---
title: Is fluoxetine an effective treatment for PMDD? | Niyora
description: Yes. Fluoxetine significantly improved both emotional and physical symptoms, with 11 out of 17 women (65%) no longer meeting PMDD diagnostic criteria during t
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/fluoxetine-in-the-treatment-of-premenstrual-dysphoria-1997/
---

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- Is fluoxetine an effective treatment for PMDD?

Randomised trial, 1997

# Is fluoxetine an effective treatment for PMDD?

Yes. Fluoxetine significantly improved both emotional and physical symptoms, with 11 out of 17 women (65%) no longer meeting PMDD diagnostic criteria during treatment.

 Moderate study design

17 women with confirmed PMS and PMDD

## What they did

A double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial of fluoxetine in 17 women with confirmed PMS who also met criteria for PMDD. A subset of 10 women with PMDD and 10 controls also received a single m-CPP challenge during both follicular and luteal phases to see if acute response predicted treatment response.

## What they found

Compared with baseline, fluoxetine significantly improved both emotional and physical symptoms while placebo did not. Eleven women (65%) were fluoxetine responders who no longer met PMDD criteria during fluoxetine but remained symptomatic during placebo. Seven of 10 women showed acute symptomatic improvement following m-CPP administration.

## What it means for you

SSRIs like fluoxetine are an effective treatment for PMDD. A person's acute response to a serotonin-acting drug may help predict whether they will respond to fluoxetine treatment long term.

17

women with PMDD

11

responders to fluoxetine (65%)

7 of 10

improved with m-CPP in subset

## About the study

Original title Fluoxetine in the treatment of premenstrual dysphoria Authors Su TP, Schmidt PJ, Danaceau MA et al. Journal Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Year 1997 Study design Randomised trial Participants 17 What was tested Fluoxetine versus placebo (crossover trial); subset had m-CPP challenge Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0893-133x(96)00245-x](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0893-133x(96)00245-x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)

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