Case-control study, 2012
Do women with anger and depression types of premenstrual syndrome have different brain chemicals?
Yes. Women with these PMS types had significantly lower calming brain chemicals (allopregnanolone and pregnenolone) and significantly higher stress hormones (adrenaline and noradrenaline) during the luteal phase compared to healthy women.
What they did
Researchers compared 30 women with anger-type PMS, 30 women with stagnation-type PMS, and 30 healthy women. They measured hormone and brain chemical levels at two points in the cycle: the follicular phase (before ovulation) and the luteal phase (after ovulation).
What they found
In the luteal phase, women with both PMS types had significantly lower allopregnanolone and pregnenolone, and significantly higher adrenaline and noradrenaline, compared to healthy women (p<0.05). Women with anger-type PMS also had higher dopamine and serotonin but lower GABA in the luteal phase. There were no significant differences in the follicular phase. The ratios of dehydroepiandrosterone to the other chemicals were also significantly higher in PMS patients in the luteal phase.
What it means for you
Imbalances in brain chemicals during the luteal phase might explain why some women get angry or depressed before their period. These changes happen specifically during the second half of the cycle. However, the study is small and uses Chinese medicine categories that may not apply everywhere.
30
women in each group
p<0.05
Statistical significance for main findings
About the study
- Original title
- [Correlation between neurotransmitters and neurosteroids and premenstrual syndrome patients of Gan-yang ascending syndrome and Gan-qi stagnation syndrome]
- Authors
- Gao H, Xia T, Qiao MQ
- Journal
- Zhongguo Zhong xi yi jie he za zhi Zhongguo Zhongxiyi jiehe zazhi = Chinese journal of integrated traditional and Western medicine
- Year
- 2012
- Study design
- Case-control study
- Participants
- 30
- What was tested
- None (observational study)
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23359974/
Topics
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