial ability; Short term memory; Visuo-motor coordination; Higher education of women; Psychological aspects; Menstrual cycle; Cognitive psychology.

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