Survey study, 2013
Do women with PMDD have different brain activity related to depression during their menstrual cycle?
Yes, women with PMDD show different brain activity related to depression during the luteal phase compared to women without PMDD. The study is small and needs confirmation in larger groups.
What they did
Researchers measured brain electrical activity using EEG in 12 women with PMDD and 12 women without PMDD. They measured women during both the luteal phase (before menstruation) and follicular phase (after menstruation). During testing, women experienced different conditions: resting, viewing depressing images, recalling sad memories, recovery, and relaxation.
What they found
Women with PMDD had a different pattern of brain activity (higher frontal alpha asymmetry, a pattern linked to negative mood) compared to women without PMDD. This difference only appeared during the luteal phase and only during the depressing image and relaxation conditions. In both groups, more negative mood and depressive symptoms were linked to this brain activity pattern during the luteal phase.
What it means for you
This shows that PMDD involves measurable differences in how the brain responds to emotional challenges during the luteal phase. However, the study is very small and cannot tell us what causes these differences, whether they lead to symptoms, or how to treat them.
12
women with PMDD
12
women without PMDD
2
menstrual cycle phases measured (luteal and follicular)
About the study
- Original title
- Depressive mood and frontal alpha asymmetry during the luteal phase in premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Authors
- Lin IM, Tsai YC, Peper E et al.
- Journal
- The journal of obstetrics and gynaecology research
- Year
- 2013
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 12
- What was tested
- None - measured existing brain activity at two cycle phases
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/jog.12020
Topics
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