--- title: Do hormone changes during the premenstrual phase relate to mood symptoms in women with mood disorders? description: In women with bipolar disorder and major depression, progesterone and allopregnanolone levels during the premenstrual phase are linked to mixed mood features url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-link-between-neurosteroids-and-syndromic-syndromal-components-of-the-mood-2008/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do hormone changes during the premenstrual phase relate to mood symptoms in women with mood disorders? Survey study, 2008 # Do hormone changes during the premenstrual phase relate to mood symptoms in women with mood disorders? In women with bipolar disorder and major depression, progesterone and allopregnanolone levels during the premenstrual phase are linked to mixed mood features and suicidal ideas, particularly in those with bipolar disorder. We cannot be certain because the study is very small. Early or limited evidence 17 women with bipolar disorder, 14 women with major depression, and 16 healthy women, all outpatients ## What they did They measured four hormones (progesterone, allopregnanolone, THDOC, cortisol) during the premenstrual phase. They studied 17 women with bipolar disorder, 14 with major depression, and 16 healthy women. Researchers used interviews and a mood symptom questionnaire to assess mood symptoms. ## What they found Allopregnanolone and progesterone levels were linked to mixed mood features and to suicidal ideas, but not to depression or mania alone. ## What it means for you This suggests that hormone changes during the premenstrual phase may influence certain mixed mood symptoms and suicidal ideas in women with mood disorders. The study is very small and measured hormones only once, which limits how sure we can be of the results. 17 Women with bipolar disorder 14 Women with major depression 16 Control women ## About the study Original title The link between neurosteroids and syndromic/syndromal components of the mood spectrum disorders in women during the premenstrual phase Authors Hardoy MC, Sardu C, Dell'osso L et al. Journal Clinical practice and epidemiology in mental health : CP & EMH Year 2008 Study design Survey study Participants 16 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1186/1745-0179-4-3](https://doi.org/10.1186/1745-0179-4-3) Original abstract Objectives: Females with a lifetime diagnosis of major mood disorder (Bipolar Disorder BD, Major Depressive Disorder MMD) investigated during the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle and in a condition of clinical well-being showed higher blood serum concentrations of progesterone and allopregnanolone compared to healthy controls. Women with BD presented even higher levels than those affected by MDD. This study attempted to verify, in line with a dimensional approach, if the possible differences in neurohormonal levels may be directly linked to some syndromal clusters (dimensions) of the mood spectrum disorders indipendently of diagnosis. Methods: Premenstrual concentrations of allopregnanolone, THDOC, progesterone, and cortisol were measured in 3 groups of women: 17 BD and 14 MDD outpatients, and 16 control subjects. Psychiatric evaluation was performed with the SCID-I interview and the SCI-MOODS-SR questionnaire. The correlation between steroid levels and mood disorder syndromal cluster (SCI-MOODS-SR domains and sub-domains) was evaluated by means of analysis of main components with Varimax rotation and Kaiser's normalization (which provided for inclusion of all components with an Eigen value >1). Results: Analysis of the main components evidenced the presence of 3 components: 1) mania, 2) depression both with mixed component 3) steroid + manic cognitivity and suicidal ideas. Conclusion: Levels of allopregnanolone and progesterone do not correlate with the association of the depressive and manic syndromes, but rather with mixed symptomatological aspects, and in particular with cognitive manic and depressive (with suicidal thoughts) dimensions. Further studies should be carried out to confirm these findings. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Suicidality](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-suicidality/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Neurosteroids (allopregnanolone)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-neurosteroids/)[Bipolar disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bipolar/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/) 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. ## Related studies Case-control study, 2006 Are hormone-related chemicals different in women with mood disorders during the menstrual cycle? Cohort study, 2023 Are PMS symptoms linked to genetic factors for psychiatric disorders? Randomised trial, 2023 Does estrogen and progesterone around the period help with suicidal thoughts? Randomised trial, 2021 Does blocking progesterone receptors help women with PMDD control anger and aggression? Review, 2015 Does a progesterone metabolite called allopregnanolone cause mood problems in PMDD? Review, 2011 Can estrogen hormones treat depression linked to the menstrual cycle? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