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.
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
Topics
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