---
title: Does the prefrontal cortex function differently in women with PMDD?
description: Brain scans showed that women with PMDD have greater activity in a part of the brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during thinking tasks, regardle
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/brain-scans-reveal-changes-linked-to-pmdd-2013/
---

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- Does the prefrontal cortex function differently in women with PMDD?

Case-control study, 2013

# Does the prefrontal cortex function differently in women with PMDD?

Brain scans showed that women with PMDD have greater activity in a part of the brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during thinking tasks, regardless of hormone levels. Higher activity was linked with more severe symptoms.

 Moderate study design

15 women with PMDD, 15 healthy controls

## What they did

Case-control study where 15 women with PMDD and 15 control women performed a thinking task while being exposed to three different artificial hormone conditions (estrogen only, progesterone only, or neither). Brain activity was measured using PET and fMRI scans.

## What they found

Women with PMDD showed greater activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex than controls across all three hormone conditions. The degree of activation correlated with symptom severity and younger age of PMDD onset.

## What it means for you

Brain function differences, not just hormone levels, may play a role in PMDD. The main limitations are the small sample size and use of artificial hormone conditions rather than natural menstrual cycles.

15

women with PMDD

15

control women

## About the study

Original title Brain Scans Reveal Changes Linked to PMDD Authors Joan Arehart-Treichel Journal Psychiatric News Year 2013 Study design Case-control study Participants 15 What was tested Artificial hormone conditions during cognitive tasks Read the paper [doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2013.3b2](https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2013.3b2)

## Topics

[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/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)

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## Related studies

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Survey study, 2020

What symptoms best predict whether PMDD will seriously affect daily life?

Survey study, 2018

Does the menstrual cycle affect emotions and thinking ability?

Review, 2015

What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated?

Systematic review, 2014

Do estrogen and progesterone change how the brain processes emotions and decisions?

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