Understanding PMDD: The Role of Heart Rate Variability as a Measure of Autonomic Dysregulation

PMDD is a severe mood disorder that causes significant impairment in daily life and affects approximately 3–8% of women in reproductive age. However, the etiology is not fully understood, increasing evidence suggests that altered ANS functioning and difficulties in emotion regulation play a central role in the disorder. HRV is a non-invasive physiological marker that has been used to assess ANS activity and emotion regulation capacity. This literature review aims to examine whether HRV can be used to assess autonomic dysregulation in PMDD to provide a better understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying the disorder. The reviewed literature suggests individuals with PMDD may exhibit reduced HRV, indicating decreased parasymphatetic activity and impaired regulatory capacity. The findings suggest that HRV might serve as a useful biomarker for assessing autonomic dysfunction in PMDD in future research.