Survey study, 1984
What did researchers in the 1980s understand about how the menstrual cycle affects mood?
This older review says many women notice mood changes across their cycle, and the researchers' own work found hormone disturbances and psychological difficulties in women with premenstrual syndrome, but the condition was still poorly understood and under-researched.
What they did
This is a review article summarising the authors' own research and other studies on mood and the menstrual cycle, including theories about biological, psychological and social causes of premenstrual tension syndrome.
What they found
The authors found evidence of disturbances in ovarian hormones and impaired psychological functioning in women with PMS. They note that research has been hampered by inconsistent definitions of PMS and methodological difficulties, and argue that treatment should address both biological and psychological aspects.
What it means for you
This is a historical overview, not new data. It shows that even decades ago, PMS was understood to involve both hormones and psychology, but the authors themselves call for much more research.
About the study
- Original title
- Mood and the menstrual cycle
- Authors
- Dennerstein L, Spencer-Gardner C, Burrows GD
- Journal
- Journal of psychiatric research
- Year
- 1984
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- None (review article)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0022-3956(84)90044-x
Topics
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