Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Reprod Immunol 2020 Jun 10;139:103118. Epub 2020 Mar 10.

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Reproductive Immunology for Peri-implantation, Shenzhen Zhongshan Institute for Reproduction and Genetics, Fertility Center, Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Shenzhen, China. Electronic address:

Problem: Thyroid autoimmunity (TAI), which is the most prevalent cause of thyroid dysfunction in women of reproductive age, is associated with increased risk of miscarriages and adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, the exact pathophysiology of TAI is still unknown. We aim at investigating the relationship between TAI and the peripheral and uterine immune markers in women with recurrent miscarriage (RM). Read More

Int J Sports Med 2020 Mar 5;41(3):182-188. Epub 2020 Jan 5.

School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, United States.

Female athletes are at an elevated risk for tearing their anterior cruciate ligament, compared to their male counterparts. Though injury screening clinical tests and neuromuscular training programs have been widely implemented, injury rates remain high among female athletes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between serum relaxin concentrations and knee valgus during three clinical tests (single leg squat, drop vertical jump, and single leg crossover dropdown). Read More

Fertil Steril 2019 12;112(6):1015-1021

Fertility Clinic, Horsens Regional Hospital, Horsens, Denmark.

Objective: To study whether endometrial scratching in the luteal phase before ovarian stimulation increases clinical pregnancy rates in women with one or more previous implantation failures.

Design: A nonblinded multicenter randomized clinical trial.

Setting: Fertility clinics. Read More

Transl Psychiatry 2019 12 11;9(1):339. Epub 2019 Dec 11.

Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90024, USA.

Background: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is an understudied, debilitating disorder of women. Given evidence for prefrontal cortical and limbic dysfunction in PMDD, we compared intrinsic connectivity of the executive control network (ECN), default mode network (DMN), and amygdala in women with PMDD vs. controls. Read More

Transl Psychiatry 2019 12 4;9(1):328. Epub 2019 Dec 4.

Department of Psychology, Laboratory for Biological and Personality Psychology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by severe interpersonal dysfunction with problems in social cognition, empathy and social approach. Although the neuropeptide oxytocin is known to regulate complex social cognition and behavior in healthy individuals and clinical populations, there is still a lack of evidence for a potential beneficial effect of oxytocin administration on social cognition and social approach in BPD. Fifty-one women with BPD and 51 matched healthy controls were randomized to a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subject experimental trial. Read More

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2019 Oct;23(19):8687-8694

Centre for Reproductive Medicine Altamedica, Rome and Milan, Italy.

Objective: The aim of the study is to investigate the efficacy of a treatment with myoinositol plus L-tyrosine, selenium, and chromium in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Patients And Methods: One hundred and eighty-six women, with diagnosis of PCOS, were divided in four groups according to their clinical features. Phenotype A: androgen excess + ovulatory dysfunction + polycystic ovarian morphology. Read More

J Clin Pathol 2019 Sep 11;72(9):579-587. Epub 2019 Jul 11.

Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Imperial College London, London, UK

Subfertility affects one in seven couples and is defined as the inability to conceive after 1 year of regular unprotected intercourse. This article describes the initial clinical evaluation and investigation to guide diagnosis and management. The primary assessment of subfertility is to establish the presence of ovulation, normal uterine cavity and patent fallopian tubes in women, and normal semen parameters in men. Read More

Zhongguo Ying Yong Sheng Li Xue Za Zhi 2019 Jan;35(1):9-12

College of Pharmacy, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325035.

Objective: Yun Kang oral liquid is a listed proprietary Chinese Medicine. To further evaluate its efficacy, this experiment established a kidney deficiency and luteum inhibition threatened abortion rat model to observe the effects of Yun Kang oral liquid.

Methods: Sixty pregnant rats were randomly divided into normal control group (NC), model group (MG), dydrogesterone group (DT, 3. Read More

Res Q Exerc Sport 2019 Sep 6;90(3):307-317. Epub 2019 Jun 6.

a Sheba Medical Center.

