--- title: Low mood and depression: 1911 studies, explained | Niyora description: 1911 studies on low mood and depression and PMS or PMDD, each summarised in plain English: what was tested, who took part, what they found and what it means. url: https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Low mood and depression # Low mood and depression: what the research says 1911 studies on low mood and depression in PMS and PMDD, each explained in plain English. 161 of them use the strongest designs: randomised trials and systematic reviews. Survey study 695 Randomised trial 263 Cohort study 180 Review 177 Study 172 Case-control study 141 Cohort study, 2026 What genetic factors are linked to premenstrual symptoms? One genetic location on chromosome 12 was clearly associated with PMS. The genetic factors linked to PMS are also linked to depression. Systematic review, 2026 How often do mood disorders and PMS or PMDD occur together? Very often. Between 42% and 49% of women have both PMS or PMDD and a mood disorder at the same time, depending on which condition was diagnosed first. Systematic review, 2026 Does continuous paroxetine or birth control work better for PMDD? Both antidepressants and birth control pills are effective for PMDD. Continuous paroxetine (an antidepressant) and DROS/EE 24/4 (a specific birth control) showed the strongest effects in studies reviewed, though the evidence comes from relatively few studies. Randomised trial, 2026 Does Kundalini Reiki help reduce PMS symptoms and improve quality of life? Yes, according to this rigorous double-blind study. Nursing students receiving Kundalini Reiki showed significantly greater improvements in PMS symptoms and quality of life compared to those who received placebo. Cohort study, 2026 Does having PMS before pregnancy increase the risk of postpartum depression? Yes. Women with a PMS history were 45 percent more likely to develop postpartum depression within one year after birth, with 5.4 percent of women with PMS developing it compared to 3.8 percent without PMS. Systematic review, 2026 Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms? Vitamin D reduced overall PMS severity and particularly helped with physical symptoms and depression, but the certainty of this evidence is very low. We cannot be confident in these findings yet and more high-quality research is needed. Study, 2026 How do women with PMDD process emotions differently in their brains? Women with PMDD show increased activity in emotion-processing brain networks, especially during the luteal phase, and this baseline difference even appears in the follicular phase and relates to symptom severity. Systematic review, 2026 Can digital tools help diagnose PMDD? Digital tools show promise for diagnosing PMDD by helping you track symptoms, but most need more testing and better integration with healthcare systems before they're widely used. Systematic review, 2026 Are there differences in brain activity in women with PMDD? Yes, women with PMDD show differences in brain activity compared to women without PMDD, particularly in areas involved in emotion regulation and stress processing. Systematic review, 2026 Do mindfulness and relaxation techniques help with PMS symptoms? Yes. These techniques reduced physical symptoms like pain and fatigue, and emotional symptoms like anxiety and depression. However, the evidence is still limited. Systematic review, 2026 Why do some women experience mood changes linked to their menstrual cycle? Evidence shows these women have normal hormone levels but heightened sensitivity in their brains and cells to hormone changes. This explains PMDD and some postpartum and perimenopausal mood problems, and has led to new treatments. Systematic review, 2026 How much of PMDD treatment improvement comes from placebo effect? The placebo effect accounts for 20.9% to 38.4% of treatment improvement, depending on which symptom is measured. Measuring total symptoms rather than individual symptoms like depression gives more reliable results for testing new treatments. Cohort study, 2026 Do premenstrual disorder and postpartum depression share the same genetic causes? Yes. The conditions share significant genetic overlap with genetic correlation of 0.47 to 0.66. Two genetic locations were identified that affect both disorders, both involving brain response to hormones. Randomised trial, 2026 Does a warm footbath help PMS symptoms and sleep quality? A nightly warm footbath during the premenstrual phase reduced PMS symptoms and improved quality of life in women with PMS. It did not improve sleep quality. Case-control study, 2026 Do women with PMS handle emotions differently at different times of the cycle? Yes. Women with PMS tend to use emotion coping strategies that make symptoms worse (like dwelling on negative thoughts) and fewer strategies that help (like accepting difficult thoughts). These patterns change across the menstrual cycle. Study, 2026 Are SSRIs the first treatment doctors recommend for PMDD? Yes, SSRIs are the recommended first treatment for PMDD. Taking them every day works better than taking them only before your period. Systematic review, 2026 What is it like for women to live with PMS or PMDD? Women report lack of understanding from others and healthcare providers, confusion about their identity, impact on relationships, and difficulty getting diagnosed. Better training for healthcare professionals is needed. Cohort study, 2025 Is there a link between premenstrual disorders and autoimmune disease? Yes. Women with autoimmune disease have 12% higher risk of premenstrual disorders, and women with premenstrual disorders have 23% higher risk of autoimmune disease. Systematic review, 2025 How do cognition and behavior change across the menstrual cycle in people with PMDD? Evidence that cognitive abilities change is limited and inconsistent. A negative attention bias (focusing on negative things) appears central to PMDD. Systematic review, 2025 Do people with PMDD and severe PMS have difficulties with emotion regulation? People with PMDD and severe PMS may have difficulties identifying emotions and choosing how to handle them, particularly using rumination (replaying upset thoughts) in the late-luteal phase. Evidence remains limited. Randomised trial, 2025 Does taking an antidepressant only during the second half of your cycle reduce anger and aggression in PMDD? Yes. Taking escitalopram 20 mg during the second half of the menstrual cycle significantly reduced PMDD symptoms including irritability and anger, and reduced aggressive responses to provocation. Cohort study, 2025 Do women with PMS or PMDD report lower quality of life than women without these conditions? Yes. Women with PMS or PMDD reported significantly lower quality of life, particularly those with PMDD. These findings held even after accounting for mood and pain. Cohort study, 2025 Do women with premenstrual disorders take more sick leave and have higher unemployment? Yes. Women with premenstrual disorders have 40% higher risk of taking sick leave and 27% higher risk of unemployment compared to women without the disorder. The risk is even higher for longer absences and depression-related leave. Cohort study, 2025 How common is PMS in Chinese teenage girls, and what factors are linked to it? About 1 in 4 Chinese girls (24.6%) has PMS. Higher stress, anger, alcohol use, menstrual cycles of 24 days or less, and period pain are all linked to increased PMS likelihood. Systematic review, 2025 Are PMS and PMDD more common in highly trained female athletes than in women who don't train intensively? Female athletes had somewhat lower PMS rates and somewhat higher PMDD rates than non-athletes, but neither finding was statistically significant. We cannot be confident in these findings. Systematic review, 2025 How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling? PMS affects 62% of nursing students, and 21% have PMDD or severe PMS, while 72% experience painful periods, disrupting their studies and wellbeing. These students need institutional support and evidence-based treatment. Systematic review, 2025 Which patient-reported tools accurately measure PMS and PMDD in Japanese? Some tools like the New Short-Form Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire and Japanese Daily Record of Severity of Problems showed good structural validity and internal consistency. However, most tools need further validation research. Cohort study, 2025 Do women with a history of PMS or PMDD have more depression during pregnancy and after birth? Women with PMS or PMDD history had higher depression scores throughout pregnancy and postpartum, with PMDD carrying higher risk than PMS. Interview study, 2025 How common is suicidal thinking in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD are seven times more likely to experience suicidal thinking than women without PMDD. Over 70% experience suicidal thoughts, and 1 in 3 attempt suicide. Cohort study, 2024 Do women with severe premenstrual disorders have higher risk of relationship breakup? Yes. Married or cohabiting women with severe premenstrual disorders have about 21% higher risk of relationship breakup. This effect is stronger for premenstrual dysphoric disorder than for premenstrual syndrome and stronger in women without depression or anxiety. Randomised trial, 2024 Does curcumin reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in women with PMS and dysmenorrhea? Yes, curcumin significantly reduced depression, anxiety, and stress and improved mental health and quality of life compared to placebo. This was a larger, high-quality study. Randomised trial, 2024 Is Jiawei Xiaoyao pill effective and safe for treating premenstrual syndrome? Yes, women who took Jiawei Xiaoyao pill experienced significantly greater reduction in PMS symptoms than those taking placebo (p=0.002 and p=0.001), with no serious side effects reported. Randomised trial, 2024 Is Ganyushu Granule effective and safe for premenstrual syndrome? Yes, both high-dose and low-dose Ganyushu Granule reduced PMS symptoms better than placebo starting from the second cycle, with high-dose showing the fastest improvement and no serious side effects. Review, 2024 What do brain wave patterns show about PMS and PMDD? Preliminary evidence suggests women with these conditions may have different brain wave patterns, but we need more research to be sure. Systematic review, 2024 What are the best treatments for PMDD and PMS? SSRIs (antidepressants) and combined oral contraceptives (birth control pills) have the strongest evidence. For difficult cases, GnRH agonists and surgery work. Some alternatives like acupuncture and yoga show promise but need better quality research. Case-control study, 2024 Do steroid hormone levels change differently across the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD? Yes. Progesterone rises earlier in the cycle in women with PMDD, leading to higher levels around ovulation and a sharper drop in the late luteal phase. This different pattern may trigger symptoms. Review, 2024 What are the most effective treatments for PMDD? According to this literature review, SSRIs (antidepressants) and cognitive-behavioral therapy are the most commonly recommended first-line treatments. Birth control pills with drospirenone are also effective. Systematic review, 2024 Do SSRI antidepressants help treat PMS and PMDD? Yes. SSRIs probably reduce premenstrual symptoms in women with PMS and PMDD based on moderate-certainty evidence from 34 studies. Daily continuous use appears more effective than taking SSRIs only before your period. Case-control study, 2024 Are premenstrual disorders and postpartum depression connected? Yes, they are connected both ways. Women with premenstrual disorders are 4.76 times more likely to develop postpartum depression. Women with postpartum depression are 1.81 times more likely to develop premenstrual disorders later. Systematic review, 2024 How common is PMDD? PMDD affects 3.2% of women when diagnosed with confirmed criteria and 7.7% when using provisional diagnosis. This means PMDD is less common than some estimates suggest. Systematic review, 2024 Does exercise and physiotherapy help reduce PMS symptoms? Yes. Physiotherapy significantly reduced depression in women with PMS and also reduced pain. It improves overall quality of life. Cohort study, 2023 Are PMS symptoms linked to genetic factors for psychiatric disorders? Yes. Women with PMS were more likely to have genetic factors for depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, schizophrenia, and autism spectrum disorder. This was a large, well-designed study, so we can be confident in these findings. Review, 2023 What treatments help mental and physical health problems linked to the menstrual cycle? Multiple treatment approaches work including medicines, psychotherapy, and hormonal therapy. An interdisciplinary team approach combining different specialties works best. Cohort study, 2023 Is PMDD a valid medical diagnosis? Yes. PMDD is recognized by the World Health Organization and American Psychiatric Association as a distinct medical diagnosis. Evidence suggests it has real neurobiological basis, though more biological research is still needed to fully understand it. Randomised trial, 2023 Does taking sertraline when PMDD symptoms start improve how well women function? Relationship functioning improved more with sertraline at symptom onset, mainly because it reduced anger and irritability. However, work productivity and social activities did not improve clearly. Systematic review, 2023 Does saffron help with PMS, labor pain, and menopause symptoms? Yes, saffron improves mood and reduces psychological symptoms of PMS and menopause, and helps reduce labor pain and recovery time, though limited studies exist. Case-control study, 2023 Does the serotonin system work differently in PMDD across the menstrual cycle? Yes. Women with PMDD showed an 18 percent increase in serotonin transporter binding during the premenstrual phase while controls showed a 10 percent decrease. This increase correlated with depression severity. Cohort study, 2023 Does PMDD increase the risk of depression or bipolar disorder later? Yes. Women with PMDD were 2.58 times more likely to develop depression and 2.50 times more likely to develop bipolar disorder compared to women without PMDD. These conditions also developed earlier in women with PMDD. Systematic review, 2023 Is PMDD linked to depression? PMDD and depression are strongly linked. Nearly all studies found that people with PMDD were more likely to have depression, and people with depression were more likely to have PMDD. Cohort study, 2023 Does having PMS increase the risk of developing depression later? Yes. Women who reported frequent PMS in 2000 had significantly higher odds of reporting a depression diagnosis in later years, with odds of 1.72 to 1.90 times higher over the next 18 years. Systematic review, 2023 How common are menstrual cycle problems and PMS or PMDD in female athletes? Menstrual cycle problems are common in female athletes, with dysmenorrhoea affecting about 32%. More athletes report symptoms during their period than in the days before. Guideline, 2023 How are GnRH agonists used to treat PMDD that doesn't respond to standard medications? GnRH agonists combined with hormone replacement are effective for severe PMDD that doesn't respond to first-line treatments, but many doctors don't know how to use this option. Review, 2022 What causes severe PMS and what treatments work? Severe PMS is caused by hormone changes and brain chemistry problems. Treatments that stop ovulation with hormones or increase serotonin with SSRIs both reduce symptoms. Cohort study, 2022 Does body size during childhood affect the risk of premenstrual disorders later? Yes. Girls with higher BMI in childhood and adolescence had higher risk of developing premenstrual disorders by young adulthood. This association remained even after accounting for depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Systematic review, 2022 What are the best treatments for PMDD and PMS? SSRIs (antidepressants) and combined oral contraceptives (birth control pills) have the strongest evidence. For difficult cases, GnRH agonists and surgery work. Some alternatives like acupuncture and yoga show promise but need better quality research. Survey study, 2022 What causes PMS and PMDD and what new treatments are being studied? PMS and PMDD involve changes in hormone sensitivity, serotonin levels, genetic factors, and inflammation. New treatments under research target progesterone receptors and inflammatory pathways. Systematic review, 2022 What increases the risk of depression after childbirth? Premenstrual syndrome is the strongest known risk factor for postpartum depression, nearly doubling the risk. Violent experiences and unintended pregnancy are also strong risk factors. Cohort study, 2021 Does having PMS before pregnancy increase the risk of postpartum depression? Yes. Women with frequent PMS before pregnancy had higher risk of postpartum depression after birth, with the risk rising as PMS became more frequent. Systematic review, 2021 Do birth control pills help with depression and other symptoms of PMS? Birth control pills help reduce overall PMS symptoms but not depression specifically. No particular pill is more effective than others. Systematic review, 2021 How common are PMS and PMDD among women in India? Very common. About 43% of Indian women have PMS and 8% have PMDD, with even higher rates of 49.6% in adolescents. Cohort study, 2021 Does when you start puberty affect your risk of premenstrual disorders as an adult? Women who started menstruating later had lower risk of premenstrual disorders in adulthood. Women who had early pubic hair growth had higher risk of premenstrual disorders. Cohort study, 2021 Are low antioxidant vitamins or high oxidative stress linked to premenstrual syndrome? This study found that oxidative stress markers were linked to more depression and food cravings symptoms and more severe PMS, but antioxidant vitamin levels were mostly not associated with PMS symptoms. Systematic review, 2021 Are women with PMS or PMDD more likely to think about or attempt suicide? Yes. Pooling results from multiple studies, women with PMDD had a much higher chance of suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts than women without these premenstrual problems. Systematic review, 2021 Does PMDD increase the risk of suicidality? Yes. Women with PMDD have significantly higher risk of suicidal thoughts (2.34 times higher), suicide attempts (2.13 times higher), and suicide plans (2.24 times higher). Systematic review, 2021 How common is PMDD among female students in Ethiopia? PMDD is very common. About 54.5% of female students in Ethiopia have it, though prevalence estimates across studies ranged from 40.8% to 67.6%. Randomised trial, 2021 Does ulipristal acetate (a progesterone blocker) treat PMDD? Yes. Women taking 5 mg daily improved by 41% versus 22% on placebo. Half achieved remission with the medication compared to 21.1% on placebo. Study, 2021 Does ulipristal acetate help women with PMDD? Yes. Women taking ulipristal acetate experienced improvement in irritability and depression, and half of the women achieved complete remission of PMDD. Systematic review, 2021 Are there hormone changes that could explain PMDD or depression in women? Yes, women with PMDD have lower estrogen levels during the luteal phase of their cycle, and women with depression have lower testosterone levels. These hormonal differences may contribute to their symptoms. Survey study, 2020 What symptoms best predict whether PMDD will seriously affect daily life? Four premenstrual symptoms is the optimal number for predicting clinically significant impairment. Psychological symptoms like difficulty concentrating were the strongest predictors, more so than core mood symptoms. Systematic review, 2019 Is there a link between premenstrual syndrome and depression after childbirth? Most studies found a link between PMS and postpartum depression, though some found this link disappeared when other factors like personality were considered. The connection appears real but may depend on circumstances. Randomised trial, 2019 Does online cognitive behavioral therapy help women with PMDD? Yes. Women who completed 8 weeks of online therapy had significantly greater improvements in functional impairment, mood, and everyday life. The improvements lasted for at least 6 months. Review, 2019 What is the current evidence for diagnosing and treating PMDD, especially in Indian women? PMDD is underdiagnosed and often mistaken for mild premenstrual symptoms. Sertraline is the most widely studied and effective medication for treating PMDD. Systematic review, 2019 Does psychotherapy reduce depression and anxiety in women with PMS? A review of 7 trials found a large decrease in depression levels (standardized mean difference -0.978), but the abstract is incomplete so we cannot know if this was statistically significant or what the full conclusions were. Review, 2018 What are the most effective treatments for premenstrual syndrome and PMDD? Serotonin reuptake inhibitors and contraceptives with shortened or no hormone-free interval are the most effective treatments. Some women who do not respond may benefit from GnRH agonist treatment. Survey study, 2018 Does the menstrual cycle affect emotions and thinking ability? The menstrual cycle affects emotions consistently, especially in the luteal phase and stronger in women with PMDD. It has only small and inconsistent effects on cognitive tasks like memory and attention. Review, 2018 Which women are most likely to experience hot flashes during menopause? Up to 80% of women experience hot flashes during menopause, lasting about 10 years on average. Black and Hispanic women are more likely to experience them, while Asian women are less likely. Randomised trial, 2017 Does the combined oral contraceptive pill affect mood? Yes, but effects vary by cycle phase. The pill causes small increases in anxiety and irritability between periods but improves depression in the days before menstruation. Review, 2017 Can combining different types of treatments help PMS more than using one approach alone? Yes. An integrative approach combining medicines, supplements, mind-body techniques, acupuncture, and lifestyle changes can effectively address PMS. Review, 2017 What causes PMDD and what are the best treatments? PMDD involves an abnormal response to normal hormone changes affecting the serotonin system and brain circuits that control emotion. SSRIs are the first-line treatment, with several other options available. Systematic review, 2017 Is Vitex agnus castus safe and effective for treating PMS and PMDD? All 8 included trials showed Vitex agnus castus was better than comparison treatments and was well tolerated, but the studies used different definitions of PMS, different outcome measures, and different Vitex preparations, making confident conclusions difficult. Case-control study, 2016 Is cortisol dysregulation a cause of PMS or PMDD? No. Overall, very little evidence showed that women with and without PMS/PMDD have systematic differences in cortisol levels or how they respond to stress. Researchers recommend more rigorous studies before drawing final conclusions. Survey study, 2016 Is PMS or PMDD linked to eating disorders like bulimia and binge eating? Yes. Women with PMDD had 7 times higher odds of bulimia nervosa and women with PMS had 2.5 times higher odds of bulimia, but neither was strongly linked to binge-eating disorder. Guideline, 2016 What are the best standards for diagnosing and managing premenstrual disorders? Expert consensus recommends keeping a symptom diary for 2 months before diagnosis, using SSRIs as first-line treatment for PMS, and carefully explaining SSRI side effects to patients. Systematic review, 2016 What are the best treatments for PMDD without other mental health conditions? Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (especially paroxetine and fluoxetine) and low-dose oral contraceptives work best. Other options like light therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and supplements show promise but need more research. Review, 2015 What treatments work best for PMDD and PMS? SSRIs are the first-line treatment for PMDD. Only calcium supplement has strong evidence among supplements, though other psychiatric medications and hormonal treatments also work. Review, 2015 Do hormonal contraceptives have benefits beyond preventing pregnancy? Yes. Combined oral contraceptives can reduce heavy periods, anemia, and PMDD symptoms. Several other contraceptive methods also offer additional health benefits. Review, 2015 What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated? PMS affects 30 to 40 percent of reproductive-age women and PMDD affects 3 to 8 percent. Serotonergic antidepressants are the most effective treatment, but oral contraceptives, lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and herbal supplements are also available options. Randomised trial, 2015 Does taking sertraline only when PMDD symptoms start, instead of every day, help? Yes, taking sertraline just during the symptomatic days of the cycle improved mood and irritability more than placebo, though the main symptom scale did not quite reach statistical significance. Systematic review, 2014 Do acupuncture and herbal medicine help PMS or PMDD symptoms? Both acupuncture and herbal medicine significantly improved PMS and PMDD symptoms, with most treatments providing over 50% improvement. They appear safe, though the evidence is limited. Systematic review, 2014 Do estrogen and progesterone change how the brain processes emotions and decisions? Yes. These hormones affect which brain areas activate when women process emotions and make decisions, particularly in areas involved in mood and choice-making. The specific pattern varies by hormone level and person. Review, 2013 What treatments work best for PMDD? A combination of lifestyle changes, medicines, and cognitive behavioral therapy works best. This approach reduces symptoms and improves daily functioning and quality of life. Systematic review, 2013 Does Vitex (chaste tree) help PMS and PMDD symptoms? Most studies found Vitex better than placebo for PMS. For PMDD, results were mixed: one study showed it equal to fluoxetine, while another found fluoxetine more effective. Side effects were mild. Systematic review, 2012 Do women with both bipolar disorder and PMS or PMDD need different treatment? Yes. Women with both conditions have more severe symptoms, more frequent relapses, and worse responses to treatment. They need special care that tracks their menstrual cycle. Systematic review, 2012 How effective are cognitive-behavioral therapy and antidepressants for PMS and PMDD? Both cognitive-behavioral therapy and serotonergic antidepressants showed small to medium effects, but researchers concluded efficacy was not satisfactory and recommend combining both approaches for better results. Randomised trial, 2012 Does continuous birth control help women with PMDD? Continuous birth control pills reduced PMDD symptoms more than placebo. About 52% of women on the pill improved by at least half, compared to 40% on placebo. Systematic review, 2012 Does the oral contraceptive drospirenone help women with premenstrual symptoms? Yes, drospirenone 3 mg plus ethinyl estradiol 20 micrograms reduced premenstrual symptoms more than placebo and improved daily functioning, but it causes more nausea, intermenstrual bleeding, and breast pain. Systematic review, 2012 What medications work best for PMDD? The abstract does not include findings or results, so no conclusion can be drawn from it. Study, 2011 Does sertraline (an antidepressant) help all types of PMS the same way? No. Women with mainly mood symptoms and those with mixed symptoms improved with sertraline, but women with mainly physical symptoms did not improve. Randomised trial, 2011 Does a 24/4 birth control pill help women with PMDD improve work, relationship, and social functioning? Yes. The pill significantly improved problems at work, in relationships, and in social activities compared to placebo, with the greatest improvements appearing in the first cycle. Randomised trial, 2011 Does a birth control pill reduce negative emotions, food cravings, and water retention in women with PMDD? Yes, the pill significantly reduced all three symptom clusters compared to placebo in all three treatment cycles. The greatest improvements happened in the first cycle. Review, 2011 What are PMS and PMDD, and how common are they? PMS affects 20-32% of women before menopause with moderate mood and physical symptoms. PMDD is more severe and affects 3-8% of women, causing significant problems at work or socially. Survey study, 2011 Is premenstrual syndrome related to major depression? Yes. Women with moderate to severe PMS are significantly more likely to have depression (11.3% to 24.6% depending on PMS severity). Women with both conditions are more severely impaired than those with either alone. Review, 2010 What is the recommended way to diagnose and treat PMDD? PMDD affects 3-5% of women and causes severe symptoms. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, a type of antidepressant) taken during the luteal phase (the two weeks before menstruation) are considered first-line therapy. Randomised trial, 2009 How long should women take SSRI antidepressants for PMS or PMDD? Longer treatment helps prevent relapse for mild PMS, but symptom severity matters most: women with mild PMS relapsed one-third of the time regardless of how long they took the medication, while women with severe PMDD relapsed two-thirds of the time regardless of length. Systematic review, 2009 Are SSRIs effective for treating severe PMS or PMDD? Yes. SSRIs significantly reduced PMS symptoms in 2,294 women. All six different SSRIs tested showed benefit for reducing physical, functional, and behavioral symptoms. Review, 2009 What causes PMDD and what are the treatment options? PMDD affects an estimated 5-8% of women and causes severe mood and physical symptoms. The cause involves individual sensitivity to hormonal changes. Treatments include serotonin antidepressants, medications that stop ovulation, and certain newer birth control pills. Non-randomised trial, 2008 Can the Sheehan Disability Scale measure whether treatments work? Yes. The scale was able to tell the difference between treatments that worked and treatments that didn't in clinical trials. Randomised trial, 2008 Does drospirenone with ethinyl estradiol birth control help PMDD? This birth control formulation is the only hormone-based option with large randomized controlled trials proving it works for PMDD and has FDA approval for this use. Randomised trial, 2008 Does the antidepressant escitalopram taken only during the luteal phase reduce PMDD symptoms? Yes. Escitalopram taken at 20 mg daily during the luteal phase only reduced core PMDD symptoms by 90%, much more than placebo. 80% of women had an 80% or greater reduction in irritability compared to 30% on placebo. Systematic review, 2008 What treatments work best for PMS and PMDD? Antidepressants called SSRIs are proven effective for severe PMDD and are the first medication to try. Lifestyle changes and exercise are recommended for all women with PMS or PMDD. Systematic review, 2008 Do SSRIs (a type of antidepressant) help PMS and PMDD symptoms? Yes. SSRIs reduce symptoms of PMS and PMDD, and continuous daily dosing works better than taking the medication only during certain cycle phases. Review, 2008 What medications are FDA-approved for treating PMDD? Three selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, a type of antidepressant) and a low-dose birth control pill containing drospirenone are FDA-approved for PMDD. SSRIs can be taken just during the two weeks before menstruation. Randomised trial, 2007 Does paroxetine work better if taken daily or just during your luteal phase for PMDD? Daily paroxetine had an 85% response rate and was most effective overall, while luteal-phase-only paroxetine worked equally well for irritability and mood swings but was weaker for depression and physical symptoms. This well-designed study provides reliable results. Randomised trial, 2005 Does fluoxetine improve sexual drive and desire in women with PMDD? Fluoxetine showed a trend toward improving sexual drive compared to placebo, though the difference wasn't statistically significant. This suggests SSRIs might help rather than harm sexual drive in women with PMDD. Review, 2005 Do antidepressants improve quality of life in women with PMDD? Yes. SSRIs significantly improved functioning and quality of life in all studies that measured this. Randomised trial, 2005 Does a low-dose birth control pill with drospirenone help PMDD? Yes, the pill reduced symptoms significantly more than placebo. On average, 8 women need to take it for 1 to experience major improvement (50% symptom reduction). Randomised trial, 2005 Does paroxetine taken only during the luteal phase help premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Yes. Both doses of paroxetine CR (12.5 mg and 25 mg) taken during the luteal phase were significantly better than placebo. Randomised trial, 2005 Does paroxetine controlled-release help PMDD? Yes. Both 12.5 mg and 25 mg doses of paroxetine were more effective than placebo for PMDD mood symptoms and were well tolerated. Randomised trial, 2004 Does dosing sertraline continuously or just before the period work better for severe PMS? Both dosing schedules worked about equally well, significantly better than placebo. Randomised trial, 2004 What medications work for PMDD when taken only during the second half of the menstrual cycle? SSRIs including sertraline, fluoxetine, and paroxetine are the most proven treatment for PMDD when taken during the luteal phase. Symptom reduction is similar to taking them continuously, but with less medication exposure and lower costs. Randomised trial, 2004 Does the antidepressant paroxetine CR reduce PMDD mood symptoms? Yes. In this large trial, both a lower and a higher dose of paroxetine CR significantly improved mood symptoms compared with placebo, with the higher dose working somewhat better. Review, 2004 What is PMDD and how is it treated? PMDD is a severe form of PMS with physical and behavioral symptoms during the second half of the menstrual cycle. Treatment starts with lifestyle changes and over-the-counter medications, and includes antidepressants if needed. Cohort study, 2004 Do women with PMS have worse menopausal symptoms? Yes, women with PMS are significantly more likely to experience hot flushes, depression, poor sleep, and low libido during menopause. This large five-year study provides strong evidence for this connection. Review, 2004 How should doctors diagnose and treat PMS and PMDD? Doctors can now diagnose these conditions using specific prospective symptom tracking and have several evidence-based treatments. Antidepressants that increase serotonin, especially when taken only during the luteal phase, work best for severe symptoms. Randomised trial, 2003 What treatments work for PMS and PMDD? Several treatments work. Non-drug options include cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise, and supplements like calcium and magnesium. Many studies support SSRIs (taken daily or only before menstruation). Hormonal treatments that stop ovulation also help. Randomised trial, 2003 Does fluoxetine help women with PMDD work better during their menstrual cycle? Yes. In a study of 320 women, both 20 mg and 60 mg per day of fluoxetine significantly improved work capacity by the first treatment cycle. The 20 mg dose was well-tolerated and quickly reduced symptoms. Review, 2003 How do menstrual cycle hormones affect the brain and cause mood disorders like PMDD? A hormone called allopregnanolone acts on brain receptors. Changes in this hormone during the cycle may cause mood and behavioral symptoms in up to 20% of people through three mechanisms: direct effects, building tolerance, and withdrawal effects. Randomised trial, 2003 Are SSRI antidepressants effective for PMDD? Yes, SSRIs are effective first-line treatments for PMDD. Both continuous dosing and intermittent dosing during the luteal phase lead to rapid improvement in symptoms and functioning. Review, 2003 Are SSRIs safe and effective for treating PMDD? Yes. SSRIs taken daily or intermittently are considered the first-line effective treatment for PMDD and are well tolerated. Randomised trial, 2003 Do SSRIs (antidepressants) help PMDD? Yes, multiple randomized trials show SSRIs significantly improve PMDD symptoms, especially mood and psychological symptoms. Intermittent dosing for 14 days per month works nearly as well as daily dosing. Randomised trial, 2002 Does taking sertraline only during the luteal phase help premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Yes. Women taking sertraline during the second half of their cycle showed significant improvement compared to placebo, with few side effects. Randomised trial, 2002 Does fluoxetine work for premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Yes. Fluoxetine 20 mg daily appears effective for PMDD based on multiple studies. However, the evidence comes from mostly small studies and researchers need larger trials, especially testing whether taking it only during the second half of the cycle works. Review, 2002 What treatments work best for PMS and PMDD? Ovulation suppression and SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants) are the two most effective treatments. SSRIs work particularly well for PMDD and can be taken only during the luteal phase of the cycle. Randomised trial, 2002 Does daily fluoxetine help PMDD? Yes. Fluoxetine 20 mg improved mood and physical symptoms compared to placebo. The 10 mg dose showed some benefits but was not as strong. Both were well tolerated. Randomised trial, 2002 Does taking fluoxetine only before your period help PMDD? Yes, at a dose of 20 mg per day. This dose reduced mood symptoms and physical symptoms like breast tenderness and bloating, starting 14 days before the period through the first day of bleeding. Review, 2002 What treatments work best for PMDD? Exercise, diet changes, minerals, and medicines that stop ovulation all help, with SSRIs appearing most effective. Start with non-medication approaches first. Randomised trial, 2002 Are SSRIs the best treatment for PMDD? Yes, SSRIs are very effective for PMDD. All studies of fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, and citalopram reported positive results, making SSRIs the emerging gold standard treatment. Randomised trial, 2002 Does taking fluoxetine only during the luteal phase help PMDD? Taking fluoxetine 90 mg twice during the luteal phase significantly improved PMDD symptoms, mood, social functioning, and quality of life compared to placebo or taking it once. This was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial with 257 women. Review, 2001 What causes PMS and PMDD, and how are they treated? PMS is caused by abnormal responses to normal hormone changes during the menstrual cycle. Treatment includes lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, and medications. SSRIs are the first-line treatment for PMDD, and calcium supplements may help. Randomised trial, 2001 Does fluoxetine help the physical symptoms of PMDD? Fluoxetine taken daily was significantly better than placebo at improving physical symptoms like breast tenderness, bloating, and headache. Both 20 mg and 60 mg doses worked similarly. Randomised trial, 2001 Does venlafaxine help treat PMDD? Yes, venlafaxine was significantly more effective than placebo. 43% of women on venlafaxine had full symptom remission compared to 25% on placebo, with most benefit appearing in the first treatment cycle. Randomised trial, 2000 How should PMDD be diagnosed and treated? PMDD is a distinct condition from regular PMS, characterized by mood symptoms like irritability and anger. SSRIs taken daily or only during the menstrual cycle are first-line treatment and work very well with minimal side effects. Randomised trial, 2000 How effective are antidepressants for treating PMDD? Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (a type of antidepressant) are very effective for PMDD, with excellent results and minimal side effects. Treating only during the premenstrual phase works nearly as well as daily treatment. Randomised trial, 2000 How should PMS and PMDD be managed? SSRIs are the most effective treatment for PMDD and can be taken daily or just during the premenstrual week, with excellent results and minimal side effects. Randomised trial, 2000 Does sertraline improve how women with PMDD feel and function? Yes. Sertraline was clearly better than placebo at improving how women with PMDD functioned and their quality of life, and improvements appeared by the second month of treatment. Randomised trial, 2000 Which antidepressant works better for PMS, sertraline or desipramine? Sertraline was more effective than both desipramine and placebo at reducing PMS symptoms. This was a high-quality study with 167 women completing it. Randomised trial, 1999 Is sertraline more effective than other antidepressants for severe PMS or PMDD? Yes. Sertraline was significantly more effective than both placebo and desipramine at reducing severe PMS and PMDD symptoms, with 65% of women improving by more than 50%. Randomised trial, 1999 Is sertraline taken only during the luteal phase effective for PMDD? Yes, sertraline taken during the luteal phase significantly reduced PMDD symptoms including mood and physical symptoms, and was well tolerated with insomnia as the main side effect in 14% of women. Randomised trial, 1999 Do SSRIs reduce premenstrual dysphoria symptoms? Yes. SSRIs work significantly better than placebo and faster than when used for depression or anxiety. Intermittent dosing (taking medication only before the period) may work even better than daily dosing. Randomised trial, 1998 Is intermittent citalopram during the luteal phase more effective than continuous dosing? Yes, taking citalopram only during the luteal phase was more effective than placebo and appeared more effective than continuous or semi-continuous dosing, with mild side effects. Review, 1997 Does appetite and food cravings change during the menstrual cycle, especially in women with PMS? Yes. Energy intake is higher in the second half of the cycle (luteal phase) compared to around ovulation. Many women with PMS report carbohydrate cravings before menstruation, possibly linked to changes in serotonin levels. Randomised trial, 1997 What is the difference between PMS and PMDD, and how should they be treated? PMDD is a severe condition distinct from PMS that can be diagnosed using standardized criteria and daily symptom tracking for at least two menstrual cycles. Treatment options include lifestyle changes, SSRIs, or surgeries that stop ovulation, all proven effective in randomized trials. Randomised trial, 1997 Does sertraline reduce PMDD symptoms and improve women's ability to function? Yes, sertraline significantly reduced symptoms and improved functioning. 