Gendering the Menstrual Cycle in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology

The menstrual cycle is increasingly described as a "vital sign of the female body," with the literature suggesting cycle-related brain and behavioral changes. With growing interest in the effects that the menstrual cycle has on the brain, body and mind, characterizing what constitutes healthy cycle-related change has become a central goal of behavioral neuroendocrinology. Considering the epistemological importance of research in behavioral neuroendocrinology for shaping our understanding of cycle-related effects in menstruating people, a critical examination of how the menstrual cycle is operationalized and studied in this field is warranted. In this narrative review, we first describe some methodological gold standards for investigating the menstrual cycle as an acontextual sex-related neurohormonal phenomenon, while highlighting ongoing limitations. We then introduce alternative conceptualizations that operationalize the menstrual cycle as context-contingent and demonstrate the importance of environmental experiences, particularly stress, in influencing cycle-related brain and behavioral changes. Grounded in a feminist/queer approach to sex/gender difference, we propose a conceptualization of the menstrual cycle that integrates gendered sources of stress and discuss the potential of this approach to enable a more representative operationalization that better accounts for its inherent variability.