---
title: Do women with PMS have slower eye movements than women without PMS?
description: Yes. Women with PMS had decreased eye movement speed compared to women without PMS, particularly during the luteal phase, though the cause is unclear and horm
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/patients-with-premenstrual-syndrome-have-decreased-saccadic-eye-velocity-1998/
---

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- Do women with PMS have slower eye movements than women without PMS?

Non-randomised trial, 1998

# Do women with PMS have slower eye movements than women without PMS?

Yes. Women with PMS had decreased eye movement speed compared to women without PMS, particularly during the luteal phase, though the cause is unclear and hormone levels were similar in both groups.

 Early or limited evidence

21 women with PMS and 21 women without PMS

## What they did

21 women with PMS and 21 women without PMS had their eye movements tested at two points in their cycle: the midfollicular phase and the late luteal phase. Blood samples were taken for hormone levels.

## What they found

Women with PMS had decreased saccadic eye velocity (slower eye movements) compared to controls. This difference was most noticeable in the luteal phase. Control women increased their eye velocity in the luteal phase compared to the follicular phase, but PMS women did not. Women with PMS rated themselves as more sedated on test days in both cycle phases. Hormone levels did not differ between groups.

## What it means for you

The finding may suggest PMS involves differences in brain chemistry or increased sedation, but the cause is unclear since hormone levels were the same. This is a small study of a physiological marker rather than treatment outcomes.

21

women with PMS

21

control women

2

cycle phases tested

## About the study

Original title Patients with premenstrual syndrome have decreased saccadic eye velocity compared to control subjects Authors Sundström I, Bäckström T Journal Biological psychiatry Year 1998 Study design Non-randomised trial Participants 21 What was tested None (measurement only) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0006-3223(98)00012-2](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0006-3223(98)00012-2)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)

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