62% of the sertraline group had much or very much improvement compared to 34% of the placebo group. Randomised trial, 1996 Does sertraline help PMDD symptoms? Yes. In this study, 68% of women taking sertraline had much or very much improvement, compared to 40% taking placebo. This strongly suggests sertraline works for severe premenstrual symptoms. Randomised trial, 1995 Does fluoxetine help premenstrual dysphoria? Yes. Fluoxetine at 20 mg or 60 mg per day significantly reduced tension, irritability, and dysphoria compared to placebo. The 20 mg dose had fewer side effects than the 60 mg dose. Review, 1995 What causes PMS? We don't know what causes PMS yet. It likely involves hormones, brain chemicals, and stress, but doctors and researchers are still studying it. Systematic review, 1995 What medications work best to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Several types of medication show promise for treating PMDD, but there is not strong evidence yet for which works best because studies used different methods and measurements. More standardized research is needed to say which treatments help most. Randomised trial, 1995 Does spironolactone help PMS symptoms? Yes. Spironolactone significantly reduced mood symptoms like irritability and depression, and physical symptoms like breast tenderness and bloating, compared to placebo. Cohort study, 1992 What percentage of women seeking help for premenstrual symptoms have PMDD? Between 14% and 45%, depending on how symptoms were measured. This wide range shows there is no standard way to diagnose PMDD yet. Review, 1992 Is PMS really caused by hormones? The evidence that PMS is caused by hormones is unclear. Psychological and individualized treatments may work better than hormone treatments for PMS. Review, 1989 Are mental health conditions linked to the reproductive cycle? Psychiatric disorders like PMS and postpartum depression are linked to the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. But research on PMS is still early and many questions remain. Systematic review, 2026 What does recent research show about PMS treatment? PMS is very common, affecting 43 to 82.9 percent of women. Education, relaxation exercises, yoga, and physical therapies help reduce symptoms. Survey study, 2026 Are antidepressants effective for PMDD? Yes. SSRIs (a type of antidepressant) are the first-line treatment for PMDD and work quickly, often within hours to days, which is faster than for other mood disorders. Taking them only during the two weeks before the period is an option. Survey study, 2026 What are the causes, diagnosis, and treatments for PMS and PMDD? This review consolidates what doctors know about PMS and PMDD. PMS affects 12-98% of reproductive-age women and PMDD affects 2-5%. Treatments range from lifestyle changes, therapy, and vitamins to medications like SSRIs and oral contraceptives. Survey study, 2026 Are menstrual characteristics linked to depression and anxiety in teenage girls? Yes. Girls with earlier periods, irregular cycles, long cycles, severe period pain, and worse premenstrual symptoms have higher depression and anxiety scores, and these links get stronger as girls get older. Cohort study, 2026 Is wanting to get pregnant linked to worse PMDD symptoms? No. Among full-time working women, wanting to get pregnant was not linked to having PMDD, though it was weakly linked to slightly higher symptom scores. Case-control study, 2026 Does PMS increase the risk of depression after childbirth in women with a history of depression? Yes. Women with PMS had a 45.5% rate of postpartum depression compared to 22.5% without PMS, making it 2.87 times more likely. Survey study, 2026 Do people with ADHD traits have higher rates of PMDD than others? Yes, people with ADHD traits had significantly higher risk of PMDD. People with autism traits did not show a higher risk of PMDD. Survey study, 2026 Are PMS and PMDD linked to suicidal thoughts and violence toward family? Yes. Women with moderate-to-severe PMS had 1.76 times higher risk of suicidal thoughts, and women with PMDD had 1.88 times higher risk. Women with PMDD had 3.04 times higher likelihood of violence toward family. Cohort study, 2026 How do premenstrual symptoms change after pregnancy, and what predicts worse symptoms? Premenstrual symptoms increase modestly after childbirth. Postpartum depression and severe period pain are linked to higher symptom scores. Survey study, 2026 Are PMDD and ADHD linked in women with bipolar disorder? In women with bipolar disorder, 44.2% have PMDD, and those with PMDD also have higher ADHD symptom scores. Genetic risk for ADHD was linked to both PMDD severity and ADHD symptoms. Survey study, 2026 Are there different types or patterns of PMDD among Chinese college students? Yes. There are two patterns: one with severe emotional and physical symptoms, and another with milder symptoms. Women with painful periods were more likely to have the severe pattern. Systematic review, 2026 What types of talking therapy have been studied for PMS and PMDD? Several cognitive behavioral therapies have been studied for PMS and PMDD, including CBT, mindfulness therapy, and acceptance therapy. The evidence is scattered and hasn't been systematically compared yet, so we don't know which approach works best. Study, 2026 How often do people have both PMDD and bipolar disorder together, and how do they affect each other? PMDD and bipolar disorder frequently occur together, making mood episodes more frequent and severe. The connection appears to involve hormonal changes in estrogen and progesterone, though how well treatments work remains unclear. Randomised trial, 2026 Which works better for PMDD: cognitive-behavioral therapy or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy? Both therapies reduced stress and improved well-being in PMDD, with cognitive-behavioral therapy being more effective. However, neither significantly improved emotional well-being. Survey study, 2026 Does COVID-19 infection or depression affect menstrual periods? Yes, clearly. Both COVID-19 infection and moderate to severe depression were linked to menstrual changes. About 38% of the female students experienced menstrual dysfunction. Survey study, 2026 What dietary, lifestyle, and psychological factors are associated with PMS in young women? Stress and sleep problems were independently associated with PMS. Diet and weight were not independently associated with PMS after accounting for other factors. This is a cross-sectional study, so these are associations, not proof of cause and effect. Systematic review, 2026 Do digital tools and apps help reduce PMS and PMDD symptoms? Yes, several digital programs help reduce symptoms, especially internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy and app-based mindfulness. Therapist-guided internet CBT for PMDD showed benefits lasting up to 6 months. Tracking apps helped with symptom awareness and engagement. Lab study, 2026 Do core stability exercises help women with PMDD? Yes. After 8 weeks of core stability exercises, women with PMDD had reduced pain and improved ability to do daily activities. Randomised trial, 2026 Does online muscle relaxation training or lifestyle changes reduce PMS symptoms and improve work performance? Yes, both approaches significantly reduced PMS symptoms and improved work performance. Progressive muscle relaxation was slightly more effective for pain and overall symptom severity. Randomised trial, 2026 Does yoga or Pilates help manage PMS symptoms? Yes, both yoga and Pilates reduced depression, anxiety, stress, and improved quality of life over 6 weeks, with yoga producing slightly larger improvements. However, this was a very small pilot study. Randomised trial, 2026 Does education about PMS symptoms help reduce pain and stress? Yes. Women who received education about PMS symptoms had lower pain and stress levels than the control group, especially if their symptoms were more severe to begin with. Survey study, 2026 Does exercise help college women with period problems and mental health? Yes. College women who do moderate to vigorous exercise have less severe period problems, lower stress, fewer depression symptoms, and better sleep quality. Study, 2026 Does rimegepant help prevent migraines that happen around your period? Yes, in this study rimegepant worked well. Women who took it around their period had fewer, shorter, and less severe migraines, and their quality of life improved. However, this was a small study without a comparison group. Review, 2026 How should doctors diagnose and treat PMDD? Doctors can treat PMDD with antidepressants (SSRIs) or birth control pills. The main challenge is that diagnosis is often difficult and delayed, especially for women with other mental health conditions. Survey study, 2026 Does fear of childbirth explain why women with PMS are more likely to develop postpartum depression? Yes, partially. Fear of childbirth accounts for 31.03% of the effect of PMS on postpartum depression in first-time mothers, and 43.62% in experienced mothers. This suggests PMS creates ongoing emotional vulnerability through pregnancy and after birth. Study, 2026 Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition? Yes. If you have depression, bipolar disorder, or other mental health conditions, symptoms often worsen before your period due to hormone changes. This can affect how well treatments work. Survey study, 2026 How does the way women cope with PMS symptoms affect their relationships? Women with probable PMDD had lower relationship satisfaction than women with milder forms. Coping strategies involving self-care, communication, and avoiding harm were linked to better relationship satisfaction and more social support. Survey study, 2026 Do women with PMS have lasting problems with focus and impulse control throughout their cycle? Yes. Women with PMS have ongoing problems with focus and impulse control throughout their cycle, and these are not caused by hormone level changes. Study, 2026 Does increased brain reward sensitivity protect mood during the premenstrual phase? Possibly. When estradiol levels drop before the period, some women's brains show increased sensitivity to rewards. Women who had bigger increases in reward sensitivity experienced smaller increases in depression symptoms. Review, 2026 Can traditional Chinese medicine help treat PMDD? This review suggests that traditional Chinese medicine approaches like herbal medicine and acupuncture may help PMDD symptoms and might have fewer side effects than standard medications. However, more rigorous research is needed before it can become a standard treatment. Study, 2026 What do women in Lahore know about PMDD and do they seek help for it? About 1 in 10 women in this group had PMDD, and about half understood it well. Although most women had positive attitudes toward treatment, most did not actually see a doctor about it. Survey study, 2026 What lifestyle and work factors are linked to PMDD symptoms in Chinese nurses? 42.4% of Chinese nurses have PMDD symptoms. Risk is higher in those who work night shifts, do not exercise, drink alcohol, are overweight in a certain range, or have depression, anxiety, or poor sleep. Survey study, 2026 How common are PMS and PMDD in teenagers, and can a new questionnaire measure their impact? Very common. 46.6% of teenage girls had moderate-to-severe PMS and 22.5% had PMDD. The questionnaire accurately measured how much their symptoms disrupted their daily lives and school. Case-control study, 2026 Does PMDD affect how the brain handles motivation when facing difficult choices? Women with PMDD showed less motivation in low-conflict situations and reduced brain activity in reward centers compared to healthy women. This suggests PMDD affects how the brain processes rewards and risks. Interview study, 2026 What is healthcare like for women with PMDD in Australia? Most women see many doctors before getting diagnosed, more than half experience medical gaslighting and misdiagnosis, and only 19% receive the proper diagnostic tests. Getting a correct diagnosis helps women feel less confused about themselves. Survey study, 2026 Are women who feel mood changes from birth control pills at higher risk for PMDD and postpartum depression? Yes. Women who reported mood problems from the pill were 3.78 times more likely to have PMDD and 1.66 times more likely to have depression after childbirth, though genetic factors and depression history also matter. Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Between 5% and 8% of women have moderate-to-severe symptoms that cause significant problems with work, relationships, and daily life. These are called PMS or PMDD. PMDD is the most severe form. Survey study, 2026 What is the true rate of PMDD, and does it worsen mental health conditions? The true rate of PMDD when properly diagnosed is 3.2%. Depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia can all worsen during certain times of the menstrual cycle, and SSRIs and hormonal therapies are proven treatments. Study, 2026 What treatments work for PMDD? SSRIs (a type of antidepressant) and certain types of birth control are the main first-line treatments. New treatments targeting brain chemistry are being developed. Survey study, 2026 How common is PMDD among college women and what increases the risk? About 17.4% of college women screened positive for probable PMDD. Living with a boyfriend, having severe period pain, and having longer menstrual cycles were associated with higher odds. Survey study, 2026 How common is PMDD among female medical students and what triggers it? 11% screened positive for PMDD and 42.5% had moderate-to-severe PMS. Main triggers were stress, poor health, poor nutrition, and exams, though most managed symptoms without seeing a doctor. Randomised trial, 2026 Does physical activity help manage PMS and PMDD symptoms? Yes, aerobic exercise at moderate intensity reduces both physical and psychological symptoms of PMS and PMDD. Evidence comes from reviews of other studies, and more research is needed. Survey study, 2026 What hormonal and psychological factors affect PMS symptoms? In a community sample of 257 women, PMS symptoms were higher in the days before menstruation and linked to progesterone levels. Stress and anxiety-prone personality traits also increased symptoms. Cohort study, 2026 Does a birth control pill with estetrol and drospirenone help PMS? Yes. Over 3 months, this combination birth control significantly improved PMS symptoms and hormone levels. Non-hormonal therapy also helped but had smaller effects. Survey study, 2026 How common are severe PMS and PMDD in young women, and what are the risk factors? About 26% had moderate to severe PMS and 7.3% had PMDD. Risk factors included not exercising, living in rural areas, starting periods early, and not getting enough sleep. Systematic review, 2026 Are women with PMDD more likely to have suicidal thoughts or attempts? Yes. People with PMDD show clearly higher rates of suicidal thoughts, planning and attempts than would be expected, though no study yet has tested treatments to reduce this risk. Survey study, 2026 Does a history of mood problems with your period predict depression during menopause? Yes, women with a history of mood changes before their period or depression after childbirth were more likely to have depression symptoms during menopause. Cohort study, 2026 Does suicidal thinking and self-harm follow the menstrual cycle in PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD show significant cyclic patterns in suicidal thoughts and self-harm urges, peaking in the late luteal phase and improving around menstruation. This pattern is strongest in those who meet PMDD criteria. Cohort study, 2026 What life and psychological factors are linked to PMS and PMDD? Both are linked to smoking, childhood trauma, poor mental health, and poor work-life balance. PMDD is also linked to being married with children. PMS is linked to alcohol use. Survey study, 2026 Does the Chinese version of the PMS screening questionnaire work well? Yes. The Chinese version is reliable and valid for identifying PMS and PMDD in Chinese college students. Survey study, 2026 What role do stress and inflammation play in PMDD? A review of published research found that stress and inflammation are present in people with PMDD. More research is needed to understand how well birth control pills and anti-inflammatory medicines work for treating PMDD. Survey study, 2026 Are PMS and PMDD the same condition or are they different? They are different. PMDD is more severe and causes significant distress and impairment in work and relationships, while PMS is broader and milder. PMDD requires more intensive treatment. Survey study, 2026 What life and job situations increase the risk of PMDD and moderate-to-severe PMS in working women? Younger age, non-permanent jobs, working 60 or more hours weekly, small company employment, having children, and lower education all increase risk. Manufacturing jobs reduce risk. Cohort study, 2026 Does workplace stress affect whether women develop PMDD? Among women already experiencing high psychological stress, having a stable job protected them from developing PMDD symptoms. The link was weaker for women with low stress. Review, 2026 Do PMDD, postpartum depression and perimenopausal depression have the same genetic causes? It's unclear. Researchers have looked at several of the same genes in all three conditions but found inconsistent results. Most genetic research has focused on postpartum depression, not PMDD. Review, 2026 How much do PMS and menstrual disorders affect women's work, school, and quality of life? Significantly. PMS and related menstrual disorders reduce quality of life, mental health, and work productivity. Most productivity loss comes from working while unwell rather than missing work. Survey study, 2026 Do women with ADHD and autism have more premenstrual problems than women without these conditions? Yes, women with ADHD and autism have significantly more premenstrual problems than women without these conditions, with equal severity in both groups. Premenstrual symptoms are linked to traits like inattention and social difficulties. Systematic review, 2026 What psychosocial and behavioral factors are linked to worse PMDD symptoms? This systematic review of 12 studies with 2,486 participants found that family history of PMS, dysmenorrhea, and earlier menarche consistently linked to worse PMDD. Associations with depression, stress, and exercise showed mixed results. Survey study, 2025 Do menstrual problems and poor sleep affect mood and thinking in teenage girls? Yes. Clear links exist between menstrual pain or PMS symptoms and anxiety, depression, and social problems in adolescent girls. Sleep also matters. Girls with later bedtimes or shorter sleep plus pain had worse mood and thinking problems. Systematic review, 2025 What are the main trends in research about premenstrual disorders and related conditions? Research on premenstrual disorders has grown steadily from 1999 to 2023. Most research comes from North America. Scientists are increasingly studying connections between PMDD and bipolar disorder. Review, 2025 What are PMS and PMDD and what causes them? PMS causes mood, behavior, and physical symptoms before your period that resolve after menstruation. PMDD affects 5-8% of women and causes serious daily disruption. Cause is unknown but involves brain chemistry and hormone changes. Survey study, 2025 Does PMDD affect screen time, sleep quality, and how fast people react? Yes. Women with PMDD spent more time on phones, had worse sleep, and were slower to respond to sounds and images compared to healthy women. Survey study, 2025 Do adverse childhood experiences increase PMS and menstrual symptoms in adulthood? Yes. Women who experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences were nearly three times more likely to have severe premenstrual symptoms and more than five times as likely to have PMDD compared to those with fewer or no adverse experiences. Survey study, 2025 Do women with bipolar disorder who had PMS or postpartum depression have worse mood problems during menopause? Yes. Women with bipolar disorder who had premenstrual symptoms are 6.189 times more likely to have mood episodes during menopause, and those with postpartum depression are 2.635 times more likely to have depression during menopause. Systematic review, 2025 What stops people with PMDD from being diagnosed and treated? Many barriers prevent PMDD diagnosis and treatment, including stigma and shame, lack of doctor knowledge, cultural beliefs about menstruation, and fragmented healthcare systems. Improving care requires addressing all these levels at once, not just one. Randomised trial, 2025 Does relaxation training help women with PMDD? Yes. Relaxation training significantly reduced PMDD symptoms, anxiety, depression, and disability in women with PMDD, and improved their quality of life. Survey study, 2025 Does hormonal contraception affect PMDD? Yes, hormonal contraception can affect PMDD, but the effects vary by person and medication. We can't be certain which contraception works best for each woman because more research is needed. Case-control study, 2025 Is the stress hormone system different in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD had significantly lower cortisol levels throughout the menstrual cycle compared to controls (p=0.0004 in follicular phase, p=0.0007 in luteal phase), suggesting PMDD may have a different mechanism than other depression types. Survey study, 2025 Is the Chinese uncertainty anxiety scale reliable for measuring PMS-related anxiety? Yes. The scale is reliable and valid for measuring how much women with PMS struggle with uncertainty and worry. This helps identify psychological problems in this group. Cohort study, 2025 Do estrogen and progesterone each trigger PMDD symptoms differently? Yes, likely. Both hormones triggered mood symptoms in women with PMDD when reintroduced after suppression, but progesterone appeared more closely linked to irritability and mood swings than estrogen. Review, 2025 How do hormone changes across the menstrual cycle affect mood and behavior in psychiatric disorders? This review proposes that fluctuations in estradiol and progesterone trigger different patterns of mood and behavior problems at different cycle phases through different biological mechanisms. Understanding individual differences in hormone sensitivity could help develop more precise treatments. Randomised trial, 2025 Can hypnosis ease anxiety, stress and low mood in women with PMS? Yes, in this small trial women who had hypnosis sessions ended up with lower depression, anxiety and stress scores than women who had no treatment, but the study was small and not blinded. Randomised trial, 2025 Does web-based health education help women with university-age PMS? Yes, web-based health education significantly reduced PMS symptoms and improved quality of life, with improvements lasting through at least two more menstrual cycles. Study, 2025 Does anger get worse before your period? Yes. Anger and irritability are clearly more severe before your period across reproductive ages. Case-control study, 2025 Does sleep quality affect brain activity and anxiety-depression symptoms in PMS? Yes. Poor sleep quality in PMS patients is linked to different brain activity patterns. The relationship between certain brain changes and anxiety-depression symptoms is partly explained by sleep quality. Study, 2025 Can blood markers that predict depression after childbirth also predict PMDD? A blood marker linked to depression after childbirth also showed promise in identifying women with PMDD, particularly during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Case-control study, 2025 Do women with rheumatoid arthritis have more PMDD? Yes. Women with rheumatoid arthritis are 4.54 times more likely to have PMDD (24% vs 6%) and 4.9 times more likely to experience functional impairment from PMDD compared to healthy women. Cohort study, 2025 Is the stress hormone cortisol different in women with PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD had weaker cortisol peaks in the early cycle phase, and lower cortisol was linked to more depression during the premenstrual phase. Survey study, 2025 How do personality traits like neuroticism affect PMS severity and sexual satisfaction? Yes, personality traits significantly predict both PMS severity and sexual satisfaction. Women with higher neuroticism had more severe PMS with anxiety, depression, and fatigue, while those with higher extraversion had milder PMS and better sexual satisfaction. Review, 2025 Does hormonal birth control affect mood and depression? Some types of hormonal birth control increase depression risk for some women, while others may actually decrease it. Age when you start and your mental health history are important factors in whether birth control will affect your mood. Randomised trial, 2025 Does escitalopram reduce aggressive behavior in women with premenstrual anger and irritability? Escitalopram reduced self-reported irritability and anger, and decreased aggressive behavior on one lab test but only in some women whose anger followed a specific pattern. We can be moderately confident in this finding. Survey study, 2025 Is the PSST a good screening tool for PMS in Bangladesh? Yes, the Bangladeshi version of the PSST was found to be valid and reliable for screening PMS, with strong correlations to depression, anxiety, and stress. Survey study, 2025 Are menstrual problems connected to depression? Yes, strongly. Women with severe menstrual problems had significantly higher rates of depression. Those with severe PMS had twice the risk of definite depression compared to women without PMS. Review, 2025 What do menstrually-related mood disorders and postpartum depression have in common? They share similar symptoms like anxiety, irritability, and depressed mood. They may be caused by similar hormone changes and stress effects on the brain, but more research is needed to understand all the factors involved. Survey study, 2025 How do PMS and PMDD affect work performance, and do birth control pills help? PMDD most substantially increased the risk of work problems. Birth control pills significantly reduced work problems only for PMDD, not for PMS. Study, 2025 What brain changes do women with PMS and PMDD have? Brain imaging shows that women with PMS and PMDD have structural and functional differences in their limbic system (the emotion center of the brain), particularly in three areas: the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus. These differences may help explain the symptoms. Cohort study, 2025 Do pain sensitivity and negative thinking explain how trauma and stress cause PMS or PMDD? Yes. Both heightened pain sensitivity and negative thinking patterns mediate the connection between past trauma or stress and premenstrual disorder symptoms. Survey study, 2025 Can anxiety and depression predict how severe PMS will be? Yes. Depression and anxiety strongly predict PMS severity. When depression increased by one level, PMS risk went up 41%. When anxiety increased by one level, risk went up 51%. Survey study, 2025 How common is PMDD among female medical students in Vietnam? PMDD affects 4.2% of female medical students at this university. The study also found that menstrual cycle length, regularity, electronics use, and alcohol drinking are linked to PMDD. Case report, 2025 Does an online peer support community help women with PMDD? Yes, probably. Women who joined r/PMDD showed a clear decrease in linking PMDD to depression and anxiety. The community seems to help them understand PMDD separately. However, this is based on analyzing discussions, not a controlled study, so we cannot be certain it caused these changes. Survey study, 2025 How common is PMDD in Brazilian women and what are the most frequent symptoms? PMDD affects 3.57% of Brazilian women. Emotional symptoms like anxiety and irritability are much more common than physical symptoms like weight gain. Survey study, 2025 How are PMS and PMDD diagnosed and treated? PMS and PMDD are diagnosed by tracking symptoms for at least two cycles and noting if they occur in the luteal phase. SSRIs are first-line treatment. Cognitive behavior therapy, exercise, acupuncture, and the herb Vitex agnus castus may also help. Cohort study, 2025 What causes migraine in female college students who have PMS? Among college students with PMS, those with migraine have worse sleep quality and higher anxiety. Poor sleep and anxiety appear to predict migraine risk. Survey study, 2025 Are premenstrual symptoms linked to depression in teenage girls? Yes. Girls with premenstrual symptoms were about 1.7 times more likely to have depressive symptoms than girls without PMS. Survey study, 2025 Is PMS connected to mental health problems and lifestyle choices? Yes, 64% of nursing students had PMS and it was strongly linked to depression, anxiety and stress. PMS was also more common in students who smoked, drank alcohol, drank coffee or reported psychological problems. Survey study, 2025 How common are PMS, anxiety, and depression in teenage girls, and are they related? PMS is very common (89.35%), as are anxiety (98.72%) and depression (75%). Depression is linked to PMS, but anxiety is not. Survey study, 2025 Can flexibility in managing difficult feelings help mothers with PMDD parent better? Mothers with higher psychological flexibility (ability to accept and work with difficult feelings) showed more positive parenting even when they had worse PMDD symptoms. Psychological flexibility also reduced depression and anxiety. Survey study, 2025 Does PMDD affect women's quality of life and job performance? Yes. Women with PMDD had significantly lower quality of life and job performance. Quality of life was positively linked with job performance. Survey study, 2025 Does how women cope with stress affect their PMDD symptoms? Yes. Women with stress had worse PMDD symptoms, especially if they avoided dealing with the problem. Using better coping strategies helped reduce symptom severity under stress. Study, 2025 Do women with PMDD who experienced childhood trauma have more trouble recognizing emotions? Yes. Women with PMDD who experienced childhood trauma, especially physical or sexual abuse, had significant difficulty recognizing emotions compared to women with PMDD who were not traumatized. Randomised trial, 2025 Do bergamot and grapefruit essential oils reduce PMS and menstrual symptoms? Grapefruit essential oil significantly reduced both PMS and menstrual symptoms over three cycles, while bergamot only reduced PMS symptoms. Study, 2025 Does cognitive-behavioral therapy help girls with PMDD feel better about themselves? Yes. Girls who received cognitive-behavioral therapy showed clear improvements in well-being and self-compassion compared to girls who received no treatment. Randomised trial, 2025 Does mindfulness training help with pain and emotional stress in PMDD? Yes, mindfulness training reduced pain intensity and increased distress tolerance in 32 students with PMDD, and these improvements lasted 3 months after training ended. Randomised trial, 2025 Does escitalopram improve attention and reduce impulsivity in women with premenstrual irritability and anger? Escitalopram improved attention consistency in a lab test and women reported fewer impulsive urges when taking the drug. We can be moderately confident in this finding. Review, 2025 What causes PMDD and why is it hard to function? PMDD is caused by the brain being too sensitive to hormonal changes. It leads to real and significant difficulty with work, school, or relationships that doctors often overlook. Systematic review, 2025 How common are PMS and PMDD in low- and middle-income countries, and what prevents treatment? PMS affects 5.5% to 98.2% of women and PMDD 0.5% to 65.7%, with huge variation in how it's diagnosed. The main barrier to treatment is lack of standardized diagnosis and care guidelines, especially outside wealthy countries. Systematic review, 2025 Are women with PMDD more likely to have experienced trauma in the past? Yes. Across many studies, most women with PMDD reported past traumatic exposure, and they were about twice as likely to have a trauma history as women without PMDD. Survey study, 2025 Are premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms, stress, and sleep quality linked in female nursing students? Yes, there was a clear link between more premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms and higher stress, and between stress and worse sleep. Survey study, 2025 Is a Chinese version of a PMDD screening tool reliable and valid for identifying PMDD? Yes. The Chinese version is reliable and accurately identifies PMDD in college students. It can distinguish women with PMDD from those without. Cohort study, 2025 Do women with depression experience worse mood before their period? Yes. Women with depression showed gradual mood decline starting 14 days before menstruation, with the lowest mood 3 days before to 2 days after. About 54% had worse mood during this window than during the rest of the cycle. Case-control study, 2025 Is PMDD related to changes in a brain receptor gene during the menstrual cycle? Women with PMDD show lower levels of a specific receptor gene (delta GABA subunit) during their symptomatic luteal phase. This lower expression is linked to increased activity in the brain region that controls emotion. Randomised trial, 2025 Does vitamin B6 reduce PMS symptoms in teenagers? Yes. Teenagers given vitamin B6 had significant reductions in PMS severity, particularly for mood-related symptoms like depression and anxiety. Randomised trial, 2025 Does blocking progesterone change brain structure in people with PMDD? No. A progesterone-blocking medication did not change white matter structure in the brain compared to placebo, though some secondary analyses showed differences that need further study. Survey study, 2024 Does having PMS or PMDD before pregnancy increase the risk of depression during and after pregnancy? Yes. Women with PMS or PMDD before pregnancy had a higher risk of depression during pregnancy and in the first month after birth. Survey study, 2024 Does having PMS or PMDD before pregnancy increase the risk of depression during and after pregnancy? Yes. Women with PMS or PMDD before pregnancy had a higher risk of depression during pregnancy and in the first month after birth. Survey study, 2024 Which lifestyle choices affect PMS symptoms? Depression was strongly linked to worse PMS symptoms, but exercise and relaxation showed no significant link. However, this was a snapshot survey that cannot prove depression causes PMS. Systematic review, 2024 Do women with PMS or PMDD have disrupted body clocks and sleep? Yes, the evidence so far suggests women with PMS/PMDD tend to have lower melatonin, higher nighttime body temperature, and worse sleep quality, but many other measures are mixed or show no difference, so this is not fully settled. Case-control study, 2024 Do women with PMDD have a weaker stress response? Yes, women with PMDD showed significantly lower stress hormone (cortisol) levels 40 to 90 minutes after a stressful test, suggesting a blunted stress response. Case-control study, 2024 Do women with PMDD have more attention and memory problems than other women? Yes, women with PMDD show greater increases in memory and attention problems as they progress through their menstrual cycle toward their period. Women with PMDD are also more likely to have ADHD. Case-control study, 2024 Do women with PMDD have permanent differences in brain structure? Yes. Women with PMDD have thinner brain surface and lower folding patterns than women without PMDD, regardless of menstrual cycle phase. This suggests these are stable features of PMDD, not just temporary changes. Study, 2024 When women suspected of having PMDD are tracked for 3 months, how many actually meet the full criteria? About two-thirds (65.3%) of women with suspected PMDD actually met the full criteria for PMDD when their symptoms were tracked for 3 months. Randomised trial, 2024 Can stress inoculation training reduce anxiety, depression, and stress in students with PMS? Yes. Computer-based stress inoculation training significantly reduced PMS severity, anxiety, depression, and perceived stress in university students. Randomised trial, 2024 Does emotion-focused therapy help PMDD symptoms? Yes. Emotion-focused therapy significantly reduced PMDD symptoms, emotion regulation difficulties, and depression and stress over 16 weeks compared to a waiting list control. Case-control study, 2024 How does PMDD affect how women understand and feel what others are experiencing? Women with PMDD show unusual brain patterns related to empathy during the luteal phase: they have stronger emotional responses but have more difficulty understanding other people's perspectives. This may explain the severe social difficulties that women with PMDD report during this phase. Case-control study, 2024 Are hormone and growth factor levels different in women with PMDD during the luteal phase? Yes. Women with PMDD have higher progesterone and cortisol during the late luteal phase, and these are linked to worse symptoms. Growth factors that may protect are lower in women with PMDD. Systematic review, 2024 What brain changes occur in PMDD? Multiple brain regions show structural and functional changes in PMDD, including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, and other areas. Some changes correlate with how severe symptoms are. Randomised trial, 2024 Does sertraline change brain chemicals in people with PMDD, and does this relate to symptom improvement? Sertraline changed specific brain chemical levels (pregnanolone) in people with PMDD compared to baseline. However, whether these chemical changes directly caused symptom improvement was not tested. Cohort study, 2024 How does sleep change across your menstrual cycle? Sleep was best during the mid-to-late follicular phase (when estrogen is rising) compared to menstruation and the luteal phase. This is fairly clear evidence from 96 women. Case-control study, 2024 Does rumination and mindfulness affect mood differently in women with PMDD at different times of the cycle? Yes. Women with PMDD showed stronger positive mood improvement from mindfulness during the late cycle phase. Rumination increased negative mood in all women regardless of cycle phase. Case-control study, 2024 Can short mindfulness or rumination exercises shift mood differently across the cycle in PMDD? Yes. Short mindfulness exercises boosted positive mood more in women with PMDD during the premenstrual (late luteal) phase than in women without PMDD, while short rumination exercises worsened mood and awareness for everyone, regardless of cycle phase or PMDD status. Study, 2024 Does Xiaoyaosan, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, help PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD who took Xiaoyaosan for three menstrual cycles showed improvement compared to a control group of healthy women. Survey study, 2024 What menstrual and mental health factors are linked to high-risk premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Heavy periods, irregular cycles, severe period pain, anxiety, depression, loneliness, and low resilience were all linked to higher PMDD risk. Resilience might help buffer the effects of anxiety and depression. About half of students studied had high-risk PMDD. Study, 2024 Do depressive symptoms change across the menstrual cycle? Yes, depressive symptoms changed significantly across the menstrual cycle, and the amount of change differed between women and between individual symptoms. Measuring symptoms in the afternoon gave the most reliable results. Cohort study, 2024 Does the menstrual cycle affect daily changes in suicidal thoughts? Yes, for women with suicidal ideation. They had worse suicidal thoughts and planning during certain menstrual cycle phases, particularly around menstruation, driven mainly by depression and hopelessness. Survey study, 2024 How common is PMDD among university students and what factors increase the risk? PMDD affected 64.6% of university graduating students. Severe menstrual pain, irregular periods, and depression were the strongest linked factors. Randomised trial, 2024 Does a banana drink with egg white reduce PMDD symptoms and improve mood? The banana drink significantly reduced anxiety, fatigue, concentration problems, insomnia and physical symptoms, and improved mood. Serotonin levels did not increase significantly. Cohort study, 2024 Does shift work worsen PMS symptoms in newly graduated nurses? Yes. PMS got worse six months after newly graduated nurses started shift work and stayed worse at 18 months. Sleep quality and fatigue were the strongest linked factors. Randomised trial, 2024 What causes PMS and PMDD and how are they treated? PMS and PMDD happen when hormone changes interact with brain chemicals during the menstrual cycle. Treatments include birth control pills, progesterone, SSRIs (a type of antidepressant), and hormone injections for severe cases, though some treatments still need proof from rigorous trials. Cohort study, 2024 Is PMS before pregnancy linked to postpartum depression? Yes. Women with PMS symptoms before pregnancy were more likely to develop postpartum depression at day 7 to 10 after birth, 6 weeks postpartum, and 6 months postpartum. This association was especially strong in women who had been pregnant multiple times. Survey study, 2024 How common is PMDD in high school students and what factors are linked to it? About one-third of high school students (33.03%) had PMDD. Depression, stress, irregular periods, and longer menstrual bleeding were the strongest linked factors. Survey study, 2024 How common are PMS and PMDD in young Turkish women and what factors are linked to them? PMS affects about 49% of young Turkish women and PMDD about 48%. Blood type B was far more likely to have PMS than blood type A. Lower physical activity, longer menstrual cycles, more caffeine, and depression were also linked to PMDD. Study, 2024 Does how women feel when exercising change across the menstrual cycle? Yes, clearly. Women experience worse pain, water retention, nausea, and dizziness before high-intensity exercise during menstruation versus other phases. They have lower motivation during menstruation and the luteal phase. However, exercise improves mood and motivation regardless of phase. Survey study, 2024 Does thinking style affect mood through the menstrual cycle in people with PMDD? Yes. People with PMDD who had less repetitive negative thinking and more present-moment awareness during the late luteal phase showed better mood. Long-term thinking habits didn't protect them from premenstrual mood worsening. Non-randomised trial, 2024 Does metacognitive therapy help women with PMDD reduce dysfunctional thinking? Yes, metacognitive therapy reduced dysfunctions in women with PMDD. The therapy accounted for approximately 24.3% of the improvement in dysfunctional attitudes. Randomised trial, 2024 Do positive psychology and physical activity help PMS symptoms? Yes. Both positive psychology and physical activity significantly reduced depression, anxiety, and stress in students with PMS, with benefits appearing about two months after the interventions. Randomised trial, 2024 Can yoga or muscle relaxation exercises ease PMS symptoms? Yes, in this small trial, students who practiced yoga, or yoga plus progressive muscle relaxation, had lower PMS scores afterward than those who did only relaxation or nothing. Systematic review, 2024 What is it like to live with PMS or PMDD, and what support do women need? Women with PMS or PMDD experience intense, life-changing symptoms that control their daily lives. They struggle to get doctors to understand their condition and manage it largely alone while developing coping strategies. Survey study, 2024 Did COVID-19 stress cause changes in menstrual cycles? Yes, the pandemic was linked to menstrual cycle changes, and women with these changes were more likely to have depression and sleep problems, though the study can't prove stress caused the changes. Study, 2024 Does the Japanese version of a symptom-tracking tool work well for identifying PMS and PMDD? Yes. The Japanese version of the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP-J) is reliable and valid, and correctly identifies moderate-to-severe PMS and PMDD in Japanese women. Cohort study, 2024 Is childhood trauma related to premenstrual disorders? Yes. The study found a link between childhood trauma and premenstrual symptoms, especially in women with moderate-severe PMS or PMDD. Women with premenstrual worsening of other mental health problems also reported more childhood trauma than healthy women. Survey study, 2024 Are menstrual cycle symptoms related to sleep problems and mental health in female athletes? Yes. Women with more menstrual symptoms reported more depression, anxiety, stress problems, and sleep issues. Case-control study, 2024 Does PMDD affect how women judge space and direction? Women with PMDD performed better on spatial thinking tests during the follicular phase, suggesting PMDD may involve different brain processing patterns. The practical meaning of this enhanced ability is not yet clear. Randomised trial, 2024 Does SPRM treatment change white matter volume in the brain in women with PMDD? No. The study found no change in white matter volume with treatment, which is a fairly confident finding from a controlled trial, though the sample size was not reported in the abstract. Interview study, 2024 What are the experiences of self-harm and suicidal thoughts in women with PMDD? Just under half of the women had deliberately harmed themselves during a PMDD crisis. 