Variation in the stress response between high- and low-neuroticism female undergraduates across the menstrual cycle

Figures & data

Table 1. The percentage of accurate responses (%ACC) and reaction time (RT) on the Stroop task of the high-neuroticism (N = 11) and low-neuroticism (N = 16) groups in the luteal, menstrual and ovulatory stages.

	N	Neuroticism	Menstrual cycle
			Luteal stage	Menstruation	Ovulatory stage
Accuracy	11	High-neuroticism	98.0 ± 0.55	98.8 ± 0.37	98.3 ± 0.57
	16	Low-neuroticism	98.6 ± 0.46	98.3 ± 0.31	97.9 ± 0.47
Reaction time	11	High-neuroticism	566.2 ± 42.42	531.9 ± 35.94*	581.3 ± 38.41
(ms)	16	Low-neuroticism	609.1 ± 35.18	642.6 ± 29.80	623.9 ± 31.85

Statistical significance: *p < 0.05, RM-ANOVA, with menstrual cycle as within-subject factor (luteal, menstrual and ovulatory stages) and neuroticism as between-subjects factor (high and low) showed a significant interaction of menstrual cycle × neuroticism on RT. Values are mean ± SEM.

Figure 1. Galvanic skin response (μhmo) on the Stroop task in the high-neuroticism (N = 11) and low-neuroticism (N = 16) groups during the luteal, menstruation and ovulatory stages of the menstrual cycle. *p < 0.05, RM-ANOVA with menstrual cycle as within-subject factor (luteal, menstruation and ovulatory periods) and neuroticism as between-subjects factor (high-neuroticism and low-neuroticism). Values are mean ± SEM.

Table 2. High frequency of HRV (HF), low frequency of HRV (LF) and balance of HRV (LF/HF ratio) of women from high-neuroticism (N = 11) and low-neuroticism (N = 16) groups on the Stroop task and the resting-state of the luteal, menstruation and ovulatory stages across the menstrual cycle.

Physiology			Menstrual cycle
indices	Neuroticism	States	Luteal stage	Menstruation	Ovulatory stage
HF(nu)	High-neuroticism	Resting state	19.08 ± 3.71	21.55 ± 1.71	23.65 ± 2.23
		Stress	22.70 ± 4.05	21.43 ± 0.92	31.24 ± 4.95
	Low-neuroticism	Resting state	23.88 ± 3.07	18.82 ± 1.42	18.99 ± 1.85
		Stress	27.56 ± 3.36	21.49 ± 0.76	23.05 ± 4.10
LF(nu)	High-neuroticism	Resting state	80.92 ± 3.71	78.45 ± 1.71	76.35 ± 2.23
		Stress	77.30 ± 4.05	78.58 ± 0.92	68.76 ± 4.95
	Low-neuroticism	Resting state	76.12 ± 3.07	81.18 ± 1.42	81.01 ± 1.85
		Stress	72.42 ± 3.36	78.51 ± 0.76	76.95 ± 4.10
LF/HF	High-neuroticism	Resting state	0.78 ± 0.03	0.79 ± 0.02	0.81 ± 0.02
		Stress	0.83 ± 0.03^a	0.81 ± 0.01	0.89 ± 0.04^b
	Low-neuroticism	Resting state	0.82 ± 0.02	0.78 ± 0.02	0.78 ± 0.01
		Stress	0.86 ± 0.02	0.82 ± 0.01	0.83 ± 0.03

Values are mean ± SEM.

^a,bSignificantly different, p = 0.035, ANOVA, simple effect analysis.

Table 3. Correlations between accuracy (ACC), reaction time (RT) and physiological indices on the Stroop task for women of the high-neuroticism (N = 11) and low-neuroticism (N = 16) groups during the luteal, menstruation and ovulatory stages across the menstrual cycle.

		Performance of the Stroop task
		ACC (%)		RT (ms)
Physiology indices	Menstrual cycle stage	Luteal period r (p)	Menstruation r (p)	Menstruation r (p)	Ovulatory period r (p)
GSR (μhmo)	Menstruation	−0.396 (0.041)*
HF (nu)	Luteal period	0.398 (0.040)*
	Menstruation		0.504 (0.007)**	−0.439 (0.022)*	−0.459 (0.016)*
	Ovulatory period	−0.448 (0.019)*
LF (nu)	Menstruation		0.452 (0.018)*	−0.496 (0.009)**	−0.415 (0.032)*
LF/HF	Luteal period		−0.490 (0.009)**
	Ovulatory period	−0.437 (0.023)*

GSR = galvanic skin response, HF = high frequency of heart rate variability, LF = low frequency of heart rate variability. Pearson correlations (r) were calculated between the physiological indices (GSR, HF, LF and LF/HF) and behavioral responses (ACC and RT). *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01. Values are mean ± SEM.