Study, 2006
Is the nerve system activity different in women with premenstrual symptoms?
In women with increased premenstrual symptoms, the fight-or-flight part of the nerve system became more active and the calming part became less active during the late premenstrual phase. This change in nerve balance may contribute to premenstrual symptoms.
What they did
Thirty young women with regular periods were measured during two phases: the beginning of the cycle (follicular phase) and the late premenstrual phase (late luteal phase). Doctors measured nerve system activity by analyzing heart rate patterns.
What they found
Women with no or few premenstrual symptoms showed no change in nerve system activity between the two phases. Women whose premenstrual symptoms increased by more than 20% compared to their symptom-free phase showed increased fight-or-flight activity and decreased calming activity in the late luteal phase. Women with more severe premenstrual distress had higher fight-or-flight activity and lower calming activity than women with milder symptoms. Nerve system activity in the early cycle was the same in all women regardless of premenstrual symptoms.
What it means for you
Changes in nerve system balance during the late premenstrual phase may explain why some women experience more severe premenstrual symptoms. This could eventually lead to new treatments targeting the nerve system. However, this study was small (30 women) and only measured nerve system activity, not whether changing it would reduce symptoms.
30
young women studied
>20%
increase in symptoms in the middle group
2
menstrual cycle phases measured
About the study
- Original title
- Autonomic nervous system activity in the late luteal phase of eumenorrheic women with premenstrual symptomatology
- Authors
- Matsumoto T, Ushiroyama T, Morimura M et al.
- Journal
- Journal of psychosomatic obstetrics and gynaecology
- Year
- 2006
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- No intervention. This was an observational measurement study.
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/01674820500490218
Topics
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