82% had suicidal thoughts during their luteal phase, and 26% had attempted to end their life. Women reported that diagnosis delays and damaged self-worth worsened their mental health. Randomised trial, 2023 Does a one-week sleep and light intervention help PMDD mood symptoms? A one-week intervention combining evening sleep restriction and morning bright light significantly improved mood more than the opposite pattern, and the benefit was linked to earlier timing of the body's melatonin rhythm. We can be fairly confident in this finding. Study, 2023 Do women with PMDD have different brain network patterns than women without PMDD? Yes. Using brain imaging, researchers found that women with PMDD have different patterns of connection between brain regions in three brain networks compared to women without PMDD. Survey study, 2023 What factors make some women more likely to have PMS or PMDD? Several factors were linked to higher risk of PMS or PMDD: negative Rh blood type, depression, and drinking caffeine more than three times a week. Women who had their first period at a later age had lower risk. Survey study, 2023 Is a history of PMS linked to postpartum depression? Yes. Women with more severe PMS were more likely to experience baby blues (low mood after birth) and postpartum depression. The correlation between baby blues and PMS was 0.397. Survey study, 2023 Can psychological immunity and coping skills reduce anxiety and depression in women with PMS? Psychological immunity and coping strategies were strongly linked to lower anxiety and depression in women with PMS. Self-regulation was the strongest protective factor. Cohort study, 2023 Does the menstrual cycle affect how often women have suicidal thoughts? Yes. Women with recent suicidal thoughts reported significantly more severe ideation during the perimenstrual phase (around their period) compared to other cycle phases. The cycle explained 25% of the change in suicidal thoughts. Non-randomised trial, 2023 Does a school health education program reduce PMS symptoms? A 4-week health education program significantly reduced moderate and severe PMS and PMDD symptoms in high school girls compared to a control group, though the study was limited to one school. Case-control study, 2023 Do emotion regulation strategies help women with PMDD manage mood and stress hormones? Women with PMDD use less helpful emotion regulation strategies. Using better strategies improves daily mood but does not fully prevent the premenstrual mood drop. Mindfulness may help maintain normal stress hormone levels. Randomised trial, 2023 Does estrogen and progesterone around the period help with suicidal thoughts? In 26 women with suicidal thoughts, giving estrogen and progesterone before the period changed some brain chemicals that may relate to suicide risk. This is very early research with a small sample, so we cannot be sure yet. Randomised trial, 2023 Does doing yoga at home help reduce premenstrual symptoms? Yes. In 128 women who did 30 minutes of yoga at least 3 times a week for 3 months, premenstrual depression, physical symptoms, and anger improved significantly compared to women who did not do yoga. Cohort study, 2023 Is the mid-luteal phase a vulnerable time for mood problems? The study found weak evidence for this. Women had more depression-like symptoms in the mid-luteal phase, but stress was a stronger predictor of mood changes than menstrual cycle phase. Survey study, 2023 Which personality traits predict PMDD or severe PMS? Women with anxious or cyclothymic personality traits are more likely to have PMDD and severe PMS. About 13.2% of women studied had PMDD. Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS and PMDD in first-year medical students? About half (50.6%) had PMS and 8.7% had PMDD. Age at first period, weight, and BMI did not predict who had PMS or PMDD. Systematic review, 2023 Is taking SSRIs only during the luteal phase as effective as taking them every day for PMS? Yes. Taking SSRIs only during the luteal phase works about as well as taking them daily. Intermittent dosing may be preferable because it uses less medication. Survey study, 2023 Is PMDD diagnosis associated with more severe depression and anxiety and lower well-being? Yes. Women with probable PMDD had significantly higher depression and anxiety symptoms and lower well-being compared to those without PMDD, regardless of their menstrual cycle phase. Survey study, 2023 What factors make PMS worse in college students? Depression, stress, sleep problems, and eating attitude problems are all linked to worse PMS. Most students had symptoms severe enough to be called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). Survey study, 2023 Does stress cause women with PMDD to eat emotionally? In women with PMDD, stress mediated the link between PMS symptoms and emotional eating. Stress plays a key role in whether women eat emotionally during their cycle. Study, 2023 Does progesterone affect food cravings before your period? Yes. Higher progesterone levels were linked to fewer food cravings before the period. The link was the same for women with PMDD and those without. Randomised trial, 2023 Does drospirenone birth control help PMS symptoms? Drospirenone birth control may modestly improve PMS symptoms and reduce problems with work and relationships, but the evidence is weak and it may cause more side effects leading women to stop taking it. Cohort study, 2023 Are premenstrual disorders linked to depression, anxiety, and self-harm in teenage girls? Yes. Girls with premenstrual disorders have 4 to 7 times higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-injury, and suicide risk compared to boys and girls without the disorder. This suggests premenstrual disorders may cause much of the difference in mental health problems between teenage boys and girls. Cohort study, 2023 What causes premenstrual syndrome and dysphoric disorder, and what are the best treatments? This review finds that PMS and PMDD involve hormonal fluctuations and brain chemistry changes, particularly serotonin and GABA. Current treatments (SSRIs and oral contraceptives) help some women but not all, and the exact causes remain unknown. Case-control study, 2023 Do women with PMDD have different thinking patterns than women without it? Yes. Women with PMDD had higher scores on self-punishment, emotional suppression, and feeling vulnerable compared to healthy women. Study, 2023 How are PMS and PMDD treated? PMS and PMDD are treated with antidepressants, hormonal drugs, talk therapy, and lifestyle changes. Non-medication approaches are becoming increasingly important. Survey study, 2023 Is PMS related to depression, anxiety, and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic? Yes. A clear relationship was found between PMS and depression, anxiety, and stress. Most women experienced PMS (68.8%), anxiety (75.8%), and depression (63.8%). Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS, PMDD, anxiety, and depression in rural adolescent girls? In 430 rural girls, 8.8% had PMDD and 17.4% had PMS. PMDD was significantly linked to depression, anxiety, menstrual pain, irregular cycles, and family type. Survey study, 2023 Which PMDD symptoms cause the most impairment and do they all belong in one condition? Irritability is by far the most impairing PMDD symptom, affecting 77% of women with premenstrual symptoms. However, many of the symptoms listed in PMDD criteria appear unrelated to mood symptoms and don't seem clinically important on their own. Survey study, 2023 How do rumination and awareness affect mood and stress hormones during the menstrual cycle in PMDD? In women with PMDD, being aware of the present moment and thinking less about negative things predicted better mood during the premenstrual phase. Women with PMDD also lacked the normal stress hormone pattern that healthy women show, which may be a biological marker of PMDD. Randomised trial, 2023 Does peer education work as well as healthcare provider education for PMS in high school students? Both peer education and healthcare provider education reduced PMS and improved general health in high school students compared to a control group. Both approaches appear equally effective. Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS and PMDD in high school girls, and what factors increase risk? About 1 in 3 high school girls have moderate-severe PMS and 1 in 8 have PMDD. Dysmenorrhea, poor general health, family history of PMS, and excess salt intake increase risk. Cohort study, 2023 Does recreational physical exercise reduce premenstrual symptoms in teenage girls? Possibly. Girls who exercised 3 or more times per week had lower depression. However, older age and higher weight were linked to worse symptoms. Survey study, 2022 How much does PMDD affect academic quality of life in female college students? In this study of 239 health sciences students, nearly all experienced PMDD symptoms (physical 98.7%, psychological 97.5%, some social 58.2%), and about half said it affected their academic quality of life (46.9%). Survey study, 2022 What are the biggest research gaps in women's health, especially for menstrual conditions? Research is lacking in many important areas, especially communication between women and doctors about health, and support for menstrual conditions like PMDD and heavy periods. There is more research on menopause but not on how to help women manage other conditions. Survey study, 2022 How common are PMS and PMDD? Are stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep problems related to them? About 22.49% of women have PMS and 1.36% have PMDD. Women with these conditions have much higher stress, anxiety, and depression and worse sleep than women without them. Cohort study, 2022 Do adverse childhood experiences increase risk of PMS and PMDD? Women who experienced adverse childhood events had significantly higher risk of PMS and PMDD. Those with 4 or more such experiences had 2.46 times higher risk than those with none. The link was stronger for PMDD than for PMS. Systematic review, 2022 Does having PMDD increase the risk of depression during pregnancy or after birth? Yes. Women with PMDD have higher risk of depression after giving birth. Evidence for depression during pregnancy is less clear from current studies. Cohort study, 2022 Does depression after pregnancy affect when periods return and how severe menstrual symptoms are? Women with higher depression scores at 6 months postpartum were more likely to have their periods return within 6 months. Women whose menstrual symptoms worsened had higher depression scores, but this wasn't confirmed when adjusted for other factors. Survey study, 2022 How can animal models help us understand and treat PMDD? This review discusses how animal models are used to study PMDD. It concludes that PMDD is complex and involves multiple hormone systems, and effective animal models must capture this complexity to develop new treatments. Survey study, 2022 Does emotional processing change through the cycle if someone had postpartum depression? Yes. Women with a history of postpartum depression showed depression-like thinking patterns during the late luteal phase, like dwelling on negative self-views and remembering sad information better. Healthy women did not show this pattern. Survey study, 2022 Are depressive symptoms linked to menstrual distress? Yes, strongly. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with menstrual distress in both the premenstrual and menstrual phases, even after accounting for shift work, sleep, and other factors. Survey study, 2022 Do women with premenstrual syndrome think differently than women without it? Women with PMS think differently in some ways than women without symptoms, but not as drastically as women with depression. Women with both PMS and depression have the most distorted thinking patterns. Study, 2022 Can measuring symptom severity help identify women who need treatment for PMS or PMDD? Yes. A symptom severity tool correctly identified women with moderate to severe PMS or PMDD, showing higher scores than a diagnostic interview confirmed. Survey study, 2022 Do women with PMDD have different brain function at different cycle phases? Yes. Women with PMDD have worse focus and decision-making during the week before their period, and they have more difficulty managing emotions throughout the cycle. Randomised trial, 2022 Does group counseling reduce PMS symptoms and depression, stress, and anxiety? Yes, group counseling significantly reduced PMS severity and depression, stress, and anxiety in women with PMS. Randomised trial, 2022 Do hormone pills prevent suicidal thoughts from getting worse around menstruation? Yes. Giving women estradiol and progesterone during the time when their natural levels drop (around menstruation) significantly reduced suicidal thoughts, depression, and feelings of rejection and burden compared to placebo. Survey study, 2022 Does personality type affect how severe PMDD is? Yes. Women with higher neuroticism (a personality trait involving worry, emotional reactivity, and anxiety) had more severe PMDD symptoms and greater impact on daily life. Randomised trial, 2022 Does PMS50 supplementation reduce psychological symptoms of premenstrual syndrome? Yes, it helped several psychological symptoms like mood, anxiety, and irritability compared to placebo. The study was small, so we need larger trials to be sure. Randomised trial, 2022 Does emotion-focused group therapy help women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Yes. Emotion-focused group therapy significantly improved pain, self-compassion, sexual function, and reduced couple burnout. The effects were large and consistent across all measured areas. Case-control study, 2022 Are differences in emotional brain activity in women with PMDD related to progesterone-derived neurosteroids? Women with PMDD show greater emotional brain activity during the late luteal phase, and this activity is related to a different balance of two neurosteroids (ALLO and ISO) compared to women without PMDD. Survey study, 2022 What factors are associated with irregular menstrual cycles and how do irregular cycles affect other symptoms? Irregular cycles (varying by more than 7 days) affected 21% of nurses. Higher weight, lack of vigorous exercise, shift work, and heavy lifting were associated with irregular cycles. Women with irregular cycles also reported more depression, anxiety, stress, fatigue, and sleep problems. Survey study, 2022 Did the COVID-19 pandemic change women's periods and mental health? Yes. More than half of women reported changes in their menstrual cycle, including more heavy bleeding, painful periods, and missed periods. Rates of depression, anxiety, and poor sleep were more than double what is normal, and these were connected to menstrual changes. Survey study, 2022 Does SPRM treatment change brain structure in women with PMDD? No. After three months of SPRM treatment compared with placebo, there were no visible changes to brain structure. Brain changes did not correspond to symptom improvement. Cohort study, 2022 Do women with both bipolar disorder and PMDD have worse biological rhythm disruptions? Yes, women with both bipolar disorder and PMDD experienced greater disruptions in biological rhythms across both the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle, especially in sleep and activity patterns. Cohort study, 2022 Does living in greener areas reduce PMS symptoms? Yes, women living in greener areas had lower rates of several PMS symptoms including anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and breast tenderness. The effect was modest but consistent. Study, 2022 Which premenstrual symptoms change with the menstrual cycle in midlife women? Mood, muscle and nerve, and body-wide symptoms worsen before the period in women reporting PMS. Hot flashes and sleep problems do not follow this pattern, and menopausal transition stage does not affect any symptoms. Survey study, 2022 Do different healthcare providers differ in recognizing and treating PMDD? Yes. Gynecologists and psychiatrists were rated highest for awareness and knowledge of PMDD. Psychotherapists were rated highest for interpersonal skills. Gynecologists were most likely to ask patients to track their symptoms daily. Different providers have different strengths. Survey study, 2022 Does PMDD affect how confident university students feel about their schoolwork? Yes, university students with PMDD report significantly lower confidence in their ability to do schoolwork and other tasks compared to students without PMDD. Randomised trial, 2022 Does having an irregular menstrual cycle before pregnancy increase depression during pregnancy? Yes, women with irregular cycles before pregnancy were more likely to have depression during pregnancy. Cycle length itself did not predict depression, only how consistent the cycles were. Cohort study, 2022 What are PMS and PMDD and how should they be diagnosed and treated? PMS involves 1-4 symptoms or 5 or more physical or behavioral symptoms. PMDD requires 5 or more symptoms with at least one mood symptom like irritability or mood swings. Treatments include exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medications like SSRIs and hormonal contraceptives. Randomised trial, 2022 How common are suicidal thoughts in women with PMDD, and what factors are associated with them? About 4 in 10 women with confirmed PMDD reported current suicidal thoughts in the luteal phase. Those with previous psychological treatment and higher depression were more likely to have suicidal thoughts, while better perceived health was protective. We can be confident in this prevalence estimate. Cohort study, 2022 How common are suicidal thoughts and self-harm in people with PMDD? Suicidal thoughts, planning, and attempts are very common in people with PMDD. About 72% report lifetime suicidal thoughts, 49% report planning, and 34% report attempts. Interview study, 2022 Can a new 33-item questionnaire reliably measure premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) symptoms? Yes, this new screening tool shows strong reliability and validity for measuring PMDD symptoms and can categorize women by severity. It could help doctors diagnose PMDD faster when they have time constraints, though it has only been tested on one type of population so far. Survey study, 2022 Do stress and rumination increase with PMS severity? Yes. Women with more severe PMS symptoms had higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression and rumination. Momentary stress and rumination also increased during the premenstrual phase of the cycle. Study, 2022 Does having COVID-19 affect premenstrual syndrome symptoms? Yes. Women who recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 6 months reported more PMS symptoms than women who had never had COVID-19. Study, 2022 How do depression and parent communication affect premenstrual syndrome in high school girls? Depression was linked to more PMS symptoms. Open and supportive communication with parents was linked to fewer symptoms. Together with menstrual pain and grade level, these factors explained about 34.4% of the variation in PMS symptoms. Survey study, 2022 How common is PMDD in women and does exercise help? PMDD symptoms are very common (85% of women), with 19% having severe symptoms. Women who do not exercise regularly have worse PMDD, and higher body weight increases severity. Review, 2022 What brain regions are involved in PMS and PMDD? The temporal lobe, particularly the amygdala and hippocampus, appears central to both PMS and PMDD. These brain areas show structural and functional changes that may explain symptom patterns. Randomised trial, 2022 What research topics and methods have scientists focused on when studying PMS and PMDD? Scientists have focused research on PMS and PMDD primarily through double-blind medication trials, with recent trends shifting toward understanding steroid hormone pathways and genetic factors. Randomised trial, 2021 Does sepranolone reduce PMDD symptoms? Sepranolone showed benefit for PMDD distress compared to placebo, but the main overall symptom score was not significantly different from placebo in the primary analysis. A follow-up analysis using a longer symptom window showed sepranolone 10 mg was significantly better. Survey study, 2021 Is the Italian version of a PMS screening tool reliable for identifying women who need treatment? Yes. The Italian version of the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool is reliable and valid for screening women for PMS and PMDD. Randomised trial, 2021 Does blocking progesterone receptors help women with PMDD control anger and aggression? Yes, according to this study. Women taking the medication had a 93% response rate compared with 53.3% on placebo, and their brains showed stronger activity in emotion control regions. Case-control study, 2021 Do women with PMDD have different brain responses to emotions? Yes. Women with PMDD showed different patterns of brain activation when processing anger and sadness, and reported more difficulty recognizing emotions. We can be fairly confident because the study was carefully designed, but findings come from brain imaging which requires interpretation. Cohort study, 2021 Does tooth sensitivity change across the menstrual cycle? Women had significantly higher sensitivity to cold pain during the menstrual phase compared to other phases. The evidence is moderately strong from this small longitudinal study. Survey study, 2021 What happens when someone has both bipolar disorder and PMDD? Women with both conditions experience more severe bipolar disorder with more mood episodes and more depression. Treatment is challenging because standard PMDD medication can trigger mania in people with bipolar disorder. Case-control study, 2021 Are there genetic differences between different types of PMDD? Yes. Different PMDD subtypes show distinct genetic patterns that could eventually help diagnose which type a woman has and predict which treatments might work. Randomised trial, 2021 Does cognitive behavioral therapy help PMDD? Yes. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) significantly reduced PMDD symptom severity and improved women's quality of life compared to standard care. Randomised trial, 2021 Does hypnotherapy reduce pain and emotional distress in women with PMDD? Yes. Hypnotherapy focusing on cognitive flexibility and ego strength reduced pain and emotional distress much more than no treatment. Cohort study, 2021 Does the menstrual cycle change how brain regions connect with each other? Yes. The menstrual cycle changes how brain regions connect, particularly around ovulation, and these changes relate to estradiol levels and well-being. This is a small study (24 women) so the findings need confirmation in larger groups. Cohort study, 2021 Do women with PMDD have worse sleep, focus, and tiredness problems that get worse before their period? Yes, women with PMDD have more severe insomnia, attention problems, and fatigue than women without it, and these symptoms get significantly worse in the late luteal phase (the days before menstruation). Survey study, 2021 Is premenstrual dysphoric disorder linked to suicide risk in women with mood disorders? Women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder who have depression or bipolar disorder are 3.46 times more likely to have attempted suicide. However, this study only included women who already have mood disorders. Survey study, 2021 How common is PMDD among high school girls? About 1 in 20 high school girls (4.89%, or 44 out of 900) had PMDD. The study included girls aged 12-16 in India. Interview study, 2021 How common is PMDD in female university students and what increases the risk? About 21.1% of university students have PMDD. Medical students face higher risk, as do women with heavier periods and certain personality traits like higher anxiety and lower sociability. Randomised trial, 2021 Does ulipristal acetate help premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Yes. After 3 months, women taking ulipristal acetate had 41% improvement in symptoms versus 22% with placebo, and 50% achieved full remission versus 21% with placebo. Case-control study, 2021 Does sleep quality change across the menstrual cycle in women with anxiety disorders? Sleep quality remained mostly stable across menstrual cycle phases in both groups. The only link found was that larger increases in estradiol were associated with fewer nighttime awakenings. Survey study, 2021 Does the menstrual cycle affect how emotions and heart rate connect? In the luteal phase, women's sadness, stress, and anxiety were linked to increased heart rate and reduced heart rhythm variation, but this was not seen in the follicular phase. Women also showed larger heart rate increases with anger than men. Survey study, 2021 Does cognitive-behavioral emotional regulation training help women with PMDD? Yes. Training significantly improved marital happiness and emotional regulation in women with PMDD. This was a small study with a control group, so the effect is promising but needs confirmation in larger studies. Survey study, 2021 Does COVID-19 stress affect menstrual cycle regularity? Women healthcare workers with irregular periods reported significantly higher stress, anxiety, and depression linked to COVID-19 compared to women with regular periods. About 28.7% of the women in the study had irregular cycles during the pandemic. Case-control study, 2021 Does depression affect whether a screening tool accurately identifies PMS? Yes. A screening tool for PMS overidentified PMS in depressed women compared to tracking daily symptoms. Women with depression may report more PMS symptoms on a screening tool than they actually experience day-to-day. Randomised trial, 2020 Do micronutrient supplements work better than vitamin B6 for PMS? Both micronutrient supplements and vitamin B6 reduced PMS symptoms equally well. For very severe PMS (PMDD), micronutrients may work better than B6. Lab study, 2020 Are there different types of PMDD based on when symptoms appear and disappear? Yes. Some women have PMDD symptoms only in the week before their period, others have severe symptoms for the full two weeks before menstruation, and others have premenstrual symptoms that take a long time to improve. Randomised trial, 2020 Does N-acetylcysteine (NAC) work for PMDD as well as fluoxetine? Yes. NAC worked about as well as fluoxetine for PMDD, and both worked better than placebo. Cohort study, 2020 Are women with PMDD more likely to have generalized anxiety disorder? Yes, women with generalized anxiety disorder were 7.65 times more likely to have PMDD than those without it. The connection between the two conditions was explained by depression and partly by behavior inhibition and irritability. Randomised trial, 2020 Does saffron reduce PMS symptoms as well as fluoxetine? Yes, saffron reduced PMS symptoms similarly to fluoxetine and may even be better for breast and abdominal pain with potentially fewer side effects. Survey study, 2020 What factors predict which women will develop PMDD symptoms? How much women ruminate or worry about their problems and having a specific type of period pain are linked to PMDD. Stress and drug use were not linked. The researchers were able to predict PMDD symptoms correctly 90% of the time using these factors. Case-control study, 2020 Is diet quality lower in teenagers with PMS? Yes. Teenagers with PMS have lower diet quality scores. Better diet quality was linked to less anxiety, depression, and sleep problems in girls with PMS. Systematic review, 2020 Does having PMS before pregnancy increase the risk of postpartum depression? Yes. Women with a history of PMS before pregnancy are 2.20 times more likely to develop postpartum depression. However, the quality of evidence is low, which limits how confident we can be. Case-control study, 2020 Do appetite hormones and eating behaviors change differently across the luteal phase in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD have higher leptin levels throughout the luteal phase and show increased sweet cravings and uncontrolled eating, but changes in leptin are not linked to eating changes while depression and impulsivity are more important. Cohort study, 2020 Does having PMS before pregnancy predict postpartum depression? Yes. Women with a history of PMS or PMDD were at higher risk for depression after childbirth, especially if they had previous depression. Study, 2020 Does drinking and craving change across the menstrual cycle in women treated for alcohol use disorder? Yes. Women drank most during the mid-late luteal phase and menses. Women with less depression who felt less emotional stress during these times reported stronger alcohol cravings. Systematic review, 2020 What brain changes happen in PMDD? Women with PMDD show several brain differences on imaging: more grey matter in the cerebellum, changes in serotonin and GABA chemicals, and different patterns of activity in emotion-related brain regions. Case-control study, 2020 What factors predict which teenage girls will have PMS? Stress and a marker in the urine were the strongest predictors of PMS in teenage girls. Diet factors like fat, calcium, and zinc were also related to PMS risk. Randomised trial, 2020 Does an oxaloacetate and vitamin C combination reduce emotional symptoms of PMS? Yes. The supplement significantly improved depression, anxiety, stress, and aggression, with depression improving by 54.1% and suicidal ideation reduced by 47.9%. Study, 2020 Does Tazalok work better than Vitex for treating PMS? After 3 months, Tazalok improved hormone levels more than Vitex, with bigger improvements in depression and pain. Since women were not randomly assigned to groups, we cannot be completely certain about these differences. Survey study, 2020 How common are PMS and PMDD in women? In this study, all 198 women had some premenstrual symptoms, and 3.6% met criteria for PMDD, the more severe form. Survey study, 2020 Is PMS common in female university students and linked to anxiety, depression, and stress? PMS is common, with most students having moderate symptoms and 8% experiencing severe PMS. PMS is significantly associated with anxiety, depression, and stress. Review, 2020 Does progesterone help or harm women's mood? It depends on the condition. Progesterone's metabolite allopregnanolone helps postpartum depression but may trigger negative symptoms in women with PMS and PMDD. More research is needed. Case-control study, 2020 Do negative thoughts affect mood more strongly in women with PMDD? Yes. In women with PMDD, negative thoughts had stronger effects on later negative mood, especially in the late luteal phase. This suggests mindfulness-based approaches could help. Randomised trial, 2020 Does saffron work for PMDD as well as fluoxetine? Saffron improved PMDD symptoms similarly to fluoxetine, with fewer side effects than fluoxetine. Case-control study, 2020 How does competitive sports affect PMS, PMDD, and menstrual disorders in young female athletes? Female athletes had significantly more PMS (49.33%) than non-athletes (32%), with the risk increasing by 1.71 times per year of age. PMDD rates were similar between groups, but athletes had heavier periods and longer breaks between menstruation. Randomised trial, 2020 Do steroid metabolites differ between women with PMDD and those without? Yes. Women with PMDD show different patterns of certain steroid metabolites, particularly sulfated forms, which may relate to how their bodies process hormones. Randomised trial, 2020 Does progesterone therapy help premenstrual syndrome in women with PCOS? Yes, progesterone significantly reduced multiple emotional PMS symptoms in women with PCOS, including depression, anxiety, and mood swings. Case-control study, 2020 Are brain networks organized differently in women with PMDD? Yes, women with PMDD showed altered communication patterns between brain regions in both cycle phases. The study is relatively small, so results need confirmation in larger groups. Survey study, 2020 What topics are researchers most interested in studying about PMS and PMDD? Researchers have published 2,833 papers on PMS and PMDD from 1945 to 2018, with growing focus on depression, anxiety, and how these conditions affect young women. Cohort study, 2019 Do SSRIs help women who have both PMS and panic disorder? Yes. After six months of SSRI treatment, most symptoms improved though they persisted in reduced form. About 40 percent of women recovered completely. Review, 2019 Which contraceptive methods are safest for women with PMDD? Combined hormonal pills (especially 20 mcg ethinyl estradiol with 3 mg drospirenone) and copper IUDs help PMDD symptoms. Progestin-only methods may worsen mood and need careful monitoring. Case-control study, 2019 Do women with PMDD have different hormone levels than healthy women? Women with PMDD have lower estrogen levels during the early luteal phase. The combination of low early luteal estrogen and high early luteal progesterone together is associated with more severe PMDD symptoms. Survey study, 2019 Do women feel worse after social rejection during the luteal phase, and does progesterone protect against it? Women felt worse mood after being socially excluded, and this effect was stronger during the luteal phase than the late follicular phase. Higher progesterone levels were linked with less distress from exclusion, suggesting progesterone may buffer against the pain of rejection. Survey study, 2019 What lifestyle and sleep habits are linked to PMS in teenage girls? In Japanese high school students, poor sleep quality, long internet use, skipping breakfast, and not playing sports were linked to higher PMS risk, with menstrual pain being the strongest risk factor. This is observational so we cannot be sure these habits cause PMS. Cohort study, 2019 Do young female athletes have more menstrual problems and PMS than non-athletes? Yes. Intense exercise before first menstruation delayed when girls got their period. Competitive sport increased risk of PMS and PMDD. Case-control study, 2019 Do negative thinking patterns increase the risk of PMS or PMDD? Yes. Women with PMS and PMDD have more negative thinking patterns and process information differently than other women, especially during the luteal phase. Review, 2019 How do brain changes during reproductive transitions cause depression in women? A review of brain imaging studies found that depression related to reproductive cycle changes involves different brain activation patterns than typical major depression. Understanding these differences might help develop better treatments, though the causes remain unclear. Study, 2019 Do women with PMS or PMDD have different personality traits than women without these conditions? Yes, women with PMS or PMDD had different personality traits. Women with moderate to severe PMS or PMDD were more nervous and anxious, and women with PMDD were less cooperative than women without symptoms or mild PMS. Interview study, 2019 Which PMDD symptoms are most common in college students? Physical symptoms like pain are most common (91.4%), followed by anger and irritability (84.5%). PMDD causes the biggest problems with family relationships and home responsibilities. About 1 in 10 college students meet PMDD criteria. Survey study, 2019 How common are PMS and PMDD in adolescent girls, and how much do they affect daily life? 19.3% of girls aged 8-23 had moderate to severe PMS and 4.6% had PMDD. Nearly 1 in 4 girls missed school because of symptoms, showing PMS significantly disrupts their education. Older age, painful periods, heavy periods, high stress, and having a mother with PMS all increased risk. Survey study, 2019 How common is PMDD in teenage girls? Nearly 5% of teenage girls surveyed had PMDD. Girls with PMDD also had higher levels of stress, depression, and anxiety. Survey study, 2019 How common are PMS and PMDD in teenage girls? Over half (53.5%) of female high school students experience PMS and about 1 in 8 (12.22%) experience PMDD. Girls with a family history of PMS are more likely to have these conditions. Schools could help by providing education about PMS. Non-randomised trial, 2019 Are stress and personality traits linked to PMS and PMDD? Yes. Women with high stress or high neuroticism (a tendency toward worry and negative feelings) were 5 to 8 times more likely to have PMS or PMDD. This is fairly reliable because it compared women with the condition to similar women without it. Case-control study, 2019 Does the menstrual cycle affect how women's brains process emotions? Women's brain activity during emotion processing changes with menstrual cycle phase. In the late-luteal phase, women showed reduced reward processing, less enjoyment, and more sadness compared to the mid-follicular phase and compared to men. Case-control study, 2019 Do women with PMDD respond differently to stress? Yes, women with PMDD reported higher daily stress and negative mood in response to stressors in the late luteal phase, and showed different stress hormone patterns. The observation period was short, so results need confirmation. Study, 2019 Can an educational health program reduce depression and anxiety in women with PMS? Yes. An 8-week program on healthy living and mental health reduced depression and anxiety in women with PMS. Depression dropped from 15 to 8.01 on average, and anxiety dropped from 9.1 to 4.73. Randomised trial, 2019 Does schema therapy help mental health and quality of life in women with PMDD? Yes, schema therapy training improved mental health and quality of life in women with PMDD. Improvements appeared in depression, anxiety, and social function, and these gains persisted at follow-up. Case-control study, 2019 Is smoking linked to higher risk of PMS or PMDD? Yes. Smokers had higher odds of PMS (1.78 times) and PMDD (2.92 times) compared to non-smokers. This association was stronger with higher smoking amounts. Randomised trial, 2019 Does yoga help depression and blood pressure in women with premenstrual syndrome? Yes. Yoga significantly reduced depression scores and lowered diastolic blood pressure in women with PMS and depression. Randomised trial, 2018 Does a phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid supplement reduce PMS symptoms? Yes, women taking this supplement had significantly better improvement in PMS symptoms compared to placebo, including improvements in physical and depressive symptoms. The study was small but well-designed. Study, 2018 Do women with PMDD struggle to control emotions because of different brain activity? Yes. During the late luteal (premenstrual) phase, women with PMDD had less activity in parts of the brain involved in controlling emotions compared to control women and compared to their own activity during the early cycle phase. Cohort study, 2018 Do women with PMDD have different symptom patterns, and do some patterns cause more problems? Yes. Six distinct symptom patterns were identified: depressed mood, body symptoms, irritability, breast sensitivity, pain, and eating behavior changes. Body/somatic symptoms were most strongly linked to problems at work and in relationships. Survey study, 2018 Can education about PMS help protect against stress-related symptom worsening? Yes. Girls who received PMS education before an earthquake showed no change in symptoms during the disaster, while those without education experienced worsening symptoms. Randomised trial, 2018 Does inhaling lavender oil help with premenstrual syndrome? Yes. Inhalation of lavender oil reduces PMS symptoms compared with a control group, including anxiety, depression, nervousness, pain, and bloating. Randomised trial, 2018 Does swimming reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms? Yes. Swimming significantly reduced anxiety, depression, cramps, headaches, and most other PMS symptoms, but it did not help irritability or food cravings. Study, 2018 How cost-effective is medication for PMDD? Medication for PMDD improved quality of life and was cost-effective. The choice between escitalopram and sertraline depends on how much improvement is valued. Review, 2018 Do sex hormones cause mood disorders in women at certain times of the cycle? Evidence suggests women with reproductive mood disorders like PMDD have abnormal sensitivity to normal hormone changes rather than abnormal hormone levels. Normal hormone fluctuations trigger mood problems in some women but not others. Survey study, 2018 Can a questionnaire reliably measure how women cope with premenstrual symptoms? Yes, researchers developed and tested a 12-item questionnaire that reliably measures two main ways women cope with premenstrual symptoms: seeking positive activities and seeking support. This tool can help assess coping strategies. Case-control study, 2018 Do women with PMDD crave different foods than healthy women? Yes. Women with PMDD had stronger cravings for highly sweet foods before their period, while healthy women did not show this pattern. The difference was clear. Case-control study, 2018 Is PMDD linked to suicide attempts? Yes, women who attempted suicide were significantly more likely to have PMDD than women in the control group. However, regular PMS was not associated with suicide attempts. Survey study, 2018 How common is PMS in college women and how much does it affect their studies and social life? PMS is very common. 84.4% of students had PMS, and it seriously interfered with their studies and social activities. Survey study, 2018 What causes irregular periods? About 14.3% of Korean women aged 19-40 have irregular periods. Stress and depressive mood are the main causes, not medical conditions. Stress is the strongest factor. Lab study, 2018 How does depression affect menstrual function and fertility in women? Women with depression are more likely to have PMS and irregular periods. Depression also appears linked to fewer pregnancies and children. Depression starting at puberty has the worst effects on menstrual and reproductive health. Cohort study, 2017 Do changes in female sex hormones during the menstrual cycle cause mood changes? No, this study found no link between hormone fluctuations and mood changes across the menstrual cycle. Mood did not worsen before the period despite hormone changes. Survey study, 2017 Does painful menstruation affect adolescent girls' mood, emotions, sleep, and thinking? Yes. Girls with painful periods had higher depression, aggression, and sleep problems compared to girls without painful periods. However, thinking ability was not affected. Girls with only PMS (without pain) were similar to girls without either condition. Systematic review, 2017 Do estrogen patches or gels help control PMS symptoms? Estrogen patches and gels work by stopping ovulation and the hormone changes that cause PMS. However, the abstract does not provide results from the trials reviewed, so effectiveness cannot be assessed. Cohort study, 2017 Do birth control pills affect mood in healthy women without PMS? In healthy women without PMS, birth control pills did not change overall positive or negative mood. However, pill users had fewer mood swings and fewer ruminating negative thoughts. Cohort study, 2017 Which PMS symptoms best predict that PMS will interfere with work, relationships, and activities? Psychological and emotional symptoms are the strongest predictors of how much PMS interferes with daily life. Having at least four cyclical symptoms best predicts significant impairment. Interview study, 2017 What causes PMDD and what are effective treatments? PMDD affects 3 to 8 percent of women. It is caused by fluctuations in hormones and brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. Treatments include hormone therapy, antidepressants, and psychotherapy. Survey study, 2017 How common is PMDD in young women in Ethiopia and what factors increase risk? 26.8 percent of students had PMDD. Women with irregular periods, menstrual pain, or not using family planning methods were significantly more likely to have it. Case-control study, 2017 Are PMDD symptoms triggered by changes in hormone levels or by having high hormone levels? PMDD symptoms are triggered by the rapid increase in hormone levels after ovulation, not by having those hormones at steady high levels. Once hormone levels stay stable, symptoms improve. Survey study, 2017 Do women with high PMS symptoms have more trouble quitting smoking? Women with high mood-related PMS symptoms had higher tobacco dependence, more withdrawal symptoms during previous quit attempts, and used more smoking cessation aids. This suggests they may have more difficulty quitting. Cohort study, 2017 Do women with PMS experience more sexual difficulties and sexual distress? Women with PMS are significantly more likely to report sexual difficulties and sexual distress. 