Neuroimaging the menstrual cycle: A multimodal systematic review

Area of Science:

• Neuroendocrinology
• Neuroimaging
• Women's Health

Background:

• Ovarian hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle.
• These hormonal changes are known to influence brain function, behavior, and mental health in women of reproductive age.
• Understanding these effects is crucial for women's health research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively evaluate the evidence on brain plasticity related to endogenous ovarian hormone fluctuations in naturally cycling women.
• To synthesize findings from seventy-seven neuroimaging studies.
• To provide a data-driven assessment of how ovarian hormones affect the female brain.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of seventy-seven neuroimaging studies.
• Focus on naturally cycling women (n=1304).
• Analysis of brain plasticity in relation to menstrual cycle-dependent hormone variations.

Main Results:

• Ovarian hormone fluctuations significantly modulate the reactivity and structure of cortico-limbic brain regions.
• Evidence suggests a direct link between hormonal shifts and neural circuit activity.
• Brain plasticity is demonstrably influenced by endogenous estrogen and progesterone levels.

Conclusions:

• Endogenous ovarian hormone fluctuations play a critical role in shaping brain plasticity in women.
• These findings underscore the importance of considering hormonal status in neuroimaging research.
• Future multimodal neuroimaging studies should incorporate careful menstrual cycle staging to elucidate these neural correlates.