Study, 2023
Do women with PMDD have different brain network patterns than women without PMDD?
Yes. Using brain imaging, researchers found that women with PMDD have different patterns of connection between brain regions in three brain networks compared to women without PMDD.
What they did
Researchers recruited 24 women with PMDD and 27 control women for two brain scans at different cycle phases: midfollicular (early, few symptoms) and late-luteal (late, strongest symptoms). During scans, women matched emotions in faces. Researchers measured connections between regions in three brain networks: default mode, salience, and central executive.
What they found
Overall brain activity in specific regions showed no clear differences between groups. However, women with PMDD had weaker connections in the default mode and central executive networks, but stronger connections in the salience network compared to control women. In women with PMDD, the central executive network showed stronger connections during the early cycle phase than the late-luteal phase.
What it means for you
Different brain network connection patterns in women with PMDD may explain emotional and thinking problems associated with the disorder. However, this study looked at brain networks during one specific task, and it is unclear whether these patterns explain physical symptoms. The study included only 24 women with PMDD.
24
women with PMDD
27
control women
2
brain scans per woman
About the study
- Original title
- Aberrant Intrinsic Brain Network Functional Connectivity During a Face-Matching Task in Women Diagnosed With Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
- Authors
- Reuveni I, Dan R, Canetti L et al.
- Journal
- Biological psychiatry
- Year
- 2023
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 27
- What was tested
- None - observational study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.04.001
Topics
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