 Heat intolerance (HI) is determined in the Israel Defense Force according to a heat tolerance test (HTT) before returning to duty after an exertional heat stroke (EHS) event. Recently, increased numbers of female combatants resulted in an increased number of EHS cases among women and a higher percentage of heat intolerance (HI) individuals. We aimed to evaluate the differences between tolerance to heat among women performing an HTT in relation to their menstrual cycle phase. Read More

Acta Clin Croat 2018 Dec;57(4):756-761

1Medical Faculty, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina; 2Department of Endocrinology, Clinical Center of Serbia, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; 3Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia; 4Outpatient Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia; 5School of Medicine, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia.

- The aim of the study was to assess the role of the estradiol and progesterone relationship during the late luteal phase and the occurrence of fibrocystic breast disease (FBD). The concentration of estradiol/progesterone was measured in the group of women with FBD as study group (n=50) and control group of women without FBD (n=40). All women had regular ovulation cycles. Read More

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019 09 21;107:217-224. Epub 2019 May 21.

Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; International Psychoanalytic University, Division of Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Berlin, Germany; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Basel and University of Basel, Switzerland.

A woman's social behaviour reportedly varies across the menstrual cycle. In this study, we estimated changes in sensitivity to social exclusion across the menstrual cycle and scrutinized the related role of progesterone. Forty-nine naturally cycling women played a virtual ball-tossing game (Cyberball) to manipulate social inclusion. Read More

Vet J 2019 Jun 26;248:8-13. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5RD, UK. Electronic address:

Endometritis in dairy cows is a major global issue and has been associated with a decrease in reproductive performance. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of endometritis (as defined by the presence of any abnormal vaginal discharge after 21 days post-partum) on post-partum ovarian cyclicity in dairy cows. Milk progesterone analysis was used to monitor reproductive cyclicity in 170 dairy cows across three different commercial herds. Read More

Stress 2019 11 6;22(6):640-646. Epub 2019 May 6.

Department of Psychology, Nanjing University , Nanjing , China.

Previous studies have revealed stress-induced dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). So far, however, the results about the relationship between HPA axis dysregulation and PMS are mixed. To this end, it is necessary to investigate the basal activity of the HPA axis in women with PMS instead of only assessing a certain stressor. Read More

Fertil Steril 2019 08 2;112(2):378-386. Epub 2019 May 2.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.

Objective: To determine the association between biomarkers of ovarian reserve and luteal phase deficiency (LPD).

Design: Secondary analysis of a prospective time-to-conceive cohort study.

Setting: Not applicable. Read More

Endocrine 2019 11 16;66(2):360-369. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.

Purpose: Hormonal status and menopause affect human macrophage function and cardiometabolic risk. In polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients the cardiometabolic risk increases through mechanisms that are largely unknown. We tested the hypotheses that macrophage activation is influenced by menstrual cycle and that ovarian dysfunction in PCOS patients is associated with altered macrophage inflammatory responses and cholesterol efflux capacity of serum HDL. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2019 Jul 11;45(7):1230-1235. Epub 2019 Apr 11.

Department of Reproductive Medical Center, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, China.

Aim: To study the association in resistance to uterine artery blood flow and recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and find its potential influencing factors.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 870 RPL and 237 non-RPL patients visiting to the Clinic from January 2014 to February 2018. All participants underwent comprehensive examinations and were scanned by transvaginal Doppler ultrasonography during the midluteal phase to measure the pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI) and systolic/diastolic ratio (S/D) values of the left and right main uterine arteries. Read More

Anim Reprod Sci 2019 May 14;204:76-85. Epub 2019 Mar 14.

São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Reproduction, Campus Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil; São Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology, Campus Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.

