---
title: Do women with PMDD have different brain structures? | Niyora
description: Yes. Women with PMDD showed more gray matter in one brain region and less in another compared to healthy women, though these differences did not relate to sym
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/gray-matter-abnormalities-in-patients-with-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-an-2012/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Do women with PMDD have different brain structures?

Case-control study, 2012

# Do women with PMDD have different brain structures?

Yes. Women with PMDD showed more gray matter in one brain region and less in another compared to healthy women, though these differences did not relate to symptom severity.

 Early or limited evidence

15 women with PMDD and 15 healthy controls

## What they did

Brain MRI scans of 15 women with PMDD and 15 healthy controls were analyzed for differences in gray matter volume.

## What they found

Women with PMDD had significantly increased gray matter in the hippocampal cortex and significantly decreased gray matter in the parahippocampal cortex compared to controls. These brain differences were not significantly associated with PMDD symptom severity.

## What it means for you

Brain structure differences in regions related to emotion and memory processing may be part of PMDD. However, this is a very small study, so results need confirmation in larger groups. The findings suggest PMDD involves emotional processing changes but do not yet explain how these cause symptoms.

15

women with PMDD

15

healthy controls

## About the study

Original title Gray matter abnormalities in patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder: an optimized voxel-based morphometry Authors Jeong HG, Ham BJ, Yeo HB et al. Journal Journal of affective disorders Year 2012 Study design Case-control study Participants 15 What was tested Brain MRI scanning and gray matter volume analysis Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2012.02.010](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2012.02.010)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)

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

Systematic review, 2026

What is it like for women to live with PMS or PMDD?

Cohort study, 2024

Do women with severe premenstrual disorders have higher risk of relationship breakup?

Randomised trial, 2023

Does taking sertraline when PMDD symptoms start improve how well women function?

Systematic review, 2021

Are women with PMS or PMDD more likely to think about or attempt suicide?

Randomised trial, 2011

Does a 24/4 birth control pill help women with PMDD improve work, relationship, and social functioning?

Review, 2002

What treatments work best for PMDD?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