---
title: Does alcohol interact with brain chemistry during PMS and explain increased drinking premenstrually?
description: Yes. A specific type of brain receptor that changes during PMS is very sensitive to low alcohol doses, which could explain why alcohol affects anxiety more du
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/hormonally-regulated-alpha-4-beta-2-delta-gaba-a-receptors-are-a-target-for-2002/
---

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- Does alcohol interact with brain chemistry during PMS and explain increased drinking premenstrually?

Lab study, 2002

# Does alcohol interact with brain chemistry during PMS and explain increased drinking premenstrually?

Yes. A specific type of brain receptor that changes during PMS is very sensitive to low alcohol doses, which could explain why alcohol affects anxiety more during the premenstrual phase.

 Early or limited evidence

Frog cells and laboratory rats

## What they did

Laboratory and animal study. Researchers tested how alcohol affects a specific brain receptor (alpha4-beta2-delta GABA(A) receptor) using cell preparations from frog eggs. They also used rats in a model of PMS to test how low alcohol doses affected anxiety and brain activity.

## What they found

In laboratory cells, low alcohol doses of 1-3 mM increased electrical activity through the alpha4-beta2-delta GABA(A) receptor by 40-50%. In rats with the PMS model, low alcohol doses reduced anxiety and behavioral reactivity more strongly than in control rats. The PMS model rats had higher expression of receptors containing the alpha4 and delta subunits.

## What it means for you

A brain receptor involved in anxiety control increases during the premenstrual phase and becomes more sensitive to alcohol. This could explain why alcohol seems to work faster and feel stronger during PMS. However, this is very early stage research (mostly laboratory cell work and animal studies). Much more research is needed before understanding implications for women.

1-3 mM

Alcohol concentration tested

40-50%

Increase in receptor activity

## About the study

Original title Hormonally regulated alpha(4)beta(2)delta GABA(A) receptors are a target for alcohol Authors Sundstrom-Poromaa I, Smith DH, Gong QH et al. Journal Nature neuroscience Year 2002 Study design Lab study What was tested Low-dose alcohol (1-3 mM) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1038/nn888](https://doi.org/10.1038/nn888)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)

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