---
title: What causes PMS? | Niyora
description: We don't know what causes PMS yet. It likely involves hormones, brain chemicals, and stress, but doctors and researchers are still studying it.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrually-related-disorders-what-we-do-know-what-we-only-believe-that-we-know-1995/
---

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- What causes PMS?

Review, 1995

# What causes PMS?

We don't know what causes PMS yet. It likely involves hormones, brain chemicals, and stress, but doctors and researchers are still studying it.

 Strong study design

Women with menstrually related disorders and PMS (review article)

## What they did

This is a review article where experts summarized what is known about PMS and menstrually related disorders, including what causes them, what symptoms occur, and how they're treated.

## What they found

The authors found that PMS symptoms are diverse and linked to the body's hormonal system, brain chemicals, and other vulnerability factors. Symptoms may be triggered by ovulation or stress. Some treatments target the symptoms while others stop ovulation.

## What it means for you

PMS is real and common, but its causes remain unknown. It probably involves hormones, brain chemicals, and how the body handles stress, but future research is needed to understand how they interact. The main limitation is that this is a review of existing studies, not new research.

## About the study

Original title Menstrually related disorders: what we do know, what we only believe that we know, and what we know that we do not know Authors Halbreich U Journal Critical reviews in neurobiology Year 1995 Study design Review What was tested None Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8581981/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8581981/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[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.

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