Randomised trial, 1996
Are hormone rhythms different in women with PMDD, and are they corrected by partial sleep deprivation?
Women with PMDD had higher prolactin levels and earlier TSH peak timing than normal women. Partial sleep deprivation changed these hormones, but these changes did not appear to explain how sleep deprivation helped PMDD symptoms. The evidence is moderate but based on a small study.
What they did
Randomized crossover study. 23 women with PMDD and 18 normal volunteers had blood drawn every 30 minutes from 6pm to 9am during the early and late cycle phases. They then had partial sleep deprivation in separate cycles: sleeping from 3am to 7am (early) or 9pm to 1am (late).
What they found
PMDD women had higher prolactin levels and earlier TSH peak timing than normal women. Sleep deprivation lowered prolactin and raised TSH. Late sleep deprivation shifted prolactin peak timing earlier, and early sleep deprivation shifted it later. However, the researchers found that these hormone changes do not explain why sleep deprivation helps PMDD symptoms.
What it means for you
PMDD involves differences in hormone timing and levels, but sleep deprivation may help through other biological mechanisms not measured by just looking at prolactin and TSH. The study is small and from 1996, so results need confirmation.
23
women with PMDD
18
normal volunteers
30 minutes
interval between blood samples
About the study
- Original title
- Circadian rhythms of prolactin and thyroid-stimulating hormone during the menstrual cycle and early versus late sleep deprivation in premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Authors
- Parry BL, Hauger R, LeVeau B et al.
- Journal
- Psychiatry research
- Year
- 1996
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 23
- What was tested
- Early sleep deprivation (3am to 7am) or late sleep deprivation (9pm to 1am)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0165-1781(96)02905-8
Topics
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