Randomised trial, 2001
Do women with PMS have different brain receptors that change with hormones?
No. Receptor density did not differ significantly between women with PMS and controls, and did not change when estradiol or progesterone were given.
What they did
A controlled study with 9 women with PMS and 9 controls. Researchers suppressed hormones using a drug (Lupron), then gave each woman estradiol or progesterone separately, while measuring specific receptors in blood cells.
What they found
No significant changes in peripheral benzodiazepine receptor density with hormone changes. No differences between PMS and control groups (P equals 0.4 for group comparison and P equals 0.2 for phase effects).
What it means for you
This specific receptor probably doesn't explain why some women get PMS mood problems. The study was very small with only 9 women per group, which limits how much the findings can be applied to other women.
9
women with PMS
9
control women
P=0.4
no significant difference between groups
About the study
- Original title
- Effects of gonadal steroids on peripheral benzodiazepine receptor density in women with PMS and controls
- Authors
- Daly RC, Schmidt PJ, Davis CL et al.
- Journal
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Year
- 2001
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- What was tested
- Pharmacologically controlled hormone states using Lupron, estradiol, and progesterone
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s0306-4530(01)00005-1
Topics
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