Case report, 1987
Can light therapy help premenstrual syndrome that only happens in fall and winter?
Yes. One woman with PMS only in fall and winter improved with bright light, worsened when light was stopped and melatonin was added, and improved again with medications that block melatonin production.
What they did
Case report of one woman with premenstrual syndrome only in fall and winter, virtually absent in spring and summer. She was treated with bright artificial light. Later, tests were done with melatonin and medications called propranolol and atenolol that stop melatonin production.
What they found
Bright light reversed her symptoms. Melatonin brought them back. Propranolol and atenolol worked similarly to light in helping her symptoms.
What it means for you
Some PMS may be linked to light and melatonin (a hormone that responds to daylight), suggesting seasonal factors matter for some women. This finding is based on one person's experience.
1
woman studied
About the study
- Original title
- Treatment of a patient with seasonal premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Parry BL, Rosenthal NE, Tamarkin L et al.
- Journal
- The American journal of psychiatry
- Year
- 1987
- Study design
- Case report
- What was tested
- Bright artificial light; melatonin; propranolol; atenolol
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1176/ajp.144.6.762
Topics
Related studies
Randomised trial, 2023
Does a one-week sleep and light intervention help PMDD mood symptoms?
Randomised trial, 1997
Does light therapy affect melatonin in women with PMDD?
Randomised trial, 1994
How does light therapy affect hormone levels in women with PMDD?
Review, 2024
Can sulpiride help women with both PMDD and IBS?
Study, 2011
Does bright morning light reset the body clock differently in women with PMDD?
Study, 2010
Are women with PMDD more sensitive to how light affects sleep hormones?