Journal article
Negative affect is unrelated to fluctuations in hormone levels across the menstrual cycle: Evidence from a multisite observational study across two successive cycles.
- Hengartner MP Department of Applied Psychology, Zurich University for Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Switzerland. Electronic address: michaelpascal.hengartner@zhaw.ch.
- Kruger THC Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Germany.
- Geraedts K Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland.
- Tronci E Department of Computer Science, University of Roma "La Sapienza", Italy.
- Mancini T Department of Computer Science, University of Roma "La Sapienza", Italy.
- Ille F Center of Competence in Aerospace, Biomedical Science & Technology, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland.
- Egli M Center of Competence in Aerospace, Biomedical Science & Technology, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland.
- Röblitz S Computational Systems Biology Group, Zuse Institute, Berlin, Germany; Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.
- Ehrig R Computational Systems Biology Group, Zuse Institute, Berlin, Germany.
- Saleh L Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland.
- Spanaus K Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland.
- Schippert C Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School, Germany.
- Zhang Y Department of Psychiatry, Social Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Germany.
- Leeners B Department of Reproductive Endocrinology, University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland.
- 2017-07-18
Published in:
- Journal of psychosomatic research. - 2017
Depression
Hormones
Menstrual cycle
Negative affect
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Premenstrual syndrome
Adolescent
Adult
Estradiol
Female
Follicle Stimulating Hormone
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Luteinizing Hormone
Menstrual Cycle
Progesterone
Young Adult
English
BACKGROUND
Female sex hormones may play a crucial role in the occurrence of cycle-related mood disorders. However, the literature is inconsistent and methodologically stringent observational studies on the relationship between sex hormones and negative affect are lacking.
METHODS
In this longitudinal multisite study from Hannover, Germany, and Zurich, Switzerland, we examined oestrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone serum levels in association with negative affect as measured with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Negative affect and hormone assays were collected at four consecutive time points comprising menstrual, pre-ovulatory, mid-luteal and premenstrual phase across two cycles (n=87 and n=67 for the first and second cycles). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was assessed once prior to the first cycle and included as a secondary measure.
RESULTS
Mean negative affect scores did not significantly fluctuate across both cycles and there was in particular no symptom increase premenstrually. No sex hormone consistently related to repeated measures of negative affect across two consecutive cycles. The BDI sum-score assessed at baseline was not related to hormone levels across the first cycle.
CONCLUSIONS
This is the first multisite longitudinal study on the association between negative affect and sex hormone levels encompassing two consecutive menstrual cycles. Negative affect did not fluctuate across the cycle and there was no direct and uniform association between sex hormones and self-reported negative affect. These findings suggest that moderators such as personality traits and epigenetics should be considered in future research.
Female sex hormones may play a crucial role in the occurrence of cycle-related mood disorders. However, the literature is inconsistent and methodologically stringent observational studies on the relationship between sex hormones and negative affect are lacking.
METHODS
In this longitudinal multisite study from Hannover, Germany, and Zurich, Switzerland, we examined oestrogen, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and testosterone serum levels in association with negative affect as measured with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Negative affect and hormone assays were collected at four consecutive time points comprising menstrual, pre-ovulatory, mid-luteal and premenstrual phase across two cycles (n=87 and n=67 for the first and second cycles). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was assessed once prior to the first cycle and included as a secondary measure.
RESULTS
Mean negative affect scores did not significantly fluctuate across both cycles and there was in particular no symptom increase premenstrually. No sex hormone consistently related to repeated measures of negative affect across two consecutive cycles. The BDI sum-score assessed at baseline was not related to hormone levels across the first cycle.
CONCLUSIONS
This is the first multisite longitudinal study on the association between negative affect and sex hormone levels encompassing two consecutive menstrual cycles. Negative affect did not fluctuate across the cycle and there was no direct and uniform association between sex hormones and self-reported negative affect. These findings suggest that moderators such as personality traits and epigenetics should be considered in future research.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- closed
- Identifiers
-
- DOI 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.05.018
- PMID 28712426
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/47621
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