---
title: Do serotonin receptors in the brain respond differently to the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD?
description: In healthy women, serotonin receptors in the brain responded differently between menstrual phases, but in PMDD women, this response was significantly smaller.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/a-pet-study-of-5-ht1a-receptors-at-different-phases-of-the-menstrual-cycle-in-2006/
---

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- Do serotonin receptors in the brain respond differently to the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD?

Case-control study, 2006

# Do serotonin receptors in the brain respond differently to the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD?

In healthy women, serotonin receptors in the brain responded differently between menstrual phases, but in PMDD women, this response was significantly smaller. This suggests abnormal serotonin regulation in PMDD.

 Moderate study design

Women with PMDD and control women

## What they did

Women with PMDD and control women underwent positron emission tomography (PET) scans to measure serotonin 5-HT1A receptors. Two scans were performed in each person, one in the follicular phase and one in the luteal phase. Menstrual cycle phase was confirmed by ovarian ultrasound and hormone measurements.

## What they found

In control women, the 5-HT1A binding potential changed significantly from the follicular phase to the luteal phase in the raphe nuclei (a brain region). In PMDD women, the observed change between phases was significantly smaller.

## What it means for you

Abnormal serotonin receptor response to the menstrual cycle may explain why antidepressants help some women with PMDD. The main limitation is that specific sample sizes are not stated in the abstract.

2

PET scans per person

6

brain regions measured

reduced change

receptor response in PMDD

## About the study

Original title A PET study of 5-HT1A receptors at different phases of the menstrual cycle in women with premenstrual dysphoria Authors Jovanovic H, Cerin A, Karlsson P et al. Journal Psychiatry research Year 2006 Study design Case-control study What was tested None - observational imaging study Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2006.05.002](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pscychresns.2006.05.002)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)

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## Related studies

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