77.6% of women with PMS had sexual concerns compared to 27.3% of controls, and 51.7% of PMS women had sexual difficulties compared to 24.5% of controls. Survey study, 2017 How common is PMDD among Arab women and what factors predict it? About 18.6% of women in the UAE met PMDD criteria. Women with higher education, stressful life events, personal or family mental health problems, and painful periods were more likely to have PMDD. Case-control study, 2017 What cellular changes might explain why some women develop PMDD? Researchers found that women with PMDD have abnormal differences in genes related to a protein complex called ESC/E(Z), which helps cells respond to hormones. This could explain why women develop PMDD even when their hormone levels are normal. Survey study, 2017 Are mental health problems linked to irregular periods in teenage girls? Yes. Girls with high stress are 1.88 times more likely to have irregular periods, those with depression are 2.01 times more likely, and those receiving counseling are 2.92 times more likely. Randomised trial, 2017 Does acupressure at specific points reduce PMS symptoms? Yes, acupressure at points LIV3 and LI4 for 14 days before menstruation reduced PMS symptoms, anxiety, and depression, and improved quality of life compared to placebo acupressure. Randomised trial, 2017 Does the birth control pill change how bad premenstrual symptoms feel? Yes, women using cyclic hormonal contraception had slightly smaller swings in mood and physical symptoms around their period compared with women not using it, though the pill did not get rid of the symptom pattern entirely. Randomised trial, 2017 Do hormones process differently in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD process certain sulfated steroid hormones differently than others, especially estradiol and DHEA metabolites. The study was very small and tested only women who were known to be hormone-sensitive, so the findings may not apply to all PMDD. Cohort study, 2017 Are oxidation levels abnormal in women with PMDD? No. Women with PMDD did not differ from healthy controls in oxidant-antioxidant balance or paraoxonase-1 enzyme levels, despite having higher depression and anxiety symptoms. Cohort study, 2017 How can doctors reliably diagnose PMDD using a standardized method? A new scoring system called C-PASS accurately diagnoses PMDD when women track their symptoms daily for two or more months, matching expert clinician diagnoses 98% of the time. Randomised trial, 2017 Is continuous birth control pill dosing better than intermittent dosing for premenstrual dysphoria? No. All three groups (placebo, intermittent pills, and continuous pills) improved similarly over 3 months, with no unique advantage shown for continuous dosing. Randomised trial, 2017 Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)? Yes, Sepranolone reduced PMDD symptoms significantly more than placebo, with severe symptom scores dropping by 75% compared to 47% for placebo in women who completed treatment correctly. However, implementation challenges limit confidence in the results. Survey study, 2017 Is the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool reliable for identifying PMS and PMDD? Yes. The Portuguese version of the screening tool was reliable and valid for identifying PMS and PMDD. Women who screened positive had worse quality of life scores. Lab study, 2017 Is PMDD just normal menstrual cycle mood changes amplified? No. In healthy young women, most mood variation (79%-98%) was from day-to-day changes, not from premenstrual patterns. Each person's mood pattern stayed the same from cycle to cycle, suggesting PMDD is different from normal mood variation. Cohort study, 2016 Does stress affect premenstrual symptoms in students? Yes, stress is connected to premenstrual symptoms. In international students, depression explained part of this connection. In domestic students, having social support protected against stress affecting symptoms. Survey study, 2016 Are certain personality or mood traits more common in women with PMDD? Yes. A cyclothymic temperament (characterized by mood swings) is much more common in women with PMDD, while a stable temperament is protective. Anger and sensitivity are also more common. Survey study, 2016 Do hormonal contraceptives reduce PMS symptoms? Hormonal contraceptives are linked to lower risk of some PMS symptoms, including cramps, fatigue, and depression, but not others like mood swings and bloating. Survey study, 2016 Can we reliably screen for PMDD using a simple questionnaire? Yes. Researchers developed a 25-question tool that reliably identifies women with PMDD based on current diagnostic criteria. The tool showed good consistency and stability. Case-control study, 2016 Why do women with PMDD experience more pain, and is their body's natural pain control system working properly? Women with PMDD experience greater pain during the late-luteal phase and increased spinal sensitivity during ovulation. Their pain-blocking system works normally, suggesting pain stems from spinal cord sensitivity rather than a brain problem. Survey study, 2016 Do women with postpartum depression have different symptoms than women with other depression? Yes. Women with postpartum depression were more likely to report loss of sexual interest and mood changes before their period compared to women with other types of depression. Study, 2016 Do women with different types of premenstrual symptoms use different coping strategies? Different symptom types relate to different impacts on health, but women used similar coping strategies regardless of their symptom type. Review, 2016 How common are PMS and PMDD, and what are the best treatments? Up to 12% of women are affected by premenstrual disorders that significantly affect their lives. SSRIs are the most evidence-based treatment; oral contraceptives and calcium may also help, but vitamin D and herbal remedies have weak evidence. Survey study, 2016 Do paranoid thinking and self-esteem change across the menstrual cycle? Yes. During the paramenstrual phase (3 days before and after the period), women reported more feelings of persecution, lower positive self-esteem, higher negative self-esteem, and more anxiety and depression compared to mid-cycle. The difference was clear. Review, 2016 How do reproductive hormones affect mood and behavior in women? Reproductive hormones are powerful regulators of mood and behavior. Changes in hormone levels during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can trigger mood problems in women who are biologically sensitive to these changes. Randomised trial, 2016 Does mindfulness-based cognitive therapy reduce PMS, depression and anxiety? Yes. Women who received mindfulness-based cognitive therapy showed significantly lower depression, anxiety, and PMS symptoms than those who received no treatment. Randomised trial, 2016 Can vitamin B1 reduce depression linked to PMS? Yes, in this study vitamin B1 lowered depression scores related to PMS more than placebo, but this is one small trial so more research would help confirm it. Survey study, 2016 How many high school students in Japan miss school due to premenstrual symptoms and what increases the risk? About 1 in 9 girls (11.9%) were absent from school due to premenstrual symptoms. Sleep problems, physical symptoms, reduced social activities, and preference for salty food increased the risk. Randomised trial, 2016 Does vitamin D help with PMS mood symptoms in young women with very low vitamin D? Yes, vitamin D significantly improved anxiety, irritability, sadness, and relationship problems, while placebo did not. This was in young women with severely low vitamin D levels. Cohort study, 2015 What are the worst PMS symptoms and how much do they disrupt daily life? Tension and irritability were the most severe PMS symptoms. However, the most bothersome symptoms were headache, irritability, self-deprecating thoughts, and depressed mood, and these had the biggest impact on work and social life. Case-control study, 2015 Do women with fibromyalgia have more premenstrual syndrome and period pain than other women? Yes. Women with fibromyalgia were significantly more likely to have PMS (42% vs 25%) and period pain (41% vs 28%) than healthy women. Study, 2015 Do women with PMS or PMDD show different brain electrical patterns during the luteal phase? Yes. Most women with PMS and PMDD showed a specific pattern of brain electrical activity on the left side of the front of the brain during the luteal phase, while this pattern was much less common in women without PMS. Review, 2015 Does a progesterone metabolite called allopregnanolone cause mood problems in PMDD? In some women with PMDD, the progesterone metabolite allopregnanolone is linked to negative mood during the luteal phase, despite being expected to be calming. A preliminary clinical trial of a blocking agent called isoallopregnanolone showed good effects in treating PMDD symptoms. Study, 2015 Does treating the uterus with injections and freezing help severe PMS and PMDD? Women in this study who received cervical injections and freezing showed very large improvements in their PMS and PMDD symptoms. Cohort study, 2015 How common are PMS and PMDD in young female athletes? PMDD affects about 8% of young women regardless of sport. PMS is significantly more common in athletes (49.33%) than non-athletes (32%). Case-control study, 2015 Does the menstrual cycle affect psychological symptoms differently in women with PTSD? Psychological symptoms including depression and anxiety were worse during the early follicular phase compared to the midluteal phase. Women with PTSD showed worse phobic anxiety in the early follicular phase, while women without PTSD did not show this pattern. Survey study, 2015 Do women with PMDD feel pain differently at different points in their menstrual cycle? Women with PMDD reported higher pain ratings to electrical stimulation and had lower testosterone levels than women without PMDD. Pain processing may be amplified in the brain rather than in the spinal cord during PMDD. Review, 2015 What causes PMDD? A review suggests that neurosteroids and stress may be key contributors to PMDD. PMDD is characterized by cognitive-affective symptoms in the premenstrual phase and is distinct from other mood disorders. More research is needed to confirm these mechanisms. Cohort study, 2015 How common are PMS and PMDD in young women, and are they connected to depression? Two-thirds of young women have some PMS symptoms, about 1 in 10 meet the criteria for PMDD, and women with worse PMS or PMDD are significantly more likely to have depression. Cohort study, 2015 What factors predict anxiety and depression during pregnancy and after birth? Women are at high risk for anxiety and depression around pregnancy and birth, especially those with prior mental health problems or poor social support, though symptoms vary widely between women. Case-control study, 2015 Is brain-derived neurotrophic factor different in women with PMDD across the menstrual cycle? Yes. Women with PMDD had significantly higher BDNF levels during the luteal phase (before the period) compared to the follicular phase, and higher luteal levels than women without PMDD. Cohort study, 2015 Do leptin levels explain why women with PMDD eat more before their period? In normal-weight women with PMDD, lower leptin levels before the period are linked with eating more and wanting sweets. In overweight women with PMDD, leptin doesn't drop, but they still eat more sweets, possibly increasing their risk of leptin resistance. Survey study, 2015 Is neck and shoulder pain common after birth, and what increases the risk? Yes, 73.1% of women had neck and shoulder pain one month after birth. Women who had previous PMS, anemia during pregnancy, more breastfeeding, and worse mood had higher rates, though this is observational so causation is not proven. Study, 2014 Do women with PMDD lose the normal ability to control pain with emotions? No. Women with PMDD and control women both showed the same pattern: pain was strongest during negative emotions and weakest during positive emotions, regardless of cycle phase. Survey study, 2014 Do women whose depression started early experience more premenstrual symptoms? Yes. Women with depression that started at an earlier age were more likely to have premenstrual symptoms. Because data was collected by recall, we cannot be sure about timing or whether premenstrual symptoms came before or after the depression. Review, 2014 Are mental health problems linked to gynecological conditions like PMS and PMDD? Yes. Anxiety and depression are common with PMS and PMDD and are frequently undetected and untreated, affecting women's work, social and personal lives. Review, 2014 Does the menstrual cycle affect mood episodes in women with bipolar disorder? Yes, for many women. Many women with bipolar disorder experience changes in depressive, manic or hypomanic episodes linked to their menstrual cycle, though this varies widely between women. Randomised trial, 2014 Does YAZ birth control pill reduce premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms? YAZ improved PMDD symptoms more than placebo, but the difference was not statistically significant in this study. The pill was generally well tolerated. Case-control study, 2014 Are reward and punishment sensitivity different in women with PMDD and related to hormone levels? Yes. Women with PMDD show heightened reward sensitivity and increased sensitivity to negative stimuli during the premenstrual phase, which are related to progesterone levels. Survey study, 2014 Is childhood abuse more common in women with PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD reported more childhood emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional neglect than healthy women. Survey study, 2014 Are depression and anxiety linked to period pain in teenage girls? Yes. Girls with painful periods had higher anxiety and depression scores than those without. Girls with the most severe form of PMS had much higher scores. Cohort study, 2014 Is rumination linked to PMS and PMDD? Yes. Rumination was strongly linked to both PMS and PMDD in both studies using past reports and daily tracking. The relationship was consistent across different ways of measuring premenstrual symptoms. Survey study, 2014 How common are PMDD and PMS? Both are common. PMDD affects 3 to 8 percent of women of childbearing age, while PMS affects 20 to 30 percent. Both significantly reduce quality of life and work productivity. Survey study, 2014 Can a simple questionnaire help doctors identify women with PMDD or PMS? Yes. The Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) effectively distinguishes between women with PMDD, women with PMS, and women with minimal symptoms. Survey study, 2014 Do women who had PMS develop more hot flashes in menopause? No. Women with a history of premenstrual symptoms did not have more or worse hot flashes after menopause. However, those with a PMS history did report more problems with memory, mood, sleep, and feeling less attractive during the menopause transition. Survey study, 2014 How many Jordanian women have PMS or PMDD, what symptoms are worst, and how do they manage them? About 80% have PMS and 10% have PMDD. The worst symptoms are belly cramps, lower back pain, and chest pain. Women most often use pain medicine, hot drinks, warm clothes, or lie down. Randomised trial, 2014 How do menstrual cycle phase and depression affect smoking withdrawal symptoms? Depression level was more strongly linked to withdrawal symptoms than menstrual phase. However, the combination of depression and menstrual phase may worsen mood and period pain. Cohort study, 2014 How common are PMDD, subthreshold PMDD, and PMS in adolescent girls, and how much do they affect their lives? About 20 percent of adolescent girls reported distressing premenstrual symptoms. Roughly 6.76 percent met criteria for full PMDD and 6.2 percent met criteria for subthreshold PMDD, which is a milder form. Case-control study, 2014 Is internet addiction linked to PMDD? Women with PMDD are more likely to have internet use disorder with greater severity. Stress and impulsivity appear to be important connections between the two. Study, 2014 What does brain activity show us about PMDD? Women with PMDD show more activity in brain areas that control emotions. This might help explain mood symptoms, but scientists are still working out what this activity means. Guideline, 2014 What antidepressant should doctors use to treat depression and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? According to expert consensus, a single antidepressant, usually an SSRI or SNRI, is recommended as first-line treatment for most types of depression, including premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Case-control study, 2013 Are stress hormones different in women with PMDD? Overall stress hormone patterns are similar in PMDD and healthy women, but those with high allopregnanolone (a progesterone derivative) show blunted nighttime cortisol levels. Case-control study, 2013 Is anger worse in women with PMDD? Yes, significantly. Women with PMDD reported higher anger levels than healthy women, and anger worsened as PMDD symptoms became more severe. Survey study, 2013 What causes PMS and PMDD? PMS and PMDD are caused by a complex mix of biological, psychological, and social factors, but this review does not report new research findings. Case-control study, 2013 Does the prefrontal cortex function differently in women with PMDD? Brain scans showed that women with PMDD have greater activity in a part of the brain called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during thinking tasks, regardless of hormone levels. Higher activity was linked with more severe symptoms. Cohort study, 2013 Do depression, irritability, and anxiety get worse before the period in women with PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD showed worsening depression, irritability, and anxiety in the days before their period, while women without PMDD did not. Randomised trial, 2013 Does yoga reduce PMS symptoms and physical stress markers? Yes. Women who did yoga for 3 months had significantly lower heart rate, blood pressure, anger, depression, and anxiety, and higher sense of wellbeing compared to controls. Randomised trial, 2013 Does acupuncture help anxiety and depression from PMDD? Real acupuncture reduced anxiety and depression significantly more than sham acupuncture, with anxiety scores dropping 58.9% versus 21.2% and depression scores dropping 52.0% versus 19.6%, suggesting a real treatment effect. Survey study, 2013 Does having PMS or PMDD increase the risk of postpartum depression? Yes. Women with a history of PMS or PMDD are nearly twice as likely to develop postpartum depression. Study, 2013 Do SSRIs and SNRIs help premenstrual dysphoria, and does timing of doses matter? SSRIs and SNRIs help premenstrual dysphoria. For some women, taking them only when symptoms start works as well as taking them every day or just during the luteal phase. Survey study, 2013 What increases depression risk in women of reproductive age? Early motherhood, having three or more children, low education, and high premenstrual symptoms increased depression risk. Overall, 32.8% had depression, but only 10.4% received treatment. Randomised trial, 2013 Does menstrual phase and depression affect how women respond to nicotine after quitting smoking? Yes, but mainly in women without depression. Women without depression showed larger cycle-phase differences in heart rate, blood pressure, and nicotine response. Non-randomised trial, 2013 Does menstrual cycle phase affect protective hormones during smoking cessation? Yes. Allopregnanolone (a hormone related to progesterone) decreased by 10% during smoking cessation in the follicular phase but increased by 31% in the luteal phase, which may explain why the luteal phase is better for quitting smoking. Survey study, 2013 Are menstrual symptoms common in middle-aged women and do they relate to hot flushes? Cramping is common (54%) but mood symptoms are less frequent (8-9%). Cramping and back pain were associated with hot flushes, suggesting hormonal changes may affect both. Cohort study, 2013 Does having PMS or PMDD before pregnancy increase the risk of postpartum depression? Yes. Women with a history of PMS or PMDD were more likely to develop postpartum depression, especially those who had been pregnant before. The link was confirmed at 5 days, 6 weeks, and 6 months after birth. Randomised trial, 2013 Do women with depression whose symptoms worsen before their period respond differently to antidepressants? About two-thirds of depressed women report premenstrual worsening, and these women tend to have more chronic depression and medical problems. However, premenstrual worsening does not predict which antidepressants will work. Randomised trial, 2013 Does psychological education reduce PMS symptoms in teenagers? Yes. Psychological education significantly reduced overall PMS severity and reduced anxiety and physical symptoms. Effects on depression were minimal, and the intervention did not improve difficulty in relationships. Randomised trial, 2013 Does progesterone reduce PMS symptoms in women with polycystic ovary syndrome? Yes. Women with PCOS and PMS who took progesterone had significant reductions in depression, anxiety, mood swings, bloating, and several other PMS symptoms compared to placebo. Randomised trial, 2012 Is the stress hormone system different in women with premenstrual dysphoria? The stress hormone system (HPA axis) functions normally in women with PMD, just like in women without it. This suggests PMD may have a different biological cause than depression. Progesterone increased stress hormones more than estradiol. Randomised trial, 2012 Does continuous birth control with levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol reduce PMDD and PMS symptoms? Four studies found that continuous birth control reduced symptoms by 30-81%, depending on study type. However, results varied and a large placebo effect was observed in controlled trials. Cohort study, 2012 Does a history of depression increase the risk of heavy menstrual bleeding? Yes. Women who had a past history of depression were about 1.89 times more likely to report heavy menstrual bleeding. Depression history was not linked to other bleeding problems or premenstrual symptoms. Cohort study, 2012 When exactly do PMDD symptoms occur in the menstrual cycle? Symptoms are usually most severe in the few days before your period starts and in the first few days of bleeding. Having 4 or more symptoms that disrupt your life is a key sign of PMDD. Randomised trial, 2012 Do women with PMDD have different emotional brain responses across the menstrual cycle? Women with PMDD showed different emotional brain patterns during the follicular phase and links to anxiety and progesterone levels, rather than a simple luteal phase increase. Anxiety proneness and progesterone appear to modulate emotional reactivity in PMDD. Study, 2012 Do women with severe PMS have poor sleep quality? Women with severe PMS feel like they sleep poorly before menstruation, but measurements of their actual sleep don't show this. How they feel about sleep is strongly linked to anxiety. Review, 2012 Is PMDD a separate disease from PMS? Yes. Research confirms PMDD is a discrete disorder with a good prognosis when appropriately diagnosed and treated. Survey study, 2012 What psychiatric conditions are linked to PMDD in Korean women? About 2.4% of Korean women experience PMDD. Women with PMDD were much more likely to have depression, anxiety, PTSD, alcohol problems, insomnia, and suicidal thoughts than women without PMDD. Survey study, 2012 How common are PMS and severe PMS in Chinese women, and what are the typical symptoms? In Chinese women, PMS affects 21.1% and severe PMS affects 2.1%. The most common symptoms are irritability, breast tenderness, depression, abdominal bloating, and angry outbursts. Survey study, 2012 How does PMDD affect quality of life? Women with PMDD have lower quality of life than women without it, with more problems in emotional health, family relationships, and social connections, plus more depression and anxiety. Cohort study, 2012 How quickly does fluoxetine start working for PMDD symptoms? Very quickly. Fluoxetine improved irritability, sadness, anxiety, and mood swings within hours, with clear daily improvement by the second day. Survey study, 2012 Is there a link between premenstrual symptoms and period pain in teenage girls? Yes, girls with worse period pain are more likely to have moderate-to-severe PMS or PMDD. However, this shows correlation, not which problem causes the other. Review, 2012 Is depression linked to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause? Yes. Depression tied to hormonal changes appears in the same women across three life stages (premenstrual, after birth, and menopause). Transdermal estrogen patches may be more effective as first-line treatment than antidepressants. Survey study, 2012 Is severe PMS linked to psychiatric symptoms like depression and anxiety? Yes. Women with PMS have significantly higher depression, anxiety, aggression and interpersonal sensitivity than healthy women. These symptoms increase as PMS becomes more severe. Case-control study, 2012 Do women with PMDD have working memory problems linked to concentration and irritability? Yes. Women with PMDD perform worse on working memory tasks during the luteal phase, and this decline is linked to difficulty concentrating, irritability, and reduced daily functioning. Review, 2011 Can estrogen hormones treat depression linked to the menstrual cycle? Yes, transdermal estrogen can treat depression linked to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause by suppressing cyclical hormone changes. The challenge is balancing multiple hormones and managing progestogen side effects. Survey study, 2011 Are premenstrual symptoms linked to health anxiety? Yes. Women with more PMS symptoms showed clear connections to health anxiety, and these symptoms often happened together with depression and panic. Cohort study, 2011 Do Spanish women seek medical advice for premenstrual symptoms? About three-quarters of Spanish women experience premenstrual symptoms, but only 18.7% seek medical advice. Most did not seek help because they thought symptoms were normal. Review, 2011 Can a structured clinical interview reliably diagnose PMDD? Yes. A structured interview called SCID-PMDD reliably diagnosed PMDD, with different doctors agreeing on the diagnosis 96% of the time (kappa = 0.96). Survey study, 2011 How common is PMDD in women with depression compared to healthy women? PMDD is much more common in women with depression. 43.1% of women with depression met PMDD criteria compared to only 5.9% of healthy women, suggesting these conditions may be related. Survey study, 2011 How do premenstrual symptoms change as women age, and what factors influence them? Premenstrual symptoms follow different patterns as women age: some stay the same, some decrease, some peak around age 35, and others peak around age 40-44. Smoking is linked to more symptoms, and having more pregnancies is linked to fewer symptoms. Survey study, 2011 Do Black women and white women have different rates of PMDD? Black women were less likely to have PMDD than white women (2.9% versus 4.4%), even after accounting for smoking, weight, income, depression, and many other factors. The reason for this difference is not yet clear. Cohort study, 2011 Does premenstrual symptom worsening change how bipolar disorder develops over time? Yes. Women with bipolar disorder who reported premenstrual symptom worsening had more mood episodes and relapsed sooner, though other patterns in their illness may partly explain this. Cohort study, 2011 Is mood instability higher in women with PMS than in women without PMS? Yes. Women with PMS showed significantly more irritable and depressed mood instability than women without PMS, even at other times of the cycle besides the luteal phase. Case-control study, 2011 Do women with PMDD have different brain activity patterns? Yes, women with PMDD show a brain activity pattern similar to people with depression, with less activity on the left side of the front part of the brain. This suggests PMDD and depression may share similar brain vulnerability factors. Cohort study, 2011 Do women with bipolar disorder who have premenstrual mood changes do worse than those without? Yes. Among women with bipolar disorder, those with premenstrual mood changes had significantly more severe symptoms, relapsed faster, and had a worse course than those without premenstrual changes. Survey study, 2011 How common are premenstrual symptoms in Pakistani women and how much do they affect daily life? Premenstrual symptoms are very common, with 5.5% to 79.9% diagnosed depending on the classification system used. 98.8% of women were unaware they had a recognized condition. More severe symptoms strongly predicted whether women sought medical help. Cohort study, 2011 How common are premenstrual syndrome and PMDD in Spanish women? Most Spanish women (73.7%) experience some premenstrual symptoms, but only 8.9% have moderate or severe PMS and 1.1% meet criteria for PMDD. Case-control study, 2010 Is a gene variant linked to PMDD? No, this particular gene variant was not associated with PMDD. This does not rule out other genetic factors or that PMDD has a genetic basis. Survey study, 2010 How many female students have PMS and what causes it? About half of female students (49.7%) have PMS. Having painful periods, a mother with PMS, and irregular periods after starting university were linked to higher PMS risk. Cohort study, 2010 Does depression that worsens before the period differ from other depression? No major differences in depression type or treatment response, but women with premenstrual worsening had more seasonal mood patterns and different personality traits (more self-control). Review, 2010 Can neurosteroids help with anxiety and brain disorders? The review suggests neurosteroids might help with anxiety, epilepsy, and depression, but clinical evidence is limited. Survey study, 2010 Do women with premenstrual asthma have more premenstrual symptoms overall? Yes. Women whose asthma worsens before their period had greater increases in most premenstrual symptoms, especially belly and breast tension, compared to women without this pattern. Survey study, 2010 How many teenage girls in Japan have PMS or PMDD? 64.6% of Japanese high school girls reported premenstrual symptoms. While this was lower than in adult women, the rate of moderate-to-severe PMS and PMDD was actually higher in teenagers, and symptoms significantly affected their daily activities. Randomised trial, 2010 Do birth control pills with drospirenone help PMDD? Birth control pills containing drospirenone in a 24/4 formulation appear to help both physical and mood symptoms of PMDD based on randomized trials. However, because placebo effects were strong, more research is needed to confirm how much improvement comes from the drug itself. Cohort study, 2010 What factors affect the risk of getting PMDD? In a large Polish study, only women's educational level significantly reduced PMDD risk. Most other reproductive and lifestyle factors tested did not show a significant effect. Randomised trial, 2010 Does St John's wort help women with mild PMS? St John's wort at 900 mg daily was more effective than placebo for physical and behavioral PMS symptoms, but the study was small. Case-control study, 2010 Do women with PMDD crave high-sugar and high-fat foods more than other women? Yes. Women with PMDD had higher cravings for sweet, fatty foods, especially during the luteal phase. This was linked to their greater sensitivity to food rewards and emotional response to food. Cohort study, 2010 How common is PMDD in women with bipolar disorder? About 27% of women with bipolar disorder have a lifetime history of PMDD. When PMDD occurs with bipolar disorder, it is linked to more severe bipolar subtypes and other mental health conditions like postpartum depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Survey study, 2009 What premenstrual and menstrual symptoms do Chinese women experience? About 18.6% to 34.2% of Chinese women reported 10 or more menstrual symptoms, showing that PMS is common in Chinese women at similar rates to Western populations. Survey study, 2009 Can estrogen therapy help depression that worsens during hormonal cycle changes? High-dose estrogen has shown some success for depression linked to hormonal fluctuations, though standard antidepressants often do not work. Recognizing that depression follows the menstrual cycle or other hormonal changes is key to diagnosis. Randomised trial, 2009 Does calcium help PMS symptoms like tiredness and depression? Yes. Women taking 500 mg calcium carbonate twice daily for 3 months had significant improvements in tiredness, appetite changes, and depression compared to placebo. Randomised trial, 2009 Which hormone add-back therapy works best with GnRH agonist for PMDD? The lowest dose of estradiol with progesterone worked better. The highest dose (1.5mg estradiol with 400mg progesterone) actually caused more symptom recurrence than lower doses or estradiol alone. Cohort study, 2009 How common is PMS in French women and how stable is it over time? 12.2% of French women reported PMS symptoms that affected their daily lives. PMS status fluctuated significantly over a year, with 72% of women with PMS showing changes. Case-control study, 2009 How common is irritable bowel syndrome in Korean teenage girls and what causes it? One in four Korean teenage girls has IBS. Stress, anxiety, and depression were strongly linked to IBS, with depression showing the strongest connection. Survey study, 2009 How common is PMS in young Iranian women? PMS is very common: almost all young women have at least one PMS symptom, and 16% have clinically significant PMS. Younger women aged 18-20 have more severe symptoms than slightly older women. Survey study, 2009 How common is PMDD among American women? Only 1.3% of women met full PMDD criteria using strict diagnostic rules. This is much lower than previous research suggested. Case-control study, 2009 Does alcohol use increase the risk of developing PMS or PMDD? Alcohol use is not strongly linked to developing PMS or PMDD. Starting to drink before age 18 or long-term drinking may minimally increase risk, but the increases are small. Study, 2008 How much does PMDD reduce women's quality of life compared to other health conditions? PMDD significantly reduces quality of life, especially mental and emotional wellbeing. The reduction is greater than some chronic conditions like back pain, diabetes, and high blood pressure, and similar to arthritis. Non-randomised trial, 2008 Do mood, memory, and food cravings worsen during the luteal phase in women with PMDD? Yes. During the luteal phase, women with PMDD showed significantly worse mood, impaired memory and concentration, and increased cravings for fatty foods compared to their follicular phase and compared to women without PMDD. Randomised trial, 2008 Does saffron help relieve PMS symptoms? Yes, saffron at 30 mg daily was effective in reducing PMS symptoms including mood-related symptoms compared to placebo. Survey study, 2008 Can we measure how much premenstrual symptoms affect a woman's quality of life? Yes. Researchers developed a brief 6-item survey that accurately identifies women with significant PMS or PMDD and measures its impact on daily life. Cohort study, 2008 Do women with PMDD have different hormone levels than women without it? The total amount of estradiol is not different, but women with PMDD have less free estradiol available (the active form) and higher levels of a hormone-binding protein. These are significant findings but cannot prove they cause PMDD. Randomised trial, 2008 Does taking paroxetine only during the luteal phase help PMDD symptoms? Yes, paroxetine 20 mg taken during the luteal phase significantly reduced irritability in women with PMDD compared to placebo. The 10 mg dose was not significantly better than placebo. Cohort study, 2008 Do women with PMDD have different startle and sensory responses during the menstrual cycle? Yes, women with PMDD have higher startle responses throughout the menstrual cycle and reduced sensory filtering specifically during the late luteal phase, compared to controls. Randomised trial, 2008 How common are PMS and PMDD in teenage girls? At least 20% of adolescents have moderate-to-severe premenstrual symptoms that interfere with daily life. However, large research studies focused on teenagers have not been done, so exact numbers and the best treatments are not well understood. Cohort study, 2008 Do women with autism have PMS more often than women without autism? Yes, women with autism had much higher rates of PMS compared to women without autism. In the autism group, 92% showed PMS symptoms, while only 11% of the control group did. Randomised trial, 2008 Does taking more antidepressant just before the period help depression that worsens then? Yes. Women who increased sertraline dose during the premenstrual phase showed no worsening of depression at that time, while women on placebo still had significantly worse depression before their period. Case-control study, 2007 Does progesterone activate the part of the brain that handles fear and emotion? In 18 healthy women, taking progesterone doses that matched luteal phase levels significantly increased activity in the amygdala (the brain's emotion and fear center) when viewing emotional images. This may explain why progesterone could cause anxiety in women with PMDD. Survey study, 2007 Is depression before a period linked to depression at menopause? Yes. Women who were depressed premenstrually also tend to be depressed around menopause, suggesting a shared cause that may involve hormones, psychology, or both. This link held regardless of age or hormone therapy use. Survey study, 2007 Are diet and lifestyle factors associated with premenstrual symptoms? Most dietary factors were not related to PMS. Smoking increased symptoms, and alcohol was associated with fewer mood and headache symptoms. Lab study, 2007 What are the main symptom groups in premenstrual dysphoric disorder? PMDD symptoms split into two linked groups: one combining low mood and physical symptoms, and another involving trouble with relationships and feeling out of control. Randomised trial, 2007 Does drospirenone/ethinylestradiol birth control help PMDD symptoms? Yes. This specific birth control pill significantly improved PMDD symptoms over three cycles and improved acne over six cycles while providing 99% contraceptive protection over one year. Case-control study, 2007 Do women with PMDD see emotions in faces differently during the luteal phase? Women with PMDD showed more negative bias during the luteal phase, seeing neutral faces as sadder than they were. The statistical effect was modest and might not hold up with stricter testing. Case-control study, 2007 Are there genes that increase the risk of PMDD? Genetic variations in the ESR1 gene (which codes for estrogen receptor alpha) appear linked to PMDD mood symptoms, suggesting genetic factors contribute to who develops the condition. This was found in a study of women with PMDD and unaffected controls. Lab study, 2007 Do women with PMDD show a stronger physical startle response during their cycle? Yes. Women with PMDD showed much stronger startle responses to a loud noise during the luteal phase (around their period) compared to the follicular phase, but healthy women did not show this pattern. Cohort study, 2007 Do women with PMDD who experienced abuse have different stress responses? Yes. Women with a history of abuse showed unusual stress responses including lower stress hormones and higher heart rates, regardless of PMDD status. Women with PMDD and abuse history also showed higher blood pressure during stress. Case-control study, 2007 Is history of adolescent abuse associated with PMS in adulthood? Yes. Women who experienced physical or sexual abuse in adolescence had significantly more PMS in adulthood, and their symptoms were more severe with more depression and mood problems. Case-control study, 2006 Do serotonin receptors in the brain respond differently to the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD? In healthy women, serotonin receptors in the brain responded differently between menstrual phases, but in PMDD women, this response was significantly smaller. This suggests abnormal serotonin regulation in PMDD. Randomised trial, 2006 Do different types of PMS symptoms respond better to different medicines? Yes. Different medications work best for different symptoms. SSRIs help irritability and anxiety. Birth control works broadly. Other drugs target specific symptoms. However, current treatments help fewer than 60% of women. Randomised trial, 2006 Do women with PMDD and depression process progesterone differently than others? Yes. Women with prior depression convert progesterone to its active form less efficiently. Women with PMDD and no depression history show unusual patterns of this conversion, suggesting altered metabolic pathways. Cohort study, 2006 Does the hormone change at menopause cause depressed mood in women who have never been depressed before? Yes. In this study women with no history of depression were much more likely to have high depression scores and diagnosed depressive disorders during the menopause transition, and this was linked to changing hormone levels, not just age. Guideline, 2006 What is the best treatment for PMDD and severe PMS? SSRIs are first-line therapy for PMDD and severe PMS. They can be taken continuously throughout the month, only during the luteal phase, or with higher doses in the late luteal phase depending on each person. Cohort study, 2006 Does having depression in the past affect stress hormone responses in women with PMDD? Yes. Women with a history of depression showed reduced stress hormone responses, and this was linked to more severe premenstrual symptoms specifically in women with PMDD and depression history. Case-control study, 2006 Are hormone-related chemicals different in women with mood disorders during the menstrual cycle? Women with bipolar disorder and major depression had higher levels of progesterone and a related chemical (3alpha,5alpha-THPROG) during the luteal phase compared to healthy women. This difference was present whether or not they were taking medication. Lab study, 2006 Do mood swings happen the same way in people taking birth control pills compared to people not taking them? In young healthy women, mood worsened before menstruation and improved around ovulation regardless of birth control pill use. The mood patterns were the same in both groups. Study, 2006 Does paroxetine treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Yes. Paroxetine is an antidepressant medication approved by the FDA and Health Canada for treating PMDD. Review, 2006 How is PMDD diagnosed and what treatments are available? PMDD is the severe form of PMS, dominated by mood symptoms like depression, anxiety, and irritability. It occurs in the last week of the cycle and disappears after menstruation. Treatment is challenging because few options have been carefully tested and fewer still have proven effective. Study, 2006 Do women with depression during perimenopause also have premenstrual symptoms? Some do - about 21% of depressed perimenopausal women had premenstrual dysphoria compared to 3% of non-depressed women. However, not all depressed perimenopausal women have premenstrual symptoms. Cohort study, 2006 What increases the risk of depression in the first days after childbirth? A history of mental illness, PMDD, and mood symptoms during late pregnancy all increase the risk of early postpartum depression, though only 6.8% of women developed symptoms. Cohort study, 2006 Are specific genetic variations linked to PMDD? No. This study found no significant association between eight common genetic variations in serotonin pathways and PMDD, suggesting these particular genetic variations are not major contributors to PMDD. Randomised trial, 2006 Can starting paroxetine only when symptoms begin help PMDD if stopped within days of menses? Yes, 70% of women improved on symptom-onset paroxetine compared to 10% on placebo, and depression scores improved significantly. This is a very small study, so larger trials are needed. Case report, 2006 Is holding back your feelings related to worse PMS symptoms? Yes. Women with PMS who suppress their feelings or try to fit traditional ideas of femininity experienced more premenstrual distress. Women with PMS had higher anxiety than the general population. Randomised trial, 2005 For PMDD, is it better to take escitalopram throughout the luteal phase or starting when symptoms appear? Both approaches significantly improved PMDD symptoms by about 50-57%. Luteal phase dosing may work better for women with severe symptoms. Case-control study, 2005 Is a specific gene (AP-2 beta) linked to PMDD? No. This study found no difference in AP-2 beta genetic variants between women with PMDD and healthy women, suggesting this gene is not a risk factor for PMDD. However, the results should be confirmed in larger studies. Randomised trial, 2005 How do PMDD symptoms start, end, and vary from cycle to cycle? Very variably. Symptoms peak 2 days before the period on average, but timing and duration differ by 4 or more days between cycles in nearly half of women studied. Cohort study, 2005 Is PMDD a strong risk factor for postpartum depression? Yes, women with PMDD have a 9.3-fold higher risk of major postpartum depression than women without PMDD. Study, 2005 Do women with depression experience worsening of symptoms before their period? Yes. 64% of women with depression reported worsening of symptoms in the 5 to 10 days before their period. This worsening appears linked to longer-lasting depression. Cohort study, 2005 Do women with PMDD have depression symptoms outside the luteal phase? Yes. Even women with minor or moderate depression symptoms when not premenstrual were about 1.9 times more likely to have PMDD, suggesting PMDD is a variant of depression that becomes worse premenstrually rather than appearing only premenstrually. Case-control study, 2005 Do women with depression have different growth hormone patterns than healthy women across the menstrual cycle? There was no difference in average growth hormone levels between depressed and healthy women. However, growth hormone levels were higher during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle in both groups. Randomised trial, 2005 Can a birth control pill with drospirenone help PMDD symptoms? Yes. In this study, the drospirenone pill worked better than a placebo (dummy pill) at reducing PMDD symptoms. Review, 2004 How well does alprazolam work for anxiety and panic attacks? Alprazolam is more effective than placebo and works as well as some other medications for anxiety. It works within the first week but can impair thinking and driving skills. Case-control study, 2004 Do menstrual characteristics and pregnancy history predict depression risk? Yes, earlier age at first period, heavier periods, and irregular periods in early menstruation predicted higher depression risk. Women with multiple miscarriages or abortions had 2-3 times higher depression risk. Randomised trial, 2004 Does Qi-therapy help PMS symptoms? Yes. Qi-therapy significantly reduced pain and water retention. It also had short-term effects on pain, depression, and anxiety. Non-randomised trial, 2004 Are reproductive hormones abnormal in chronic fatigue syndrome? Reproductive hormones FSH, LH, estradiol, and progesterone were normal in women with chronic fatigue syndrome. However, cortisol (the stress hormone) was significantly lower than in healthy women. Review, 2004 Is premenstrual dysphoria a variant of panic disorder? PMDD and panic disorder both trigger panic in lab tests, but scientists haven't identified the connection. This doesn't prove PMDD is a type of panic disorder. Cohort study, 2004 Do women with bipolar disorder on mood-stabilizing medication experience premenstrual symptom worsening? No, women with bipolar disorder on mood-stabilizing treatment (lithium or valproate) experienced significantly less premenstrual symptom worsening than healthy women, suggesting the medication may protect against it. Randomised trial, 2004 Does paroxetine controlled-release help PMDD symptoms? Yes, paroxetine CR was more effective than placebo for PMDD symptoms and caused less nausea than regular paroxetine in the first week. This summary reviews multiple well-designed trials. Survey study, 2004 How often does depression get worse before a woman's period? Depressed women had 1.34 more symptoms that got worse before their period compared to other times. Older women were more likely to experience worsening symptoms. Cohort study, 2004 What risk factors cause PMDD to develop? Traumatic events, anxiety disorders, and high daily stress significantly increase the risk of developing PMDD. Women who already had subthreshold PMDD at the start were at highest risk. Review, 2004 How should PMDD be treated with antidepressants? SSRIs and venlafaxine are effective for PMDD at normal doses taken either every day or intermittently during the luteal phase. Both dosing schedules work at normal doses but low doses do not. Review, 2004 How should doctors diagnose PMS and PMDD? Definitions and diagnoses of PMS are not consistent across doctors. Up to 20% of women have PMS severe enough to need treatment, with a burden as significant as mood disorders. Study, 2003 Which SSRI medication costs the least to treat PMDD? Sertraline costs less than other SSRIs for treating PMDD. Paroxetine and citalopram were more expensive; fluoxetine was also more expensive but the difference was less clear. Cohort study, 2003 Does depression affect when women enter menopause? Women with a history of depression may enter menopause earlier than others. Those with more severe depression who also took antidepressants had nearly 3 times the risk of early menopause, though this is based on observation rather than a controlled test. Study, 2003 Does the stress response system work differently in women with PMS across the menstrual cycle? Women with PMS failed to show the normal increased stress hormone response during the luteal phase that women without PMS show. Progesterone, not estrogen, appears to control this stress response. Review, 2003 Do GABA receptors and progesterone affect PMDD? The review suggests they may be important based on animal studies, but does not provide specific conclusions about their role in PMDD in humans. Review, 2003 Does bipolar disorder affect women differently than men? Yes. Bipolar disorder often starts later in women, who experience more depressive episodes and rapid mood cycling. The postpartum period is high-risk for onset or recurrence. Case-control study, 2003 Does birth control pill use improve or worsen premenstrual mood? The pill doesn't affect mood in most women. Mood is most likely to worsen in women with a history of depression, and most likely to improve in women with early-onset premenstrual symptoms or painful periods. Review, 2003 How should PMDD be treated? The review discusses treating PMDD by correcting hormone imbalances or stopping ovulation, but doesn't specify which treatments work best or how effective they are. Cohort study, 2003 Do birth control pills change how women experience premenstrual and menstrual symptoms? Birth control pills do not eliminate the cyclical pattern of premenstrual and menstrual symptoms that healthy women naturally experience. Different pill types produce similar patterns, though pill users reported less fatigue than non-users. Review, 2003 What is PMDD and what treats it? PMDD is a severe form of PMS affecting 3-8% of women of reproductive age. It is marked by depression, anxiety, emotional instability, and reduced activity during the luteal phase. SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are the most effective treatment. Review, 2003 What treatments work best for PMS and PMDD? There is no single best treatment. For mild PMS, lifestyle changes help. For moderate symptoms, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like fluoxetine and sertraline are most effective. Calcium and evening primrose oil may offer modest benefit. Non-randomised trial, 2003 What happens to PMDD symptoms when women stop taking fluoxetine? Symptoms return quickly. After stopping, PMDD symptoms recurred within the first cycle after discontinuation, though not back to baseline levels. Review, 2003 Do antidepressants work differently in women than men? Some evidence suggests they may. