Systematic review, 2020
What brain changes happen in PMDD?
Women with PMDD show several brain differences on imaging: more grey matter in the cerebellum, changes in serotonin and GABA chemicals, and different patterns of activity in emotion-related brain regions.
What they did
They reviewed 18 neuroimaging studies involving 361 participants to examine the structure and function of the brain in women with PMDD compared to others.
What they found
Greater cerebellar grey matter volume and metabolism were observed in patients with PMDD. Altered serotonergic and GABAergic neurotransmission was noted. Differential corticolimbic activation in response to emotional stimuli was observed, namely enhanced amygdalar and diminished fronto-cortical function.
What it means for you
PMDD appears to be linked to specific brain structure and chemical differences. However, the research is still early and results are somewhat inconsistent between studies, so we need more research to understand these brain features clearly.
18
neuroimaging studies reviewed
361
participants studied
3
main brain findings: cerebellum, serotonin/GABA, emotion circuits
About the study
- Original title
- Neuroimaging premenstrual dysphoric disorder: A systematic and critical review
- Authors
- Dubol M, Epperson CN, Lanzenberger R et al.
- Journal
- Frontiers in neuroendocrinology
- Year
- 2020
- Study design
- Systematic review
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2020.100838
Topics
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