Changes in the affective state and in the emotional attribution during estradiol fluctuations of the ovarian cycle in university students

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to analyze if some type of relation existed between the fluctuations of estradiol of the ovarian cycle, two variables of the affectivity, the dysthymia and the euthymia, and the type of emotional attributions, positive, negative or neutral, realized to semantic and facial stimuli. The hormonal levels of 17-ß estradiol have measured up in saliva, across kits ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay) in 64 women, aged 18-19 years. The subjects realized the Inventory of Depressive State/Characteristic (IDER) and two tests of emotional attribution, for verbal and facial stimuli, in two moments of the cycle, when the levels of estradiol were high and when these were lower. The studied women obtained significantly top punctuations in the items of eutimia state and in the number of positive attributions realized, with both facial and semantic stimuli, when they were during the more high beak of estradiol, that when the levels of estradiol were low. The results suggest that the estradiol might be one of the influential factors in the modulation and regulation of the positive affective state. This research seeks to give a new approach to strengthen psychological resilience and promote mental health.