Systematic review, 2024
What brain changes occur in PMDD?
Multiple brain regions show structural and functional changes in PMDD, including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, and other areas. Some changes correlate with how severe symptoms are.
What they did
Systematic review of neuroimaging studies comparing women with PMDD to healthy women without PMDD. Searched medical databases from inception through April 2023. Included 24 controlled studies and 2 non-controlled studies using different types of brain imaging: functional MRI, structural MRI, spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, and PET scans.
What they found
1,026 individuals total: 608 women with PMDD and 418 healthy controls. Six brain structures showed changes in PMDD: prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, insula, basal ganglia, and cerebellum. Some brain changes correlated with symptom severity and menstrual cycle phase, such as increased serotonin transporter binding in the midbrain during the luteal phase in women with depressive symptoms.
What it means for you
PMDD involves multiple brain regions, not just one area. Some changes relate to how severe your symptoms are and what phase your cycle is in. However, findings vary widely between studies, so brain imaging cannot yet be used clinically to diagnose PMDD.
1,026
individuals studied total
608
women with PMDD
6
brain regions with changes
About the study
- Original title
- Functional and structural neuroimaging in premenstrual dysphoric disorder: A systematic review
- Authors
- Monteiro DC, Ramos CDS, Alves LENN et al.
- Journal
- Journal of psychiatric research
- Year
- 2024
- Study design
- Systematic review
- What was tested
- Neuroimaging studies compared to healthy controls
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.024
Topics
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