---
title: Is the stress hormone cortisol different in women with premenstrual depression?
description: Yes, but opposite to regular depression. Women with severe premenstrual depression had low cortisol levels before the period, similar to seasonal depression,
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/salivary-cortisol-in-women-with-and-without-perimenstrual-mood-changes-1998/
---

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- Is the stress hormone cortisol different in women with premenstrual depression?

Non-randomised trial, 1998

# Is the stress hormone cortisol different in women with premenstrual depression?

Yes, but opposite to regular depression. Women with severe premenstrual depression had low cortisol levels before the period, similar to seasonal depression, while women with mild symptoms had high cortisol.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with and without premenstrual depression

## What they did

Researchers measured cortisol (a stress hormone) hourly on a day before the period and a day after the period in women who experienced different severity levels of premenstrual mood changes.

## What they found

Women with only mild premenstrual mood changes had significantly higher cortisol on the premenstrual day compared to the postmenstrual day. Women with more significant premenstrual depression showed the opposite pattern, with significantly lower cortisol on the premenstrual day. These women also had lower evening cortisol during the premenstrual phase overall. Unlike major depression with high cortisol, premenstrual depression involves low cortisol activity, similar to seasonal affective disorder.

## What it means for you

Premenstrual depression works differently from regular depression at a biological level, involving low rather than high stress hormone activity. This suggests different treatment approaches might be needed. The study was not randomized and the sample size is unclear.

2

premenstrual symptom severity groups

hourly

cortisol measurement frequency

## About the study

Original title Salivary cortisol in women with and without perimenstrual mood changes Authors Odber J, Cawood EH, Bancroft J Journal Journal of psychosomatic research Year 1998 Study design Non-randomised trial What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3999(98)00061-0](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3999(98)00061-0)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)

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## Related studies

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Does the stress response system work differently in women with PMS across the menstrual cycle?

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