---
title: Does the body's nervous system react differently to stress in women with PMS?
description: The study found that women with PMS had different heart rate patterns during different phases of the cycle, with higher rates during the premenstrual phase. H
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/autonomic-arousal-and-pain-sensitivity-in-women-with-premenstrual-syndrome-at-1986/
---

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- Does the body's nervous system react differently to stress in women with PMS?

Study, 1986

# Does the body's nervous system react differently to stress in women with PMS?

The study found that women with PMS had different heart rate patterns during different phases of the cycle, with higher rates during the premenstrual phase. However, this was a very small study, so we can't be very sure about these findings.

 Early or limited evidence

11 women with PMS and 10 women without PMS

## What they did

Researchers tested 11 women with PMS and 10 without at two cycle phases: non-menstrual and premenstrual. They measured heart rate and skin conductance at rest and during a stressful lab task. They also tested pain threshold, tolerance, and asked women to rate pain intensity.

## What they found

During the non-menstrual phase, women with PMS had lower heart rates than during the premenstrual phase. For women without PMS, heart rate didn't change as much between phases. There were no clear differences between the groups in pain threshold or tolerance, but women with PMS reported higher pain intensity overall, regardless of cycle phase.

## What it means for you

The nervous system might respond differently to stress depending on where a woman is in her cycle if she has PMS, and women with PMS may feel pain more intensely. However, this is a very small study from 1986 with only 11 women with PMS, so these findings need testing in larger groups before we can be confident.

11

women with PMS

10

women without PMS

2

phases of the cycle tested

## About the study

Original title Autonomic arousal and pain sensitivity in women with premenstrual syndrome at different phases of the menstrual cycle Authors Kuczmierczyk AR, Adams HE Journal Journal of psychosomatic research Year 1986 Study design Study What was tested None - observational study Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(86)90081-4](https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(86)90081-4)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)

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