Pituitary-adrenal hormones and testosterone across the menstrual cycle in women with premenstrual syndrome and controls.
BACKGROUND
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a cyclic mood disorder, widely believed, yet not conclusively shown, to be of endocrine etiology. This study examines basal levels of several hormones reported, albeit inconsistently, to differ in women with PMS compared with controls.


METHODS
Subjects (10 PMS patients and 10 controls) had their blood drawn for one full menstrual cycle. Subjects' mood and behavioral symptoms were assessed by daily self-ratings and objective ratings. Plasma was assayed for total and free testosterone (T), beta-endorphin (beta-EP), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol.


RESULTS
No differences were observed between the PMS and control groups for beta-EP, ACTH, or cortisol. PMS subjects had significantly lower total and free T plasma levels with a blunting of the normal periovulatory peak, a finding that may be epiphenomenal to age.


CONCLUSIONS
This study does not confirm previous reports of abnormalities in plasma levels of either ACTH or beta-EP in women with PMS; it also fails to replicate a previous observation of high free T levels in women with PMS. These results are not supportive of a primary endocrine abnormality in PMS patients.
Bloch
M
M
Behavioral Endocrinology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1276, USA.
Schmidt
P J
PJ
Su
T P
TP
Tobin
M B
MB
Rubinow
D R
DR
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000097:blood*; D010907:Pituitary Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000097:blood*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D010907:Pituitary Hormones; D013739:Testosterone; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone