Cohort study, 1995

Are depression and difficulty understanding emotions linked to PMS symptoms?

In women with PMS who also have depression, yes. Women with PMS but low depression were similar to women without PMS on all measures tested.

Moderate study design 66 women with PMS and 49 women without PMS

What they did

Cross-sectional study comparing 66 women with confirmed PMS and 49 without PMS. The PMS group was divided into high-depression and low-depression subgroups. All completed questionnaires measuring depression, anxiety, physical symptoms, and difficulty understanding emotions.

What they found

Women with high-depression PMS reported significantly more physical symptoms and difficulty understanding emotions compared to controls. Women with low-depression PMS showed no differences from controls on any measure.

What it means for you

PMS may be linked to mood and emotional factors primarily in women who also experience depression. The main limits are the small sample size and cross-sectional design.

women with PMS

women without PMS

PMS subgroups

About the study

Original title: The relationship between mood, somatization, and alexithymia in premenstrual syndrome
Authors: Kuczmierczyk AR, Labrum AH, Johnson CC
Journal: Psychosomatics
Year: 1995
Study design: Cohort study
Participants: 66
What was tested: None; psychological questionnaires only
Open access: Yes
Read the paper: doi.org/10.1016/s0033-3182(95)71704-2

Topics

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)Low mood and depression Major depressive disorder Relationships and partners

Survey study, 2011

Is premenstrual syndrome related to major depression?

Study, 2026

What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

Systematic review, 2022

Does having PMDD increase the risk of depression during pregnancy or after birth?

Lab study, 2018

How does depression affect menstrual function and fertility in women?

Cohort study, 2015

How common are PMS and PMDD in young women, and are they connected to depression?