Case-control study, 2002
Does brain GABA change differently in women with PMDD during the menstrual cycle?
Yes. GABA levels dropped across the cycle in healthy women but rose in women with PMDD. This is a very small study, so results need confirmation.
What they did
Researchers scanned the brains of 14 healthy women and 9 women with PMDD using MRI to measure the brain chemical GABA during the follicular and luteal phases, and also measured hormone levels.
What they found
GABA levels declined gradually across the cycle in healthy women. GABA levels increased from the follicular phase to the mid-luteal and late-luteal phases in women with PMDD. The difference was partly explained by lower GABA in the follicular phase in PMDD. Hormones had different relationships with GABA between the two groups.
What it means for you
GABA, a brain chemical that affects mood, may work differently in PMDD, which could help explain mood symptoms. But the study is very small and was done at one hospital. The findings need to be tested in larger groups and other locations.
14
healthy women
9
women with PMDD
2
menstrual cycle phases studied
About the study
- Original title
- Cortical gamma-aminobutyric acid levels across the menstrual cycle in healthy women and those with premenstrual dysphoric disorder: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study
- Authors
- Epperson CN, Haga K, Mason GF et al.
- Journal
- Archives of general psychiatry
- Year
- 2002
- Study design
- Case-control study
- Participants
- 9
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.59.9.851
Topics
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