Women's Working Memory and Alcohol Effects Vary Across Menstrual Cycle

Recent research suggests that alcohol's impact on women's working memory is influenced by their menstrual cycle, particularly by hormone fluctuations. The study indicates that during the late follicular phase, characterized by higher levels of estradiol (a primary estrogen), women's working memory experiences less impairment after alcohol consumption compared to the early follicular phase, when hormone levels are lower. This finding underscores the role of hormonal changes in cognitive vulnerability to alcohol.

Working memory is crucial for reasoning, learning, and daily functioning. It is known that alcohol consumption can impair this cognitive domain, especially at higher blood alcohol concentrations (BAC). While women generally tend to experience different effects from alcohol compared to men, the extent to which hormonal fluctuations contribute to these differences has been less clear.

The study involved 75 women aged 21–34 who regularly consumed alcohol but did not have alcohol use disorder or use hormonal birth control. Participants reported their alcohol intake over a month and underwent two testing sessions aligned with their menstrual cycle phases—early follicular (days 4–7) and late follicular (days 11–14). During each session, participants consumed either an alcoholic or placebo drink, completed working memory and motor coordination tests, and provided saliva and breath samples for hormone and BAC analysis.

The results revealed that during the late follicular phase, when estradiol levels were higher, the women’s working memory was less impaired by alcohol. Conversely, during the early follicular phase, when estradiol levels were lower, alcohol had a greater negative effect. Motor coordination was similarly affected across both phases, and subjective feelings of intoxication did not vary with cycle phase. Importantly, sober performance did not differ by cycle phase, emphasizing that differences emerged only after alcohol intake.

These findings contribute to understanding how hormonal changes can influence cognitive resilience against alcohol's impairing effects. They also suggest that women’s ability to regulate their drinking—such as stopping or moderating alcohol intake—may fluctuate with their menstrual cycle. Further research is needed to explore these effects among women on hormonal contraceptives, hormone therapy recipients, and postmenopausal women.

This study highlights the complex interplay between hormones and cognitive functions, offering insights that could inform personalized approaches to alcohol consumption and risk assessment in women.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-alcohol-impairment-women-memory-varies.html