---
title: How do food, serotonin, and mood relate in PMS and other conditions?
description: This review discusses how serotonin, a brain chemical, affects mood and eating in conditions including PMS. It suggests that treatments like antidepressants (
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/food-and-mood-relationship-between-food-serotonin-and-affective-disorders-1994/
---

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- How do food, serotonin, and mood relate in PMS and other conditions?

Survey study, 1994

# How do food, serotonin, and mood relate in PMS and other conditions?

This review discusses how serotonin, a brain chemical, affects mood and eating in conditions including PMS. It suggests that treatments like antidepressants (SSRIs) and light therapy may work for these conditions because they involve similar serotonin problems.

 Moderate study design

Not applicable; literature review

## What they did

Reviewed published research on relationships between food, eating, serotonin, and mood changes in PMS, seasonal affective disorder, depression, anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder.

## What they found

Multiple different conditions (seasonal affective disorder, atypical depression, PMS, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder) all involve serotonin dysfunction. Treatments that increase serotonin, including SSRIs (such as fluoxetine), MAO inhibitors, and light therapy, help these conditions.

## What it means for you

Different mental health conditions with different names may actually share similar problems with the brain chemical serotonin. This suggests doctors might use similar treatments across these conditions. The main limitation is this is a review of existing research rather than new research, so it does not provide new evidence specifically about PMS.

## About the study

Original title Food and mood: relationship between food, serotonin and affective disorders Authors Wallin MS, Rissanen AM Journal Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica. Supplementum Year 1994 Study design Survey study What was tested Review of phototherapy and antidepressant medications (SSRIs including fluoxetine, MAO inhibitors) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1994.tb05800.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1994.tb05800.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Light therapy and sleep deprivation](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-light-therapy/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Eating disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-eating-disorders/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)

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