Review, 2001
How do hormone changes during the menstrual cycle affect brain function?
Hormones that fluctuate with the menstrual cycle, such as allopregnanolone, can enhance or suppress brain activity by changing how a key inhibitory neurotransmitter (GABA) works. This is a review explaining theory, not new research.
What they did
Review of scientific literature on how steroid hormones change across the menstrual cycle and their effects on brain neurotransmitter function.
What they found
Steroid hormones like allopregnanolone fluctuate across the menstrual cycle and alter GABA function, a neurotransmitter that controls brain inhibition and excitation. The effects depend on the timing and levels of hormone exposure, either enhancing or decreasing inhibition.
What it means for you
This explains a potential biological mechanism for how menstrual cycle hormone changes might cause mood and symptom changes in conditions like PMDD. The main limitation is that this is a theoretical review rather than new experimental data.
About the study
- Original title
- Pre-menstrual steroids
- Authors
- Smith SS
- Journal
- Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS
- Year
- 2001
- Study design
- Review
- What was tested
- None - review article
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1007/pl00000938
Topics
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