Oral contraceptives moderate relationship between sex hormones and emotion recognition across the menstrual cycle

Research suggests sex hormones influence emotional abilities. We investigated the relationships between emotion recognition and estradiol and progesterone in women taking oral contraceptives and in naturally cycling women. Facial and prosodic emotion recognition was tested at three points across the menstrual cycle, when influences of estradiol and progesterone are dissociable. Phase related differences were observed in facial, but not auditory, emotion recognition ability. Hormone levels were correlated with facial recognition during different phases of the cycle, in naturally cycling women only. Results
suggest sex hormones influence emotion recognition changes across the menstrual cycle, and oral contraceptives moderate this influence.