Case-control study, 1991
Is serotonin processing different in women with premenstrual changes?
Women with PMS had lower imipramine receptor binding even before symptoms appeared, suggesting a pre-existing vulnerability in their serotonin system. However, the study was small with high individual variation, so findings are preliminary.
What they did
Case-control study measuring serotonin uptake and imipramine receptor binding in blood platelets throughout the menstrual cycle in women with premenstrual changes and control subjects.
What they found
Women with premenstrual changes showed large individual variability with no consistent pattern. Their imipramine receptor binding was lower compared to controls in the early luteal phase before symptoms developed and remained lower during the symptomatic phase.
What it means for you
This suggests women with PMS may have a pre-existing difference in their serotonin system related to how hormones work. The main limitation is that blood platelets were used to estimate brain chemistry, and individual variation was very high.
About the study
- Original title
- Imipramine receptor binding and serotonin uptake in platelets of women with premenstrual changes
- Authors
- Rojansky N, Halbreich U, Zander K et al.
- Journal
- Gynecologic and obstetric investigation
- Year
- 1991
- Study design
- Case-control study
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1159/000293135
Topics
Related studies
Cohort study, 2026
What genetic factors are linked to premenstrual symptoms?
Systematic review, 2026
How often do mood disorders and PMS or PMDD occur together?
Randomised trial, 2026
Does Kundalini Reiki help reduce PMS symptoms and improve quality of life?
Cohort study, 2026
Does having PMS before pregnancy increase the risk of postpartum depression?
Systematic review, 2026
Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms?
Study, 2026
How do women with PMDD process emotions differently in their brains?