Assessing brain morphological correlates of premenstrual symptoms in young healthy females

While 90 % of females with a menstrual cycle will experience premenstrual symptoms in their reproductive years, it is estimated that 20 % experience treatment-warranted emotional, behavioral, or somatic symptoms in the premenstrual phase of their menstrual cycle. Premenstrual symptoms have been part...

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Main Authors: Sara B. Marjanovic, Madelene Christin Holm Bukhari, Rikka Kjelkenes, Irene Voldsbekk, Claudia Barth, Lars T. Westlye
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-04-01
Series:Journal of Affective Disorders Reports
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666915325000460
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author Sara B. Marjanovic
Madelene Christin Holm Bukhari
Rikka Kjelkenes
Irene Voldsbekk
Claudia Barth
Lars T. Westlye
author_facet Sara B. Marjanovic
Madelene Christin Holm Bukhari
Rikka Kjelkenes
Irene Voldsbekk
Claudia Barth
Lars T. Westlye
author_sort Sara B. Marjanovic
collection DOAJ
description While 90 % of females with a menstrual cycle will experience premenstrual symptoms in their reproductive years, it is estimated that 20 % experience treatment-warranted emotional, behavioral, or somatic symptoms in the premenstrual phase of their menstrual cycle. Premenstrual symptoms have been partly attributed to the brain's sensitivity to menstrual cycle-related hormonal fluctuations, which may be modulated by individual differences in the structural characteristics of the brain. In a population-based sample of 292 non-pregnant females aged 23–43 years, we tested for associations between self-reported premenstrual symptom load and T1-weighted MRI based brain measures of cortical thickness, volume, and surface area as well as subcortical volumes, not controlling for menstrual cycle phase. After corrections for multiple comparison, linear models including age revealed significant positive associations between premenstrual symptom load and the volume of the left posterior cingulate cortex. Item-level analyses confirmed that the association with overall symptom load were not driven by specific symptom domains. These findings partly overlap with previous brain morphological findings in individuals with PMS and could possibly represent a non-phase dependent correlate of premenstrual symptoms.
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spelling doaj-art-1858a71db6454058b2586ea27116be362025-08-20T03:53:43ZengElsevierJournal of Affective Disorders Reports2666-91532025-04-012010091610.1016/j.jadr.2025.100916Assessing brain morphological correlates of premenstrual symptoms in young healthy femalesSara B. Marjanovic0Madelene Christin Holm Bukhari1Rikka Kjelkenes2Irene Voldsbekk3Claudia Barth4Lars T. Westlye5Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Corresponding authors: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, PoBox 1094 Blindern 0317 Oslo, Norway.Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Center for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway; Center for Precision Psychiatry, Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; KG Jebsen Center for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Norway; Corresponding authors: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, PoBox 1094 Blindern 0317 Oslo, Norway.While 90 % of females with a menstrual cycle will experience premenstrual symptoms in their reproductive years, it is estimated that 20 % experience treatment-warranted emotional, behavioral, or somatic symptoms in the premenstrual phase of their menstrual cycle. Premenstrual symptoms have been partly attributed to the brain's sensitivity to menstrual cycle-related hormonal fluctuations, which may be modulated by individual differences in the structural characteristics of the brain. In a population-based sample of 292 non-pregnant females aged 23–43 years, we tested for associations between self-reported premenstrual symptom load and T1-weighted MRI based brain measures of cortical thickness, volume, and surface area as well as subcortical volumes, not controlling for menstrual cycle phase. After corrections for multiple comparison, linear models including age revealed significant positive associations between premenstrual symptom load and the volume of the left posterior cingulate cortex. Item-level analyses confirmed that the association with overall symptom load were not driven by specific symptom domains. These findings partly overlap with previous brain morphological findings in individuals with PMS and could possibly represent a non-phase dependent correlate of premenstrual symptoms.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666915325000460BrainPremenstrual syndromePremenstrual symptomsMRINeuroimaging
spellingShingle Sara B. Marjanovic
Madelene Christin Holm Bukhari
Rikka Kjelkenes
Irene Voldsbekk
Claudia Barth
Lars T. Westlye
Assessing brain morphological correlates of premenstrual symptoms in young healthy females
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports
Brain
Premenstrual syndrome
Premenstrual symptoms
MRI
Neuroimaging
title Assessing brain morphological correlates of premenstrual symptoms in young healthy females
title_full Assessing brain morphological correlates of premenstrual symptoms in young healthy females
title_fullStr Assessing brain morphological correlates of premenstrual symptoms in young healthy females
title_full_unstemmed Assessing brain morphological correlates of premenstrual symptoms in young healthy females
title_short Assessing brain morphological correlates of premenstrual symptoms in young healthy females
title_sort assessing brain morphological correlates of premenstrual symptoms in young healthy females
topic Brain
Premenstrual syndrome
Premenstrual symptoms
MRI
Neuroimaging
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666915325000460
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