To determine the optimal inclusion amount of palm kernel cake (PKC) in a buffalo diet, in the present study there was evaluation of the ovarian activity, metabolism and hepatic function of females that were treated to synchronize the time of ovulation. Twenty-four estrous-cyclic and non-lactating Murrah buffalo with a mean age of 5.7 years were supplemented with 0%, 0. Read More

Aerosp Med Hum Perform 2019 Apr;90(4):378-383

Tolerance to central hypovolemia is dictated by exhaustion of the physiological capacity to compensate called the compensatory reserve. Such physiological compromise can have detrimental impact on performance in aerospace environments as well as survival from hemorrhage on the battlefield. We induced central hypovolemia using progressively stepwise lower body negative pressure (LBNP) in women during various phases of the menstrual cycle to test the hypothesis that similar tolerance across all menstrual cycle phases would be reflected by similar changes in compensatory reserve. Read More

J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod 2019 11 19;48(9):789. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

School of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, Kerala, India. Electronic address:

Drug Alcohol Depend 2019 05 15;198:100-104. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.

Background: The preclinical literature identifies the ventral striatum (VS) as a key player in drug-conditioned responses, guiding hypotheses examining neural substrates involved in human drug cue reactivity, including the study of sex differences. Men show a replicable response that includes the VS, while women's responses have been weaker and variable. New evidence suggests that the hormonal milieu modulates women's responses to drug cues in the dorsal striatum (DS), specifically, in the putamen. Read More

Physiol Rep 2019 03;7(5):e14026

Department of Pediatrics, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Emerging evidence suggests that sex differences exist in the control of lung innate immunity; however, the specific roles of sex hormones in the inflammatory response, and the mechanisms involved are unclear. Here, we investigated whether fluctuations in circulating hormone levels occurring in the mouse estrous cycle could affect the inflammatory response to air pollution exposure. For this, we exposed female mice (C57BL/6J, 8 weeks old) at different phases of the estrous cycle to 2 ppm of ozone or filtered air (FA) for 3 h. Read More

Sci Rep 2019 02 18;9(1):2194. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston IL, 60201, USA.

Menstrual pain, also known as dysmenorrhea, is a leading risk factor for bladder pain syndrome (BPS). A better understanding of the mechanisms that predispose dysmenorrheic women to BPS is needed to develop prophylactic strategies. Abnormal autonomic regulation, a key factor implicated in BPS and chronic pain, has not been adequately characterized in women with dysmenorrhea. Read More

Trop Anim Health Prod 2019 Jun 25;51(5):1161-1166. Epub 2019 Jan 25.

Department of Veterinary Microbiology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, 362001, India.

The objective of the study was to investigate the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of endometritis in buffaloes, which can lead to early diagnosis of endometritis. The expression of CD14, TLR-4, and IL-1β encoding gene in endometrium of buffaloes with subclinical endometritis were 1.87, 2. Read More

Semin Perinatol 2019 03 20;43(2):80-83. Epub 2018 Dec 20.

Columbia University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, New York, NY, United States. Electronic address:

Objective: To review the available data on endocrine disorders and recurrent pregnancy loss.

Findings: Our group found that most endocrine disorders do not seem to be correlated with a diagnosis of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The exception to this is testing for thyroid stimulating hormone and thyroid antibodies, which is recommended due to a strong correlation with recurrent pregnancy loss and positive anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies. Read More

Aggress Behav 2019 03 30;45(2):193-205. Epub 2018 Dec 30.

Psychology Department, Brock University, Ontario, Canada.

Few studies have experimentally manipulated sleep to study its effect on aggressive behavior. The current study examined how reactive aggression was affected by having sleep restricted to 4-hours on a single night, a level of disruption commonly experienced. Both rested and sleep-restricted participants completed the Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP), a laboratory task in which participants seek to earn points, are provoked by a fictitious opponent stealing their points, and may choose to steal points in response. Read More

Res Vet Sci 2019 Apr 19;123:20-25. Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Department and Clinic of Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Głęboka 30, 20-612 Lublin, Poland.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the concentration of selected cytokines (tumor necrosis factor [TNFα], interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10) and acute-phase proteins (APPs; haptoglobin [Hp] and serum amyloid A [SAA]) in the serum of cows with follicular and luteal ovarian cysts and in those in the follicular and luteal phases of a physiological ovarian cycle. The study was conducted on 24 Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows: eight cows in the follicular phase of the cycle; the same cows after 10 days when they were in the luteal phase; eight cows with follicular cysts; and eight cows with luteal cysts. Levels of progesterone, 17β-estradiol, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, SAA, and Hp were evaluated in the serum of all examined cows. Read More

Hum Reprod 2019 02;34(2):308-322

Centre for Reproductive Health, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, Australia.