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors appear more effective and better tolerated in women than older types, and estrogen may enhance their effect. However, more research is needed. Survey study, 2003 How many women have PMDD and how serious is it? 3-8 percent of women meet strict PMDD criteria, but 13-18 percent experience severe symptoms that disrupt daily life. The impact on quality of life is as serious as major depression. Cohort study, 2003 Is PTSD really connected to PMDD, or is it just coincidence? The connection appears real. Women with PTSD had 11.7 times higher odds of PMDD, and most with both conditions reported childhood abuse or other trauma before PMDD started. Review, 2003 Does taking sertraline only during the luteal phase work for PMDD? Yes. The FDA has approved sertraline taken only during the luteal phase for PMDD. It works within days and produces no significant discontinuation side effects when stopped each cycle. Randomised trial, 2002 Does therapy work as well as an antidepressant for PMDD, and does combining them work better? Both therapy and antidepressant work well for PMDD with no difference in results after 6 months. Therapy maintains its effects better after treatment ends. Combining them does not help more than either one alone. Review, 2002 What drugs work for PMDD? Serotonin-based antidepressants, especially SSRIs taken only during the luteal phase, are the first-line treatment for PMDD. Progesterone is not effective. Review, 2002 What treatments work for PMDD? PMDD affects 2 to 10 percent of women of reproductive age. Try lifestyle changes first, and if that does not work, SSRIs taken just during the luteal phase are very effective with minimal side effects. Randomised trial, 2002 Does blocking serotonin bring back PMDD symptoms in women treated with fluoxetine? Yes. Women whose PMDD improved on fluoxetine had symptoms return within 24 hours of taking a drug that blocks serotonin. Healthy women had no mood changes, showing serotonin is key to how fluoxetine helps PMDD. Randomised trial, 2002 Does the birth control pill Yasmin help women with PMDD? Yes, women taking Yasmin had greater reduction in premenstrual symptoms compared to placebo, with statistically significant improvements in appetite, acne, and food craving. Cohort study, 2002 How much do genes versus environment contribute to PMS symptoms? Genes accounted for 44% of PMS symptom differences. Genes for PMS overlap with genes for neuroticism and depression but 39% of PMS genetic variance is independent of these traits. Randomised trial, 2002 Is fluoxetine or cognitive-behavioral therapy more effective for PMDD? Both work equally well after 6 months. Fluoxetine works faster and reduces anxiety more. Cognitive-behavioral therapy builds better coping skills and changes how women think about their symptoms. Randomised trial, 2002 Does myo-inositol help reduce PMDD symptoms? No, myo-inositol (12 g daily) did not reduce PMDD symptoms more than placebo. Survey study, 2002 What is the economic and work impact of premenstrual dysphoric disorder? PMDD mainly reduces work productivity and how well women function during the week before and after their period, rather than increasing health care costs or causing women to miss work entirely. Review, 2002 How is PMDD diagnosed? PMDD is diagnosed by a pattern of symptoms that occur in the late luteal phase and go away after menstruation starts. It is likely caused by sensitivity to normal hormone changes, not abnormal hormone levels. SSRIs are the recommended treatment. Cohort study, 2002 Does PMDD cause more healthcare costs and work loss than other premenstrual symptoms? PMDD affects work productivity more than healthcare costs. Women with PMDD reported significantly lower productivity for 5-10 days after their period starts, but did not use more healthcare or spend more on medical services. Cohort study, 2002 How common is PMDD in midlife women, and what raises the risk? In this large community study, about 6.4% of women who tracked symptoms daily actually met the criteria for PMDD. Lower education, a past history of major depression, and current smoking were linked to higher odds of PMDD, while not working outside the home was linked to lower odds. Cohort study, 2002 How common is PMDD and does it stick around? PMDD affects 5.8% of young women and tends to persist. Most women with PMDD also have anxiety or other mental health conditions, use healthcare more, and have higher suicide rates. Non-randomised trial, 2002 Does fluoxetine help PMDD symptoms? Yes, fluoxetine reduces emotional and physical PMDD symptoms and was the first SSRI antidepressant approved by the FDA for PMDD. It is generally well-tolerated. Cohort study, 2002 What factors affect how severe PMS symptoms are? PMS severity varies among women and is influenced by age, race/ethnicity, health status, and oral contraceptive use. Women with more health conditions have worse symptoms. Review, 2002 What are the reproductive-related mood disorders and how are they connected? Mood and anxiety disorders are more common in women around menstruation, after childbirth, and during perimenopause. They all appear linked to changes in ovarian hormones. Survey study, 2002 What treatments work for depression linked to the menstrual cycle and PMDD? Serotonin-boosting antidepressants (SSRIs) are the first-line treatment for severe PMS and PMDD and consistently work. Progesterone does not work for mood symptoms, despite being widely prescribed. Review, 2001 What is the best treatment approach for PMS and PMDD? About 5 percent of women have premenstrual symptoms severe enough to affect their daily lives. Start with lifestyle changes, then serotonin-based antidepressants if needed, preferably taken during just the luteal phase. Review, 2001 What is the best treatment for depression and anxiety disorders, including PMDD? SSRIs (a type of antidepressant) are the first-line treatment for most depression and anxiety disorders, as well as for PMDD. Other newer antidepressants are options if SSRIs don't work or cause side effects. Survey study, 2001 Do women with PMS show personality changes during their menstrual cycle? Yes. Women with PMS showed significantly increased personality disorder traits during the luteal phase (before menstruation) compared to the follicular phase. This pattern did not happen in women without PMS. Randomised trial, 2001 Does an oral contraceptive with drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol treat PMDD? The birth control pill showed signs of helping, especially with appetite, acne, and food cravings. However, most improvements were not statistically significant, and the study had limitations. Randomised trial, 2001 How do serotonin medications help severe premenstrual dysphoria? Serotonin reuptake inhibitors are very effective (60% or higher response rate) for severe premenstrual dysphoria, likely by affecting how the brain controls aggression and irritability rather than through an antidepressant effect. Case-control study, 2001 Do women with seasonal depression have PMDD more often than other women? Yes. Women with seasonal depression are much more likely to have PMDD - 46 percent versus 2 percent in a healthy control group (P<0.001). Survey study, 2001 Do SSRIs help treat PMDD? Yes. About 65% of women respond well to SSRIs like fluoxetine or sertraline, with improvement in both mood and physical symptoms. Review, 2001 Do serotonin reuptake inhibitors help premenstrual dysphoria? Yes, very effectively. These medications work rapidly and are more effective than non-serotonergic antidepressants. Study, 2001 Do women with PMDD panic as easily when breathing carbon dioxide as people with panic disorder? Yes. Women with PMDD showed panic attacks when breathing carbon dioxide at rates similar to people with panic disorder, and higher than people without these conditions. Cohort study, 2001 How common are premenstrual mood symptoms like irritability and tension in women? In this community study, about 1 in 5 women had moderate or severe perimenstrual psychological symptoms, and irritability, nervousness and tension stood out as the core symptoms, whether or not depressed mood was also present. Guideline, 2001 What is the best treatment for PMDD and depression in women? For severe PMDD symptoms, doctors recommend antidepressant medication combined with therapy. For mild symptoms, therapy alone or lifestyle approaches may work as well or better than medication. Review, 2001 Does serotonin dysfunction play a role in PMDD? Evidence suggests serotonin dysfunction is involved in PMDD. Medications that increase serotonin, particularly fluoxetine, help reduce PMDD symptoms and have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for this purpose. Randomised trial, 2000 Do cortisol rhythms differ between PMDD and normal women across the menstrual cycle and sleep deprivation? The timing of when cortisol is released differs between women with PMDD and normal women, both across the menstrual cycle and in response to late sleep deprivation. The amount of cortisol does not differ. Review, 2000 Do common diseases get worse before a woman's period? Yes. A significant number of women with asthma, arthritis, migraine, diabetes, depression, or epilepsy report that their symptoms get worse before their period, though doctors do not yet fully understand why. Cohort study, 2000 What causes irregular periods in women with bulimia, and do they improve with treatment? Irregular periods in bulimia were linked to vomiting, low thyroid hormone, and low dietary fat. After 12 months of treatment, 56.8 percent of women with irregular cycles became regular. This study concerns eating disorders, not PMS or PMDD. Review, 2000 Can calcium and vitamin D help with PMS symptoms? Calcium supplementation effectively alleviates most mood and body-related PMS symptoms according to clinical trials, and women with PMS may have calcium regulation problems. However, this review does not provide specific trial details. Review, 2000 What conditions beyond depression can antidepressants treat? Newer antidepressants including SSRIs have FDA approval for several conditions including anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and panic disorder. Controlled studies also show they help premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Interview study, 2000 Are depression and personality disorders linked to PMDD? Yes. Women with depression are about 9 times more likely to have PMDD, and avoidant personality disorder is also linked to PMDD (mainly in women over 30). However, the study cannot show whether depression causes PMDD, PMDD causes depression, or if both are caused by something else. Randomised trial, 2000 What predicts whether sertraline will help someone with severe PMS? Your symptom severity during the non-period part of your cycle predicts how well sertraline will work, but depression levels and demographic factors do not. Over 60% of people respond well to sertraline in controlled studies. Cohort study, 2000 How common are symptom changes across the menstrual cycle and PMDD? Symptom changes during the menstrual cycle are very common, with 80.7% of women showing such changes. Among those who self-identified with PMS (51%), only 2-6% met clinical criteria for PMDD. Review, 2000 How should doctors diagnose and treat PMDD? Doctors should use self-report tools combined with diagnostic criteria and rule out other conditions. Treatment options include exercise, diet changes, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, and ovulation-suppressing drugs. Randomised trial, 2000 Does how much women smoke change at different times of their menstrual cycle? Yes. Women smoked more cigarettes during the late luteal phase (days before menstruation), but mood and withdrawal symptoms were similar across cycle phases. Randomised trial, 1999 Does bright light therapy help PMDD symptoms like depression and tension? Yes, 30 minutes of bright white light each evening during the luteal phase significantly reduced depression and premenstrual tension, while dim red light did not. Randomised trial, 1999 Does L-tryptophan help premenstrual dysphoria? L-tryptophan reduced premenstrual mood symptoms (dysphoria, mood swings, tension, irritability) by 34.5% compared to 10.4% with placebo. Randomised trial, 1999 Does L-tryptophan help mood symptoms in premenstrual dysphoria? Yes. L-tryptophan taken during the luteal phase significantly reduced mood symptoms (low mood, mood swings, anxiety, irritability) compared to placebo. Systematic review, 1999 Does vitamin B-6 help treat premenstrual symptoms? Possibly yes. Nine trials show vitamin B-6 was 2.32 times more likely than placebo to improve overall symptoms and 1.69 times more likely to help depressive symptoms, but most trials were low quality. Review, 1999 Is premenstrual dysphoric disorder a distinct clinical disorder? Yes, according to expert consensus. PMDD has distinct characteristics, clear symptoms linked to the menstrual cycle, and responds differently to treatment than other mood disorders. Review, 1999 How should severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder be diagnosed and treated? Diagnosis requires ruling out other conditions and tracking daily symptoms. Treatment with serotonin-blocking antidepressants or alprazolam during the luteal phase provides substantial relief. Cohort study, 1999 How common are depression symptoms in women in their late 30s and early 40s, and what predicts them? About 22% of women aged 36-44 showed depression symptoms. Marital status, smoking, and having children predicted depression risk more than menstrual cycle changes alone. Case-control study, 1999 Do women with PMDD have a serotonin problem in their brain? Women with pure PMDD may have a serotonin dysfunction based on some brain chemistry measurements, though not all tests differed from healthy women. Non-randomised trial, 1999 Can sleep deprivation help PMDD symptoms? Yes, sleep deprivation may help some women with PMDD, possibly by correcting circadian rhythm problems. Women with PMDD showed similar sleep changes across the cycle as healthy women. Case-control study, 1999 What are the main symptom patterns in PMDD? PMDD has five distinct symptom groups: anger and irritability, depressed mood, anxiety and tension, decreased energy with physical symptoms, and eating problems. These patterns were identified through analysis of 99 women's symptoms. Non-randomised trial, 1999 Does fluoxetine help symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Fluoxetine reduced PMDD symptoms in reviewed trials and was well-tolerated at 20 mg daily. Side effects were usually temporary and rarely caused women to stop treatment. Randomised trial, 1999 Does a low-dose GnRH agonist relieve premenstrual symptoms while keeping regular periods? Low-dose GnRH agonist significantly relieved irritability and depression, and improved physical symptoms like swelling and headache. However, it stopped ovulation in 56% of women, making it unsuitable for long-term use if you want regular cycles. Survey study, 1998 How does estrogen affect mood and depression? Estrogen affects how serotonin works in the brain. Some women's depression improves with estrogen therapy alone, while others need estrogen combined with antidepressants. Review, 1998 How does estrogen affect serotonin and what does this mean for mood disorders like PMS? Estrogen modulates serotonin in the brain, and this interaction is likely important for understanding PMS and perimenopausal depression. This is a theoretical framework synthesizing existing research, not a new experimental finding. Case-control study, 1998 Do women with PMS have abnormal growth hormone levels like women with depression? No, levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 did not differ between women with PMS and controls, suggesting PMS and depression have different biological causes. Cohort study, 1998 Are premenstrual symptoms inherited, and are they related to major depression? About 56% of stable premenstrual symptoms appear to be inherited. The genetic factors for depression and premenstrual symptoms are mostly separate and not closely related. Survey study, 1998 Do women who had premenstrual problems earlier have more mental health issues during menopause? Yes. Women who reported premenstrual dysphoria were much more likely to have psychiatric symptoms at menopause. However, this is cross-sectional so we don't know if one caused the other. 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. Case-control study, 1998 Do women with PMDD have changes in memory or thinking speed across the menstrual cycle? Women with PMDD showed subtle slowing on motor speed tasks during the late luteal phase, but scores remained within the normal range. Memory and attention were not affected. Review, 1997 Which antidepressants are most effective for premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Selective antidepressants that work on serotonin are consistently the most effective. Most studies used daily treatment, but intermittent dosing needs more research. Randomised trial, 1997 Do fluoxetine and bupropion treat PMDD symptoms? Fluoxetine significantly reduces PMDD symptoms and is more effective than bupropion or placebo. Bupropion shows some improvement but is not significantly different from placebo. Study, 1997 What is PMDD and how is it different from PMS? PMDD is a severe form of PMS with intense mood symptoms like depression and anxiety. Recognizing PMDD as a distinct condition has helped doctors understand it better and develop treatments. Randomised trial, 1997 Does fluoxetine change menstrual cycle length in women with premenstrual dysphoria? Yes, fluoxetine, especially at 60 mg per day, can change menstrual cycle length by 4 or more days, occurring in 15% of the 60 mg group versus 3% of the placebo group. Randomised trial, 1997 Is fluoxetine an effective treatment for PMDD? Yes. Fluoxetine significantly improved both emotional and physical symptoms, with 11 out of 17 women (65%) no longer meeting PMDD diagnostic criteria during treatment. Randomised trial, 1997 Does a GnRH agonist help PMS symptoms? Yes, leuprolide significantly reduced PMS symptoms in women whose symptoms were limited to the premenstrual phase. It did not help women whose depression occurred throughout their cycle. Randomised trial, 1997 Does taking fluoxetine only during the premenstrual period work as well as taking it every day? Both daily and premenstrual-only fluoxetine were effective for PMDD. Intermittent dosing appears to work nearly as well as daily dosing while causing fewer side effects. Randomised trial, 1997 Does sertraline taken only during the luteal phase work as well as taking it all month? In women who responded to sertraline taken all month, taking it only during the luteal phase worked as well for improving depression and other PMDD symptoms. The evidence is moderate but limited because only 15 women were studied and some dropped out of the placebo phase. Case-control study, 1997 Do women with PMS perceive and handle stress differently at different times of their cycle? Yes. Women with PMS perceive more stressors and find them more stressful during the premenstrual phase than women without PMS. They also cope with stress differently during this phase. Randomised trial, 1997 Does light therapy affect melatonin in women with PMDD? Bright light affected melatonin timing and levels in women with PMDD depending on when the light was given, with morning light shifting it earlier and evening light shifting it later. The evidence is moderate because it comes from a controlled study, but only 21 women with PMDD were studied. Cohort study, 1997 Are premenstrual mood changes linked to depression and anxiety during pregnancy and after childbirth? Yes. Women with premenstrual irritability before pregnancy had higher depression scores throughout pregnancy and after birth, plus greater anxiety about pregnancy, delivery, and their babies. Survey study, 1997 Do women with PMDD have worse symptoms in certain seasons? Yes, clearly. Women with PMDD have much stronger seasonal patterns in their mood and symptoms than women without PMDD, with 25% to 30% reporting that seasonal worsening is a marked or severe problem. Review, 1997 What is known about serotonin in severe PMS? Serotonin dysregulation appears to be involved in severe PMS. Some serotonin abnormalities appear only during the symptomatic luteal phase, while others persist throughout the cycle. Randomised trial, 1997 Are body temperature rhythms different in women with PMDD, and does partial sleep deprivation help? Women with PMDD had different body temperature patterns across the cycle and responded differently to partial sleep deprivation than control women. The evidence is moderate because it comes from a controlled study, but only 23 women with PMDD were studied. Randomised trial, 1996 Are hormone rhythms different in women with PMDD, and are they corrected by partial sleep deprivation? Women with PMDD had higher prolactin levels and earlier TSH peak timing than normal women. Partial sleep deprivation changed these hormones, but these changes did not appear to explain how sleep deprivation helped PMDD symptoms. The evidence is moderate but based on a small study. Cohort study, 1996 Does premenstrual syndrome affect how well women think and remember? The study found no clear differences in thinking, memory, or attention between women with PMS and those without, though women with PMS felt more depressed. Study, 1996 Do women with PMDD have different levels of a brain chemical linked to depression? Yes, women with PMDD have lower levels of GABA, a brain chemical, especially during their luteal phase. Those with a history of depression have low GABA in both cycle phases. Randomised trial, 1996 What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and what treatments work for it? PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual mood disturbance, separate from milder PMS, and this review reports that SSRIs and treatments that stop ovulation (hormonal or surgical) have been shown effective in placebo-controlled trials. Survey study, 1996 Is the Daily Symptom Report a reliable way to diagnose PMS? Yes, the Daily Symptom Report is a reliable way to diagnose PMS, with very high internal consistency of 0.92. It measures mood, behavior, pain, and physical symptoms separately. Survey study, 1996 Do women who experienced sexual assault have worse PMS symptoms? Yes. Women with a history of sexual assault were about 2.39 times more likely to experience worse premenstrual distress, even when depression was accounted for. Women assaulted repeatedly by the same person had even higher risk. Survey study, 1996 What symptoms do women experience before their period, and do they stay the same over time? Women experience five main types of symptoms in the week before their period: mood symptoms, hot flashes, body aches, muscle and nerve symptoms, and sleep problems. Mood symptoms are most consistent over time. Randomised trial, 1995 Does danazol help severe PMS? Yes, danazol significantly reduced severe PMS symptoms compared to placebo, with 43.8 percent of women becoming symptom-free versus 8.3 percent on placebo. Randomised trial, 1995 Does partial sleep deprivation help PMDD symptoms? Not directly. Women with PMDD improved after recovery sleep (getting normal sleep) but not from the sleep deprivation itself, and placebo effects cannot be ruled out. Randomised trial, 1995 Does fluoxetine reduce PMS mood symptoms? Yes. The study found that fluoxetine reduced premenstrual feelings of sadness, tension, and irritability. Survey study, 1995 Does depression, stress, or unhappy relationships cause food cravings during the menstrual cycle? Depression is very strongly linked to food cravings in all cycle phases. Stress and relationship unhappiness have little or no effect once depression is accounted for. Food cravings without depression still show a cycle pattern, peaking premenstrually. Study, 1995 Is PMS linked to genes, environment, or personality traits? PMS, depression, and traits like neuroticism appear to share common genetic influences. However, PMS also has specific environmental causes separate from personality traits. Cohort study, 1995 Is premenstrual and menstrual depression linked to pain and menstrual bleeding? Premenstrual and menstrual depression is strongly associated with pain during these times, though the relationship with bleeding is weaker. It remains unclear whether depression makes pain feel worse, pain triggers depression, or another factor causes both. Cohort study, 1995 Does premenstrual syndrome get worse as women age? No. Symptoms actually decreased with age. The worst time for severe PMS was in women's late twenties through mid-thirties, not later in life. 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. Randomised trial, 1995 Is paroxetine better than other antidepressants for treating severe PMS? Yes. Paroxetine reduced symptoms much more than placebo. It also worked better than maprotiline for most symptoms. Randomised trial, 1994 Does alprazolam help women with late luteal phase dysphoric disorder? Yes, but only for women whose symptoms happen only in the luteal phase. It reduced tension, irritability, and anxiety in that group but not in women who also had anxiety or depression at other times of the month. Study, 1994 Do women with PMS cope with stress differently than other women? Women with PMS who have higher depression scores tend to use avoidant coping (avoiding stressful situations rather than dealing with them). This pattern is consistent throughout their menstrual cycle, not just during the premenstrual phase. Randomised trial, 1994 Does depot leuprolide relieve premenstrual syndrome, and does depression affect how well it works? Depot leuprolide was significantly more effective than placebo for women without severe depression. For those with moderate depression it helped somewhat, but for those with severe depression it did not work at all. Survey study, 1994 How do food, serotonin, and mood relate in PMS and other conditions? This review discusses how serotonin, a brain chemical, affects mood and eating in conditions including PMS. It suggests that treatments like antidepressants (SSRIs) and light therapy may work for these conditions because they involve similar serotonin problems. Randomised trial, 1994 Does nefazodone help premenstrual syndrome? Premenstrual symptoms improved significantly in both groups. Improvement appeared by week 4 at an average dose of 245 mg. However, this was an open-label study without a placebo control, so the true effect is uncertain. Randomised trial, 1994 How does light therapy affect hormone levels in women with PMDD? Light therapy shifted hormone timing in women with PMDD in different ways depending on the time of day. Women with PMDD had naturally higher prolactin levels throughout their cycle compared to women without PMDD. Randomised trial, 1994 Does stopping ovulation help severe premenstrual tension? Yes, a drug that stops ovulation (goserelin) reduced breast discomfort and swelling significantly. It also reduced mood swings, though the effect on mood was weaker and had a strong placebo component. Case-control study, 1994 Do women with PMS respond to stress differently than other women? Yes. Women with premenstrual dysphoria rate daily stressors as more stressful and seek social support more often than other women, especially before their period. Randomised trial, 1993 Does alprazolam help premenstrual syndrome symptoms? No. Alprazolam did not reduce PMS symptoms compared to placebo on most measures, with only a small statistical improvement in depression that was not clinically meaningful. Randomised trial, 1993 Does clomipramine taken only during the luteal phase help premenstrual syndrome symptoms? Yes, clomipramine during the luteal phase significantly reduced irritability and depression compared to placebo. The effect was notably larger than placebo, though the study was small. Randomised trial, 1993 Does fluoxetine help severe PMS symptoms? Yes. Fluoxetine significantly improved severe PMS symptoms in 15 of 16 women who completed the trial, with 8 showing almost complete remission of symptoms. Most side effects were temporary. Survey study, 1993 Is the PMS questionnaire reliable and what are the main symptom patterns? Yes, the questionnaire is very reliable (0.94 internal consistency). It shows that PMS symptoms fall into two main patterns: dysphoria (mood problems) and dysfunction (difficulty functioning in daily life). Non-randomised trial, 1993 Does light therapy reduce depression symptoms before the period? All light treatments reduced depression, but the placebo treatment also worked, so we cannot tell if bright light is specifically helpful. Study, 1993 Are the symptoms of PMS different from heavy periods and severe period pain? No. Women with PMS, heavy periods, and severe period pain have many overlapping symptoms. Depression is the main symptom that makes women seek help for PMS, and it is linked to cycle timing, personality, and bleeding severity. Cohort study, 1993 When are new mothers most likely to get depression - right after birth or later? Depression peaked at 10 weeks after birth, not immediately afterward. PMS before pregnancy was only linked to postpartum depression once women's periods restarted. Survey study, 1993 Are women with menopause distress more likely to have had past depression linked to their periods? Yes, clearly. Women with high distress at menopause were much more likely to report past depression, needing antidepressant treatment, distress from birth control, PMS symptoms, baby blues, and postpartum depression. Review, 1993 Is the PMS diagnosis scientifically valid and clinically useful? The authors argue the traditional PMS diagnosis is flawed because there is no agreed definition, many women seeking help do not fit diagnostic criteria, and there is no consensus on treatment. They propose a three-factor model instead. Randomised trial, 1992 Does a triphasic birth control pill help premenstrual symptoms? It reduced breast pain and bloating but did not help mood symptoms. Women also experienced decreased sexual interest as a side effect. Study, 1992 What is the psychological profile of women who experience premenstrual dysphoria? Women with premenstrual dysphoria tend to have higher anxiety and mood problems before their period, and many have a history of mood disorders or feel they have little control over their lives. Randomised trial, 1992 Does clomipramine help premenstrual irritability and dysphoria? Yes. Clomipramine reduced symptoms by more than 80 percent compared to about 40 percent with placebo, with a response rate close to 100 percent. Study, 1992 Do women trying to get pregnant report more premenstrual symptoms? Yes. Women in fertility treatment reported more premenstrual symptoms than medical students, and over half of them met criteria for severe premenstrual disorder compared to 42% of students. Study, 1992 Is low serotonin the cause of late luteal phase dysphoric disorder? This study found no clear differences in serotonin function between women with LLPDD and those without it. The findings do not support the idea that serotonin is the cause of LLPDD. Randomised trial, 1992 Are PMS and PMDD symptoms real, or are they just from expecting to have them? Symptoms appear real. Women with confirmed PMDD reported consistent symptoms across cycle phases regardless of knowing the study focused on menstruation. Expectations had only a small effect on symptom reporting. Randomised trial, 1991 Does knowing you are studied about your cycle change what you report? Women who knew they were being studied reported normal premenstrual and menstrual experiences similar to men, while women who did not know reported slightly lower well-being than men during the premenstrual phase. The study was small. Study, 1991 Does stopping ovulation with danazol help severe PMS? Yes. When women took danazol and stopped ovulating, 20 out of 23 cycles had no symptoms, compared to 6 out of 32 cycles when they were still ovulating. This shows a clear difference. Study, 1991 Do women with PMS have higher body temperature? Yes. Women with PMS had significantly higher nighttime body temperature compared to women without PMS across the entire menstrual cycle. Randomised trial, 1991 Does danazol help severe premenstrual syndrome? Yes. Danazol was much more effective than placebo for overall symptoms and for specific symptoms including breast discomfort, irritability, mood swings, crying, low libido, and abdominal swelling. Study, 1991 How does mood change throughout 2 weeks in women with PMS compared to women without PMS? Women with PMS experienced significantly greater mood changes over 2 weeks compared to women without PMS, showing much larger ups and downs in mood from day to day. Cohort study, 1991 What causes postpartum blues (mood changes in the week after giving birth)? A woman's depression history, ability to adjust socially, stressful life events, and estrogen levels after birth all predicted postpartum blues. This suggests postpartum blues is linked to mood disorders, not just hormone changes. Randomised trial, 1991 Do antidepressants help premenstrual symptoms in women with depression? Yes. After 12 weeks, at least two-thirds of women taking imipramine or phenelzine had essentially no premenstrual problems, compared to half of those taking placebo. Study, 1990 Do women with PMS have lower levels of beta-endorphin? Yes. Women with PMS had a significantly greater drop in beta-endorphin levels compared to women without PMS. The other hormones and transmitters tested showed no clear differences. Review, 1990 Is buspirone an effective treatment for anxiety? Yes, buspirone works as well as benzodiazepine anxiety medications and significantly better than placebo for generalized anxiety disorder and chronic anxiety. It also has antidepressant effects, and it is safer because it does not cause dependence, though it works more slowly. Randomised trial, 1990 Does d-fenfluramine reduce premenstrual depression and excessive eating? Yes. D-fenfluramine reduced depression scores by 62% compared to placebo's 28%, and it stopped the excessive eating and carbohydrate cravings that occur before the period. Randomised trial, 1990 Does education about PMS help reduce premenstrual symptoms? Yes. Women who received education had fewer anxiety and appetite symptoms, fewer severe depression and water retention symptoms, and fewer days with any symptoms. Review, 1990 How do hormones affect brain chemicals that control mood? Sex hormones change how the brain's serotonin system works across the menstrual cycle. Stopping ovulation with danazol eliminated premenstrual mood changes in studied women, showing a hormone-mood connection. Cohort study, 1990 What is the prevalence of late luteal phase dysphoric disorder in young university women? 4.6% of young university women met diagnostic criteria. Women in the general population with the disorder reported significantly fewer symptoms than those seeking medical treatment. Survey study, 1990 Are premenstrual symptoms related to how well a woman feels overall? Yes. Premenstrual symptoms and general well-being are closely connected, and premenstrual symptoms tend to stay about the same from year to year. Women with low well-being and premenstrual symptoms were also more depressed. Cohort study, 1990 What PMS symptoms do women experience even when not seeking treatment? Most women have some premenstrual symptoms. The most common are depressive symptoms (65%), physical discomfort (61.7%), and fluid retention (53.4%). Only 20.3% had no negative symptoms. Randomised trial, 1990 Does alprazolam help premenstrual dysphoria? Yes. Alprazolam was significantly superior to placebo in treating late luteal phase dysphoric disorder based on physicians' ratings and patients' reports. Study, 1989 Do women with severe PMS also have other mental health conditions? Some women seeking treatment have mood and behavior changes limited to the premenstrual period, while others have ongoing mental health conditions that worsen before their period. Most differences between treatment-seeking women and women without symptoms were due to the second group. Survey study, 1989 Is depression that occurs premenstrually different from clinical depression? Yes. Women with PMS experience depressive mood changes premenstrually, but their depression scores are about a third lower than women with clinical depression, and their hormone patterns are also different, showing these are distinct conditions. Survey study, 1989 Do anxiety, anger, and depression increase before a woman's period? Yes, clearly. Women with PMS had clear increases in anxiety, anger, and depression at different parts of their cycle. Those with the most obvious PMS had the strongest increases. Cohort study, 1989 Does the menstrual cycle affect depression test scores? Yes. Women scored higher on depression tests premenstrually than postmenstrually, and more women met the threshold for depression before their period. However, this may reflect how the test itself changes with the cycle, not actual changes in depression. Case-control study, 1989 Do mood swings only happen to women with PMS, or do other women get them too? Both groups had mood swings, but in women with PMS the low mood clustered tightly in the premenstrual days, while in women without PMS mood changes popped up at random times across the cycle, not just before periods. Randomised trial, 1989 Does vitamin B6 reduce PMS mood symptoms? Yes, vitamin B6 at 50 mg per day significantly improved mood-related symptoms like depression, irritability, and tiredness. It did not help other PMS symptoms. Only about half the women finished the study. Study, 1989 Do other mental health conditions affect premenstrual symptoms? Yes. The study found differences between women with premenstrual symptoms who had other psychiatric disorders and those who didn't. Survey study, 1988 Do depressive symptoms cluster into patterns including a premenstrual syndrome pattern? Yes. Statistical analysis identified five symptom patterns: one matching major depression and another in younger women as premenstrual syndrome. This explains the gap between reported depression symptoms and diagnoses. Cohort study, 1988 Do women with PMS experience bigger appetite changes during their cycle than other women? Yes. Both groups had increased appetite before their period, but women with PMS had much stronger appetite increases. In PMS women, increased appetite was linked to depressed mood. Survey study, 1988 Do women with PMS have higher rates of postpartum depression and birth control side effects? Yes. Among women who had given birth, 62.6% of those with PMS had experienced postpartum depression compared to 41.4% without PMS. Among those with postpartum depression, 69.8% of PMS patients reported birth control side effects compared to 38.9% of controls. Study, 1988 Are there different types of premenstrual symptoms? Yes. Research found three main patterns of premenstrual changes: hostile-depressive, atypical depressive, and anxious, as well as two less common patterns. Survey study, 1985 Are women with PMS mood changes more likely to have depression? Yes, strongly. Women with a depression history are much more likely to have severe PMS mood symptoms, and most women with severe PMS mood symptoms have also had depression at some point. Cohort study, 1984 Can a visual analogue scale reliably measure mood changes related to the menstrual cycle? Yes, a twice-daily visual scale successfully tracked mood changes related to menstruation. In 20 women with self-diagnosed PMS, 40% showed depression ratings 30% higher before menstruation versus after. Study, 1983 Does menstrual cycle affect how much alcohol women drink? For women not on birth control, yes. They reported more negative moods before their period and drank alcohol more often to help with stress and sadness, particularly drinking alone. Women on birth control pills did not show this pattern. Review, 1983 What causes PMS symptoms and how should it be treated? The four days before a period are when most PMS happens, causing irritability, depression, anxiety and fatigue. Treatments include vitamin B6, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication and therapy, though evidence is mixed. Randomised trial, 1983 Does bromocriptine help severe premenstrual tension? No, bromocriptine did not work better than placebo. Most women improved on both (80% on placebo, 50-88% on bromocriptine), suggesting the improvement may not be from the medication itself. Survey study, 1982 How common are premenstrual symptoms in American women, and what factors affect them? Premenstrual symptoms are very common in American women, with over 30% experiencing weight gain, headache, mood changes, and other symptoms, though only 2% to 8% found them severe. Study, 1982 Do different birth control pills have different effects on premenstrual symptoms? Yes, women taking birth control pills containing the progestogen lynestrenol had significantly more premenstrual depression and belly swelling than women taking pills containing norgestrel. Review, 1977 Why do women have higher rates of depression than men? Women in the US and other countries show higher depression rates than men. This may be due to biological factors like hormones or genetics, or psychological factors like discrimination, but the exact cause is unclear. Study, 1976 How much higher do anxiety and depression get before your period? Anxiety and depression are noticeably higher before your period than in the middle of your cycle, but they are still much lower than in people with depression or anxiety disorders. Study, 1975 Does suppressing prolactin affect how the menstrual cycle works? No clear difference was found. When prolactin was suppressed to low levels, the menstrual cycle continued with the same pattern of hormonal changes. Study, 1970 Does oral contraceptive use affect depression related to the menstrual cycle? Yes. In women not using contraceptives, depression varied with the menstrual cycle day. In women using oral contraceptives, this pattern was much weaker. Also, 6.6 percent of women on one type of contraceptive were more severely depressed than any woman in the control group. Case report, 2026 Can anxiety and PMDD trigger binge drinking, and can medication help? This single case shows that a woman whose binge drinking episodes were triggered by anxiety and linked to her PMDD improved with medication: her anxiety and drinking urges decreased, and she had no new drinking episodes at 12 weeks. Survey study, 2026 What attitudes do nursing students have toward premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Most nursing students (51.6%) had positive attitudes toward PMDD, while 49.4% had moderate attitudes. This study only measured attitudes, not clinical knowledge or skills. Cohort study, 2026 Is there a link between excessive anxiety and mood changes during the menstrual cycle? Among female medical students during COVID, those who had a tendency to focus excessively on small details had more depression, sleep problems, and some perceived menstrual changes. However, this was just an observation, not proof of cause and effect. Interview study, 2026 Does acceptance and commitment therapy help people with anxiety and PMDD? One woman showed meaningful improvement in anxiety and psychological flexibility after 37 therapy sessions, and no longer met criteria for PMDD, though some period-related symptoms remained. This is just one person's experience. Survey study, 2026 Do women with ADHD have worse menstrual, pregnancy, and menopause symptoms? Yes, in this large survey women with ADHD reported significantly more menstrual irregularity, worse premenstrual symptoms, higher postpartum depression, and more severe menopausal symptoms than women without ADHD. Survey study, 2026 Why do some women's moods react strongly to hormone changes across the cycle while others don't? This review explains that 'hormone sensitivity' is not one single thing but many, and that while most women are not strongly affected by hormone swings, some are much more sensitive, especially those with existing mood disorders; the exact reasons are still being studied. Case-control study, 2026 Does deep sleep work differently in the brain for women with PMDD? Yes, this tiny study found women with PMDD had different sleep wave patterns than healthy women across the whole menstrual cycle, but with only 6 women the result is very uncertain. Survey study, 2026 Is PMDD linked to sleep problems, diet, and academic stress in female medical students? This study found a clear association between PMDD and poor sleep, and between PMDD and academic burnout in female medical students. However, there was no clear relationship between PMDD and diet. Survey study, 2026 Why is understanding PMS awareness in teenage girls important? PMS is under-recognized in adolescents and many teenage girls have knowledge gaps about it. Better awareness and education could help young women recognize and manage symptoms earlier. Survey study, 2026 Are PMDD, anxiety, and internet use linked to cognitive problems in women? In this study of women aged 19-45 with anxiety, those who also had PMDD, severe anxiety lasting 5 or more years, or problematic internet use showed associations with cognitive problems including memory and concentration difficulties. Systematic review, 2026 Does childhood trauma increase the risk for PMS, PMDD, and related mood disorders? Yes, childhood trauma appears to increase the risk for these mood disorders. Emotional abuse in childhood was most strongly linked. Childhood trauma may make women more sensitive to hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. Survey study, 2026 How aware are Japanese students of PMDD and what are their attitudes toward premenstrual symptoms? Only 20.6% of students had heard of PMDD. Many believed premenstrual symptoms should be endured rather than treated. Survey study, 2026 Do teen girls with ADHD have more suicidal thoughts when angry before their period? Teen girls with ADHD are more likely to have PMDD and premenstrual anger. However, overall depression appears to be the main driver of suicide risk, not premenstrual anger alone. Cohort study, 2026 Does brain structure differ between women with PMDD and healthy controls? Cannot be answered. The provided abstract contains only background information and cuts off mid-sentence, with no results presented from this study. Case report, 2026 Does surgery cure PMDD that doesn't respond to medication? In this one woman with severe treatment-resistant PMDD, removal of the uterus and ovaries led to long-term remission of symptoms, though she had severe depression immediately after surgery. We cannot say whether this would work for other women with PMDD. Survey study, 2026 What substances do people use to manage premenstrual symptoms? People most commonly use cannabis, alcohol, and psychedelics to manage premenstrual mood symptoms. People with PMDD use cannabis much more often than others, but we don't yet know how well these substances actually work. Survey study, 2026 Do girls who experienced childhood abuse or neglect have higher PMDD symptoms? Yes. Girls who experienced childhood abuse or neglect reported higher PMDD symptoms compared to girls with limited abuse or neglect. This is a cross-sectional study, so we cannot know if maltreatment causes PMDD. Survey study, 2026 How does PMS and anhedonia affect student grades? The study found that both PMS and anhedonia (loss of pleasure) negatively impact academic performance and grades in medical and non-medical students equally. Survey study, 2026 Does controlling personality traits help emotional regulation in women with PMS? The study found that controlling neuroticism (a tendency toward negative emotions) was linked to emotional regulation differently in mild versus moderate PMS. The relationship was complex and depended on PMS severity. Survey study, 2026 Do emotional regulation and resilience change during the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD have much higher depression and anxiety than other women, especially before their period. Their ability to handle emotions and bounce back from stress is significantly lower during that time. Review, 2026 Is premenstrual dysphoric disorder now recognized in the international diagnosis system? Yes. ICD-11 now officially recognizes premenstrual dysphoric disorder as a depressive disorder, with seven new specifiers to describe depressive disorders. Specific guidance for children and adolescents still needs more research. Survey study, 2026 How common is PMS in adolescents and what factors relate to it? PMS was detected in 73.3% of adolescents aged 12-18. Older age and later age at menarche were associated with higher PMS scores. Systematic review, 2026 How are doctors and researchers diagnosing PMDD differently, and what factors are they using? PMDD is diagnosed inconsistently across research and clinical settings, with some methods relying on patient memory and others on daily tracking. This variation contributes to underdiagnosis and makes research findings harder to compare. Non-randomised trial, 2026 Does high-intensity interval training help women with PMDD? In this study of 35 women with PMDD, 4 weeks of high-intensity interval training significantly reduced symptom severity, pain, and inflammation markers. There was no control group, so we cannot be certain the improvement came from exercise alone. Randomised trial, 2026 Does Emotion Efficacy Therapy help women with PMDD? Yes. The therapy significantly improved emotional balance, reduced negative automatic thoughts, and reduced impulsive behaviors. The benefits lasted through the two-month follow-up. Randomised trial, 2026 Does PMDD change how the body releases stress hormones during a panic trigger? No clear difference was found. Women with PMDD released the hormones arginine vasopressin and oxytocin in response to a panic-triggering injection in much the same way as women without PMDD, in both phases of the cycle. Survey study, 2026 Do suicidal thoughts change across the menstrual cycle? The study found no clear pattern of suicidal thoughts changing with cycle phases. However, feelings like depression, anger, and irritability (which do vary across the cycle) were linked to suicidal thoughts. Interview study, 2026 How does PMDD affect eating behaviors? People with PMDD have eating patterns that change across their menstrual cycle, including binge eating, restrictive eating, and purging. Many struggle to get support because healthcare providers don't understand PMDD well enough. Interview study, 2026 How do eating behavior and mood change during the menstrual cycle in women using birth control? Women not using birth control showed more emotional and compulsive eating in the early cycle phase, while women using birth control pills showed less change. This is a small study of 84 university students. Cohort study, 2026 Do genetics and stress factors affect how severe premenstrual symptoms are? Yes. Women with genes linked to depression plus stress factors like low emotional resilience, childhood trauma, or alcohol use had significantly more severe symptoms and higher odds of probable PMS disorder. Cohort study, 2026 Can paying attention to where you are in your menstrual cycle improve mental health care? This review says yes: many people are sensitive to normal hormone changes, and building cycle timing into psychological assessment and treatment can make care more accurate and effective. It is a summary of existing evidence, not a new study with its own results. Survey study, 2026 Does the brain structure of people with PMDD differ between the left and right sides? The brains of women with PMDD showed different patterns of left-right size in two specific areas. We cannot yet know if this difference causes PMDD or is caused by it. Survey study, 2026 Does a traditional Chinese herb help PMS? In rats with PMS-like symptoms, Honghua Xiaoyao tablets improved mood-related behaviors and normalized stress hormones. But this is rat research, not human studies, so it cannot tell us if the herb helps real women with PMS. Survey study, 2026 Are there differences in brain activity and connectivity in women with PMDD? Yes, women with PMDD show increased activity in the brain's waste-clearing system (glymphatic system) and increased connections between the hypothalamus and multiple emotion-processing brain regions compared to women without PMDD. Survey study, 2026 How aware are female students of PMDD and how does it affect their schoolwork? Most female students have low awareness of PMDD and rarely discuss it with teachers. PMDD symptoms make it hard to concentrate in class. This was only a survey in Nigeria, so results may not apply elsewhere. Review, 2026 Do men experience premenstrual syndrome? No. Men do not experience PMS in the strict sense because PMS is defined in relation to the menstrual cycle, which men do not have. However, men may experience recurrent mood, energy, and behavior changes from different biological and social causes. Review, 2026 Can the brain's perception of internal body signals explain premenstrual syndrome? This is a new theoretical idea that PMS may involve abnormal brain perception of internal signals like heartbeat and hormones. The theory has not yet been tested through research. Interview study, 2026 What are women's experiences getting diagnosed with PMDD? Women often face doctors dismissing their symptoms and long waits to get diagnosed. Once diagnosed, the recognition can help, but only if women can access treatment. These experiences were similar across different countries. Survey study, 2026 Should PMDD be recognized in Indian law as affecting criminal responsibility? The analysis concludes that PMDD should be legally recognized in India as affecting judgment and behavior. Modern medicine recognizes PMDD as serious, but Indian criminal law currently does not acknowledge it. Case report, 2026 Can hormonal therapy treat psychotic symptoms tied to the menstrual cycle? This case describes a 26-year-old woman whose psychotic symptoms appeared with her menstrual cycle. Antipsychotic medication initially helped, but low-dose hormonal birth control led to lasting improvement. Non-randomised trial, 2026 Are the most bothersome premenstrual symptoms physical or emotional? Emotional symptoms like stress, anxiety, and depression are reported at much higher levels than physical symptoms. Married women experience significantly more emotional distress than unmarried women. Study, 2026 How do brain chemicals relate to PMDD and what treatments can help? PMDD affects 3% to 8% of menstruating people and involves a brain chemical imbalance. Several treatments work, including antidepressants, new specific medications, birth control pills, and some herbal remedies. Case-control study, 2026 What role do brain chemicals called neurosteroids play in PMDD? A key brain chemical called allopregnanolone likely triggers PMDD symptoms in vulnerable women. It acts as a sedative at high levels but can cause anxiety and irritability at lower levels in some people. Randomised trial, 2026 Can a short, simple hormone test spot women whose mood is especially sensitive to hormone changes? A quick 7-day hormone test gave similar results to a much longer 4-month test in identifying hormone-sensitive women, but this was a very small pilot study, so it's an early, promising sign rather than a settled answer. Survey study, 2026 Is obesity linked to worse PMS symptoms and menstrual problems? Yes, obese women had much more PMS (113.83 vs. 62.5 severity score) and more depression and anxiety (97.5% vs. 47.5%). However, this small hospital study in Bangladesh can't tell us if weight loss would reduce PMS. Survey study, 2026 Can health education help adolescent girls understand menstrual disorders and severe premenstrual disorder? Health education clearly improved girls' knowledge about menstrual disorders and severe premenstrual disorder. Before education, 82.5% had less than adequate knowledge. After education, all students achieved very good understanding. Case-control study, 2026 Are personality traits like aggressiveness linked to PMDD? Women with PMDD had higher aggressiveness and neuroticism than controls, and aggressiveness correlated with irritability severity and brain structure changes. However, these were small findings in a limited study. Survey study, 2026 What symptoms do young women have with premenstrual syndrome and how do they manage? Young women experience multiple physical and emotional PMS symptoms. Most use home remedies like sleep, rest, music, and phone distraction to cope. Survey study, 2026 Does a brain chemical relate to depression that worsens before periods in women with major depression? Yes, during the premenstrual phase. Women with worse depression had lower levels of GABA (a brain chemical) in a specific brain region, but only when tested just before their period. Review, 2026 What should doctors know about PMS and PMDD in teenagers? PMS and PMDD are common in teenagers and affect school, friendships, and mental health because the body is overly sensitive to normal hormone changes. SSRIs (antidepressants), birth control pills, exercise, therapy, and lifestyle changes can help, though most evidence comes from adult studies. Review, 2026 How should doctors recognize and treat PMS and PMDD in young people? PMS and PMDD are common in adolescents and young adults worldwide and substantially damage emotional well-being and daily functioning. The review examined diagnostic tools, how common these conditions are, what causes them, and treatment options including both medicines and lifestyle approaches. Study, 2026 How does PMDD affect women's work and careers? PMDD causes major challenges at work. Women struggle with concentration, relationships with coworkers, and confidence during the two weeks before their period. They may continue working but do not perform at their usual level, affecting long-term career development. Review, 2026 What should doctors know about PMDD across gynecology and psychiatry? PMDD is a serious mood disorder linked to the menstrual cycle that requires care from both gynecology and psychiatry specialists working together. Survey study, 2026 Are PMS and depression connected in nursing students? 38.9% had moderate-to-severe PMS and 12.2% had PMDD. Depression was slightly more common in women with PMS (54.3% vs 47.3%), but this difference was not statistically significant. Survey study, 2026 Do women with menstrual migraine have worse PMS and PMDD, and does coping strategy affect headache burden? Yes. Women with menstrual migraine had significantly higher PMS severity and PMDD rates than women without menstrual migraine. Using awareness and acceptance coping strategies reduced headache impact on quality of life. Survey study, 2026 How common are PMS and PMDD among medical students? PMS was found in 45% and PMDD in 33.6%. Confidence is moderate because this is one small study from India. Survey study, 2026 How common is PMS and PMDD in Pakistan and how do they relate to mental health? PMS was found in 36.2% and PMDD in 8.5%. Both were linked to higher stress and depression, and worse quality of life. Survey study, 2026 How common is premenstrual tension and does it affect university students' studies? 65.2% had premenstrual symptoms and 8.1% met PMDD criteria. Those with symptoms had more difficulty concentrating, worse exam performance, and less participation in activities. Survey study, 2026 How common is PMS among medical students and how is it linked to depression? Using the study's definition, 96.4% had PMS. Those with PMS had higher depression and lower school involvement. The extremely high prevalence makes confidence low. Survey study, 2026 How common is PMS in female university students in Lebanon and what factors increase the risk? Nearly half (46.8%) had moderate-to-severe PMS and 16.5% had PMDD. Smoking, heavy periods, skipping meals, fast food, social media, and high stress were significantly associated with increased risk. Most women used NSAIDs, but less than half found them very effective. Survey study, 2026 Among women with bipolar I disorder, who is more likely to also have PMDD? About one-third (36.5%) of women with bipolar I disorder have PMDD. Those at higher risk have seasonal mood patterns, a history of suicide attempts, and a family history of mental illness. Survey study, 2026 Is PMS or PMDD linked to eating disorders? Yes. Women with PMDD had higher scores for eating disorders, emotional eating, and uncontrolled eating than women without PMS. The link between PMDD and emotional eating was strongest in overweight women. Survey study, 2026 Does eating foods that cause inflammation link to worse food cravings and mood problems in women with PMS? The study found that eating more fat and saturated fat linked to more food cravings. The abstract cuts off before showing complete results about mood and inflammation. Survey study, 2026 Does self-injury or difficult childhood experiences increase PMDD risk in adolescents? Yes. This study found clear relationships between self-injurious behavior and PMDD, and between adverse childhood experiences and PMDD in adolescent girls, suggesting both are risk factors. Survey study, 2026 How common are PMS and PMDD in young university students? In this group, 7% had PMDD, 46% had mild or no PMS, and 47% had moderate to severe PMS. Students with PMDD had the most severe symptoms and more disruption to daily life. Survey study, 2026 Do women with severe PMS symptoms have higher odds of eating disorders? Yes. Women with worse PMS have higher odds of eating disorders, mainly because they tend to engage in more emotional eating and food addiction, particularly if they have unhelpful thinking patterns. Survey study, 2026 Do mindfulness, self-compassion and sense of coherence protect against severe PMS and PMDD? Possibly yes. These psychological factors appeared to reduce the impact of stress and trauma on PMS and PMDD symptoms. Survey study, 2026 How do PMS and PMDD affect work life? In this study, 19.5% of women had PMS and 31.1% had PMDD. Women who couldn't take time off work but wanted to had more severe symptoms. Study, 2026 Does replacing gut bacteria help with menstrual problems, depression, and anxiety? In this study, transplanting healthy gut bacteria improved quality of life, reduced depression and anxiety, and improved menstrual conditions. However, this is an early study and larger research is needed. Interview study, 2026 What do female employees and high school girls understand about PMDD? High school girls were more aware of PMDD than working women, though both groups understood roughly the same amount. Being more aware did not necessarily mean understanding the condition better. Survey study, 2026 Does being kind to yourself help reduce how negative attitudes about menstruation worsen PMS symptoms? Being kind to yourself (self-compassion) appears to reduce the connection between negative menstrual attitudes and PMS symptoms. However, this finding comes from one study where women volunteered online, so it is not yet proven. Study, 2026 Could early stress or past trauma make PMDD symptoms worse later in the cycle? This research offers a possible explanation for why PMDD symptoms vary so much, and why related conditions can worsen before a period. It is only a theory, not tested on patients, so we don't yet know if it is true. Review, 2026 Can brain imaging help explain how hormones affect mood in PMDD? A review suggests that advanced PET brain imaging could reveal how neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA interact with hormonal changes to cause PMDD symptoms. The approach is promising but not yet proven. Survey study, 2026 Do women with PMDD and PMS have worse attention and decision-making than healthy women? Yes. Women with PMDD show the poorest performance on attention and decision-making tasks, followed by women with PMS, then healthy women. The differences appear linked to how severe symptoms are. Survey study, 2026 Does eating more ultra-processed food make PMS symptoms worse? Yes, this study found that eating more ultra-processed food was linked to worse PMS symptoms, but it cannot prove that the food caused the symptoms. Review, 2026 What biological, psychological, and social factors contribute to PMDD? PMDD involves hormonal changes, genetic factors, personality traits, pre-existing mental health conditions, cultural stigma, and differences in access to support and care. Survey study, 2026 How common is PMDD in Russian medical students, and what are its symptoms? About 14.3% of medical students had PMDD, or 25.4% including mild forms. Most common symptoms were depression (87.9%), anxiety (48.3%), and sleep problems (31.0%). Review, 2026 What causes PMDD and what treatments are available? PMDD seems to come from the body's abnormal response to hormone and brain-chemical shifts, shaped by genes, stress, immune function and opioid pathways. Several treatments exist, from SSRIs to surgery in severe cases, but this paper only summarises existing research, not a new trial. Systematic review, 2026 Has osteopathic manual therapy been studied as a treatment for PMDD? This scoping review protocol plans to search for studies on osteopathic manual therapy for PMDD. Since no reviews of OMT for PMDD exist, it will examine indirect evidence from related conditions like PMS and dysmenorrhea. Survey study, 2025 How common are PMS and PMDD among female university students? About 10.37% had PMS and 19.26% had PMDD. Technical course students had higher rates than medical course students. Survey study, 2025 Is there a link between premenstrual syndrome and obsessive-compulsive symptoms? Yes, 74.2% of young women had PMS and showed significantly higher obsessive-compulsive symptoms than those without PMS, particularly in rumination. The link suggests PMS and psychological symptoms are connected. Lab study, 2025 How does Jingqianshu Granules help PMDD? This laboratory and animal study shows the medicine may work through changes in brain chemicals and reduction of brain inflammation. Results cannot yet be confirmed in women with PMDD. Survey study, 2025 Is school bullying linked to premenstrual disorders in adolescent girls? Yes, bullied girls were 3.15 times more likely to have premenstrual disorders. Social and verbal bullying had the strongest links. Survey study, 2025 Does a mother's overprotection affect whether someone develops premenstrual disorder? Maternal overprotection was among the top factors the machine learning model identified as associated with moderate-to-severe PMS or PMDD. This suggests parenting style may play a role, but this is exploratory research that needs follow-up studies. Survey study, 2025 Are girls with ADHD or autism more likely to have severe PMS or PMDD? Yes, girls with ADHD were 2.43 times more likely to have moderate to severe PMS, and girls with both autism and ADHD were 3.27 times more likely. Girls with only autism did not show this link. Survey study, 2025 Are PMDD symptoms linked to depression and anxiety? Yes. Women with higher PMDD-type symptom scores were much more likely to have depression and anxiety, and most women with PMDD had severe depression and moderate-to-high anxiety. Survey study, 2025 How many university students have PMDD and do they know about it? About 4 in 10 university students in Riyadh met PMDD criteria. Most (58.5%) had heard of PMDD before. Common coping strategies included paying attention to symptoms and normalizing them. More education is needed. Study, 2025 What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and how is it diagnosed? PMDD involves at least 5 psychological symptoms, including mood problems like mood swings, depression, anxiety, or irritability, in the week before the period. It was recognized in DSM-5 in 2013 and ICD-11 in 2022. Study, 2025 Do women use cannabis more during certain menstrual cycle phases, and does mood affect when they use it? Women use cannabis more frequently during the premenstrual phase, and whether they use it to manage mood or physical pain depends on how depressed or angry they feel during different cycle phases. Review, 2025 How is the brain's emotion center involved in PMS and PMDD? The amygdala, which controls emotional responses, shows abnormalities in women with PMDD and severe PMS. Understanding these changes may help develop better treatments. Survey study, 2025 What causes premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and how common are they? This review article explains the known biological, genetic and lifestyle factors behind premenstrual disorders rather than testing a treatment; it reports that any premenstrual disorder may affect up to 87% of women. Survey study, 2025 What is the prevalence of PMS among medical students in India, and what factors are linked to it? One in five medical students in this study had moderate-to-severe PMS. Lack of regular exercise and family history were linked to worse PMS. Cohort study, 2025 How do stress, anxiety, and depression relate to premenstrual symptoms? Stress was associated with most premenstrual symptoms, but anxiety and depression were not independently linked to premenstrual symptoms. Survey study, 2025 Is dysphoric milk ejection reflex similar to PMDD? Dysphoric milk ejection reflex is a condition where women feel sad, anxious, or agitated when breastfeeding for up to 5 minutes at a time. It affects 6-27% of breastfeeding women and may be caused by hormonal changes, similar to PMDD. Interview study, 2025 What information about PMDD is shared on TikTok? TikTok videos discuss PMDD symptoms, treatments, and the experience of having this condition. The researchers found that TikTok serves as a place where people talk about PMDD, which is often considered a taboo topic. Randomised trial, 2025 Does psychoeducation with psychodrama techniques reduce PMS symptoms? Yes. Women who participated in 7 sessions of psychoeducation and psychodrama had significantly lower PMS symptom scores, especially for depression, fatigue, irritability, and sleep problems. Non-randomised trial, 2025 Does aerobic exercise reduce anxiety and depression in students with PMS? Yes, female students who did aerobic exercise showed large reductions in both anxiety and depression. However, there was no control group that did not exercise, so we cannot be certain the exercise caused the improvement rather than placebo or natural variation. Study, 2025 Can saffron extract help with PMS or PMDD symptoms? This review of existing studies suggests saffron extracts, such as a standardized form called Affron, may improve mood and reduce anxiety and depression in PMS and PMDD, with few side effects. It summarizes other research rather than a new trial, so certainty is limited. Survey study, 2025 Can a plant-based supplement reduce PMS symptoms? Yes, a multi-ingredient plant-based supplement taken daily for three months significantly reduced anger, irritability, mood problems, and other PMS symptoms in most women. Without a control group, some improvement might be due to placebo effect or natural changes over time. Interview study, 2025 Do women with PMDD find microdosing psilocybin helpful? In this small interview study, all 14 participants who microdosed psilocybin for PMDD reported some benefit, though how they used it and what they wanted from it varied a lot. This is personal experience only, not proof that it works. Survey study, 2025 What factors are linked to PMS in female graduate students? 40% experienced PMS. Stress, period pain, use of menstrual delaying medicine, and earlier menarche were significantly linked to higher PMS risk. Survey study, 2025 What factors increase suicide risk in young women with PMDD? About 28% of young women with PMDD have current suicide risk, with risk higher in those with panic disorder, depression, childhood trauma, or non-white skin color. The evidence is limited because only 128 women were assessed in one location. Survey study, 2025 What biological and cultural factors influence PMS and PMDD across different countries? PMS and PMDD result from a combination of hormone changes, serotonin sensitivity, stress, poor diet, lack of physical activity, sleep problems, and cultural stigma around menstruation. Countries with stronger public health systems had better diagnosis and support. Study, 2025 Does taking more ADHD medication during the premenstrual week help women with ADHD? Yes. All 9 women with ADHD who took a higher medication dose during the premenstrual week experienced better focus, mood, and energy during those weeks. Survey study, 2025 Does folate intake and genes affect premenstrual depression? Among women eating low folate, those with certain gene types were more likely to have premenstrual depression. Getting enough folate appeared to reduce this risk. Survey study, 2025 Are specific genetic variations linked to PMS and PMDD? Yes, specific genetic variations in the estrogen receptor 1 gene were linked to different PMS symptoms like anxiety and sleep problems, suggesting genetics may affect how sensitive women are to hormones. Sample size is not provided in the abstract. Survey study, 2025 What is the link between stress hormones, psychological distress, and resilience in women with PMDD and PMS? Women with PMDD have higher stress and anxiety than others. In the PMDD group, women with stronger resilience had lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in their hair. Survey study, 2025 How does premenstrual syndrome change in women during wartime compared to peacetime? During wartime, women with PMS had much worse symptoms: 2.1 times more anxiety and sleep problems, plus greater loss of emotional control and lower working capacity. The study is limited to one war region. Survey study, 2025 What are women's experiences getting healthcare for PMS and PMDD? Many women with PMS and PMDD face long delays and see multiple doctors. They often report poor quality care and poor mental health outcomes. Survey study, 2025 Are women with ADHD more likely to have PMDD? Yes. Women with ADHD had PMDD at rates of 31.4% to 41.1%, compared to 9.8% without ADHD. We cannot be completely certain because this study relied on self-reported diagnoses. Survey study, 2025 Which Kampo medicines do Japanese doctors use for PMS and PMDD? 19.5% of Japanese gynecologists prefer Kampo medicine for PMS/PMDD. Different doctors choose different types based on their experience and whether they work in a clinic or hospital. Randomised trial, 2025 Can nutrients help PMS by regulating multiple body systems? The paper proposes a theoretical framework suggesting nutrients could work across brain, hormone, blood vessel, and metabolic systems to help PMS. No evidence is presented. This is a conceptual proposal requiring clinical trials. Survey study, 2025 How much do nursing students know about PMDD and how do they feel about it? Nursing students generally had average to good knowledge of PMDD and mostly positive attitudes toward it, though a meaningful number still knew little about it. Review, 2025 How does fluoxetine help PMDD when taken intermittently? A hypothesis suggests fluoxetine slows the breakdown of estrogen in the late luteal phase by blocking the CYP3A4 enzyme, thereby increasing estrogen levels and reducing PMDD symptoms. This theory hasn't been proven yet. Survey study, 2025 How common are menstrual disorders in nursing students? Most nursing students have menstrual disorders. 94.2% had period pain, 82.4% had abnormal bleeding, and 54.6% had PMDD. Most used home remedies like hot water and rest rather than seeking medical help. Survey study, 2025 Does anxiety and emotion regulation change across the menstrual cycle in women with PMS and PMDD? Yes, women with PMS and PMDD showed higher anxiety sensitivity and worse emotion regulation during the luteal phase compared to those without these conditions. Survey study, 2025 Are mental health problems linked to period pain and lack of support? Yes. About 29% of girls experienced anxiety, 14% stress, and 32% depression. Those with moderate or severe period pain or without support during menstruation were more likely to experience these mental health problems. Case-control study, 2025 Do certain hormone-related brain chemicals predict how bad premenstrual depression and anxiety will be? In this small study, women with a PMDD-like condition had higher levels of a calming hormone (allopregnanolone) early in the cycle, and higher levels of it predicted worse later depression and anxiety. The sample is small, so this is an early finding, not a proven cause. Survey study, 2025 What do women with PMDD want in a mental health program? Women want programs that address serious mental health impacts like suicidal thoughts, hopelessness, and anxiety, plus effects on relationships. They also want evidence-based information and techniques for managing difficult emotions. Interview study, 2025 How do women with PMDD think about themselves, other people, and the world? Women with PMDD report deeply negative thoughts during their premenstrual period. They see themselves as shameful and anxious, feel unsure in relationships, and view the world as cruel and meaningless. Survey study, 2025 Do brain chemistry genes shift across the menstrual cycle in women with mood changes? Yes, genes that control a brain chemical called GABA do change across the menstrual cycle in women with mood disorders. However, the relationship is complex: both unusually high and unusually low gene activity can be linked to worsening mood symptoms like anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Case-control study, 2025 How does PMDD and PMS affect thinking skills across the menstrual cycle? Women with PMDD had larger changes in thinking skills between cycle phases than those with PMS. Language and abstract thinking improved during the follicular phase in all groups. Survey study, 2025 How common are PMS and PMDD among female university students in Western Uganda, and what raises the risk? Very common: about 3 in 4 students had a premenstrual disorder, with PMS more common than PMDD. Certain groups, like those in Allied Health Sciences, Muslim students, drug users, and those with past traumatic events, had higher odds of a disorder. Survey study, 2025 How aware are medical students of PMDD, and how common is it among female medical students? Female medical students recognised PMDD as a mental disorder much more than male students. About 9% of female medical students tested positive for PMDD on screening. Survey study, 2025 Does PMDD increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or attempts? Yes, women with PMDD had much higher rates of suicidal thoughts (38.8%) and suicide attempts (28.6%), with depression, anxiety, and stress playing key roles in this risk. Study, 2025 Can premenstrual dysphoric disorder affect how responsible a woman is for her actions? A legal analysis concludes that PMDD can significantly limit a woman's responsibility for criminal acts, and in some cases may eliminate it entirely. Review, 2025 Could PMDD increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease later in life? Possibly, but this is unproven. PMDD and Alzheimer's may share biological problems in hormone levels, brain chemistry, and genes, but researchers have not yet shown PMDD causes Alzheimer's. Survey study, 2025 How many Indian schoolgirls have PMDD or PMS, and are age, height or weight linked to it? About 14.5% of the schoolgirls studied had PMDD and 54.5% had PMS symptoms. Age, height, weight, and school class were linked to premenstrual symptoms, with older age especially tied to more symptoms. Study, 2025 What should healthcare providers know about PMDD? PMDD is a severe form of PMS affecting women of menstruating age. It impacts work, relationships, and wellbeing. Healthcare providers need better understanding to help patients. Study, 2025 What is premenstrual exacerbation and why does it matter? Premenstrual exacerbation (PME) is a condition where symptoms of existing mental illnesses become much worse during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. It is not the same as PMS or PMDD and is often misdiagnosed. Review, 2025 How do PMS symptoms change as women age? PMS symptoms change with age and life stage. Women are particularly vulnerable during the menopausal transition. Women with PMS have higher risk of depression during hormonal changes. Survey study, 2025 How common are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder in Saudi Arabia? Nearly two-thirds of Saudi women surveyed had clinically significant PMS and 12.2% had the more severe PMDD, with mood problems being the most common symptoms. Survey study, 2025 How common are PMS and PMDD among female university students in Afghanistan? Very common. 