---
title: How does the brain respond to emotions differently in women with PMDD?
description: Women with PMDD show different brain activity during the premenstrual phase: they react more strongly to negative emotions and less to positive ones, and brai
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/toward-a-functional-neuroanatomy-of-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-2008/
---

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- How does the brain respond to emotions differently in women with PMDD?

Lab study, 2008

# How does the brain respond to emotions differently in women with PMDD?

Women with PMDD show different brain activity during the premenstrual phase: they react more strongly to negative emotions and less to positive ones, and brain regions that normally control emotions don't work as well.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with PMDD and healthy women (specific numbers not reported)

## What they did

Used brain imaging to study how women with PMDD and healthy women responded to emotional words during the premenstrual and postmenstrual phases, while they performed a control task.

## What they found

In the premenstrual phase compared to postmenstrual phase, women with PMDD showed increased amygdala response to negative words, decreased striatum response to positive words, and abnormal orbitofrontal cortex activity. Healthy women showed normal patterns.

## What it means for you

Women with PMDD may process emotions through different brain pathways, particularly showing excessive response to negative stimuli and reduced response to positive stimuli during the luteal phase, with weaker emotional control. Main limit: sample size not stated.

2

Menstrual cycle phases compared

3

Brain regions studied (amygdala, striatum, OFC)

## About the study

Original title Toward a functional neuroanatomy of premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Protopopescu X, Tuescher O, Pan H et al. Journal Journal of affective disorders Year 2008 Study design Lab study What was tested No intervention - observational comparison across menstrual cycle phases Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2007.09.015](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2007.09.015)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)

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## Related studies

Cohort study, 2026

What genetic factors are linked to premenstrual 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?

Case-control study, 2026

Do women with PMS handle emotions differently at different times of the cycle?

Systematic review, 2025

Do people with PMDD and severe PMS have difficulties with emotion regulation?

Cohort study, 2025

Do women with a history of PMS or PMDD have more depression during pregnancy and after birth?

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