--- title: Does allopregnanolone affect how women with PMDD respond to stress? description: Women with PMDD had a much larger drop in heart rate variability during stress than healthy women, and recovered more slowly. Baseline allopregnanolone levels url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/allopregnanolone-is-associated-with-a-stress-induced-reduction-of-heart-rate-2023/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does allopregnanolone affect how women with PMDD respond to stress? Case-control study, 2023 # Does allopregnanolone affect how women with PMDD respond to stress? Women with PMDD had a much larger drop in heart rate variability during stress than healthy women, and recovered more slowly. Baseline allopregnanolone levels predicted the heart response only in women with PMDD. Early or limited evidence 17 women with PMDD and 18 healthy controls, none taking medication, smoking, or using drugs, with no other psychiatric conditions ## What they did Researchers studied 17 women with PMDD and 18 healthy women who did not take medication, smoke, or use drugs. Each woman did a stress test (public speaking task) while researchers measured heart rate patterns and a brain chemical called allopregnanolone. ## What they found During stress, women with PMDD had a clear decrease in heart rate variability during waiting and during the task compared to their baseline. Their recovery was significantly delayed. In women with PMDD only, baseline allopregnanolone levels predicted how much the heart rate changed. ## What it means for you Allopregnanolone and stress response appear linked in PMDD. Women with PMDD have difficulty recovering from stress at a physical level. The small sample size is a limitation. 17 women with PMDD 18 healthy controls allopregnanolone brain chemical measured ## About the study Original title Allopregnanolone Is Associated with a Stress-Induced Reduction of Heart Rate Variability in Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Authors Hamidovic A, Davis J, Soumare F et al. Journal Journal of clinical medicine Year 2023 Study design Case-control study Participants 18 What was tested Stress test (public speaking task) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.3390/jcm12041553](https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12041553) Original abstract Human survival and wellbeing require appropriate responses to stress, including a highly coordinated and efficient nervous system control of the heart rhythm. During stress, a greater disinhibition of the vagal nerve is reflective of poor stress adaptability, which may be relevant in premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)-a debilitating affective condition thought to be marked by dysregulated stress processing and sensitivity to allopregnanolone. In the present study, women with PMDD (n = 17) and healthy controls (n = 18), who did not take medication, smoke, or consume illicit drugs, and who were free of other psychiatric conditions, participated in the Trier Social Stress Test, during which we measured the high frequency of the heart rate (HF-HRV) and allopregnanolone using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Relative to their baseline, women who have PMDD, but not the healthy controls, experienced a reduction in HF-HRV during stress anticipation ( p ≤ 0.05) and stress ( p ≤ 0.01). Their recovery from stress was significantly delayed ( p ≤ 0.05). Absolute peak HF-HRV change from baseline was significantly predicted by baseline allopregnanolone only in the PMDD group ( p ≤ 0.01). The present study shows how an interaction between stress and allopregnanolone-which have both been separately implicated in PMDD-underlies PMDD expression. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Neurosteroids (allopregnanolone)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-neurosteroids/)[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? Study, 2026 Could early stress or past trauma make PMDD symptoms worse later in the cycle? Review, 2004 Could a brain hormone called allopregnanolone explain mood problems like PMDD in women? Randomised trial, 2017 Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)? Case-control study, 2013 Are stress hormones different in women with PMDD? Review, 2010 Can neurosteroids help with anxiety and brain disorders? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