Research found no evidence to support myth that women’s cognitive abilities change across menstrual cycle. Given physiological changes that occur across menstrual cycle, the changes to the brain are either small enough that they don't influence performance or women compensate for these changes.

[u/mvea]

https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/womens-menstrual-cycles-dont-change-the-way-our-brains-perform

[u/whichwitch9 → u/[deleted]]

Not even that- think of the common side effects of periods. A lot involve pain or discomfort. If someone has physical pain, they tend to be less willing to tolerate other discomforts. It's just reprioritization- this is happening to me now, so I have less patience to deal with this other thing. It's really not some big mystery

[u/neobeguine → u/whichwitch9]

I get more emotionally sensitive about a week before my periods so it's not all pain.  I do not, however, get stupid.

[u/whichwitch9 → u/neobeguine]

Oh yeah, I hear that, though I will say I cramp the couple days ahead of it, plus bloat and low iron issues drive fatigue, so the week ahead of it is the most unpleasant part for me. I normally settle down once it starts. The hair trigger crying is easily recognizable as period related and normally has fairly stupid reasons for me (cute puppies will do it)

[u/redopz → u/whichwitch9]

This was what I thought of with my limited, anecdotal evidence. The only women I've known who get grumpy during their periods also have more intense physical symptoms. 

[u/purpleturtlehurtler → u/whichwitch9]

My wife has painful periods. I can barely think with a stomach ache. I'm convinced she was sent from the future to show me what real pain tolerance looks like.

[u/mosquem → u/whichwitch9]

Doesn’t the question “does being in pain and physical discomfort impact your cognitive abilities?” imply that the answer here should be that there is an effect?

[u/Archer-Blue → u/mosquem]

The conclusion wasn't that there was no effect. It was that if there was, it wasn't significant, which could indicate no effect or that the women were compensating.

[u/mosquem → u/Archer-Blue]

Every anecdote in this thread is talking about women’s experience and how they compensate when they’re on their period. By definition, that means there is a cognitive impact.

[u/Archer-Blue → u/mosquem]

That is anecdotal. As a woman currently on my period, I am inclined to agree, and I do believe I am compensating as I am currently up at near midnight in my time zone studying for my masters and I have no reason to believe my current pain and discomfort, be there as it may, will impact my grades. However, the data they have gathered in this study does not show any statistically significant evidence that the lived experience of myself and others in this thread is the fact, and they can't make up evidence they don't have because vibes. However, they did state that they had no means to conclusively determine if the lack of evidence for cognitive decline was due to compensation.

[u/A1000eisn1 → u/mosquem]

it wasn't significant, which could indicate no effect or that the women were compensating

[u/Muppetric → u/[deleted]]

me and my mother have PMDD and holy it’s… not fun. The most horrific pain and hormonal deep dread, the emotional fuckery gets so bad that it creates suicidal urges because of how ‘hollow’ I feel a day before I bleed.

I’m glad my contraceptive removes my period

[u/After_Economy7029 → u/Muppetric]

I don’t have a PMDD diagnosis, but I completely know what you mean, the days before bleeding I am a completely suicidal wreck and it creeps up on you. Really makes my anxiety and Body Dysmorphia kick into overdrive as well!

Do you notice it’s worse when you are stressed??

[u/uiemad → u/[deleted]]

I mean, me too, but it varies a lot from woman to woman. My sister, you'd never know she was on her period if she didn't tell you. My girlfriend? Well last time she wound up yelling at me and crying because I picked up some headphones that had been dropped on the escalator.

I'm not going to say my girlfriend's cognitive abilities decline, but her ability to regulate her emotions certainly does.

[u/JayPet94 → u/uiemad]

Yeah to be honest I was confused about this thread because I've never heard anyone say anything about women's cognitive function during periods. It's always about emotional regulation

It doesn't hurt to have more data, of course, but I'm pretty sure the hypothesis just agrees with common conception

[u/Winstonoil → u/[deleted]]

And it pisses them off/.
Which kind of explains why I have met so pissed off old ladies.