--- title: What does stopping progesterone do to anxiety in rats? | Niyora description: In rats, withdrawal from progesterone increased anxiety-like behaviors including faster and longer defensive responses. This effect appeared to be caused by a url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/progesterone-withdrawal-decreases-latency-to-and-increases-duration-of-1993/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - What does stopping progesterone do to anxiety in rats? Lab study, 1993 # What does stopping progesterone do to anxiety in rats? In rats, withdrawal from progesterone increased anxiety-like behaviors including faster and longer defensive responses. This effect appeared to be caused by a progesterone breakdown product rather than progesterone itself. Early or limited evidence Female rats ## What they did Female rats received progesterone injections or control oil for four days, then researchers measured their defensive burying behavior (a measure of anxiety). They tested different doses and used a drug to block the conversion of progesterone to a specific metabolite. ## What they found Rats that stopped getting progesterone at the highest dose (500 micrograms daily) buried the electrified prod 77% faster and did it 75% longer than control rats. At a lower dose (50 micrograms), these effects only happened when estradiol (2 micrograms) was given at the same time. Blocking the conversion to the breakdown product prevented all these effects. ## What it means for you This rat study suggests that stopping progesterone might increase anxiety-like responses, possibly through a hormone breakdown product. But this is animal research, not human research, so we don't know if the same thing happens in women. 77% faster response to prod 75% longer burying duration 500 micrograms daily progesterone dose ## About the study Original title Progesterone withdrawal decreases latency to and increases duration of electrified prod burial: a possible rat model of PMS anxiety Authors Gallo MA, Smith SS Journal Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior Year 1993 Study design Lab study What was tested Progesterone injection followed by withdrawal Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/0091-3057(93)90219-j](https://doi.org/10.1016/0091-3057(93)90219-j) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/) 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 Review, 2003 How do menstrual cycle hormones affect the brain and cause mood disorders like PMDD? Randomised trial, 2017 Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)? Cohort study, 2015 What factors predict anxiety and depression during pregnancy and after birth? Review, 2010 Can neurosteroids help with anxiety and brain disorders? Case-control study, 2010 Do lesbian and bisexual women have different reproductive health than heterosexual women? Review, 2003 Do GABA receptors and progesterone affect PMDD? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