title: Effect of menstrual cycle phase on neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to the serotonin agonist m-chlorophenylpiperazine in women with premenstrual syndrome and controls.
abstract: To evaluate the potential role of serotonin in the premenstrual syndrome (PMS), we investigated the effects of menstrual cycle phase on neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to the serotonergic agent m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP) in women with PMS and controls. A single oral dose of m-CPP (0.5 mg/kg) was administered to 10 PMS patients and 10 healthy controls during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. We observed the following. m-CPP administration during the luteal phase resulted in an acute improvement of PMS symptoms; the plasma cortisol and ACTH responses to m-CPP were blunted in both menstrual cycle phases in PMS patients compared with controls. These data provide evidence for the acute efficacy of m-CPP in the treatment of PMS. Although there is additional evidence for dysregulation of either the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis or serotonin control of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in women with PMS, there is little evidence for luteal phase-specific serotonergic dysfunction. These findings, nonetheless, implicate the serotonin system as a modulating (not causal) factor in PMS.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1276, USA.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danaceau
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Rubinow
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects; D001519:Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D012016:Reference Values; D012649:Self Concept; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones; D010879:Piperazines; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; C015068:1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine