Effects of alcohol and other drugs in women of reproductive age: Hormonal interactions

Neuroendocrine control of the menstrual cycle is very complex, and the pulsatile hormonal secretory patterns characteristic of the follicular, ovulatory and luteal phases can interact, under certain conditions, with alcohol and other drugs to modulate their effects. The presence of the premenstrual syndrome, with its characteristic symptoms of depression and anxiety, appears to be a critical factor in determining whether alcohol and drug use patterns increase during the premenstruum.