Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle01:22

Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle

The ovarian cycle regulates endometrial changes throughout a single menstrual cycle via the coordinated action of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and gonadotrophins.
At puberty, GnRH begins a pulsatile release pattern, which triggers the anterior pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The frequency and amplitude of GnRH pulses vary across the menstrual cycle, with faster pulses favoring LH release and slower pulses favoring FSH release.
Role of Hippocampus in Memory01:19

Role of Hippocampus in Memory

The hippocampus, a critical brain structure, plays an essential role in memory processing, particularly in the formation and retrieval of memory. This small, seahorse-shaped region is located within the medial temporal lobe, with one hippocampus in each brain hemisphere. Experimental studies involving lesions in the hippocampi of rats have demonstrated significant impairments in tasks such as object recognition and maze navigation, indicating the hippocampus involvement in both recognition and...
The Menstrual Cycle01:19

The Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle is a recurrent sequence of changes in the uterine endometrium, specifically its functional layer, the stratum functionalis. This cycle prepares the uterus for potential pregnancy. This cycle typically spans 21–35 days, averaging 28 days, and aligns with the ovarian cycle, regulated by fluctuating levels of ovarian hormones, primarily estrogen and progesterone.
The menstrual phase occurs from days 1 to 5 and involves the shedding of the stratum functionalis, as a uterine...
Hormonal Control of the Ovarian Cycle01:30

Hormonal Control of the Ovarian Cycle

The ovarian cycle is meticulously regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This cycle orchestrates the release of a mature oocyte, essential for reproduction.
Before puberty, the hypothalamus releases GnRH in a low frequency, low amplitude pulsatile manner. This along with the immature hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activity, results in low estrogen levels and the absence of a fully functional ovarian cycle.  At puberty, GnRH secretion increases in both frequency and...
Secretory Phase01:19

Secretory Phase

The secretory phase of the menstrual cycle, spanning from day 14 to 28 in a typical 28-day cycle, is a period of significant physiological changes in the female reproductive system. This phase commences immediately after ovulation and is characterized by the preparation of the endometrium for potential embryo implantation.
Following ovulation, the corpus luteum, a temporary endocrine structure, produces progesterone and estrogens. These hormones stimulate the growth and coiling of endometrial...
Ovarian Cycle01:27

Ovarian Cycle

The menstrual cycle includes a critical component known as the ovarian cycle, which undergoes two main phases each month—the follicular phase and the luteal phase. The follicular phase is variable and averaging around 14 days. Ovulation, triggered by a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH), marks the transition between the two phases. The second phase, the luteal phase, is relatively consistent, lasting approximately 14 days, and is marked by the activity of the corpus luteum. While a cycle length...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Connectivity- vs Scalp-Based Targeting of Accelerated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

JAMA psychiatry·2026
Same author

Case Study 12: A 57-Year-Old Man With Seizures, Paranoid Psychosis, and Catatonia.

The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences·2026
Same author

Deep brain stimulation and psychosis: A case series and two candidate causal brain circuits.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2025
Same author

Postpartum anxiety: a state-of-the-art review.

The lancet. Psychiatry·2025
Same author

Mapping Lesions That Cause Psychosis to a Human Brain Circuit and Proposed Stimulation Target.

JAMA psychiatry·2025
Same author

Perceptions of a faculty-trainee group mentorship program, the mentorship families program, in a residency training program: results from a cross-sectional survey.

BMC medical education·2024
Same journal

Opioid-Associated Hippocampal Injury: Past, Present, and Future Directions.

Hippocampus·2026
Same journal

Neural and Navigational Features Influencing the Novelty Induced Benefits on Episodic Memory.

Hippocampus·2026
Same journal

Intrinsic Persistent Firing in CA1 Encodes Elapsed Time Across Behaviorally Relevant Scales.

Hippocampus·2026
Same journal

Boundary Vector Cells Encode a Future-Biased Spectrum of Positions in the Rat.

Hippocampus·2026
Same journal

Hippocampal NOP Receptor Activation Impairs Object Recognition Memory Acquisition.

Hippocampus·2026
Same journal

Effects of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor 1 Receptor Antagonism on In Vivo Dentate Gyrus Long-Term Potentiation in the TgF344-AD Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Hippocampus·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Investigating Long-term Synaptic Plasticity in Interlamellar Hippocampus CA1 by Electrophysiological Field Recording
14:27

Investigating Long-term Synaptic Plasticity in Interlamellar Hippocampus CA1 by Electrophysiological Field Recording

Published on: August 11, 2019

Hippocampal structural changes across the menstrual cycle.

Xenia Protopopescu1, Tracy Butler, Hong Pan

  • 1Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10021, USA. xoprotop@med.cornell.edu

Hippocampus
|September 4, 2008
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Brain structure changes during the menstrual cycle. Gray matter increased in the hippocampus and decreased in the basal ganglia during the postmenstrual phase, correlating with memory function.

More Related Videos

Sex Differences in Mouse Hippocampal Astrocytes after In-Vitro Ischemia
08:32

Sex Differences in Mouse Hippocampal Astrocytes after In-Vitro Ischemia

Published on: October 25, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Investigating Long-term Synaptic Plasticity in Interlamellar Hippocampus CA1 by Electrophysiological Field Recording
14:27

Investigating Long-term Synaptic Plasticity in Interlamellar Hippocampus CA1 by Electrophysiological Field Recording

Published on: August 11, 2019

Sex Differences in Mouse Hippocampal Astrocytes after In-Vitro Ischemia
08:32

Sex Differences in Mouse Hippocampal Astrocytes after In-Vitro Ischemia

Published on: October 25, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Human Physiology
  • Neuroimaging

Background:

  • Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle are known to affect mood and cognition.
  • Previous animal studies demonstrate hormone-mediated hippocampal plasticity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate regional gray matter variations in the female brain across the menstrual cycle.
  • To correlate observed structural changes with cognitive performance, specifically verbal declarative memory.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with Jacobian-modulated Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM).
  • Acquired T1-weighted anatomical images from 21 women during two phases: late-follicular and late-luteal.
  • Compared gray matter volume between the two menstrual cycle phases.

Main Results:

  • Significant gray matter increase in the right anterior hippocampus during the postmenstrual phase.
  • Significant gray matter decrease in the right dorsal basal ganglia (globus pallidus/putamen) during the postmenstrual phase.
  • Verbal declarative memory performance was higher in the postmenstrual phase compared to the premenstrual phase.

Conclusions:

  • Demonstrates the first evidence of human brain structural plasticity linked to the endogenous menstrual cycle.
  • Extends findings of hormone-dependent hippocampal plasticity from animal models to humans.
  • Suggests implications for understanding menstrual cycle-related alterations in cognition and behavior.