Survey study, 2026
Does the brain structure of people with PMDD differ between the left and right sides?
The brains of women with PMDD showed different patterns of left-right size in two specific areas. We cannot yet know if this difference causes PMDD or is caused by it.
What they did
Researchers used MRI brain scans to look at 68 women with PMDD and 51 healthy women during the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle. They compared the size of brain tissues on the left and right sides.
What they found
Women with PMDD had more leftward gray matter in two brain regions (the anterior fusiform gyrus and anterior insula). Within the PMDD group, greater leftward size in the amygdala was moderately linked to higher irritability.
What it means for you
Brain structure may play a role in how PMDD develops, especially for mood and irritability symptoms. The study was small and took brain pictures at only one point in time, so we cannot draw firm conclusions about whether this difference causes PMDD or what it means for treatment.
68
Women with PMDD scanned
51
Healthy control women
About the study
- Original title
- Grey matter structural asymmetry and premenstrual dysphoric disorder
- Authors
- Bücklein-Ehlers E, Dubol M, Derntl B et al.
- Journal
- Neuropsychobiology
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 68
- What was tested
- None, observational study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1159/000553663
Topics
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