--- title: Do women with PMDD have different startle and sensory responses during the menstrual cycle? description: Yes, women with PMDD have higher startle responses throughout the menstrual cycle and reduced sensory filtering specifically during the late luteal phase, com url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/patients-with-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-have-increased-startle-response-2008/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with PMDD have different startle and sensory responses during the menstrual cycle? Cohort study, 2008 # Do women with PMDD have different startle and sensory responses during the menstrual cycle? Yes, women with PMDD have higher startle responses throughout the menstrual cycle and reduced sensory filtering specifically during the late luteal phase, compared to controls. Moderate study design 30 women with PMDD and 30 control women aged 20-46 ## What they did After two months of prospective daily symptom ratings, 30 women with PMDD and 30 controls aged 20-46 underwent acoustic startle testing. They heard loud noise bursts alone and with warning stimuli. Eye blink responses were measured using electromyography during both the follicular and late luteal phases. ## What they found Women with PMDD had significantly higher startle response than controls during both menstrual cycle phases (p<0.05). Women with PMDD also showed lower sensory filtering with higher-volume warning stimuli during the late luteal phase compared to controls (p<0.01), but not in the follicular phase. Control women showed increased sensory filtering during the late luteal phase, but this increase did not occur in women with PMDD. ## What it means for you Women with PMDD appear to have exaggerated startle responses and impaired sensory filtering during the late luteal phase, which may relate to anxiety in PMDD. The study used a specific neurophysiological test in a relatively small group, so findings may not apply to all women with PMDD. 30 Women with PMDD 30 Control women 115 dB Acoustic startle stimulus loudness ## About the study Original title Patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder have increased startle response across both cycle phases and lower levels of prepulse inhibition during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle Authors Kask K, Gulinello M, Bäckström T et al. Journal Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Year 2008 Study design Cohort study Participants 86 What was tested None; observational neurophysiological testing during follicular and late luteal phases Read the paper [doi.org/10.1038/sj.npp.1301599](https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.npp.1301599) ## 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/) 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 Cohort study, 2026 What genetic factors are linked to premenstrual symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 How often do mood disorders and PMS or PMDD occur together? Systematic review, 2026 Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms? Study, 2026 How do women with PMDD process emotions differently in their brains? Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Systematic review, 2026 How much of PMDD treatment improvement comes from placebo effect? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