--- title: Can the brain's perception of internal body signals explain premenstrual syndrome? description: This is a new theoretical idea that PMS may involve abnormal brain perception of internal signals like heartbeat and hormones. The theory has not yet been tes url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/mechanisms-and-interventions-of-premenstrual-syndrome-an-interoceptive-2026/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Can the brain's perception of internal body signals explain premenstrual syndrome? Review, 2026 # Can the brain's perception of internal body signals explain premenstrual syndrome? This is a new theoretical idea that PMS may involve abnormal brain perception of internal signals like heartbeat and hormones. The theory has not yet been tested through research. Early or limited evidence Proposed study of women with PMS (not yet conducted) ## What they did A theoretical review applying Interoceptive Predictive Coding theory (from Seth 2013) to understand PMS. The authors propose that future research study how women with PMS perceive internal body signals compared to healthy women. ## What they found The authors propose that PMS involves imbalances between what the brain predicts about internal signals and what actually happens in the body. They note PMS involves high comorbidity with anxiety and depression, which have different interoceptive patterns. ## What it means for you This proposes a new way to understand PMS as a disorder of body signal perception, similar to anxiety. Future treatments might help women better perceive and interpret internal signals. The main limit is this is a theoretical framework that has not been tested yet. ## About the study Original title Mechanisms and Interventions of Premenstrual Syndrome: An Interoceptive Perspective Authors Xiaoxue Year 2026 Study design Review What was tested Proposed interoceptive regulation interventions (theoretical, not yet tested) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/egt5w](https://doi.org/10.17605/osf.io/egt5w) Original abstract The maintenance of individual emotional homeostasis depends on the brain’s precise perception and non-catastrophic interpretation of interoceptive signals—the sensing and integration of internal physiological states, such as heartbeat, respiration, and hormonal fluctuations [5, 6]. According to the Interoceptive Predictive Coding theory proposed by Seth (2013), emotional experiences arise from the brain's top-down predictions of interoceptive afferent signals via generative models; interoceptive homeostasis is subsequently achieved by minimizing prediction errors. Within this framework, emotional disorders can be conceptualized as an imbalance between prediction and afference. Persistent interoceptive prediction errors—and subsequent emotional instability—may result from excessively strong prior expectations regarding physiological signals (e.g., catastrophic expectations) or maladaptive precision weighting assigned to interoceptive versus exteroceptive inputs. Notably, interoception exhibits distinct heterogeneous patterns across affective disorders: while anxiety disorders are frequently associated with an abnormal elevation in signal perception, depressive disorders often manifest as a significant decline in perceptual acuity [7]. Given the high comorbidity of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) with anxiety and depression, alongside its unique rhythmic physiological attributes, a core scientific question of this study is whether the interoceptive processing pattern of PMS aligns with "anxiety-like predictive enhancement" or "depression-like perceptual impairment." Interoception refers to the perception, interpretation, and integration of internal physiological signals, including cardiac, respiratory, digestive, and autonomic nervous system activities. As a prototypical psychosomatic syndrome characterized by cyclical physiological fluctuations, PMS serves as an ideal pathological model for investigating how interoceptive abnormalities trigger emotional instability. Focusing on interoception—the critical hub of mind-body coupling—not only offers an emerging perspective for deciphering the pathogenesis of PMS but also serves as a strategic entry point to overcome existing research bottlenecks. Consequently, this project intends to conduct a multidimensional deconstruction of interoceptive abilities and attitudinal characteristics in women with PMS. The objective is to elucidate their role in premenstrual emotional instability, thereby providing a solid theoretical foundation for developing evidence-based interventions centered on interoceptive regulation. Reproduced under public-domain. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Anxiety disorders and OCD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-anxiety-disorders/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Interview study, 2022 Are doctors correctly diagnosing PMDD or mistaking it for depression or anxiety? Survey study, 2008 How common is PMDD in African women and what factors are linked to it? Survey study, 2001 How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how is it related to other psychiatric conditions? Non-randomised trial, 2008 Can the Sheehan Disability Scale measure whether treatments work? Study, 2026 Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