--- title: Does sertraline change brain chemicals in people with PMDD, and does this relate to symptom improvement? description: Sertraline changed specific brain chemical levels (pregnanolone) in people with PMDD compared to baseline. However, whether these chemical changes directly ca url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/gabaergic-neuroactive-steroid-response-to-sertraline-in-premenstrual-dysphoric-2024/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does sertraline change brain chemicals in people with PMDD, and does this relate to symptom improvement? Randomised trial, 2024 # Does sertraline change brain chemicals in people with PMDD, and does this relate to symptom improvement? Sertraline changed specific brain chemical levels (pregnanolone) in people with PMDD compared to baseline. However, whether these chemical changes directly caused symptom improvement was not tested. Moderate study design 32 women with PMDD and 38 healthy women ## What they did A study measuring nine different neuroactive steroid levels (brain chemicals) in 38 healthy women and 32 women with PMDD during different phases of their cycle. In the PMDD group, these chemicals were measured again during a cycle when they took 50 mg sertraline from ovulation to menstruation. ## What they found There were no baseline differences in neuroactive steroid levels between healthy women and those with PMDD. During sertraline treatment, the PMDD group showed a significant increase in pregnanolone levels and the pregnanolone:progesterone ratio, and a decrease in 3 alpha 5 alpha-androsterone. The study did not directly test whether these chemical changes linked to symptom improvement. ## What it means for you Sertraline may work in PMDD by changing specific brain chemical levels, but this study did not confirm that these chemical changes directly cause symptom improvement. The main limit is that this was not a placebo-controlled study, so we cannot be sure the changes were due to the medication. 32 women with PMDD 38 healthy controls 50 mg sertraline daily ## About the study Original title GABAergic neuroactive steroid response to sertraline in premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Miller KN, Standeven L, Morrow AL et al. Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology Year 2024 Study design Randomised trial Participants 32 What was tested 50 mg sertraline daily from ovulation to menstruation Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106684](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106684) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Neurosteroids (allopregnanolone)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-neurosteroids/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/) 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 Randomised trial, 2017 Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)? Case-control study, 2025 Do certain hormone-related brain chemicals predict how bad premenstrual depression and anxiety will be? Non-randomised trial, 2024 Does luteal phase sertraline treatment affect stress hormones and inflammation in PMDD? Study, 2022 Why do women get PMS and PMDD? Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2022 What causes PMS and PMDD and what new treatments are being studied? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