Study: Menstrual Cramps Change the Brain
Women who experience menstrual cramps appear more likely to have abnormal structural changes in the areas of the brain involved in regulating pain and emotion, according to a recent study conducted in Taiwan.
MRI scans showed that these structural changes lasted throughout the cycle, even during pain-free periods.
Dr. Cheng-Hao Tu of the National Yang-Ming University in Taipei and his colleagues enrolled 32 women with severe menstrual cramps and 32 control subjects without cramps for the study.
No significant differences were seen on MRI for total volume of the tissues in the brain known as gray matter between patients and controls, but numerous regional differences in gray matter were detected.
Particularly, changes in brain volume were noted in the hypothalamus, know for its role in regulating the menstrual cycle, and other areas of the brain know for regulating pain.
Similar studies of patients with chronic pain have shown that extended pain can lead to structural and functional alterations throughout the nervous system.
“Our results demonstrated that abnormal [gray matter] changes were present in [primary dysmenorrhea] patients even in the absence of pain. This shows that not only sustained pain but also cyclic occurring menstrual pain can result in longer lasting central changes,” the researchers concluded.
Studies have shown that acupuncture has a direct effect on brain function and structure; results from this new study suggest that acupuncture’s effect on the brain may play a role in its ability to reduce menstrual pain.
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