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Case report, 2010

Can psychotic episodes happen at the same time every menstrual cycle?

Yes. One 17-year-old woman had brief psychotic episodes every month that started 5-10 days before her period and ended when menstruation began.

Early or limited evidence One 17-year-old woman with monthly psychotic episodes linked to menstrual cycle

What they did

This is a case report of one 17-year-old woman who had recurrent psychotic episodes linked to her menstrual cycle. The doctors describe her pattern of symptoms and compare her case to similar cases reported in medical literature.

What they found

The woman experienced brief psychotic episodes every month. These episodes started 5-10 days before menstruation and ended when her period started.

What it means for you

Some women have psychiatric symptoms that follow their menstrual cycle exactly. This timing suggests that hormones from the menstrual cycle may affect the brain and cause psychotic symptoms. This is one case, so we cannot know the full cause or the best treatment. The specific pattern (starting 5-10 days before the period) is important for doctors to recognize.

17

Age in years

5-10

Days before menstruation when psychosis started

About the study

Original title
Menstruation-related recurrent psychotic disorder: a case report
Authors
Hasan Turan Karatepe, Hazel Işık, Kemal Sayar et al.
Journal
Dusunen Adam The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences
Year
2010
Study design
Case report
Participants
17
What was tested
None described (case description only)

Topics