Case-control study, 2013
Are stress hormones different in women with PMDD?
Overall stress hormone patterns are similar in PMDD and healthy women, but those with high allopregnanolone (a progesterone derivative) show blunted nighttime cortisol levels.
What they did
26 women with PMDD and 30 healthy controls underwent diurnal cortisol sampling, low-dose dexamethasone suppression testing, and morning allopregnanolone level measurement during the late luteal phase.
What they found
No difference in diurnal cortisol secretion or dexamethasone suppression between PMDD patients and controls overall. However, PMDD patients with high allopregnanolone showed blunted nighttime cortisol levels compared to healthy controls with low allopregnanolone.
What it means for you
Allopregnanolone levels may influence how the stress system works in some women with PMDD. Individual hormone levels may matter more than group patterns. The timing of measurements and individual variation make interpretation complex, and larger studies are needed.
26
Women with PMDD
30
Healthy controls
About the study
- Original title
- Allopregnanolone serum concentrations and diurnal cortisol secretion in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Authors
- Segebladh B, Bannbers E, Moby L et al.
- Journal
- Archives of women's mental health
- Year
- 2013
- Study design
- Case-control study
- What was tested
- Measurement of hormone levels and stress response testing
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1007/s00737-013-0327-1
Topics
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