---
title: Is brain reactivity to emotional stimuli different during the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD?
description: Yes. During the luteal phase, women with PMDD show heightened brain activity when anticipating negative emotional stimuli, but this heightened activity does n
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-and-prefrontal-reactivity-during-anticipation-of-2013/
---

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- Is brain reactivity to emotional stimuli different during the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD?

Case-control study, 2013

# Is brain reactivity to emotional stimuli different during the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD?

Yes. During the luteal phase, women with PMDD show heightened brain activity when anticipating negative emotional stimuli, but this heightened activity does not occur when they are actually viewing the stimuli.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with PMDD and healthy controls (approximately 5% of women of childbearing age have PMDD)

## What they did

Case-control fMRI study. Women with PMDD and healthy controls had brain imaging while anticipating and viewing emotional stimuli during different phases of their menstrual cycle.

## What they found

During the luteal phase, women with PMDD had significantly enhanced prefrontal cortex reactivity during anticipation of negative emotional stimuli compared to controls. Reactivity did not differ during actual exposure to stimuli. Progesterone levels were positively correlated with prefrontal reactivity to positive emotional stimuli in PMDD patients.

## What it means for you

The brain's emotional processing circuits react more strongly to the anticipation of negative events in women with PMDD during the luteal phase, which may explain difficulty with emotional control and anxiety. Sample size was not reported in the abstract.

5%

prevalence of PMDD in women of childbearing age

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual dysphoric disorder and prefrontal reactivity during anticipation of emotional stimuli Authors Gingnell M, Bannbers E, Wikström J et al. Journal European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Year 2013 Study design Case-control study What was tested Emotion anticipation task during brain imaging Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2013.08.002](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2013.08.002)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)

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## Related studies

Cohort study, 2026

What genetic factors are linked to premenstrual symptoms?

Study, 2026

How do women with PMDD process emotions differently in their brains?

Systematic review, 2026

Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle?

Case-control study, 2026

Do women with PMS handle emotions differently at different times of the cycle?

Systematic review, 2025

Do people with PMDD and severe PMS have difficulties with emotion regulation?

Cohort study, 2025

Do women with a history of PMS or PMDD have more depression during pregnancy and after birth?

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