Premenstral Syndrome (PMS) has been linked to our evolutionary past as a method of dissolving infertile pair bonds.
Researchers from Maquarie University led by Professor Michael Gillings have developed a theory as to why women get PMS. In the past, many women would have had fewer periods and less PMS due to more frequent pregnancy and breastfeeding. When a woman was coupled with an infertile man however, she would have had more regular periods and PMS. They suggest PMS may have evolved as a mechanism to encourage a couple to split and ensure reproductive success for the woman.
The research was supported by the known inheritability and gene variants of PMS, as well as the data that shows animosity during PMS is preferentially directed towards current partners. PMS affects up to 80% of women and and includes symptoms such as anxiety, mood swings, aches and cravings.
Read more at Macquarie University