Estrogen-related variations in human spatial and articulatory-motor skills.

A group of normally cycling women completed a battery of cognitive and motor tests during menses and during the late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Enhanced performance on tests of articulatory and fine motor skills was observed during the late follicular phase, while performance on tests of spatial ability was poorer at that time, compared with performance during menses. Variations in estradiol (E2) levels may be at least partially responsible for these effects.