title: Effects of the premenstrual syndrome on facial expressions of sadness.
abstract: This study examined the relationship between PMS and emotion-related electromyographic facial activity at different phases of the menstrual cycle. Twenty-four women of reproductive age (12 with PMS, 12 controls) participated in two EMG sessions (T1 and T2) in which they were shown photographic images that can elicit various emotions (IAPS stimuli). T1 took place in the follicular phase, T2 in the luteal phase. The activity of the musculus depressor anguli oris ("depressor", expression of sadness) was measured. Depressor activity was compared to activity of musculus orbicularis oculi ("orbicularis"; expression of joy). ANOVA yielded a significant increase of the activity of the depressor at T2 in the PMS group. The PMS group showed more frequent depressor activity during the luteal than the follicular phase. Orbicularis activity did not change from T1 to T2.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PMS group experienced various visual stimuli in a more depressed way during the luteal phase.
authors.affiliation: Center of Mental Health Marienheide, Germany. reinhard.mass@kkh-gummersbach.de
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mass
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hölldorfer
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wiedemann
authors.forename: Hertha
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Richter-Appelt
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dahme
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wolf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D004576:Electromyography; D004644:Emotions; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000523:psychology; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D008183:Luteal Phase / Q000523:psychology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D012016:Reference Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires