Study, 1991
Do women with premenstrual depression have different brain chemistry responses?
Yes. Women with premenstrual depression had smaller growth hormone and cortisol responses to a chemical test throughout their cycle, suggesting abnormal brain chemistry that may interact with normal cycle changes.
What they did
Researchers tested how 13 women with premenstrual depression and 13 without responded to an infusion of L-tryptophan at two times in their cycle: before and after their period.
What they found
Women with premenstrual depression had smaller growth hormone and cortisol responses than women without it on both occasions. The prolactin response was blunted premenstrually compared to postmenstrually in both groups.
What it means for you
Women with premenstrual depression may have abnormal brain chemistry throughout their entire cycle, not just before their period. This abnormality may make them more vulnerable to depression when normal premenstrual changes happen. The study was very small.
13
women with premenstrual depression
13
women without premenstrual depression
2
cycle phases tested
About the study
- Original title
- Blunting of neuroendocrine responses to infusion of L-tryptophan in women with perimenstrual mood change
- Authors
- Bancroft J, Cook A, Davidson D et al.
- Journal
- Psychological medicine
- Year
- 1991
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 13
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1017/s0033291700020407
Topics
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