88.8% of students screened positive for either moderate to severe PMS (27.1%) or PMDD (61.7%). Survey study, 2025 Does PMS affect academic performance and well-being in college students? Severe PMS did not affect grades, but was strongly linked to emotional problems like anger and anxiety, concentration issues, and impacts on family and social life. Survey study, 2025 Does a new Turkish questionnaire work well to screen for PMDD? Yes, in this study the questionnaire showed strong reliability and was very good at telling apart people with and without PMDD. Lab study, 2025 How does Shuyu capsule help depression during the premenstrual phase? This mouse study shows the medicine may work by increasing specific brain nerve cells and reducing a receptor protein. Results cannot yet be confirmed in women with PMDD. Survey study, 2025 Does menstruation affect how well women sleep? Yes. Women who were menstruating had lower sleep efficiency (81%) compared to non-menstruating women (84.2%). No other major differences were found in symptoms or blood inflammation markers. Survey study, 2025 How common are PMS and PMDD symptoms among female students at Universitas Riau? Very common. Light PMS occurred in 46.2%, moderate PMS in 44.1%, PMDD in 9.2%, and only 0.5% had no symptoms. Study, 2025 Could taking a combination of vitamins and minerals help with PMS and PMDD symptoms? This paper proposes a theoretical framework linking low or borderline vitamin and mineral intake to many health problems, including PMS and PMDD, but it is not a new study testing a supplement in women, so it cannot tell us how well any particular combination actually works. Study, 2025 Does the menstrual cycle affect balance and dizziness? Objective balance tests showed no clear change during the menstrual cycle. However, women reported more dizziness and anxiety before menstruation. Review, 2025 Does yoga help with PMS and PMDD symptoms, and how might it work? This review of past literature concludes that yoga likely helps reduce PMS and PMDD symptoms by calming the nervous and hormone systems, but it does not report new trial results, so the strength of this claim rests on the quality of the studies it reviewed, which isn't detailed. Survey study, 2025 How do PMDD treatments affect sleep? This review examines how PMDD treatments like SSRIs affect sleep and circadian rhythms, but current research is limited. More research is needed to fully understand these effects. Survey study, 2025 What lifestyle and body composition factors are associated with PMS in young women? Extra caffeine and salt consumption were significantly linked to PMS. Poor diet, alcohol, and smoking were also associated with menstrual problems, and PMS severely affected social life and daily activities. Survey study, 2025 Does psychiatry ignore how the menstrual cycle affects mental health? Yes. The menstrual cycle stage affects mental health symptoms across different disorders, and it influences serious outcomes like suicide and hospital admission. This connection is often overlooked by doctors. Interview study, 2025 What is dysphoria and how does it feel in premenstrual disorder? Dysphoria is a mood state where the world feels oppressive and pressing. In premenstrual disorder, it shows as irritability, mood instability, physical restlessness, and loss of control. Unlike depression, it typically stops when menstruation begins. Cohort study, 2025 Does PMS affect mental health and sleep-wake cycles? Yes. Women with PMS have significantly higher depression and anxiety than those without PMS. Sleep-wake timing irregularities may also play a role, though the relationship is unclear. Case-control study, 2025 Are brain structure differences in PMDD permanent or temporary? Brain volume differences in women with PMDD appear to be permanent traits that don't change across the menstrual cycle. This suggests the differences reflect an underlying vulnerability to PMDD rather than temporary changes from symptoms. Survey study, 2025 Can a symptom-tracking tool for premenstrual dysphoric disorder be translated into Urdu? The abstract describes the translation project plan but does not report whether the translation was successful or present any results. Interview study, 2025 What causes PMS and PMDD? PMS and PMDD involve hormonal changes (estrogen and progesterone), but they also depend on how women think, feel, and experience their social world. Understanding all three together gives a fuller picture than focusing only on hormones. Review, 2025 How do trauma and sensory processing affect PMDD symptoms? Trauma-related changes to the brain heighten sensitivity to sensory input and emotions, which can worsen PMDD symptoms during the luteal phase. Understanding trauma and sensory factors may improve how PMDD is diagnosed and treated. Survey study, 2025 What are the most common PMS symptoms in university students and how much do they affect daily life? All 150 students surveyed reported PMS symptoms. About 69% had moderate to severe physical symptoms like fatigue and pain, and 65% had psychological symptoms like anxiety and mood swings. Nearly half missed classes due to symptoms. Review, 2025 How does the menstrual cycle affect psychiatric symptoms like depression and anxiety? Many women experience worsening psychiatric symptoms during the premenstrual and menstrual phases due to hormonal changes in estrogen and progesterone. Treatment should monitor symptoms across the menstrual cycle and may include lifestyle changes, therapy, antidepressants, or hormonal therapies. Review, 2025 Can estrogen and progesterone be used to treat mood disorders in women? This review discusses how female hormones affect the brain and may play a role in mood disorders like PMDD. It does not provide specific findings about whether hormone treatment works. Case report, 2025 Can whey protein help premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms? In one case study, a woman with PMDD perceived substantial relief of her symptoms (approximately 80-95% improvement) when she took whey protein concentrate daily for 8 days before her period. Study, 2025 Do women with PMDD have different brain structures? Yes. Women with PMDD had larger white matter (a type of brain tissue) in several areas compared to women without PMDD. This difference was present throughout their menstrual cycle. Survey study, 2024 Can a smartphone app that teaches heart rate control help with premenstrual symptoms? Yes, people using the app for 4 weeks showed clear improvements in premenstrual symptoms, depression, and anxiety, while those who waited did not improve. Survey study, 2024 What makes diagnosing severe PMS (PMDD) difficult? Diagnosing PMDD is difficult because it requires doctors from multiple specialties and there is no single standard diagnostic tool. Survey study, 2024 What factors are associated with PMS and PMDD in adolescent and young women? The study found that mood symptoms (anger, anxiety, irritability), physical symptoms (headache, weight gain), and higher BMI were significantly associated with PMS and PMDD. However, the study had very few cases of PMDD. Survey study, 2024 What is linked to premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in medical students? In this study, PMDD was more common in students who had painful periods or drank caffeinated beverages, but this was an observational study so it cannot prove these things cause PMDD. Survey study, 2024 Are anxiety and depression linked to PMS in female athletes? Yes, the study found strong links between anxiety and depression with PMS in female athletes. However, this is a small study from one location, so findings may not apply everywhere, and showing a link doesn't prove one causes the other. Interview study, 2024 What is it like to recover from or manage PMDD? Women recovering from PMDD described moving from feeling shame and helplessness toward recovery and taking action. Many found that doctors who didn't understand PMDD made things worse. Case report, 2024 Can learning to notice sensory changes help women with PMDD manage their symptoms? In one hospitalized woman with PMDD, occupational therapy that taught her to notice sensory changes helped her feel more in control and do more daily activities. Survey study, 2024 Is suicidal thinking more common in women with premenstrual disorders? Yes. Women with premenstrual disorders have higher rates of suicidal thinking and attempts, especially if they are young (18-25), unemployed, have low income, or have depression or anxiety. Review, 2024 Is saffron as effective as fluoxetine for treating PMDD? This review examines whether the herbal remedy saffron works as well as fluoxetine, an antidepressant used for PMDD. Both work through similar brain mechanisms, but the review doesn't conclude which is more effective. Survey study, 2024 Does menstruation increase anxiety, stress, and depression? Yes, women had significantly higher anxiety, stress, and depression during menstruation compared to non-menstruating days. Survey study, 2024 How common is PMS in different groups of women and is it linked to depression, anxiety, and stress? 58.2% had mild PMS, 39.9% moderate, and 8% severe. PMS was most common in medical professionals and housewives, and was strongly correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Survey study, 2024 Does teaching mental health doctors about PMDD improve how they assess and treat it? When psychiatric staff attended a PMDD education session, they reported learning more about assessment and evidence-based treatment options. The study did not measure whether patients received better care. Survey study, 2024 Does musculoskeletal pain affect quality of life and mood in women with PMS? Yes. Women with more severe musculoskeletal pain had worse quality of life, less physical activity, and worse mood during the luteal phase, though this study cannot prove pain causes these effects. Survey study, 2024 What factors are linked to PMDD in female university students? PMDD is common in this student population (62.6%), and appears linked to severe menstrual pain, irregular cycles, poor social support, and using contraception. Results come from one university in Ethiopia and may not apply elsewhere. Study, 2024 What do women with PMDD need in a tracking app? The study found women with PMDD need apps that are easy to use, capture their full range of symptoms, use the right language, and provide helpful features. Apps need to be simple yet engaging so women use them daily, even on days without symptoms. Study, 2024 What should a PMDD tracking app look like? People with PMDD need apps that are simple and easy to use, can capture many different symptoms, use clear language, and provide helpful feedback. Lab study, 2024 Does the yoga pose Baddha Konasana help PMDD? No clear difference. Although symptoms decreased somewhat from the first to the second menstrual cycle, the improvement was not large enough to confirm that the yoga pose helps. Non-randomised trial, 2024 Does laughter yoga reduce PMS symptoms? Yes. Women who did laughter yoga showed significant improvements in depression, anxiety, fatigue, irritability, pain, bloating, and sleep problems compared to women who received no treatment. Study, 2024 Does PMS affect how well women can think and concentrate? Yes. Women with PMS had difficulty concentrating in the week before their period. Having a baby did not change how women think long-term. Survey study, 2024 Is diabetes linked to PMS, and could diabetes drugs affect it? This is a review of ideas, not a study with new data, so it cannot prove a link. It suggests diabetes and some diabetes drugs could plausibly worsen or trigger PMS-like symptoms, but this needs to be tested properly. Survey study, 2024 Can researchers create a better animal model to study premenstrual syndrome? Yes. Researchers developed a rat model combining stress and hormonal changes that produced greater biological changes than hormonal changes alone. Interview study, 2024 How does PMDD affect eating behaviors, and what barriers do people face seeking help? People with PMDD experience disordered eating patterns including binge eating and restrictive eating, but this is very limited evidence from only 13 people in the UK. Study, 2024 Can fluoxetine help someone with both bulimia and PMDD? In this one case, yes. A woman's binge and purge behaviors almost completely stopped after switching to fluoxetine, and her pre-menstrual mood and cognitive symptoms improved, though some mood symptoms continued. Study, 2024 Can PMDD be severe enough to lead to self-harm, and does treatment help? Yes. This case describes a young woman whose PMDD led to a self-harm attempt, and she improved within a month of starting treatment with fluoxetine. Cohort study, 2024 Do women with irregular periods have more depression symptoms? Women with irregular cycles reported more depression symptoms in both studies. However, in the more rigorous analysis with complete data, the result was not statistically significant, so the link is unclear. Survey study, 2024 Do social workers understand PMS and PMDD and how does this affect their assessment of mothers? Social workers scored 60.5% on average on a PMS/PMDD knowledge test, and only 5.1% asked about these conditions when assessing mothers. Interview study, 2024 What emotional patterns are part of PMDD? Women with PMDD experience deep emotional patterns centered on shame, worthlessness, despair, and desperation that are connected to their physical symptoms. Survey study, 2024 Are women with a history of PMS or PMDD more likely to develop depression during pregnancy? Yes. Women with PMDD were 3.54 times more likely to have depression during pregnancy, and those with PMS were 2.31 times more likely, compared to women without either condition. Survey study, 2024 What do people in Pakistan know about PMS and PMDD? About 64% of people surveyed were aware of PMS and PMDD, but 35% were not aware, and 39% mistakenly thought these were life-threatening conditions. Survey study, 2024 How common are premenstrual symptoms in university students and do they affect academic performance? 78.9% of female university students had premenstrual symptoms and 90% reported that it negatively affected their academic performance, especially their ability to pay attention in class. Survey study, 2024 What types of premenstrual syndrome exist and how common are they? Premenstrual syndrome comes in four types: anxiety-type (38%), swelling-type (26%), depression-type (22%), and cravings-type (11%). We can be fairly confident of this, though the study only included students in one Russian city. Case report, 2024 Can lithium help treat PMDD when other medications are not an option? Yes, based on one case. A woman with PMDD and a family history of bipolar disorder responded well to lithium treatment. Non-randomised trial, 2024 Does luteal phase sertraline treatment affect stress hormones and inflammation in PMDD? Sertraline during the luteal phase changed stress hormone levels in complex ways depending on other hormonal factors, but results were mixed and this exploratory study had no placebo control group. Survey study, 2024 Is mental health different in premenstrual exacerbation versus core premenstrual disorder? Women with premenstrual exacerbation, where an existing mental health condition worsens before menstruation, had higher anxiety and depression and lower quality of life than women with core premenstrual disorder. This was a very small study. Case report, 2024 How is PMDD diagnosed and treated in teenagers? One 19-year-old girl with severe cyclical mood symptoms was diagnosed with PMDD by tracking symptoms for two menstrual cycles and improved markedly after starting an SSRI and birth control pills. Survey study, 2024 What symptoms and life factors are most closely linked to PMS in young women? Anxiety showed up as the symptom most tightly connected to everything else in PMS, closely tied to low mood, and PMS was also linked to a history of painful periods and a neurotic personality type. This comes from one pattern-mapping study, not a trial, so it cannot prove what causes what. Study, 2024 Can smartwatches detect mood changes in PMDD? A small early-stage study suggests smartwatches may be able to track the mood changes that happen in PMDD, but much more research is needed. Interview study, 2024 What is it like to live with PMDD? People with PMDD experience a cycle of severe symptoms affecting their whole body, face major challenges getting diagnosed and treated, and often hide their symptoms from others. Survey study, 2024 Do medical students understand PMDD and feel prepared to diagnose it? Most medical students don't understand PMDD. Even those who studied gynecology or psychiatry don't feel prepared to diagnose it. Many confuse it with PMS. Survey study, 2024 Does asthma get worse around your period in teenagers? Yes, 75.5% of teenage girls with asthma reported their symptoms worsened around their period. This was a small study with no comparison group, so we cannot be completely certain. Cohort study, 2024 Does borderline personality disorder get worse at certain times in the menstrual cycle? Yes. Most emotional symptoms in women with borderline personality disorder worsen in the midluteal phase and around menstruation. The majority showed at least 30% worsening of symptoms. Study, 2024 Do women with PMDD have different patterns in genes related to brain chemistry? Yes. Women with PMDD had lower activity of a specific gene (KCC1) related to brain chemistry during certain parts of the menstrual cycle. This supports the idea that PMDD may involve problems with how a calming brain chemical called GABA is controlled. Survey study, 2024 How do psychiatrists and gynecologists in Japan diagnose and treat PMS and PMDD? They use different approaches. Psychiatrists mainly prescribe SSRIs and Kampo medicines, while gynecologists use a mix including birth control pills. Most don't use evidence-based diagnostic methods like symptom diaries. Review, 2024 What are premenstrual disorders and how should they be treated? Premenstrual disorders are common and can be as disabling as major depression, but they are often under-recognized and poorly treated. Women with severe forms need multidisciplinary care. Survey study, 2024 Do women with PMDD have more depression and anxiety than those without PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD had significantly higher depression and anxiety symptoms and lower well-being compared to women without PMDD. Survey study, 2024 How common is PMDD among medical students, and is it linked to stress? About one in six health science students had PMDD, and one in four had PMS. Students with PMDD or moderate-to-severe PMS had notably higher stress levels than those without these symptoms. Survey study, 2024 How many Egyptian women have PMDD and what do they know about it? 10% of women at two clinics had PMDD. About 47% had good knowledge about it. Most women believed awareness was important, but few discussed it with doctors. Cohort study, 2024 What are the symptoms of PMDD and how common is it? PMDD appears fairly common in this Hungarian sample. Women with probable PMDD reported significantly higher depression and anxiety and lower well-being than those without PMDD. Survey study, 2024 How common is PMDD in working women and what factors are associated with it? PMDD occurs in 3.04% of working women in this region of China. Several factors appear associated including older age, irregular cycles, and higher caffeine intake, but results may not apply to other populations. Survey study, 2024 How common is PMDD and how should it be managed? PMDD affects about 3-8% of menstruating women worldwide. This review found high rates among Indian women, showing the condition significantly impacts daily life and quality of life. Survey study, 2024 How common is dysmenorrhea related to PMS in university students, and how do they treat it? About 54% of 320 university students in Karachi experienced PMS-related dysmenorrhea. Most women (93%) used plant-based remedies, while only 7% used standard medications. Survey study, 2024 How common are PMS and PMDD among female physicians? Among female physicians surveyed, 22.7% had PMDD and 58.7% had moderate to severe PMS. The most common symptoms were lack of social interest, fatigue, and feeling overwhelmed. Survey study, 2024 How common is moderate-to-severe PMS and PMDD among young women in India? Among 198 young women aged 17-30 in India, 23.5% had moderate-to-severe PMS and 2% had PMDD. PMS was significantly more common in students (30.6%) than working professionals (11.1%). Survey study, 2024 How common are PMS and PMDD in college students, and what factors are linked to them? PMS and PMDD are common in college students. They are strongly linked to high stress, irregular periods, longer menstrual cycles, and demanding schoolwork. Most common symptoms are anger, tiredness, and loss of interest in activities. Survey study, 2024 How common is PMS in Saudi Arabian women? Very common: 72.9% had PMS. Mood changes and tantrums were the most frequent symptoms. Age and contraceptive use were linked to having PMS or PMDD. Survey study, 2024 How are PMS and stress connected, and what is the role of stress dysfunction in PMS? This review proposes that abnormal stress coping and stress reactivity (stress dysfunction) are key factors linking PMS and stress, and that they may share similar brain and hormone pathways. However, this is a theoretical framework, not proven findings from patient studies. Survey study, 2024 Is the PvuII-ESR1 gene variant linked to PMDD in South Indian women? No. The study found no significant association between this specific gene variant and PMDD. Study, 2024 Does PMDD affect quality of life and depression more than regular PMS? Yes. Women with PMDD had much lower quality of life and much higher depression than women with PMS. Survey study, 2024 Does nutrient intake and appetite change during the menstrual cycle relate to PMS symptoms? Women who eat more carbohydrates, protein, fat, and saturated fat have worse PMS symptoms including anxiety, irritability, depression, pain, fatigue, and sleep problems. Higher appetite also correlates with worse mood and fatigue. Randomised trial, 2024 Does what you eat affect PMS symptoms? Maybe. This review suggests that eating less sugar, fat, salt and alcohol, and more fresh whole foods rich in certain vitamins and minerals, may help, but the researchers say there isn't yet strong enough evidence to give firm advice. Case-control study, 2024 Are vitamin D and calcium deficiency linked to severe PMS symptoms? Women with lower vitamin D levels and calcium intake had more severe PMS symptoms including fatigue, headache, and mood swings. The study is small and shows a link but doesn't prove supplements would help. Survey study, 2024 Should premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder be separate diagnoses? A citation analysis suggests they might be redundant as separate diagnoses, since they overlap substantially in their underlying causes and treatment approaches. Survey study, 2024 Does a Chinese herbal medicine called ShuYu capsule help PMDD symptoms? In rats with PMDD-like symptoms, ShuYu capsules improved mood and reduced pain sensitivity. This is early animal research that hasn't been tested in women yet. Survey study, 2024 How common is PMDD among nursing students? In this group of nursing students, moderate to severe PMS affected about 28% and PMDD affected about 6%, and both groups said it hurt their college performance. Review, 2024 Can sulpiride help women with both PMDD and IBS? One woman with PMDD and IBS who had not responded to antidepressants, pain medication, or melatonin experienced remission after taking low-dose sulpiride temporarily each month. This approach has not yet been tested in research studies. Non-randomised trial, 2024 Do women with PMDD detect facial emotions differently? Yes. Women with PMDD symptoms detected negative emotions more accurately and earlier, especially disgust and sadness, and this was more pronounced during the premenstrual phase. However, the study was small and online, so we need to confirm this in larger studies. Review, 2024 Can wearable devices track mood changes in PMDD before they happen? This is a review of existing research, not a new experiment. It suggests that wearable trackers measuring heart rate variability, sleep, and physical activity show promise for spotting mood changes in PMDD, but this has not yet been tested or used in real clinical care. Survey study, 2024 How do hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect gut health and mood? Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect the bacteria in the gut and mood. Higher progesterone levels in the premenstrual phase are linked with worse bloating, constipation, and mood swings. Approximately 50% to 80% of women experience premenstrual symptoms that affect daily life. Non-randomised trial, 2024 Does cognitive behavioral therapy help reduce PMDD symptoms in teenage girls? Yes. Adolescents with PMDD who received cognitive behavioral therapy showed significant symptom reduction compared to a no-treatment group. Study, 2024 How does PMDD affect women's daily lives? Women with PMDD report that their symptoms severely disrupt relationships, work, education, and self-image during the premenstrual phase. Healthcare providers often lack understanding of the condition. Survey study, 2024 Are PMS or PMDD linked to different features of bipolar disorder in women? Yes. Women with bipolar disorder and PMS or PMDD became ill at younger ages, had worse depression symptoms with more anxiety and thinking problems, and were more likely to have OCD or family history of mental illness. This is observational, so we cannot prove cause and effect. Survey study, 2024 How common is PMS in women with phenylketonuria, and does blood phenylalanine level predict symptoms? 39.1% of women with PKU experience PMS, with fatigue (55.4%), appetite changes (59.4%), and irritability (52.7%) being the most common symptoms. Blood phenylalanine levels did not predict who has PMS symptoms. Survey study, 2024 Does stress affect the menstrual cycle in college students? Yes, there is a significant relationship between stress level and menstrual cycle in this study. However, this is cross-sectional so we cannot be sure stress causes menstrual changes rather than the reverse. Lab study, 2024 Can the natural compound rutin help with depression from PMDD? In laboratory studies with rats, rutin reduced depression symptoms, improved memory, and reduced brain cell damage. It is unknown whether rutin would help women with PMDD because this was not tested in people. Non-randomised trial, 2024 Can theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation help treat PMDD? The study results are not provided in this abstract, which only contains background information. Theta burst stimulation may be promising based on its effectiveness for depression. Survey study, 2024 Do mental health professionals in Japan recognize PMDD and PMS in their patients? Few professionals initially considered PMDD or PMS when given a case description. But most recognized it when told the symptoms were linked to the menstrual cycle. Survey study, 2024 How are PMDD and sexual dysfunction connected? Women with PMDD often experience sexual problems during the premenstrual phase. Some medications treat PMDD and others treat sexual dysfunction, but it's not clear if they help both conditions together. Survey study, 2024 Why is PMDD so often underdiagnosed and what needs to change? PMDD is common but often missed because of limited awareness, healthcare research bias toward men, and cultural stigma around menstruation. Better education, screening, and research are needed, especially in lower-income countries. Survey study, 2023 What factors increase the risk of PMS or PMDD? Negative Rh blood type, earlier age at menstruation, caffeine use more than three times per week, and depression are linked to higher risk of PMS or PMDD. Case report, 2023 What psychiatric conditions do women referred to a specialist clinic for premenstrual disorders have? Most women with premenstrual disorders have another psychiatric condition. Of 146 women referred to a UK specialist clinic, 89.0% had a psychiatric diagnosis, 64.4% met criteria for PMDD, and 45.6% had worsening of another psychiatric disorder. Survey study, 2023 What menstrual symptoms do college students experience and what medicines do they use? The abstract does not clearly report the study findings. It concludes PMS is treatable and that education and lifestyle counseling can help. Lab study, 2023 Can agmatine help prevent anxiety and depression when progesterone drops? Yes. When female rats had their progesterone suddenly withdrawn, they showed anxiety and depression-like behavior, but agmatine and related compounds prevented most of these symptoms. Case-control study, 2023 Does allopregnanolone affect how women with PMDD respond to stress? Women with PMDD had a much larger drop in heart rate variability during stress than healthy women, and recovered more slowly. Baseline allopregnanolone levels predicted the heart response only in women with PMDD. Lab study, 2023 How does allopregnanolone help with PMDD symptoms? In rats with PMDD-like symptoms, allopregnanolone reduced anxiety and improved how brain receptors work in areas that control emotions. Case report, 2023 Does a combination of maca, progesterone, and magnesium help PMDD symptoms? One woman improved significantly in headaches, cramping, menstrual flow, and psychiatric symptoms within three months. This is one person's experience, so we can't be sure others would benefit. Survey study, 2023 Does having worse PMS symptoms mean a woman is more likely to feel depressed during pregnancy? Yes, in this study the mood-related symptoms of PMS, such as low mood, anxiety and poor sleep, strongly predicted depressive symptoms in early pregnancy, which then predicted depression later in pregnancy. This is one observational study, so it shows a link, not a cause-and-effect proof. Survey study, 2023 Are stress and rumination linked to PMS, and does mindfulness help reduce symptoms? Yes on both counts. Higher stress and rumination during the premenstrual phase correlated with more severe PMS symptoms. Women with more mindfulness, particularly present-moment awareness and acceptance, had lower symptoms and less impairment. Survey study, 2023 Do women with PMDD have problems with attention and impulse control during the luteal phase? Yes. Women with PMDD show worse attention and weaker impulse control during the luteal phase, with problems getting worse in the late luteal phase right before their period. These problems are linked to impulsivity. Survey study, 2023 Can gene activity in the brain help explain or diagnose PMDD, based on a rat study? In rats, a set of 17 genes could predict PMDD-like symptom groups with 96% accuracy, but this has not been tested in women. Survey study, 2023 Does childhood trauma make premenstrual symptoms worse in women with PMDD? Yes, women with PMDD who experienced childhood adversity had stronger mood worsening during the premenstrual phase compared to those without. However, this was a small study with no control group, so we need more research to confirm the findings. Survey study, 2023 Does childhood trauma increase the risk of PMDD? Yes. Women who experienced childhood trauma were about three times more likely to have PMDD symptoms than those who did not experience childhood trauma. Survey study, 2023 Do women with PMS have slower reaction times and mood changes than others? Women with PMS had slower reaction times and higher anxiety, depression, and stress levels. As PMS severity increased, these effects worsened. Interview study, 2023 Are women overestimating their PMDD symptoms or do they actually have PMDD? Women significantly overestimate PMDD. When women self-assessed their symptoms, 51.76% thought they had PMDD, but when clinically evaluated by a doctor, only 5.88% actually met the clinical criteria for PMDD. Survey study, 2023 Did COVID-19 stress affect menstrual cycles and mental health? Yes, during the pandemic women had longer cycles, more heavy bleeding days, and more mental health problems like depression and anxiety. The proportion of women with heavy bleeding more than doubled. Cohort study, 2023 What problems do Japanese doctors see in how PMS and PMDD are diagnosed and treated? Most Japanese doctors diagnose PMS and PMDD without using the recommended symptom diary. Only 8.4% keep a diary and 84.4% use only informal interviews. Treatment relies mainly on birth control pills (98.1%) and herbal medicine (73.6%), with antidepressants used in just 2.6% of cases. Cohort study, 2023 Are premenstrual symptoms linked to psychotic-like experiences? Yes. Women with more intense premenstrual symptoms reported more psychotic-like experiences. Depression and anxiety partially explained this link for negative psychotic-like experiences but not positive ones. Survey study, 2023 What factors are linked to premenstrual syndrome in women workers? Most women workers (92.6%) experienced PMS. The study looked for links between PMS and marital status, exercise, depression, and diet, but found no clear relationships. Survey study, 2023 Do personality traits and hormone changes affect how well women recognize emotions? Women who score high in neuroticism recognized emotions less well when progesterone was high. Personality traits did not significantly affect emotion recognition across different cycle phases. Randomised trial, 2023 Does chronic stress make progesterone withdrawal anxiety worse in a rat model of PMDD? In stress-prone rats, yes. Chronic stress made anxiety from progesterone withdrawal more severe and changed how the brain's stress system responded. However, this is an animal study, so we cannot be certain the same happens in humans. Non-randomised trial, 2023 Does poetry therapy help women with PMDD reduce negative thoughts and improve mood? Yes. Women who received group poetry therapy had significant improvements in negative thoughts, intrusive memories, and mood balance compared to no treatment. Case-control study, 2023 Do women with PMDD show different brain responses to emotions across the menstrual cycle? Women with PMDD show increased activity in emotion-processing brain areas during the late luteal phase compared to controls, and this activity is linked to the balance of allopregnanolone and isoallopregnanolone in different ways than in healthy women. Interview study, 2023 What challenges do women face when trying to get diagnosed and treated for PMDD? Women face significant barriers at every stage. Diagnosis and treatment require high levels of patient self-advocacy, and many women struggle with both healthcare provider knowledge and societal recognition of the condition. Interview study, 2023 Does the menstrual cycle affect mental health in women admitted to hospital for psychiatric care? Of 16 women who had a recent period, 10 reported that their mental health got worse before their period. Symptoms included increased thoughts of suicide, anger, low mood, and unusual experiences. Survey study, 2023 What diet factors affect PMS severity in women with abdominal obesity? Higher monounsaturated fat and younger age were linked to worse PMS. Higher riboflavin (vitamin B2) was linked to milder PMS. This is a small observational study, so results need confirmation in larger populations. Survey study, 2023 How common is PMDD among female medical students and does it affect their quality of life? PMDD affected 12.1% of female medical students studied. Women with PMDD reported significantly lower physical and mental quality of life compared to those without PMDD. Survey study, 2023 Could treatments that affect the brain's GABA system help PMDD? This review suggests GABA system changes may cause PMDD symptoms. Three compounds being tested in early clinical trials show promise, but much larger studies are needed to confirm if they work. Survey study, 2023 Do male and female obstetricians and gynecologists approach PMDD and PMS diagnosis and treatment differently? Yes. Female OB/GYNs were more likely to treat PMDD and PMS patients, more likely to use symptom diaries for diagnosis, and less likely to prescribe SSRIs as their first choice. This suggests the gender of the provider may influence how they approach these conditions. Survey study, 2023 What factors most influence PMS severity in college students? Sleep problems and eating attitude problems were the strongest factors linked to worse PMS, along with menstrual pain. Together these explained about one quarter of why some women have worse symptoms. Randomised trial, 2023 What does research show about PMDD neurochemistry? The provided text does not include results from a PMDD neurochemistry study. It discusses unrelated research on other topics. Randomised trial, 2023 Can neurofeedback targeting emotion brain regions help people with PMDD? Neurofeedback targeting the amygdala (a brain region that processes emotions) significantly reduced anger and other emotional symptoms compared to control neurofeedback. Improvement was stronger in people who learned more from the training. Survey study, 2023 Does connective tissue manipulation help dysmenorrhea pain and other symptoms? Yes, connective tissue manipulation reduced pain and fatigue significantly. Longer treatment appeared to have longer-lasting benefits through 12 months. Survey study, 2023 Does exercise affect how the brain responds to sadness in women with PMS? In women with severe PMS, exercise slowed down the brain's response to sad faces, suggesting it may affect emotion regulation areas. However, this is based on a small study measuring brain activity changes, not actual symptom relief. Randomised trial, 2023 Are there new drug treatments for PMDD besides SSRIs? Yes. A new class of drugs called selective progesterone receptor modulators, specifically ulipristal acetate, significantly reduced PMDD mental symptoms compared to placebo with minimal side effects. More research is needed on long-term safety. Survey study, 2023 Does paeonol, a compound from traditional Chinese medicine, help with PMDD symptoms in rats? Yes, in rats. Paeonol reduced irritability, anxiety, and social withdrawal, and it improved brain structure and reduced nerve cell death. However, this has only been tested in rats, not humans. Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS and PMDD among female medical students in Nepal? PMS was found in 64% of female medical students and PMDD in 36.3%. However, only 7.3% of students with these conditions sought medical help despite major impacts on concentration and mood. Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS and PMDD in Iranian medical students, and what factors increase risk? 38.6% had PMS and 8% had PMDD. The strongest risk factors were recent stress and being married. Survey study, 2023 How common is PMDD among female medical students, and do they recognize it? 27% of female medical students had PMDD, but only 25.9% of those diagnosed recognized the condition. Overall, just 38% of students had adequate awareness of PMDD. Those with PMDD had lower hemoglobin and higher inflammation markers. Study, 2023 What physical and emotional symptoms do women with PMDD experience? Women with PMDD experience severe physical symptoms such as pain, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, and sleep problems, as well as emotional symptoms like irritability, anxiety, and depression that significantly disrupt work and daily life. Review, 2023 Does PMDD affect sexual function? There is a likely biological and psychological connection between PMDD and sexual dysfunction, but very few studies have examined this link. More research is needed. Survey study, 2023 What causes PMDD and how is it treated? PMDD is a severe form of PMS causing intense emotional and physical symptoms that disrupt relationships and work. Current treatments include SSRIs, hormonal medications, and therapy, though they are temporarily effective and experts are still seeking the exact cause. Survey study, 2023 Does physical activity help reduce PMS and PMDD symptoms? Yes, according to multiple systematic reviews, regular physical activity and aerobic exercise can effectively reduce both physical and psychological symptoms of PMS. However, more research is needed to determine the best type and amount of exercise for individual women. Survey study, 2023 What percentage of women aged 20-35 have PMS symptoms and what types are most common? This survey of 252 women found that about half (45.2%) report moderate PMS symptoms and 40.1% report mild symptoms. The most common physical symptoms are breast tenderness and swelling (52.8%), skin lesions (44%), and cravings for salt or sugar (40.9%). Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS and PMDD in deaf and hard-of-hearing women with mood disorders? Among 380 deaf or hard-of-hearing women with mood disorders, 71.05% had moderate to severe PMS and 16% had PMDD. Women with severe PMS consumed more processed foods and experienced more digestive problems. Survey study, 2023 How common are PMS and PMDD among college girls, and what are their symptoms? Among 318 college students in India, 44 had PMDD and 89 had PMS. Symptoms differed, with PMDD including more severe mood changes like anger, tearfulness, and anxiety than PMS. Survey study, 2023 Is PMS or PMDD more common in girls who live in dormitories? The study found no difference in PMDD between girls living in dormitories versus at home, but more girls at home experienced PMS. We cannot be sure why since this was a descriptive study without detailed comparisons. Lab study, 2023 How do brain receptors change in different types of PMDD? Rats with two different types of PMDD showed different changes in brain receptors and brain chemicals, suggesting PMDD might have different forms. Systematic review, 2023 Do different racial and ethnic groups experience depression, anxiety, and PMDD differently? The review found inconsistent results. Women of color generally reported lower depression rates than White women, but they may experience different or more severe symptom patterns. Survey study, 2023 Does menstrual distress affect how well female basketball players perform? No. Menstrual distress did not appear to affect basketball performance. However, women with more menstrual distress were more likely to also have depression. Survey study, 2023 How do hormone changes affect brain chemistry in PMDD? This review article proposes that PMDD occurs when the hormone allopregnanolone drops during the luteal phase, reducing sensitivity of brain receptors that normally calm activity. Targeting these receptors could be a strategy for treating PMDD. Lab study, 2023 Does Shuyu Capsule help with premenstrual depression? In laboratory studies with rats, Shuyu Capsule reduced depression symptoms by working through the progesterone-allopregnanolone-GABA pathway in the brain. It is not known whether this would help women with premenstrual depression. Randomised trial, 2023 Does a smartphone app for heart rate variability biofeedback reduce premenstrual and depressive symptoms? Yes, the app reduced premenstrual, depressive, and stress symptoms over 4 weeks. However, it did not change the underlying heart rate patterns it was designed to improve. Non-randomised trial, 2023 Can Spiritual Emotional Freedom Technique help with premenstrual mood swings? Unable to answer based on this abstract. The abstract describes the study methods but does not report the results or whether SEFT therapy helped. Study, 2023 Are testosterone and prolactin levels different in women with PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD and high depression scores had lower levels of a protein called β-Arrestin1 alongside higher testosterone and prolactin levels in their blood. Survey study, 2023 Does having PMDD make a woman more likely to develop depression? Women with PMDD are not inherently more prone to depression than other women, but how severe their PMDD symptoms are correlates with higher depression risk. Women with PMDD do tend to have more family history of mental illness. Randomised trial, 2023 Does cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy help women with severe PMS control anger and distress? Yes. In 30 women with severe PMS, those who received cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy showed significant improvements in distress tolerance and aggression after treatment and at 3-month follow-up. However this is a very small study so results are preliminary. Survey study, 2023 Did COVID-19 infection and vaccination affect women's menstrual cycles and mental health? Yes, temporarily. 48.2% of women reported menstrual changes after COVID and 58.8% after vaccination, with more period pain and PMS. Mental health worsened with more anxiety and poor sleep. Most changes improved by 6 months. Survey study, 2023 Is low vitamin D linked to depression and irregular periods in women with premenstrual syndrome? Yes. Among 250 women with PMS, 61.2% had vitamin D deficiency. Those with deficiency were much more likely to have depression, with 28.8% having severe depression. The link was statistically strong (P=0.001). Survey study, 2023 Did the COVID-19 pandemic change women's menstrual cycles? Three-quarters of women reported changes to their cycles during the pandemic, including heavier or longer bleeding and irregular cycles. These changes seemed to come from pandemic stress, not from the virus itself. Case report, 2023 Can stopping ovulation help severe PMDD when other treatments do not work? Yes. In this case, a woman with severe PMDD symptoms had improvement when treated with leuprorelin acetate and full resolution after surgery to remove her ovaries. This is a single case of very severe PMDD. Cohort study, 2023 What medications and supplements treat PMDD? SSRIs are the first-line medication. Combined oral contraceptives and Chasteberry are second-line options. Certainty varies by treatment type. Survey study, 2023 Is emotional eating linked to PMS symptoms in teenagers? Yes. As PMS symptoms increased, emotional eating behaviors also increased significantly. 