---
title: Do symptoms of schizophrenia change during the menstrual cycle?
description: Menstrual cycle-related changes occur in women with schizophrenia, but these changes are mainly in mood and body symptoms, not in the core psychotic symptoms
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrually-related-symptom-changes-in-women-with-schizophrenia-1997/
---

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- Do symptoms of schizophrenia change during the menstrual cycle?

Cohort study, 1997

# Do symptoms of schizophrenia change during the menstrual cycle?

Menstrual cycle-related changes occur in women with schizophrenia, but these changes are mainly in mood and body symptoms, not in the core psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia.

 Early or limited evidence

39 hospitalized women with schizophrenia

## What they did

A longitudinal study of 39 hospitalized women with schizophrenia collected daily ratings of affective, somatic, behavioral, and psychotic symptoms across their menstrual cycles using standardized rating scales.

## What they found

Affective (mood) and somatic (body) symptoms showed exacerbation related to the menstrual cycle, similar to what occurs in women without mental illness and in women with depression. Psychotic symptoms characteristic of schizophrenia did not show significant cycle-related changes. Symptom exacerbation was not specific to the premenstrual phase; some symptoms occurred during menstrual and postmenstrual phases.

## What it means for you

Menstrual cycle effects in women with schizophrenia appear to be a separate phenomenon from the disorder itself, affecting mood and body symptoms much like they do in other women. However, all participants were on psychiatric medication, which may have hidden true cycle effects on psychotic symptoms. More research is needed.

39

women studied

daily

symptom tracking frequency

## About the study

Original title Menstrually related symptom changes in women with schizophrenia Authors Harris AH Journal Schizophrenia research Year 1997 Study design Cohort study What was tested None (observation only) Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0920-9964(97)00073-x](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0920-9964(97)00073-x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Schizophrenia and psychosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-psychosis/)

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