Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are characterized by psychological and somatic symptoms that intensify during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and subside with menstruation. Reported PMDD prevalence ranges from 1.6 to 8 % of menstruating individuals (Reilly et al., 2024). PMDD disrupts daily functioning, relationships, and quality of life, causing chronic stress (Carlini et al., 2022; Henderson et al., 2025). It is linked to higher suicide attempt risk (Yan et al., 2021) and impulsive behaviors like non-suicidal self-harm (Eisenlohr-Moul et al., 2022). However, the lack of comprehensive diagnostic criteria, limited awareness in the clinical and research community, and the absence of biomarkers often result in PMDD being undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as a non-cyclical affective disorder (Kaltsouni et al., 2024).
This doctoral project aims to examine the relationships between self-reported well-being, socio-emotional behavior, and psychophysiological variables in females with PMS, PMDD, and healthy controls through a psychophysiological longitudinal study. Female well-being will be assessed using questionnaires and interviews with clinical psychologists. Resting-state electroencephalograms (rsEEG) will be recorded to evaluate cortical functional connectivity. Event-related potentials (ERPs) and eye tracking, will be used to assess emotional reactivity and regulation. ELISA and/or HPLC-MS will determine sex hormone levels for menstrual cycle control.
Mokslinis vadovas / Supervisor: dr. Ramunė Grikšienė, Biomokslų institutas, GMC, VU / Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University
Kontaktai / Contacts:
tel. / phone: +370 601 36903
Programme: Biophysics N 011