Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10454582 | Biological Psychology | 2005 | 16 Pages |
Abstract
In women meeting strict criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), we examined whether clonidine, an α2-adrenergic receptor (AR) agonist, would have different effects on sexually abused versus non-abused PMDD women for measures of autonomic nervous system function. Twelve women meeting prospective, DSM-IV criteria for PMDD, five of whom had a history of sexual abuse, participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over design study, comparing 2 months of on oral clonidine (0.3 mg/day) with 2 months on active placebo. During the luteal phase that preceded randomization and following each two-month challenge, women were tested for cardiovascular measures at rest and in response to mental stress, and for resting plasma norepinephrine (NE) concentrations as well as β1 and β2-AR responsivity using the isoproterenol sensitivity test. Results revealed that in comparison to placebo, clonidine significantly reduced plasma norepinephrine concentrations, increased both β1- and β2-AR responsivity, and reduced resting and stress heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) (p < 0.05) in all PMDD women. With clonidine, sexually abused PMDD women exhibited greater decreases in resting and stress-induced HR (p < 0.01) and stress-induced systolic BP (p < 0.05), while non-abused PMDD women exhibited greater reductions in plasma NE concentration (p = 0.07), and greater increases in β2-AR responsivity (p < 0.05) than abused PMDD women. These results suggest PMDD women with and without a history of sexual abuse respond differently to a clonidine challenge in measures reflecting autonomic nervous system functioning, indicating that abuse may modify presynaptic α2-AR function in PMDD.
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Authors
Robertas Bunevicius, Alan L. Hinderliter, Kathleen C. Light, Jane Leserman, Cort A. Pedersen, Susan S. Girdler,