Urinary catecholamine excretion and plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity during mental work performed in some periods of menstrual cycle in women.

The influence of mental work on urinary catecholamine excretion and on plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity was investigated in 8 healthy women during the ovulatory, premenstrual and other periods of the menstrual cycle. It was found that mental work performed during the ovulatory period (OP) significantly increased both adrenaline and noradrenaline excretion, whereas work performed during the premenstrual period (PMsP) and also during the other periods of the menstrual cycle significantly increased adrenaline excretion only. No changes in plasma DBH activity were observed after mental work either in OP or in PMsP.