---
title: Do women with severe PMS have different personality and brain chemistry than healthy women?
description: Yes, women with severe PMS have significantly lower levels of an enzyme in their blood (platelet MAO) and higher levels of anxiety, aggression, and emotional
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/thrombocyte-monoamine-oxidase-activity-and-personality-traits-in-women-with-1987/
---

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- Do women with severe PMS have different personality and brain chemistry than healthy women?

Survey study, 1987

# Do women with severe PMS have different personality and brain chemistry than healthy women?

Yes, women with severe PMS have significantly lower levels of an enzyme in their blood (platelet MAO) and higher levels of anxiety, aggression, and emotional instability than healthy women. This enzyme does not change across the menstrual cycle.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with severe PMS who sought treatment compared to healthy female students

## What they did

Researchers compared women with severe PMS who had sought medical treatment to healthy female students. They measured platelet MAO enzyme levels in blood and gave everyone personality tests including the Karolinska Scales of Personality and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire.

## What they found

Platelet MAO did not vary during the menstrual cycle in either group. Both PMS groups had significantly lower platelet MAO activity than healthy controls. Women with PMS scored significantly higher on physical anxiety, muscle tension, both indirect and verbal aggression, and emotional instability, and lower on socialization compared to controls. The two PMS groups (irritability-dominant versus depression-dominant) were similar to each other.

## What it means for you

Women with severe PMS may have a difference in brain chemistry (low MAO enzyme) and tend to have more anxious and aggressive personality traits. The main limitations are that sample sizes are not reported and we cannot tell if these traits cause PMS or develop because of it.

2

types of PMS patients compared (irritability-dominant versus depression-dominant)

## About the study

Original title Thrombocyte monoamine oxidase activity and personality traits in women with severe premenstrual syndrome Authors Hallman J, Oreland L, Edman G et al. Journal Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica Year 1987 Study design Survey study What was tested None (observational) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1987.tb02890.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1987.tb02890.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)

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