Study Question: Does the newly discovered menstruating spiny mouse exhibit behavioural and metabolic changes in correlation with premenstrual phases of the menstrual cycle?

Summary Answer: This is the first report of cycle variability in the exploratory and interactive behaviour, and food consumption in menstruating spiny mice, and demonstrates that physiological changes are also dependent on within-subject variation.

What Is Known Already: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a prominent cyclic disorder that affects millions of women worldwide. More than 70% of women endure symptoms of impending menstruation, such as bloating, abdominal cramping and nausea to some degree. Read More

Biol Psychol 2019 01 12;140:141-148. Epub 2018 Dec 12.

Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience, IDOCAL, Department of Psychobiology, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain.

The impact of sex and the menstrual cycle phase on the autonomic response to psychosocial stress remains controversial. This study explored autonomic nervous system activity through salivary alpha-amylase, heart rate, and heart rate variability responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in healthy young people. The sample was composed of 25 men, 26 women in the luteal phase, and 25 women in the follicular phase, from 18 to 25 years of age. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 11 30;8(1):17467. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Fluctuations of the sex steroids during the menstrual cycle might significantly influence hemostasis. This association, derived from a number of the observations on healthy women, is yet to be described in females affected by bleeding disorders. The aim of the current study was to assess the changes in hemostatic variables in women with vWD during two phases of the menstrual cycle (follicular and luteal) and to compare it with healthy controls. Read More

J Reprod Infant Psychol 2019 07 23;37(3):322-337. Epub 2018 Nov 23.

a Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychopathology , Institute of Psychology, University of Lodz , Łódź , Poland.

: The purpose of our study is to verify whether elements of cognitive vulnerability to affective disorders may enhance the occurrence of PMS/PMDD. : In total, 293 women with regular cycles took part in the study. The subjects were exposed to failure during the follicular phase or luteal phase, as appropriate, and the attributional style of failure, cognitive triad inventory (CTI) and presence of biased information processing were determined. Read More

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019 03 8;101:121-127. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

Centre for Studies on Human Stress, Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Research Centre, CIUSSS East, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Addiction, Université de Montréal.

Oral contraceptive (OC) is the most common type of contraceptive method used in industrialized countries. A recent epidemiological study showed that OC use was associated with the onset of depression in young women. Mind wandering, a cognitive process associated with spontaneous thoughts unrelated to the task at-hand, has previously been associated with depressive thinking. Read More

J Assist Reprod Genet 2019 Feb 5;36(2):299-305. Epub 2018 Nov 5.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA.

Purpose: Implantation failure is a major limiting factor of successful in vitro fertilization (IVF). The objective of this study was to determine if endometrial mechanical stimulation (EMS) by endometrial biopsy in the luteal phase of the cycle prior to embryo transfer (ET) improves clinical outcomes in an unselected subfertile population.

Methods: Double-blind, randomized controlled trial of EMS versus sham biopsy and odds of clinical pregnancy after IVF and embryo transfer. Read More

Front Physiol 2018 1;9:1384. Epub 2018 Oct 1.

Department of Internal Medicine F, J. Recanati Autonomic Dysfunction Center, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.

The premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a constellation of somatic and psychogenic symptoms that appear during late luteal (LL) phase of the menstrual cycle. Since many symptoms could be related to the autonomic nervous system, we hypothesized that the sympathetic nervous system is perturbed in PMS. The cardiovascular autonomic profile of nine women with PMS (30. Read More

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019 02 5;100:85-95. Epub 2018 Oct 5.

Department of Neurology, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address:

Sex differences in the neural processing of emotion are of special interest considering that mood and anxiety disorders predominant in females. However, these sex-related differences were typically studied without considering the hormonal status of female subjects, although emotion processing in the brain was shown to differ between phases of the menstrual cycle. In this functional MRI study, we demonstrated the influence of the menstrual cycle phase on sex differences in brain activity and functional connectivity during negative and positive emotions, using two different paradigms: emotion perception and emotion experience. Read More

Pain Pract 2019 02 15;19(2):140-148. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

Department of MESVA, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.

