--- title: Do women with more premenstrual symptoms have different brain structure than those with fewer symptoms? description: Women with more premenstrual symptoms had significantly larger volume in the left posterior cingulate cortex region of the brain. However, this is a correlati url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/assessing-brain-morphological-correlates-of-premenstrual-symptoms-in-young-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with more premenstrual symptoms have different brain structure than those with fewer symptoms? Survey study, 2025 # Do women with more premenstrual symptoms have different brain structure than those with fewer symptoms? Women with more premenstrual symptoms had significantly larger volume in the left posterior cingulate cortex region of the brain. However, this is a correlation study and cannot prove brain structure causes symptoms. Moderate study design 292 non-pregnant women aged 23-43 ## What they did Cross-sectional population-based study of 292 non-pregnant women aged 23-43. Brain structure was measured using MRI and compared with self-reported premenstrual symptom severity, examining cortical thickness, volume, surface area, and subcortical volumes. ## What they found 90% of women with a menstrual cycle experience premenstrual symptoms, and 20% experience treatment-warranted emotional, behavioral, or somatic symptoms. Women with higher premenstrual symptom scores had statistically significant positive associations with larger volume of the left posterior cingulate cortex. These findings partly overlap with previous brain morphological findings in individuals with PMS and could represent a correlation with premenstrual symptoms. ## What it means for you Brain structural differences may partly explain why some women experience more premenstrual symptoms than others. However, this is a correlation study so we cannot know if brain differences cause symptoms, result from symptoms, or are simply associated. The study included healthy women so results may not apply to people with severe PMDD. 90% experience premenstrual symptoms 20% experience treatment-warranted symptoms 292 women studied ## About the study Original title Assessing brain morphological correlates of premenstrual symptoms in young healthy females Authors S. Marjanovic, Madelene Christin Holm Bukhari, Rikka Kjelkenes et al. Journal Journal of Affective Disorders Reports Year 2025 Study design Survey study Participants 292 What was tested None - brain imaging correlation study Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2025.100916](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadr.2025.100916) Original abstract Although 90% of females with a menstrual cycle will experience premenstrual symptoms in their reproductive years, it is estimated that 20% experience treatment-warranted emotional, behavioral, or somatic symptoms in the premenstrual phase of their menstrual cycle. Premenstrual symptoms have been partly attributed to the brain’s sensitivity to menstrual cycle-related hormonal fluctuations, which may be modulated by individual differences in the structural characteristics of the brain. Studies with continuous operationalizations of symptom measures are needed to characterize the brain structural correlates of premenstrual symptoms. In a population-based sample of 292 non-pregnant females aged 23-43 years, we tested for associations between self-reported premenstrual symptom load and T1-weighted MRI based brain measures of cortical thickness, volume, and surface area as well as subcortical volumes. After corrections for multiple comparison, linear models including age revealed significant positive associations between premenstrual symptom load and the volume of the left posterior cingulate cortex. These findings partly overlap with previous brain morphological findings in individuals with PMS and could possibly represent a non-phase dependent correlate of premenstrual symptoms. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Cohort study, 2026 What genetic factors are linked to premenstrual symptoms? Randomised trial, 2026 Does aerobic or resistance exercise reduce anxiety in women with PMS? Study, 2026 How do women with PMDD process emotions differently in their brains? Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Case-control study, 2026 Do women with PMS handle emotions differently at different times of the cycle? Survey study, 2025 Does PMDD or PMS affect quality of life? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