Hormone-driven CBF and AAT changes across the menstrual cycle

The current study investigated the influence of progesterone and oestrogen on cerebral blood flow (CBF) and arterial arrival time (AAT) across a menstrual cycle and multiple cortical and subcortical regions. 21 healthy female participants were scanned in a Siemens MAGNETOM Prisma 3T scanner and their bloods were taken to measure circulating hormones. Linear models found that while there was no interactive effect with region for either hormone, circulating oestrogen explained a significant portion of CBF value, while progesterone explained a significant portion of AAT value. Recommendations for future research are discussed.