Symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder and cycle phase are associated with enhanced facial emotion detection: An online cross-sectional study.

Background: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a depressive disorder affecting 5%-8% of people with menstrual cycles. Despite evidence that facial emotion detection is altered in depressive disorders, with enhanced detection of negative emotions (negativity bias), minimal research exists on premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms and the premenstrual phase on accuracy and intensity at detection of facial emotions.

Psychometric Properties of a DSM-5-Based Screening Tool for Women's Perceptions of Premenstrual Symptoms.

A premenstrual screening tool is needed when time constraints and attrition limit the feasibility of daily ratings. The present study examines the utility of a novel, 33-item, retrospective, dimensional, DSM-5-based, screening measure developed to explore women's perceptions of premenstrual symptomatology. This is the first measure that examines perception of impairment for each DSM-5 symptom and assesses the frequency criterion.

Ontario's response to COVID-19 shows that mental health providers must be integrated into provincial public health insurance systems.

The fear, grief, social isolation, and financial and occupational losses from COVID-19 have created a mental health crisis. Ontario's response highlights the shortcomings of its physician-only public healthcare system that limits public access to appropriate and sustainable mental healthcare. Specifically, Ontario's attempt to rapidly expand mental healthcare access in response to COVID-19 includes new Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP) billing codes that enable physicians to provide telephonic trauma counselling and patient self-serve online tools while psychologist and other registered mental health provider services have been largely left out of the provincial response.

Continuum of Symptoms in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Links with Sexual Behavior and Unrestricted Sociosexuality.

Symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) exist on a continuum, are associated with hyperandrogenism, and have fertility implications. The present study investigated the relationship between PCOS symptoms and sociosexuality in young women with a continuum of symptoms ranging from none to clinical levels. Given that unrestricted sociosexuality, or one's orientation toward uncommitted sexual activity, is associated with hyperandrogenism, we hypothesized that women experiencing more symptoms of PCOS, and a greater likelihood of androgen excess, would have a more unrestricted sociosexual orientation.

Emotional Memory in Oral Contraceptive Users: Negative Stimuli Are More Forgettable.

Recent research suggests oral contraceptive use is associated with altered memory for emotional story information, blunted stress hormone responses to emotional stimuli, and altered structure or function of the amygdala and hippocampus. This study examined the extent to which oral contraceptives influence relative recall of (a) the spatial location of emotional versus neutral stimuli and (b) positive versus negative emotional stimuli. Participants (58 oral contraceptive users, 40 nonusers, and 37 men) completed an Emotional Spatial Memory test and were evaluated on short-term recall and long-term (one week) recall.

The hormonal sensitivity hypothesis: A review and new findings.

Previous women's health practitioners and researchers have postulated that some women are particularly sensitive to hormonal changes occurring during reproductive events. We hypothesize that some women are particularly sensitive to hormonal changes occurring across their reproductive lifespan. To evaluate this hypothesis, we reviewed findings from the existing literature and findings from our own lab.

Preconception health behaviours: A scoping review.

Preconception health refers to the health of males and females at any point in time prior to a potential pregnancy. A goal of preconception health research is to use preventive behaviour and healthcare to optimize the health of future offspring that result from both planned and unplanned pregnancies. This paper briefly reviews evidence of the importance of various preconception health behaviours, and examines the extent to which specific preconception health behaviours have been included in recent studies of such knowledge, behaviours, and intentions.

Past reproductive events as predictors of physical symptom severity during the menopausal transition.

Objective: This study aims to determine whether the severity of physical symptoms experienced during perimenopause can be predicted by physical symptoms experienced during past reproductive events (ie, symptoms experienced during pregnancy, the postpartum period, the premenstrual phase, and hormonal contraceptive use).

Methods: Two hundred ninety perimenopausal and postmenopausal women completed a series of questionnaires pertaining to their menopausal symptoms and the severity of both physical and emotional symptoms experienced during past reproductive events.

Results: The severity of some physical symptoms experienced during past reproductive events predicted the severity of menopausal physical symptoms.

Age at menarche and digit ratio (2D:4D): relationships with body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, and bulimia symptoms in women.

This study examined the hypothesis that lower prenatal androgen exposure and earlier puberty are associated with more dysfunctional eating attitudes and behaviors. Relationships between both age at menarche (AAM) and 2D:4D (a marker of prenatal androgen exposure), and EDI-2-Body Dissatisfaction, EDI-2-Drive for Thinness, and EDI-2-Bulimia scores, were examined in women using correlations and regressions. Earlier menarche was associated with higher drive for thinness after controlling for BMI and negative affect, but only in women who were not exclusively heterosexual.

Elevated eating disorder symptoms in women with a history of oral contraceptive side effects.

Previous research suggests a link between gonadal hormones and eating disorder symptomatology. This study examined the role of gonadal hormones and hormonal sensitivity in eating disorder (ED) symptoms by using oral contraceptive (OC) side effect history as an indicator of hormonal sensitivity. A questionnaire containing two scales of the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and an OC side effect scale was completed by 174 healthy women who had used OCs.

Age at menarche is associated with divergent alcohol use patterns in early adolescence and early adulthood.

A cross-sectional retrospective design was employed to examine the relationship between age at menarche (AAM) and alcohol use patterns from middle childhood (age 7) to early adulthood in 265 University-aged women. Earlier menarche was associated with: (a) earlier ages at first drink and first intoxication, (b) greater use between ages 9 and 14 (i.e.

Putting a finger on potential predictors of oral contraceptive side effects: 2D:4D and middle-phalangeal hair.

Many women experience emotional or physical side effects when taking oral contraceptives (OCs). Despite the potential impact on women's health and well-being, there are no valid methods to screen women for their risk of OC side effects. The present paper presents the results of two studies where anthropometric indicators of androgen exposure, 2D:4D and middle-phalangeal hair, were examined for their potential as predictors of OC side effects.

Facial symmetry detection ability changes across the menstrual cycle.

The effects of menstrual cycle phase and hormones on women's visual ability to detect symmetry and visual preference for symmetry were examined. Participants completed tests of symmetry detection and preference for male facial symmetry at two of three menstrual cycle phases (menses, periovulatory, and luteal). Women were better at detecting facial symmetry during the menses than luteal phase of their cycle.

An inverse relationship between typical alcohol consumption and facial symmetry detection ability in young women.

The relationship between monthly alcohol consumption over the past 6 months and facial symmetry perception ability was examined in young sober women with typical college-age drinking patterns. Facial symmetry detection performance was inversely related to typical monthly alcohol consumption, r (41) = -0.57, p < 0.

To what extent do oral contraceptives influence mood and affect?

Background: Studies examining the effects of oral contraceptives (OCs) on mood, affect, and affect variability are reviewed.

Methods: MEDLINE and PsycLIT data bases were examined to identify studies that compared OC users with nonusers using daily ratings of mood, affect, or affect variability.

Results: Compared to non-users, OC users experience less variability in affect across the entire menstrual cycle, and less negative affect during menstruation (i.