Survey study, 2025
Do brain chemistry genes shift across the menstrual cycle in women with mood changes?
Yes, genes that control a brain chemical called GABA do change across the menstrual cycle in women with mood disorders. However, the relationship is complex: both unusually high and unusually low gene activity can be linked to worsening mood symptoms like anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
What they did
Cross-sectional study measuring blood samples taken at set times in the cycle from 112 participants (75 with psychiatric conditions and suicidality, 37 controls). Researchers measured how much GABA-A receptor genes were being used. Women also reported their mood daily.
What they found
Gene expression decreased during the midluteal phase. Greater changes or higher average expression of GABRG2 and GABRA5 were linked to worse anxiety, irritability, and suicidal thoughts. Lower average expression was also linked to worsening anxiety and suicidal thoughts around menstruation and into the follicular phase. More stable expression was linked to less cyclical symptom change.
What it means for you
The way your brain's chemical system functions may shift with your cycle and contribute to PMDD symptoms. This is early research trying to understand the biology, but it is complex and needs much larger studies. Most participants had psychiatric conditions, so findings may not apply to everyone.
112
Total participants
75
Psychiatric outpatients
37
Control participants
About the study
- Original title
- Peripheral cyclical expression of GABA-A receptor subunit genes and menstrual cycle affective change: a dimensional, transdiagnostic study
- Authors
- Barone JC, Romano R, Nagpal A et al.
- Journal
- Translational psychiatry
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 112
- What was tested
- None; researchers measured existing gene expression patterns
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03767-9
Topics
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