Neuropsychological function in relation to dysmenorrhea in adolescents

Hormonal variations during the menstrual cycle may affect emotional regulation. We aimed to investigate the association between dysmenorrhea (the severe abdominal pain and cramps associated with menstruation) and cognitive abilities, emotional function and sleep patterns in adolescent girls. Moreover, we evaluated the frequency of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in our population and then divided them into 4 groups: subjects with only PMS; subjects with only dysmenorrhea; individuals with both PMS and dysmenorrhea and normal subjects.

In this cross sectional study, 897 adolescent girls who had entered menarche were recruited. Of these, 35.9% had only dysmenorrhea, 14.9% had only PMS, 32.7% had both PMS and dysmenorrhea while 16.5% had no PMS and/or dysmenorrhea (Normal). We assessed the tests for cognitive, emotional function and sleep patterns were compared for these groups.

Individuals in the dysmenorrhea group had significantly higher depression, aggression, insomnia, daytime sleepiness and sleep apnea scores compared to normal controls and the PMS group, but did not have significantly different cognitive ability (P value <0.05). These differences were strongly correlated to pain intensity (P<0.001). However, there were no significant differences between those with only PMS and control subjects with regard to cognitive ability, emotional function and sleep pattern tests.

Dysmenorrhea is highly prevalent among adolescents and appears to be associated with depressive mood, a tendency to aggressive behavior and sleep disorders among adolescent girls.