Peak saccadic eye velocity across menstrual phases in naturally cycling women; A pilot study

Taran Giddey, Natalie Thomas, Abdul-Rahman Hudaib, Lizzie Thomas, Jessica Le, Paige Gray, Caroline T. Gurvich

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Peak saccadic eye velocity (pSEV) has been investigated in studies that characterise the pathophysiology of menstrual cycle related mood disorders, such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). pSEV is a stable and sensitive measure of gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor function. Dysregulation of the GABA pathway has been associated with the onset of PMDD. Despite a growing number of studies utilising pSEV as an outcome measure in interventional drug studies for menstrual cycle related mood disorders, there are no reported studies that have investigated whether pSEV is sensitive to hormone fluctuations across the natural menstrual cycle. To address this gap, this pilot study aimed to characterise pSEV in women across the menstrual cycle. Participants were monitored across two menstrual cycles and saccadic eye movements were measured in both luteal and follicular phases. Seven participants completed the full study and were included in the final analysis. Results revealed luteal phase pSEV was significantly less than follicular phase pSEV. This finding is novel and forms a stepping-stone for further understanding the associations between menstrual hormone profiles and GABAA receptors.

Original languageEnglish
Article number100009
Number of pages4
JournalComprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology
Volume4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2020

Keywords

  • Allopregnanolone
  • GABA
  • Menstrual cycle
  • Peak saccadic eye velocity
  • Premenstrual dysphoric disorder

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