Cohort study, 1998
Are premenstrual symptoms inherited, and are they related to major depression?
About 56% of stable premenstrual symptoms appear to be inherited. The genetic factors for depression and premenstrual symptoms are mostly separate and not closely related.
What they did
A twin study of 1,312 menstruating female twins from a population register. Researchers assessed premenstrual-related tiredness, sadness, and irritability, and lifetime major depression at two time points 6 years apart. They used statistical models to account for measurement errors in recalled symptoms.
What they found
A single premenstrual symptom factor was found that was moderately stable over time. Heritability of the stable component was estimated at 56%. Family-environmental factors had no impact. Genetic and environmental risk factors for major depression contributed only modestly to the cause of premenstrual symptoms.
What it means for you
Your genes play a large role in whether you have premenstrual symptoms, while family environment plays little role. Premenstrual symptoms and major depression are not closely related as genetic conditions. A major limitation is that this study relied on women recalling past symptoms, which can be unreliable.
1,312
Number of twins studied
56%
Heritability of stable premenstrual symptoms
6 years
Time between the two assessments
About the study
- Original title
- Longitudinal population-based twin study of retrospectively reported premenstrual symptoms and lifetime major depression
- Authors
- Kendler KS, Karkowski LM, Corey LA et al.
- Journal
- The American journal of psychiatry
- Year
- 1998
- Study design
- Cohort study
- Participants
- 1,312
- What was tested
- None (observational)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1176/ajp.155.9.1234
Topics
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