---
title: Does alprazolam improve mood and task performance in women with PMDD?
description: No. Alprazolam did not improve premenstrual mood and actually worsened mood in the follicular phase. It also impaired task performance.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/mood-and-performance-changes-in-women-with-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-acute-1998/
---

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- Does alprazolam improve mood and task performance in women with PMDD?

Randomised trial, 1998

# Does alprazolam improve mood and task performance in women with PMDD?

No. Alprazolam did not improve premenstrual mood and actually worsened mood in the follicular phase. It also impaired task performance.

 Moderate study design

Women with confirmed PMDD

## What they did

A double-blind study testing placebo and three doses of alprazolam (0.25, 0.50, 0.75 mg) in women with confirmed PMDD, given during both the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle.

## What they found

Women with PMDD showed substantial changes in mood across the menstrual cycle. Acute alprazolam doses did not improve negative premenstrual mood but increased negative mood in the follicular phase. Alprazolam impaired task performance in both phases when baseline differences were considered.

## What it means for you

Benzodiazepines like alprazolam are not helpful for PMDD and may actually make mood worse and impair cognitive function. This contradicts earlier thinking about their potential use.

0.25-0.75 mg

alprazolam doses tested

two phases

follicular and luteal phases tested

## About the study

Original title Mood and performance changes in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder: acute effects of alprazolam Authors Evans SM, Haney M, Levin FR et al. Journal Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Year 1998 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Acute doses of alprazolam (0.25, 0.50, 0.75 mg) versus placebo tested in both follicular and luteal phases Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0893-133x(98)00064-5](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0893-133x(98)00064-5)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiolytics and other psychotropics](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-anxiolytics/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

Cohort study, 2004

Do women with bipolar disorder on mood-stabilizing medication experience premenstrual symptom worsening?

Review, 2002

What treatments work for PMDD?

Randomised trial, 1994

Does alprazolam help women with late luteal phase dysphoric disorder?

Randomised trial, 2015

Does quetiapine help women with PMS/PMDD who don't respond well to antidepressants?

Case report, 2013

Can mood disorder symptoms happen only during the second half of the menstrual cycle?

Case report, 2013

Can severe mood changes around a period be an early sign of bipolar disorder?

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