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.
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
Topics
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