--- title: Do women with PMDD have different brain function at different cycle phases? description: Yes. Women with PMDD have worse focus and decision-making during the week before their period, and they have more difficulty managing emotions throughout the url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/early-and-late-luteal-executive-function-cognitive-and-somatic-symptoms-and-2022/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with PMDD have different brain function at different cycle phases? Survey study, 2022 # Do women with PMDD have different brain function at different cycle phases? Yes. Women with PMDD have worse focus and decision-making during the week before their period, and they have more difficulty managing emotions throughout the cycle. Moderate study design 63 women with PMDD and 53 healthy women ## What they did Researchers compared 63 women with PMDD and 53 healthy women during two phases of the menstrual cycle. They tested thinking and focus using a computer task and measured emotion control, concentration, tiredness, sleep quality, and mood with questionnaires. ## What they found Women with PMDD performed worse on thinking and focus tasks during the late luteal phase (the week before their period). They were less able to use emotion management strategies during both cycle phases. In the late luteal phase, they experienced higher levels of difficulty concentrating, insomnia, and fatigue. These problems correlated with depression and difficulty functioning in daily life. ## What it means for you PMDD affects how the brain handles thinking, focus, and emotions, especially in the week before menstruation. This is linked to depression and difficulty functioning at work and in relationships. This study cannot explain why these brain changes occur, only that they are associated with PMDD. 63 women with PMDD 53 healthy control women ## About the study Original title Early and Late Luteal Executive Function, Cognitive and Somatic Symptoms, and Emotional Regulation of Women with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Authors Lin PC, Ko CH, Yen JY Journal Journal of personalized medicine Year 2022 Study design Survey study What was tested None; the study compared women with and without PMDD Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.3390/jpm12050819](https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm12050819) Original abstract Objective: Cognitive and somatic symptoms were vital factors in developing personalized treatment of depressive disorder. The study aimed to evaluate the following: (1) the cognitive and somatic symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in the early luteal (EL) and later luteal (LL) phase; and (2) their association with depression and functional impairment of PMDD. Methods: We prospectively evaluated executive function, emotion regulation, cognitive and somatic symptoms, and depression in the EL and LL phases in women with PMDD. Sixty-three women with PMDD and 53 healthy controls completed Simon's task and questionnaire to assess emotion regulation, inattention, fatigue, insomnia, and depression. Results: Women with PMDD had a poor performance in Simon's task during the LL phase. They were less likely to exercise cognitive reappraisal during EL and LL phases. Their cognitive reappraisal positively correlated with executive function and negatively associated with depression. In the LL phase, they also experience higher inattention, insomnia, and fatigue, which correlate with the depression and functional impairment of PMDD. Inattention is the most associated factor of PMDD and functional impairment in controlling depression. Conclusion: Executive function was impaired in women with PMDD during the LL phase. Its performance correlated positively with emotion regulation and negatively with depression. The association between inattention and PMDD functional impairment indicates that evaluation and intervention for cognitive impairment were essential in treating women with PMDD. Further studies were required to elucidate the possible etiology underlying these associations. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Mood swings and emotion regulation](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-emotional-regulation/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Fatigue and energy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-fatigue/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Cohort study, 2021 Do women with PMDD have worse sleep, focus, and tiredness problems that get worse before their period? Randomised trial, 2022 Do hormone pills prevent suicidal thoughts from getting worse around menstruation? Cohort study, 2022 What are PMS and PMDD and how should they be diagnosed and treated? Survey study, 2026 How common is premenstrual tension and does it affect university students' studies? Survey study, 2023 Do women with PMDD have problems with attention and impulse control during the luteal phase? Randomised trial, 2023 What does research show about PMDD neurochemistry? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