THE INFLUENCE OF MENSTRUAL-CYCLE PHASE ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TESTOSTERONE AND AGGRESSION

Plasma testosterone levels and aggressive behavior were measured in 12 women with and without perimenstrual affective symptomatology (e.g., depression, irritability) during the menstrual, midfollicular, ovulato ry, and premenstrual phases of the menstrual cycle. The Point Subtract ion Aggression Paradigm (C) was used to quantify aggressive response t o provocation. Subjects had two response options: a point maintained o ption (100 presses earned a point worth 10 cents) and an aggressive re sponse option (10 presses ostensibly subtracted a point from a fictiti ous partner's counter). Subjects were provoked by the periodic subtrac tion of a point that was attributed to the responding of a fictitious opponent. Although plasma testosterone levels (determined by radioimmu noassay) increased significantly during the ovulatory phase, aggressiv e response to provocation remained unchanged across the menstrual cycl e. Plasma testosterone did not differ between the 2 groups during any phase. A relationship between plasma testosterone levels and use of th e aggressive response option was seen only during the midfollicular ph ase (Spearman r = .673, p = .017). These preliminary data suggest that : 1. The relationship in female subjects between endogenous testostero ne and aggressive behavior is inconsistent; 2. self-report of perimens trual symptomatology is a more consistent predictor of aggressive beha vior across the menstrual cycle than plasma testosterone; and 3. perim enstrual emotional symptomatology is not related to testosterone level s. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.