Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Effects of oral contraceptives and natural menstrual cycling on  environmental learning  
 
Version: 0 Date: 03 Mar 2018  
 
Reviewer: Sara Mednick  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This study investigated two groups of women (NCW and OCs) in their menses and in their luteal 
phases on a topographical memor y task. A small learning difference was found at the group level 
but no interactions with menses phase. The manuscript needs extensive work. The introduction 
needs rewriting and the results are not clear.  
 
 
The introduction needs better organization. The p aragraphs meander from topic to topic without 
a clear connection. For example, paragraph two moves quickly from discussion of OC to 
topographical memory. The transition is weak and should be made more clear. As well the 
discussion of trimiulet was surprisi ngly detailed without just cause… in general the intro needs 
some thinking through.  
 
 
This is an example of a poorly written sentence:  
 
Being hormonal fluctuations controlled in OC users [36], we hypothesized that they performed 
better than NCW, as already f ound in athletes involved in engaging competitions [37]  
 
 
The task does not detect gender differences, rather it may be s ensitive to gender differences 
enrolment: enrollment can you please describe the hormone phases of the OCs that were allowed 
in the study? In particular, what was the predicted hormones levels at the luteal visit?  
 
 
The lack of significant results is hard to interpret. Is this because there is no difference between 
women in these different phases? Or is it because the test is not sensit ive enough to detect 
differences… I am not convinced by the results to make either interpretation. If there were blood 
levels of hormones to show that there were in fact differences between the NCW and OCs then 
maybe the authors could use this argument. Bu t as it stands, I am not sure what to make of these 
null results. Even the meaning of the baseline learning differences are not clear as we don't know 
if there was a sampling problem and the women would have been different without any drugs… 
There is just not enough information here to make a clear assessment of these results.  
 
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, p lease specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manus cript or would you recommend an 
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what  aspects require further 
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Not suitable for publication unless extensively edited  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, f ees, funding, or salary from an 
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publi cation of this 
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation t hat may in any way gain or lose 
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you curr ently applying for any patents  relating to the content of the 
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an organization that 
holds or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any  other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have  no competing interests' 
below. If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
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