Menstrual cycle effects on postural stability but not optokinetic function.
We investigated the effects of the menstrual cycle on visual-vestibular interaction by measuring optokinetic function and postural stability at different phases of the cycle. Menstrual cycle phase had no significant effect on gaze-holding, optokinetic nystagmus slow phase velocity, amplitude or frequency, circularvection latency or optokinetic afternystagmus frequency, amplitude or duration. While menstrual cycle phase had no significant effect on anterior-posterior sway, it did significantly affect lateral sway (P<0.001), with sway on day 5 significantly greater than on days 12 and 21 (P<0.05 and 0.01, respectively), and sway on day 25 significantly greater than that on day 21 (P<0.05).
Darlington
C L
CL
Department of Psychology and the Neuroscience Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
Ross
A
A
King
J
J
Smith
P F
PF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D017120:Nystagmus, Optokinetic / Q000502:physiology*; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012027:Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014726:Vestibular Nuclei / Q000378:metabolism*
D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones