Case report, 2017
Can mood symptoms like mania and psychosis change across the menstrual cycle in bipolar disorder?
In one detailed case, yes: a woman with bipolar I disorder had psychosis-like symptoms when estrogen was low and hypomania when estrogen was high, and a targeted treatment approach for this pattern worked for her.
What they did
This is a single case report. Doctors described one woman with bipolar I disorder who had severe mood symptoms that changed with her menstrual cycle, and they tried a treatment aimed at this pattern.
What they found
When estrogen was expected to be low, she had mood instability, confusion, and psychosis-like symptoms similar to postpartum psychosis. When estrogen was expected to be high, she had hypomania instead. The treatment approach aimed at her cycle-related symptoms worked.
What it means for you
This suggests that for some women, bipolar-related mood symptoms may be tied to hormone changes across the cycle, and that treatment aimed at this pattern can help. Because this is only one woman's experience, it cannot show whether this would work for other women, and no larger controlled studies have tested this approach.
1
women described in this case
About the study
- Original title
- Protection against hormone-mediated mood symptoms
- Authors
- Susser LC, Hermann AD
- Journal
- Archives of women's mental health
- Year
- 2017
- Study design
- Case report
- What was tested
- A treatment approach aimed at her menstrual-cycle related mood symptoms.
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1007/s00737-016-0702-9
Topics
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