A recent study by researchers at IIT Bombay has found that women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) may have difficulties with attention-based tasks compared to women without the condition.
PCOS is a common hormonal disorder that causes symptoms like irregular periods, enlarged ovaries, and higher levels of male hormones.
While many women with PCOS experience physical symptoms and emotional challenges such as anxiety and depression, the effects on mental functions like attention have not been well understood until now.
The study examined two types of attention: focused attention, which involves concentrating on one thing while ignoring distractions, and divided attention, which is the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
The researchers tested 101 women with PCOS and 72 healthy women using special computer tasks designed to measure how fast and accurately they responded to important signals while ignoring distractions.
Results showed that women with PCOS reacted more slowly and made more mistakes, especially in tasks that required focused attention.
On average, their responses were over 50% slower, and they made about 10% more errors than healthy women.
In divided attention tasks, they were about 20% slower and made slightly more errors as well.
These difficulties may be linked to hormonal imbalances and insulin resistance, which are common in PCOS and can affect brain function and alertness.
Mental fatigue caused by anxiety and frustration may also make it harder for women with PCOS to focus on multiple tasks.
The researchers state that PCOS affects women differently based on their health and environment, but problems with attention seem common.
However, they also offer hope: activities like brain games, stress reduction, regular exercise, healthy eating, weight management, and good sleep can help improve attention and mental speed.
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