Cycle and gender-specific cerebral activation during a verb generation task using fMRI: comparison of women in different cycle phases, under oral contraception, and men.

Recent observations have revealed some evidence of the influence of sex and menstrual cycle on cognitive functions. In order to examine further differences depending on different phases of menstrual cycle, the use of oral contraception, and gender, fMRI during verb generation tests was performed in 12 female volunteers at menstrual phase and at luteal phase, 12 female volunteers under oral contraception, and in 12 men. Females under oral contraception compared to females in the menstrual or luteal phase revealed superior activation during verb generation in the right hemisphere; compared to menstrual phase in the superior temporal and in the luteal phase in the inferior frontal cortex. Two further significant activations were revealed comparing females in the luteal phase with males; for the females in the left inferior frontal and for the males in the left superior temporal cortex. Our results indicate that cerebral activity during a verb generation task differs between women during different phases of the menstrual cycle and men, between women under oral contraception and men, as well as between women with and without oral contraception.