Functional and structural neuroimaging in premenstrual dysphoric disorder: A systematic review

Dennison Carreiro Monteiro; Clarence da Silva Ramos; Luís Eduardo Nogueira Nóbrega Alves; Amaury Cantilino; Everton Botelho Sougey

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.024

Functional and structural neuroimaging in premenstrual dysphoric disorder: A systematic review

J Psychiatr Res. 2024 May 9:175:205-210. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.024. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Dennison Carreiro Monteiro¹, Clarence da Silva Ramos², Luís Eduardo Nogueira Nóbrega Alves³, Amaury Cantilino², Everton Botelho Sougey⁴

Affiliations

¹ Postgraduate Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. Electronic address: dennisonmonteiropsiq@gmail.com.
² Postgraduate Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
³ Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
⁴ Postgraduate Program in Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral Science, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Federal University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.

PMID: 38744159
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.05.024

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to summarize the most recent data on changes in brain structure and function in premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) as well as elucidate the possible correlations between these findings and symptom severity. Articles published in PubMed, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and Scopus from inception until April 2023 were systematically reviewed according to the PICO framework: population (women with PMDD), intervention (neuroimaging study), control (healthy subjects), and outcome (neuroimaging changes). In total, 1026 individuals were included from controlled (n = 22) and non-controlled (n = 2) trials. Among them, 608 had PMDD, and 418 were healthy controls. Different neuroimaging methods were addressed, such as task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), resting-state functional MRI, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, proton emission tomography, and structural MRI. Despite the absence of consensual results, several brain structures have been implicated in PMDD, including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, insula, basal ganglia, and cerebellum. In addition, some brain changes are related to the intensity of symptoms and phases of the menstrual cycle, such as the correlation between depressive symptoms and increased serotonin transporter binding potential in the midbrain during the luteal phase.

Keywords: Diffusion tensor imaging; Magnetic resonance imaging; Neuroimaging; Premenstrual dysphoric disorder; Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Publication types

Review