PMDD Research

Watch this video about PMDD Research at UNC and recent findings concerning the biology of PMDD.

Video: The biology behind PMDD 

Read about a new treatment option being examined by UNC experts in PMDD research.

News Article: Trial: Oral Contraceptives May Ease Suffering of Women with Severe PMS
Video: Oral Contraceptive relief for PMDD

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Menstrually-Related Mood Disorders Screening 

If you suffer during the week before menstruation from depression, irritability, anxiety or mood swings, and these symptoms interfere with normal functioning or interpersonal relationships then you may have a menstrually related mood disorder such as premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). You may receive diagnostic feedback on your symptoms and study-related medical evaluations in this study.

For women who think they may have PMDD and wish to be evaluated for it.

You may qualify if you:
1) have mood symptoms only pre-menstrually and not after the onset of menstruation
2) are medically healthy and not currently suffering from some other chronic psychiatric condition
3) are 18 – 50 years of age with regular menstrual cycles
4) are not taking any medications, including antidepressants and birth control pills

Women diagnosed in this study with PMS or PMDD may then be eligible to participate in other research studies designed to give treatment and/or monetary compensation.

Please call 919-966-2547 

Quetiapine in the treatment of PMDD

Over the last few years anti-depressants have become the first line treatment for PMDD, although many women do not experience adequate relief of their symptoms with this treatment alone. This study will investigate the addition of Quetiapine to anti-depressant treatment for PMDD.  Quetiapine (Seroquel) is an FDA approved psychiatric medicine.  Participants in this research study have a 50/50 chance of receiving the active drug or placebo.
Research Study Participation will last for approximately 5 months and involves multiple visits to UNC Hospital.

For women who are currently being treated with an antidepressant but are not experiencing adequate relief of symptoms.

You may qualify if you:

1) experience severe PMS or PMDD
2) are currently taking an anti-depressant

Please call 919-843-8084 or email bpearson@med.unc.edu. 
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Childhood Trauma in the Adrenergic and HPA-axis Regulation and Symptoms in PMDD

This five year study, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, is designed to compare women who have been sexually or physically abused with women who have never been abused for differences in daily mood and physical symptoms, sensitivity to laboratory pain procedures, and hormone responses to stress. This study is also aimed at understanding how abuse histories may affect women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) differently than non-PMDD women. This study involves three laboratory test sessions (lasting 3 - 4 hours each).

You may qualify if you:
1) have severe PMS or PMDD as determined in the Screening Study described above and/or have ever been physically or sexually abused
2) are medically healthy and do not suffer from a pain-related disorder
3) are not taking any prescription medication, including birth control pills or antidepressants

The results of this study are intended to help researchers develop different treatment options for women with PMDD, particularly those with histories of abuse. Women will receive up to $400 in financial compensation for their participation.

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Continuous OC Treatment in PMDD: Steroid Hormone Mechanisms

Women with severe PMS or PMDD may be more sensitive to the normal hormonal fluctuations associated with their menstrual cycle. This study is designed to examine whether suppression of hormonal fluctuations with a continuous low dose oral contraceptive will alleviate the cyclical fluctuations in mood symptoms that are triggered by increasing hormones in the premenstrual week. Women enrolled in this study will receive one of three interventions for three months: 1) continuous low dose oral contraceptive; 2) intermittent low dose oral contraceptive (three weeks of active pills and one week of inactive pills); or 3) placebo (all inactive pills). Women will have equal odds of being assigned to one of these three treatments. This study involves multiple study visits lasting 15 – 45 minutes. These visits may occur at UNC or at the participant’s home.

You may qualify if:
1) you have severe PMS or PMDD as determined in the Screening Study described above
2) you are not taking any prescription medication including hormonal agents or antidepressants
3) you are 18 – 50 years of age, medically healthy, and not obese
4) you do not smoke cigarettes
5) you have no history of blood clots and no history of breast cancer
Women will receive up to $520 in compensation.  

News article with Video about this research sudy: 
Article: Trial: Oral Contraceptives May Ease Suffering of Women with Severe PMS
Video: Oral Contraceptive relief for PMDD