The effect of a low dose of alcohol on allopregnanolone serum concentrations across the menstrual cycle in women with severe premenstrual syndrome and controls.
BACKGROUND
Neurosteroids have been proposed to play an important role in the interaction between alcohol and GABA(A) receptors and for the symptomatology of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The primary aim of this study was to investigate possible alcohol-induced changes in allopregnanolone serum concentrations across different menstrual cycle phases in women with severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and controls.


METHODS
The allopregnanolone and cortisol responses to a low-dose of alcohol were evaluated in 14 women with and 12 women without severe premenstrual syndrome in the follicular and late luteal phases. The effect of a 30-min intravenous alcohol infusion (0.2 g/kg) on allopregnanolone and cortisol serum concentrations was compared to placebo, and compared between cycle phases and groups. Blood samples for measuring allopregnanolone were taken at baseline 25, 55, and 75 min after the start of the alcohol infusion.


RESULTS
In the late luteal phase, the alcohol infusion decreased allopregnanolone levels, compared to baseline levels as well as to placebo. The difference in allopregnanolone levels between alcohol and placebo was evident 25 min (P < 0.01), 55 min (P < 0.01), and 75 min (P < 0.05) after start of the infusion. There was no change in allopregnanolone levels during the alcohol infusion in the follicular phase. Also, no difference in alcohol-induced allopregnanolone response between PMS patients and control subjects was detected. Cortisol levels declined during both the placebo and alcohol infusion, but did not differ with respect to which infusion had been given.


CONCLUSIONS
During the late luteal phase, independent of PMS diagnosis, the low-dose alcohol infusion resulted in decreasing peripheral allopregnanolone levels.
Nyberg
Sigrid
S
Department of Clinical Science, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital of Umeå, Umeå University, Sweden. sigrid.nyberg@obygn.umu.se
Andersson
Agneta
A
Zingmark
Elisabeth
E
Wahlström
Göran
G
Bäckström
Torbjörn
T
Sundström-Poromaa
Inger
I
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000097:blood*; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000431:Ethanol; D011280:Pregnanolone; D006854:Hydrocortisone