Context: The influence of the gonadal hormones on some aspects of the human physiology has been studied with uncertain results. Still a confusion exists in relation to the real effects of the female hormones on the perception of pain. The existing data refer mainly to experimental studies and have provided results not always useful in the clinical practice. Read More

Sex Transm Dis 2019 01;46(1):58-62

Department of Medicine, and.

Background: The effect of female sex hormones on herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 shedding and lesion frequency is poorly understood. Previous studies suggest that hormonal contraception may increase the frequency of HSV-2 shedding.

Methods: We studied HSV-2 seropositive women who performed daily genital swabbing for HSV DNA and completed diaries for genital lesions and menses. Read More

Sleep Med Clin 2018 Sep;13(3):283-294

Department of Family Health Care Nursing, UCSF School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, Box 0606, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.

Subjective and objective sleep changes occur during the menstrual cycle. Poorer sleep quality in the premenstrual phase and menstruation is common in women with premenstrual symptoms or painful menstrual cramps. There is increased sleep spindle activity from follicular to luteal phase, potentially progesterone related. Read More

Reprod Domest Anim 2018 Dec 9;53(6):1386-1395. Epub 2018 Aug 9.

Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Mexico City, México.

Chronic stress disrupts reproductive efficiency. Yet, the manner in which stress disturbs reproduction in goats is currently unknown. The Oaxacan Mixteca region is one of Mexico's poorest, with high levels of deforestation, high ambient temperatures, and lack of water. Read More

Reprod Domest Anim 2019 Jan 29;54(1):23-30. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Animal Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan.

Decreased fertility associated with maternal ageing is a well-known critical problem, and progesterone (P4) concentration decreases during the menopause transition in women. The corpus luteum (CL) secretes P4, thereby supporting the implantation and maintenance of pregnancy. It is proposed that a bovine model is suitable for studying age-associated decline of fertility in women because the physiology of cows is similar to that of women and cows have a greater longevity compared with other animal models. Read More

Georgian Med News 2018 Jun(279):137-143

Tbilisi State Medical University, Department of Physiology, Georgia.

The large number of studies occurred in recent decades show the effect of sex hormones on pain sensitivity and response to analgesics. The purpose of current study was to assess the correlation between the mechanical pain sensitivity degree and the dynamics of the μ-opioid receptor protein (MOR) concentration, also to investigate the correlation of sex hormones levels with the degree of mechanical pain sensitivity and the dynamics of MOR concentration. A decreased mechanical pressure threshold, mechanical pain threshold and mechanical pain tolerance have been revealed in the luteal phase of the OMC. Read More

Psychophysiology 2018 12 16;55(12):e13268. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.

The menstrual cycle impacts mood and neural response to reward-phenomena that may be related to natural fluctuations in ovarian hormones. Using a within-subject design, the present study examined ovarian hormones (i.e. Read More

Hum Reprod 2018 08;33(8):1506-1516

The Fertility Clinic, Skive Region Hospital, Resenvej 25, Skive, Denmark.

Study Question: Is the chance of a live birth following IVF treatment and fresh embryo transfer affected by early and mid-luteal serum progesterone (P4) levels?

Summary Answer: Low as well as high serum P4 levels in the early and mid-luteal phase reduce the chance of a live birth following IVF treatment with fresh embryo transfer.

What Is Known Already: Data from non-human studies and studies of frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles indicate that low as well as high P4 levels during the mid-luteal phase decrease the chance of pregnancy. The altered P4 pattern may disrupt the endometrial maturation leading to asynchrony between embryonic development and endometrial receptivity, thereby, compromising implantation and early development of pregnancy. Read More

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020 Feb 6;33(4):527-532. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Railways Hospital, Cairo, Egypt.

To assess the subendometrial and uterine artery blood flow and pattern of the waveform of the uterine artery in cases of recurrent pregnancy loss compared with normal controls. Fifty women with a history of two or more successive pregnancy losses were investigated by Doppler transvaginal ultrasound to assess the subendometrial blood flow resistance index (RI), type of Doppler waveform of the uterine artery, and uterine artery pulsatility index (PI) in the mid-luteal phase. Fifty normal women acted as controls. Read More

Behav Brain Res 2018 10 6;351:178-187. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Personality and Individual Differences, Institute of Psychology I, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.

Emotional reactivity varies across the menstrual cycle although physiological findings are not entirely consistent. We assessed facial EMG and heart rate (HR) changes in healthy free cycling women (N = 45) with an emotional startle paradigm both during the early follicular and the late luteal phase, verified by repeated salivary 17β-estradiol, progesterone and testosterone assessments. Cycle phase impacted startle responses with larger magnitudes during the luteal phase. Read More

Neuropsychobiology 2017 5;76(2):72-81. Epub 2018 Jun 5.

Riverview Health Center, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Electrovestibulography (EVestG) recordings have been previously applied toward classifying and/or measuring the severity of several neurological disorders including depression with and without anxiety. This study's objectives were to: (1) extract EVestG features representing physiological differences of healthy women during their menses, and follicular and luteal phases of their menstrual cycle, and (2) compare these features to those observed in previous studies for depression with and without anxiety. Three EVestG recordings were made on 15 young healthy menstruating females during menses, and follicular and luteal phases. Read More

Sleep 2018 08;41(8)

Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.

Study Objectives: To investigate sex differences in the effect of sleep deprivation on performance, accounting for menstrual phase in women.

Methods: We examined alertness data from 124 healthy women and men (40 women, 84 men; aged 18-30 years) who maintained wakefulness for at least 30 hr in a laboratory setting using a constant routine protocol. Objective alertness was assessed every 2 hr using a 10 min psychomotor vigilance task. Read More

Reprod Biomed Online 2018 08 21;37(2):184-200. Epub 2018 Apr 21.

Department of Endocrinology and Female Infertility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Centre, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Research Question: What is the molecular basis of infertility related to uterine dysfunction in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?

Design: In this study, differences in protein expression between PCOS and normal endometrium were identified using a proteomic approach based on two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). The proteome of endometrium were analysed during the proliferative (on day 2 or 3 before ovulation, n = 6) and luteal phases (on day 3-5 after ovulation, n = 6) from healthy women and PCOS patients (12-14 days after spontaneous bleeding, n = 12). The differentially expressed proteins were categorized based on the biological process using the DAVID bioinformatics resources. Read More

Psychoneuroendocrinology 2018 07 24;93:133-141. Epub 2018 Apr 24.

National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA, 02130, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.

There is a need to identify new and more effective treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Allopregnanolone and its stereoisomer pregnanolone (together termed ALLO) are metabolites of progesterone that positively and allosterically modulate GABA effects at GABA receptors, thereby reducing anxiety and depression. Previous research revealed that women with PTSD had low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ALLO levels and a low ratio of ALLO to the allopregnanolone precursor 5α-DHP, consistent with deficient activity of the ALLO synthetic enzyme 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3α-HSD). Read More

Fertil Steril 2018 04;109(4):571-576

Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Hopital Foch-Faculté de Médecine Paris Ouest (UVSQ), Suresnes, France.

Progesterone elevation occurring in the late phases of controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) has been reported for over 25 years. Yet doubts remain regarding the mechanisms at play in this phenomenon and its net consequences on assisted reproductive technology outcome, which is known to occur in poor and good assisted reproductive technology responders. The pathophysiology of end-COS progesterone elevation encountered in gonadotropin-suppressed cycles is different from that prevailing at the time of, and just after, ovulation. Read More

Int J Psychophysiol 2018 09 29;131:67-72. Epub 2018 Mar 29.

Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), Granada, Spain.

The menstrual cycle involves significant changes in hormone levels, causing physical and psychological changes in women that are further influenced by stress. The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between menstrual cycle phase and salivary cortisol patterns during the day as well as the salivary cortisol response to the Virtual Reality Version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-VR). Forty two women not taking oral contraceptives (24 in follicular phase and 18 in luteal phase) participated in the study. Read More