Wednesday, February 07, 2007

PMS and the Female Brain

This week’s edition of The Economist brings us news of a recently published study from the National Institute of Mental Health, suggesting that women’s brains may respond differently to reward stimuli depending on their oestrus state.

http://www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8625794

Aside from the lesson that, well, maybe we’ll have less fun gambling when we’re PMS-y, this study importantly demonstrates measurable distinctions in brain blood flow with changing hormone levels in the body. How such information may be interpreted or used in women’s health or broader social assumptions remains to be seen. Thoughts? Predictions?

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