74% of adolescents in the study had PMS. Survey study, 2023 What causes PMDD? PMDD involves progesterone and brain chemistry. When progesterone converts to a substance called allopregnanolone in the brain, it affects how GABA receptors (brain cells that create calming signals) respond, which may trigger PMDD. Review, 2023 How does the stress response system affect depression during reproductive stages like PMDD? The HPA axis, which controls the stress response, changes during reproductive stages and plays an important role in depression risk at vulnerable times like PMDD, after birth, and perimenopause. Past stress and trauma exposure increase this risk. Review, 2023 What causes PMS and how is it treated? The exact cause of PMS is not known, but it is a complex condition with physical, emotional, and psychological symptoms during the luteal phase. Both drug and non-drug treatments exist, though only some have strong clinical evidence. Lab study, 2023 Does Xiangshao granules reduce irritability and anxiety in PMDD? In rats with PMDD-like symptoms, Xiangshao granules reduced aggressive and anxiety-like behaviors and improved social skills. This was only tested in animals, not in women. Cohort study, 2022 Does a new questionnaire reliably measure both period and mood symptoms together? Yes, the MAC-PMSS correlates well with standard mood and symptom measures in women with mood disorders, though the study was small. Survey study, 2022 Is brain visual processing different in people with PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD showed abnormal patterns in how their visual brain responded to stimuli, especially during the luteal phase, suggesting an imbalance between brain excitation and inhibition. Review, 2022 What causes PMDD and what are the best treatments? PMDD is caused by hormonal changes in estrogen and progesterone that lower serotonin levels. Antidepressants called SSRIs are the most effective treatment, working faster for PMDD than for depression, and women don't necessarily need to take them daily. Case report, 2022 Does sertraline help women with severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder? In this case, a 44-year-old woman with severe PMDD symptoms showed complete recovery after taking sertraline for two menstrual cycles, and was able to continue taking it just during the week before menstruation. Survey study, 2022 Which premenstrual symptoms are linked to the personality trait neuroticism? Only difficulty concentrating and loss of interest were significantly associated with neuroticism. Mood symptoms like depression, anxiety, anger, and mood swings were not significantly associated. Survey study, 2022 What factors predict body weight in female nursing students? Sleep disruption, PMS symptoms, and poor sleep quality are all linked to higher body weight in this group. Sleep disruption was the strongest predictor. Case-control study, 2022 Do women with PMS show different brain activity when viewing sad images compared to women without PMS? Yes, a clear difference. Women with PMS showed stronger activation in visual processing and cerebellum areas but weaker activation in emotion regulation and decision-making areas compared to controls. Survey study, 2022 Does a brain chemical called BDNF predict mood changes in perimenopausal women with depression? Yes. Women with perimenopausal depression who had higher BDNF levels had worse mood symptoms, which differs from typical depression patterns. Case report, 2022 Can PMDD cause brief psychotic episodes in young adolescents? This case describes a 15-year-old girl who experienced brief psychotic episodes every time she had premenstrual symptoms, with hallucinations and confused speech appearing 2-3 days before menstruation. Survey study, 2022 What are the main symptoms of PMDD in Moroccan women? Women with PMDD in Morocco experience depression, difficulty concentrating, and mood changes. Most also have physical symptoms, with muscle and joint pain the most common (82%). Survey study, 2022 Do women with PMS have increased risk of suicidal thoughts? Yes. Nearly one-third of women with PMS symptoms reported new or worsening suicidal thoughts in the week before their period. Women with depression history, current depression, and childhood trauma were at highest risk. Survey study, 2022 What are the differences in mood between PMDD, PMS, and no or mild PMS? Women with PMDD had significantly higher anxiety and depression than those with PMS or no/mild PMS. This is a cross-sectional study, so it shows differences but cannot prove what causes them. Survey study, 2022 Did COVID-19 stress worsen period pain and PMS symptoms in female medical students? Yes. Severe period pain increased from 36.9% before COVID-19 to 49.9% during the pandemic, and period symptoms were closely linked to depression and anxiety. Interview study, 2022 Does a mindfulness program help improve PMDD and quality of life? A small pilot test of a six-module mindfulness program showed improvements in severe PMS (PMDD) symptoms and quality of life, but the study was too small to confirm it works widely. Case-control study, 2022 Do women with PMDD have different brain structure than healthy women? Yes, women with PMDD have smaller brain volumes and thinner cortex in multiple regions involved in mood control. Brain scans can distinguish women with PMDD from controls with 74% accuracy based on these structural differences. Survey study, 2022 How common is severe PMS (PMDD) and how much does it affect daily life? About 4.46% of college students had severe PMS (PMDD), and the disability they experienced was as serious as major mental illnesses, highlighting the need for early identification. Randomised trial, 2022 Does cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy reduce menstrual pain in women with severe PMS? Yes. In 24 women with menstrual pain and severe PMS, those who received 8 sessions of cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy showed significant improvements in pain intensity and quality of life. This is a very small study so results are preliminary. Non-randomised trial, 2022 Does S-equol supplement help reduce premenstrual symptoms? S-equol showed only a small benefit for premenstrual symptoms, with improvement related to gut bacteria composition. Survey study, 2022 What causes PMDD symptoms and how can they be treated? Low progesterone is linked to PMDD symptoms. A medication called allopregnanolone and certain foods may help reduce symptoms. Lab study, 2022 What happens to PMDD symptoms when a specific brain gene is removed? Mice without a certain brain receptor gene showed some PMDD-like symptoms in memory and social behavior but had opposite changes in anxiety and pain, and did not respond to allopregnanolone. Systematic review, 2022 How common are PMS and PMDD worldwide? This is a research plan, not completed results. Once finished, it will estimate how common PMS and PMDD are globally and identify risk factors, but results are not yet available. Survey study, 2022 Are there differences in brain structure in women with PMDD? Yes, women with PMDD show differences in brain structure in emotion-related regions. Smaller brain volume was found in the amygdala, and symptom severity correlated with changes in brain surface thickness and shape. Study, 2022 How do emotions and quality of life affect depression in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD who experienced more positive emotions reported better quality of life and less depression. Those with more negative emotions had worse quality of life and more depression. Survey study, 2022 Does physical activity and stress affect which type of PMS a teenager gets? Yes. Stress was linked to different types of PMS, but physical activity was not. However, the study only looked at one moment in time, so we cannot be sure stress causes different PMS types. Survey study, 2022 How do premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder affect quality of life? PMS and PMDD significantly reduce quality of life. Work efficiency drops from 27.63% reduction with no/mild PMS to 94.73% with moderate/severe PMS to 100% with PMDD. Physical health and wellbeing scores also decline notably. Study, 2022 Can changes in emotion recognition predict PMDD risk? Yes. Women who showed changes in how they recognized emotions at different cycle phases were more likely to have PMDD. Of 16 women with emotion recognition changes, 7 had PMDD. Of 22 women without emotion changes, only 2 had PMDD. Non-randomised trial, 2022 Can a simple taste test identify women with ADHD and severe PMS? A simple taste test showed women with both ADHD and severe PMS (PMDD) did not respond to lidocaine as expected. This might point to a physical difference in how their nerve cells work. Survey study, 2022 Can women get psychosis linked to their menstrual cycle? Yes, menstrual psychosis exists but is extremely rare, with only 30 cases reported worldwide. Estrogen's effect on the brain may play a role. Survey study, 2022 Do autistic women experience more PMDD and worse menopausal symptoms than non-autistic women? Autistic women did not have more PMDD than non-autistic women (14.3% vs 9.5%), but they reported worse menopausal symptoms linked to depression. Survey study, 2022 What factors make PMS mood swings worse? Stress, gynecological conditions like endometriosis and PCOS, and family history of bipolar disorder can worsen PMS. About two-thirds of women (67.4%) reported PMS and a quarter (25.6%) had PMDD. Study, 2022 How does traditional Chinese medicine work to treat PMS and PMDD? Research found that certain herbal treatments are commonly used for PMS and PMDD, and they work through multiple pathways in the body. However, this was a theoretical study, not a test of whether they actually work. Interview study, 2022 Are doctors correctly diagnosing PMDD or mistaking it for depression or anxiety? All four women interviewed were initially misdiagnosed with depression or anxiety rather than PMDD. The key to accurate diagnosis was recognizing that symptoms followed the menstrual cycle. Survey study, 2022 Are there different types of PMS that might need different treatments? Yes. PMS can be divided into three patterns: emotional (with depression-like symptoms), physical (with pain), and mixed, each linked to different lifestyle factors. Review, 2022 Can blocking a natural brain steroid help PMDD? Maybe. An early study showed that blocking a steroid called allopregnanolone improved negative mood in women with PMDD compared with placebo, but more research is needed. Interview study, 2022 Does cognitive behavioural therapy help PMDD in young people? We cannot say for certain. Almost no studies test cognitive behavioural therapy in people under 18, but one small study of 62 young people found psychoeducation improved symptoms after 3 months. Survey study, 2022 Is there a link between premenstrual syndrome and fear of childbirth? Yes, women with more PMS symptoms tend to have more fear of childbirth, though the connection is weak. This finding comes from university students only, so we should be cautious about whether it applies to all women. Study, 2022 Why do women get PMS and PMDD? PMS and PMDD happen because the brain responds very sensitively to normal changes in estrogen and progesterone during the menstrual cycle. Several brain systems control mood and are affected. Study, 2022 What are the symptoms, causes, and treatments of PMS and PMDD? PMS affects 20-40% of menstruating women and causes fatigue, mood changes, and bloating. PMDD is less common but more severe. Possible causes involve hormone changes and brain chemistry. Treatments include lifestyle changes and medications. Review, 2022 What causes PMS and PMDD? This review examined research on what causes PMS and PMDD and how they are diagnosed. The abstract does not provide specific findings about causes or how to tell them apart. Survey study, 2022 Does PMS increase the risk of depression after birth or other pregnancy problems? Women with PMS took much longer to get pregnant (9.2 months versus 6.1 months), had about 4 times higher rates of depression after birth, and 2 times higher rates of miscarriage. Although these findings are significant, the absolute number of miscarriages was small. Case-control study, 2022 Do women with PMS in addiction treatment experience more alcohol cravings? Women in addiction treatment with PMS had higher alcohol cravings than community women. PMS symptoms predicted cravings in the treatment group but not the general population, and PMS was much more common in women with substance use disorders. Survey study, 2022 How common are PMS and PMDD in Arab women and is there a link to sexual harassment? Both PMS and PMDD are very common across Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Women who experience daily sexual harassment have higher rates of both conditions (87.6% for PMS, 66.4% for PMDD) compared to those rarely harassed. Survey study, 2022 How common is severe premenstrual disorder (PMDD) in female medical students in Nepal? About 3.8% of the 266 medical students studied had PMDD. This is higher than in other similar studies, though the small number of cases (10 women) means we should be cautious. Survey study, 2022 How common are PMS and PMDD in university students and what factors increase the risk? Nearly half of university students have PMS (46.9%) and about 1 in 10 have PMDD (11.1%). Depression, recent alcohol use, and being a first or second year student are risk factors. Survey study, 2022 How common are premenstrual syndrome and PMDD among college students in Mongolia? 23.8% had moderate to severe PMS and 4.7% had PMDD. The most common symptoms were fatigue (86.7%), anger or irritability (80.9%), and tearfulness (76.2%). Survey study, 2022 Is stress about puberty and menstruation linked to depression and anxiety in adolescent girls? Yes. Stress related to menstruation and puberty was linked to depression, anxiety, and reproductive tract infections in adolescent girls in Tanzania. Survey study, 2022 Is there a link between PMS and sleep quality in young women? Yes, students with worse PMS symptoms tended to have worse sleep quality, and PMS-related sleep changes were the strongest predictor of poor sleep. Systematic review, 2022 Are PMDD and bipolar disorder connected? Yes. PMDD is more common in women with bipolar disorder than in the general population, and bipolar disorder is more common in women with PMDD. Between 10% and 15% of women with PMDD also have bipolar disorder, while 27% to 76% of women with bipolar disorder also have PMDD. Survey study, 2022 Does having PMS before pregnancy relate to postpartum depression and bonding with your baby? Yes, mothers with higher PMS scores before pregnancy tended to have higher postpartum depression scores and more difficulties bonding with their infant. Lab study, 2022 Can we create a rat model of PMDD irritability and does treatment help? Researchers created rats with PMDD symptoms and found that two drugs reduced a brain receptor linked to the symptoms. Survey study, 2022 Do childhood trauma and certain personality traits make PMS or PMDD symptoms worse? Yes, childhood maltreatment and personality traits like high worry and low self-directedness were linked to worse PMS or PMDD. This is based on questionnaires in one country, so it shows correlation but not definite cause. Randomised trial, 2022 Does having PMS before pregnancy increase the risk of depression during pregnancy? No significant association was found. A study of 366 women found no clear link between PMS before pregnancy and antenatal depression, though the sample with PMS was very small. Study, 2022 Is there higher DNA damage from oxidative stress before your period if you have PMS or PMDD? Yes. Women with moderate-to-severe PMS or PMDD showed higher DNA damage markers before their period than after, and had higher levels compared to women without or with mild PMS symptoms. Survey study, 2022 Does stress affect PMDD symptoms in young women? Yes. Women with higher stress levels had more PMDD symptoms. Weight did not appear to affect symptoms. Stress accounted for about one-third of the differences in how severe PMDD was. Survey study, 2022 How does obesity affect the menstrual cycle in adolescents? Adolescents with obesity are more likely to have irregular menstrual cycles, PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), and premenstrual disorders including PMS and PMDD. The hormonal changes in obesity help explain these connections. Study, 2022 What is the difference between PMS and PMDD? PMDD is more serious than PMS, with stronger depression, anxiety, and irritability that happens in the week or two before a period when hormones drop. Survey study, 2022 Is early life trauma more common in women with PMDD? Yes. 83% of women with PMDD experienced early life trauma, much higher than the general Australian population, suggesting a strong link between childhood trauma and PMDD. Survey study, 2022 Does depression or panic disorder increase the risk of severe PMS? Yes. Women with panic disorder had much higher rates of severe PMS (43%) than women with depression (16%) or no mental health conditions (10%). Study, 2022 What do women with PMDD say they need? Women with PMDD on Reddit discuss four main things: their emotional reactions to PMDD, unanswered questions about diagnosis and treatment, how it affects relationships, and advice they give to other women. Cohort study, 2022 Do women with PMDD have differences in brain white matter structure? Yes. Women with PMDD showed differences in white matter structure in specific brain regions compared to healthy women. These differences were associated with symptom severity, but the clinical significance is unclear. Survey study, 2021 Do cells from women with PMDD respond differently to estrogen? Yes, cells from women with PMDD show different genetic responses to estrogen and altered responses to cellular stress. This may explain why these women are sensitive to hormone changes. Cohort study, 2021 Is PMDD associated with postpartum depression in first-time mothers? Yes, strongly. Women who developed postpartum depression were much more likely to have PMDD: 81.81% of women with depression had PMDD versus 16% without depression. Survey study, 2021 Is premenstrual syndrome linked to depression in female university students? Yes. Women with PMS had 70 times higher odds of depression compared to those without PMS. This cross-sectional study cannot prove whether PMS causes depression or depression causes PMS symptoms. Survey study, 2021 Is disordered eating more common in women with PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD had disordered eating at 45.5%, much higher than those with moderate-to-severe PMS at 16.5% or no/mild PMS at 13.6%. Eating problems increase with symptom severity. Survey study, 2021 What blood markers can help identify menstrual cycle-related symptoms? Several blood markers including hormones and immune markers showed links to menstrual cycle symptoms. This is a theory paper, not a new study testing whether these markers work in practice. Study, 2021 Can genetic patterns help diagnose different types of PMDD? Genetic patterns divided people with PMDD into two groups that matched two clinical types (depression and a second type) with 89.0% consistency. The patterns were classified correctly 83.0% of the time, suggesting they could help identify which type someone has. Cohort study, 2021 Does melatonin help sleep and mood in women with PMDD? In this small study, 2 mg of melatonin taken at night during the luteal phase helped mood and reduced sleep onset time. Changes in sleep structure and circadian timing were minimal. Survey study, 2021 What factors are related to premenstrual syndrome in high school students? Stress level, nutritional status, family history, and sleep patterns were all significantly linked to PMS. Age at first menstruation was not. This was a small observational study. Survey study, 2021 How common are PMS and PMDD in female students with mental disability? About 7% experienced PMS symptoms and 8% experienced PMDD symptoms. Most needed help and information about menstruation. Survey study, 2021 Do medical students with premenstrual syndrome have higher anxiety and depression? Yes. Medical students with PMS had significantly higher depression and anxiety scores than those without PMS. Survey study, 2021 Does resilience protect shift-work nurses with PMS from depression? Yes. Resilience (the ability to bounce back from difficulties) was linked to less depression. Resilience partially explained why premenstrual discomfort led to depression in these nurses. Survey study, 2021 Does anxiety change during different phases of the menstrual cycle? Yes, significantly. Most women reported anxiety before menstruation, much fewer reported it during and after menstruation. Survey study, 2021 How common are menstrual problems in adolescent girls? Very common. 73.6% of girls had painful periods, 13.5% had moderate to severe PMS, 12.5% had irregular periods, 8.4% had heavy periods, and 6.2% had PMDD. Survey study, 2021 Do immune system markers relate to hostility or depression in the premenstrual phase? Paranoid hostility was linked to higher inflammatory markers during the premenstrual phase, but depression symptoms were not linked to these markers. Survey study, 2021 Are PMS and depression the same condition? No, they are separate conditions. Women fell into different groups with PMS only, depression only, both, or neither, showing they are independent. Survey study, 2021 Do girls with PMDD have higher depression scores than girls without PMDD? Yes. Girls with PMDD had a median depression score of 19 compared to 11 in girls without PMDD, a clear difference. Randomised trial, 2021 Does a nomegestrol acetate oral contraceptive help mood symptoms in PMDD? Most women (74.5%) reported improved mood, and depression, anxiety, and stress scores improved significantly. This was an early feasibility study without a control group, so we need stronger evidence. Survey study, 2021 How common are PMS and PMDD in young Turkish women? PMS affects 26.1% to 61.1% and PMDD affects 10.0% to 20.4% depending on diagnostic criteria used. Anger and irritability are the most common PMDD symptoms at 97.4%. Survey study, 2021 What is PMDD and how common is it compared to regular PMS? PMDD is severe PMS with psychological, behavioral, and physical symptoms that happen cyclically. It affects 1-10% of women, while 3-30% have PMS that interferes with daily life. The difference depends on how severe symptoms are and how much they disrupt life. Survey study, 2021 Are childhood trauma and stress linked to PMDD? Yes. Sexual and psychological abuse in childhood, plus current stress, increase PMDD risk mainly through depression. Study, 2021 Does prenatal hormone exposure affect PMDD risk? Women with PMDD had a longer distance from clitoris to urethra than women without PMDD, suggesting higher prenatal androgen exposure might increase PMDD risk. This is one small measurement study and needs confirmation. Survey study, 2021 What is the prevalence of PMDD and how does it affect quality of life in female students? About 4.43% of female students had PMDD. Those with PMDD had significantly lower quality of life, especially in social relationships and at work. The evidence is clear for this group, but the study only included students in India. Randomised trial, 2021 Do women with depression or bipolar disorder experience worse symptoms before or during their menstrual cycle? About 60% of women with mood disorders report premenstrual worsening of symptoms, which predicts worse disease overall. Current PMDD treatments work less well or not at all for this problem, and more research is needed to understand what helps. Review, 2021 Do premenstrual mood symptoms change during perimenopause? Yes, hormonal changes during early perimenopause may worsen premenstrual mood disorders in some women. Doctors should monitor women with PMDD as they approach midlife for worsening symptoms. Survey study, 2021 What are PMS and PMDD and how are they treated? PMS affects 10-98% of women and PMDD affects 2-8%. Both are treated with birth control, antidepressants, exercise, and lifestyle changes. Survey study, 2021 Are women with ADHD more likely to experience PMDD and postpartum depression? Yes, very much so. Women with ADHD have significantly higher rates of PMDD and postpartum depression compared to the general population. Survey study, 2021 How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)? About 16% of women had PMDD. PMDD causes severe emotional and physical symptoms that significantly impact women's lives, though these symptoms are often dismissed or not recognized. Survey study, 2021 Do women with PMS have real trouble with focus and memory, or just feel like they do? Women with PMS report problems with focus, memory, and organization, and these self-reported problems are strongly linked to PMS symptoms. However, when tested on actual focus and memory tasks, they do not perform noticeably worse. Survey study, 2021 Does PMDD change blood flow in a brain area linked to mood, depending on hormones? Yes. In this small brain-imaging study, women with PMDD showed lower resting blood flow in a mood-related brain region when given estradiol or progesterone, while women without PMDD did not. Early gene data also hinted at a possible biological link, but this needs much more research. Systematic review, 2021 Are women with PMDD more likely to think about or attempt suicide? Yes. This review found that suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts were strongly linked to PMDD, even when other mental health conditions were taken into account. Survey study, 2021 Do PMS and PMDD affect attention and short-term memory in teenage girls? Yes, somewhat. Teenage girls with PMS/PMDD did worse on a test of attention and interference control than girls without it, and their performance dropped further in the luteal (premenstrual) phase. Survey study, 2021 Do women with PMDD use more cannabis premenstrually to cope with mood symptoms? Yes, women with PMDD use more cannabis premenstrually and menstrually, driven by depressed mood and a desire to cope with negative feelings. Women with PMDD used significantly more cannabis overall than those without PMDD. Study, 2021 Does the point in the menstrual cycle change mood, anxiety and exercise performance in active women? It made a small difference to aerobic fitness and to how exercise affected depression, but most other measures of mood, anxiety and performance did not clearly differ between cycle phases. Survey study, 2021 Does thyroid problems link to PMDD? Most women with PMDD had thyroid dysfunction (63.33%). The more severe someone's PMDD symptoms, the more likely they were to have low thyroid hormone levels. Survey study, 2021 How do coping strategies affect mood across the menstrual cycle in women trying to conceive? Active coping and behavioral engagement reduced evening depression during menstruation. But seeking social support increased anxiety and reduced emotional quality of life, and using fertility monitoring techniques also increased anxiety. Survey study, 2021 What are the research trends in PMS and PMDD studies from 1945 to 2018? Research on PMS and PMDD has grown over time. Recent research increasingly focuses on prevalence in young women and how anxiety and depression relate to menstrual cycle phases. Case report, 2020 Can PMDD be mistaken for bipolar disorder? Yes. PMDD and bipolar disorder have similar mood symptoms, which can lead to wrong diagnosis and treatment. A woman given lithium for bipolar disorder stayed sick, but recovered when she started antidepressant medication, which is the correct treatment for PMDD. Lab study, 2020 Can researchers create an animal model that shows depression linked to the menstrual cycle? Researchers created a rat model showing depression-like behavior during the non-receptive phase of the cycle (like the luteal phase in women) and reverse it with fluoxetine, suggesting hormonal changes cause premenstrual depression. Survey study, 2020 How common is PMDD in medical students? About 11% of the 180 medical students studied had PMDD. The most common symptoms were fatigue, irritability, and mood swings. Survey study, 2020 How common is premenstrual syndrome in young females? The study does not report the exact prevalence percentage. It confirms that PMS symptoms are common in young women and often limit their daily activities. Review, 2020 How do menstrual cycle hormones affect singers' voices? Hormone changes affect voice quality, flexibility, and stamina in singers. For some singers the effects are severe, though this has not been well studied. Survey study, 2020 Does appetite and food cravings change during the menstrual cycle? Yes. 70.4% of women reported increased appetite during their menstrual cycle, peaking at 85.8% before menstruation. Cravings for sweets were linked to depression, anger, and sleepiness. Survey study, 2020 Does a history of childhood trauma make premenstrual symptoms worse? Yes, women who reported more childhood trauma also reported more severe premenstrual symptoms, and this link seemed to be fully explained by difficulties managing emotions. Cohort study, 2020 Do SSRIs help women with both PMS and depression? Women with both PMS and depression who took SSRIs showed improvement over 6 months. However, the evidence is weak because this was a small study without a control group. Survey study, 2020 Does the menstrual cycle affect thinking, memory, or concentration, especially in women with PMS or PMDD? Research has produced mixed results with no clear consistent findings. It remains unclear whether any cognitive changes come from hormonal changes or from mood and psychological symptoms of PMS and PMDD. Interview study, 2020 How should doctors treat PMDD in women who also have bipolar disorder? Very few studies exist on this combination, making treatment challenging. The evidence suggests treating bipolar disorder first with mood stabilizers, then addressing PMDD symptoms separately, but this is based on treating each condition alone rather than research on both together. Survey study, 2020 Can the PSST reliably diagnose PMDD? Yes. PSST scores of 1.5 to 3 reliably identify women with PMDD, helping doctors recognize who needs immediate treatment instead of waiting. Survey study, 2020 Is the Japanese version of the DRSP a reliable tool for tracking PMS? Yes. The Japanese DRSP is reliable and valid for tracking symptoms and diagnosing PMS in Japanese women, with very strong internal consistency. Survey study, 2020 Are depression, fatigue, and low body esteem linked to premenstrual symptoms? Yes. All three factors were significantly linked to premenstrual symptoms. Depression, menstrual cycle irregularity, menstrual pain, and low body esteem together explained 41% of variation in symptoms. Non-randomised trial, 2020 Do two Ayurvedic herbal medicines help reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms? The study suggests yes. Women taking both herbs for three menstrual cycles showed improvements in depression, anxiety, fatigue, irritation, sleep and appetite changes, bloating, and pain. However, this was a small study with no control group. Survey study, 2020 Can teaching about yoga techniques improve girls' knowledge about managing PMS? Yes. After the teaching program, girls' knowledge about using yoga for PMS increased significantly, with post-test scores more than double the pre-test scores. Lab study, 2020 Can an estrogen and gene variant cause PMDD-like mood symptoms? Mice carrying a BDNF gene variant developed anxiety and depression-like behavior when given estrogen, similar to PMDD symptoms. Case report, 2020 Can removing a pituitary tumor cure severe PMDD? In this one woman, removing a pituitary tumor led to full and lasting relief from her long-term PMDD symptoms, but this comes from a single case so it cannot tell us how often this would work for others. Survey study, 2020 Is a variation in the BDNF gene associated with premenstrual syndrome? No significant association was found between BDNF gene variations and PMS in young girls, so this gene may not play a role in PMS. Case-control study, 2020 Are certain genetic variations in the GABRB2 gene associated with PMDD? Yes. Specific copy number gains in the GABRB2 gene are significantly more common in women with PMDD, with a roughly 10-fold increased risk in Chinese women and a 2.4-fold increase at another location. Review, 2020 Do hormonal contraceptives cause depression? The link between hormonal contraceptives and depression is still debated. Women with a history of mood disorders or PMDD are at higher risk of mood effects, and adolescence appears to be a critical vulnerable period. Survey study, 2020 How common is PMDD among female health science students in Ethiopia, and what is linked to it? About 1 in 3 students in this study had PMDD. It was more common among those with severe period pain, with high stress, and those who felt their period pain hurt their studies. Study, 2020 Does heavy physical activity affect menstrual cycles? Heavy-intensity physical activity can disrupt menstrual cycles and cause problems including missed periods, bone loss, and irregular bleeding. Survey study, 2020 Do women with IBS and period problems have worse psychological symptoms? Yes. Women with IBS alongside period pain and PMS show more depression, sleep problems, and worse quality of life than those without IBS. Lab study, 2020 Can a natural compound called paeonol ease anxiety and aggression in animal models of PMDD? In mouse and rat studies, paeonol reduced anxiety-like and aggressive behaviour at certain doses, but the effective dose differed between models, so this is early animal evidence, not proof it works in women. Survey study, 2020 Does the ability to move eyes quickly change across the menstrual cycle? Yes. Eye movements were significantly slower during the luteal phase (the second half of the cycle) compared to the follicular phase (the first half). This suggests hormone changes affect brain chemistry linked to mood disorders. Case-control study, 2020 Are inflammatory markers different in women with PMS? A small study found higher IL-10 (an inflammation marker) before menstruation in women with moderate-to-severe PMS. This is preliminary and needs confirmation in larger studies. Survey study, 2020 Do sleep and emotion regulation explain why depression is linked to worse premenstrual symptoms? Yes, both poor sleep and difficulty regulating emotions partly explain why women with depression also experience more severe premenstrual symptoms. These factors appear to mediate the connection between mood problems and menstrual cycle symptoms. Survey study, 2020 Do negative attitudes about menstruation and suggestibility predict worse PMS pain and distress? Yes. Women with more negative attitudes about menstruation and higher suggestibility had significantly greater pain intensity and higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Randomised trial, 2020 How should premenstrual syndrome be diagnosed and treated? PMS is diagnosed by tracking cyclical symptoms that appear 2-14 days before menstruation and disappear when menstruation starts. Both hormonal treatments like birth control pills and non-hormonal treatments like Vitex extract have been shown in research to be effective. Survey study, 2020 How common are PMS and PMDD in women with mood and anxiety disorders? PMS affected 47.5% and PMDD affected 13.0% of women with mood or anxiety disorders. Both were significantly linked to diet, menstrual patterns, and medication use. Survey study, 2020 How common are PMS and PMDD in Bulgaria, and what are the main symptoms? PMS affects 32.1% of Bulgarian women and PMDD (the more severe form) affects 3.3%. Most symptoms are mild or moderate, with mood symptoms like irritability about as common as physical symptoms like bloating. Survey study, 2020 How common are premenstrual symptoms in secondary school students? Very common: 82.5% had mood swings or nervousness and 80.1% had fatigue. Educational level and age were associated with symptom severity. Survey study, 2020 How common are suicidal thoughts and self-harm in people with PMDD? Very high: 72% reported lifetime suicidal thoughts, 49% reported planning, 42% reported intent, 40% preparing for an attempt, 34% attempted suicide, and 51% reported self-harm. Most also had other mental health diagnoses. Survey study, 2020 How common is PMDD among secondary school students in Ethiopia? 76.9% of students reported PMDD symptoms. But only 7.4% had experienced symptoms for three or more consecutive cycles, which is needed for an actual diagnosis. 13.1% had a family history of these symptoms. Case-control study, 2020 Do women with moderate-to-severe PMS process rewards differently? Yes. In the luteal phase (before menstruation), women with moderate-to-severe PMS responded less to rewards than women without PMS. There was no difference in the follicular phase (after menstruation). Cohort study, 2020 Can depression screening after birth predict who will develop PMS? A high depression score after birth may signal increased risk of developing PMS or PMDD in the next year, but the evidence is preliminary and the difference was not statistically significant. Review, 2020 Does suppressing your true self in relationships contribute to women's mental health problems including PMDD? Theory suggests that women who suppress their authentic thoughts and feelings in relationships may develop psychiatric conditions including PMDD. However, research specifically testing this connection is limited. Survey study, 2020 Can exercise and bright light help with depression in women with PMS? In this study, women with PMS who added regular exercise and bright light exposure to their routine ended up with lower depression scores than those who didn't, but because the groups weren't randomly assigned we can't be fully sure the therapy itself caused the difference. Cohort study, 2020 Do cells from women with PMDD respond differently to hormones? Yes. Cells from women with PMDD show unusual patterns of gene and protein expression in a hormone-sensing complex called ESC/E(Z). This is early laboratory research, not yet tested in people. Cohort study, 2020 Are immune and oxidative stress markers linked to menstrual cycle symptoms? Certain markers related to antioxidant defenses and immune function may play a role in menstrual cycle symptoms, though this isn't due to general inflammation. However, this is a small study with no control group, so the findings need confirmation. Survey study, 2020 Are anxiety, depression, and coping styles linked to PMS symptoms? Yes. Mental health problems and coping strategies are significantly linked to PMS symptoms in the premenstrual phase. Survey study, 2020 Is there a biological cause for menstrual cycle symptoms? Yes. Women with menstrual cycle symptoms had higher levels of certain immune proteins called chemokines. One protein called CCL2 explained a significant portion of the symptom severity. Study, 2020 What is premenstrual syndrome and what causes it? PMS is a group of physical and emotional symptoms caused by the body's abnormal response to hormone changes during the menstrual cycle. Symptoms always go away when the period starts. Systematic review, 2020 Can traditional Chinese medicine help treat PMS and PMDD? Unknown. This paper describes a plan for a future systematic review, not completed research. Results are not yet available. Interview study, 2020 What is it like for women to be diagnosed with PMDD? Many women described feeling broken and misunderstood for years before being diagnosed, and getting an accurate PMDD diagnosis was often life-changing, though coping with it afterward still brought challenges. Survey study, 2020 What factors are linked to PMS in Pakistani women? Fatigue, mood swings, and depression were the most common symptoms. Women with PMS had abnormal calorie intake and abnormal body weight (either too high or too low). The number of women studied was not stated. Survey study, 2019 Are teen girls with depression or PMS/PMDD more likely to act aggressively? Yes. Girls with a depressive mood or a PMS/PMDD diagnosis showed more aggression than other girls, but this snapshot-style study cannot prove that depression or PMS/PMDD causes the aggression. Randomised trial, 2019 Does taking chromium help with mood symptoms linked to the menstrual cycle? In this very small early study, chromium supplementation was linked to reduced mood symptoms in most of the women taking part, but with only a handful of participants this cannot be seen as strong proof. Survey study, 2019 Are suicide attempts more common during certain phases of the menstrual cycle? Yes, 59% of suicide attempts occurred during the last 4 days of the luteal phase and during the 4 days of menses. However, the study could not explain why, since no depression, aggression, or other psychiatric features measured were related to this timing. Survey study, 2019 Does PMS and PMDD reduce quality of life compared to women without these conditions? Yes. Women with PMDD and PMS reported significantly lower quality of life than women without these conditions, especially in emotional and role-related functioning. Survey study, 2019 How common is PMDD among nursing students in Nigeria? PMDD affected 42.2% of 135 nursing students. The most common symptoms were difficulty concentrating (57.0%), reduced interest in school (54.9%), breast tenderness (54.5%), and excessive sleep (47.8%). Only 9.6% used appropriate self-management strategies. Survey study, 2019 What are the best ways to manage PMS? PMS is managed in four steps: create awareness and make lifestyle changes, then offer therapy and complementary treatments, then medication if needed, and rarely surgery. This summarizes international guidelines but doesn't show strong evidence about which approach works best. Non-randomised trial, 2019 Does Raja Yoga meditation reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in women with PMS? In this small study, 8 women who practiced Raja Yoga meditation once daily for 8 weeks showed lower depression, anxiety, and stress scores during the premenstrual period. But without a control group, we cannot be sure the improvement came from meditation. Survey study, 2019 Do birth control pills reduce psychological symptoms of PMS? Yes. Women who had used birth control pills reported significantly lower rates of depression (P=0.039), sadness (P=0.012), and anger (P=0.032) related to PMS, but we cannot be certain the pills caused this because the study did not randomly assign women to use them. Survey study, 2019 Why might depression develop when women stop breastfeeding? This review proposes that hormonal changes during weaning may trigger depression in some women. A brain chemical normally calming anxiety may work differently during weaning, worsening mood instead. Survey study, 2019 Do low progesterone levels cause PMS symptoms? Yes. Women with lower progesterone levels overall, and those whose progesterone dropped more during the two weeks after ovulation, had worse PMS symptoms. Estradiol was also linked to PMS but this effect was largely explained by progesterone levels. Case-control study, 2019 Does premenstrual dysphoric disorder affect the heart's electrical patterns? Women with PMDD had higher P wave dispersion measurements than healthy women. The study is small, so we cannot be certain how important this is for real life. Review, 2019 What causes PMDD and which treatments actually help? This review explains that PMDD likely comes from an unusual brain response to normal hormone changes, involving serotonin and a brain receptor called GABA-A, and it says serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the first choice of treatment, with other options available if those do not work. Survey study, 2019 How common is PMDD in female health science students and what factors cause it? 66.9% had PMDD. The severity of period pain was the main associated factor: those with severe pain were much more likely to have PMDD than those with mild pain. Interview study, 2019 How does PMDD affect adolescents' lives? PMDD causes discomfort and interferes with social relationships in teenagers. Symptoms cycle with the menstrual cycle and are triggered by environmental and hormonal factors. This very small qualitative study (6 students) cannot be generalized. Survey study, 2019 Does the Arabic version of the Premenstrual Screening Tool accurately diagnose PMDD? The Arabic screening tool correctly identified women without PMDD but missed many who had it. It had high specificity (95.6%) but low sensitivity (26.7%), so it can still be useful in primary care settings but needs improvement. Survey study, 2019 How common is PMDD in Russian women and what increases the risk? About 1 in 6 Russian women have PMDD. Risk is higher in women aged 15-24 and those with family history of psychiatric disease. Cohort study, 2019 How common is PMS in female students, and how does it affect their daily activities? PMS is very common: 72.3% reported at least one moderate to severe symptom, 17.2% had moderate to severe PMS, and 2.1% had PMDD. PMS was linked to heavier periods, worse period pain, and less physical activity. Case-control study, 2019 Does inflammation affect mood in women with PMS? In female soccer players, those with PMS had higher levels of inflammatory markers and reported more depression and tension at certain cycle phases compared to those without PMS. Survey study, 2019 How common are PMS and PMDD in college girls? About 14.3% of college girls in this study had moderate to severe PMS and 3.7% had PMDD. We cannot be very confident these figures apply elsewhere because this is a cross-sectional survey from one city. Survey study, 2019 How common are PMS and PMDD in high school students? 42.5% of teenage girls had PMS symptoms and 23.6% had PMDD symptoms. The study was cross-sectional, so these figures show how common the conditions were at one point in time rather than proving how the conditions develop. Case-control study, 2019 How do PMDD and depression affect pain sensitivity and stress response? Women with PMDD felt pain sooner and more intensely from cold exposure, and had weaker stress responses. Women with a history of depression showed lasting changes in pain and stress response even after the depression ended. Cohort study, 2019 Is there a link between menstrual symptoms and anxiety, depression, and stress in teenage girls? Yes. There was a strong correlation between menstrual distress and depression, anxiety, and stress, with distress significantly higher before, during, and after menstruation (p=0.000). Case-control study, 2019 Do women with PMDD have different brain connectivity patterns than women without it? Women with PMDD showed stronger connections in brain networks related to emotional control compared to women without PMDD. However, this is a small study and findings are preliminary. Survey study, 2019 How common is premenstrual syndrome among medical students? About 3 out of 4 medical students in this study had PMS. Mood swings and anxiety were most common. Survey study, 2019 Does the menstrual cycle affect gut bacteria and immune response related to PMS? Yes. Antibody levels to gut bacteria change throughout the cycle, peaking at day 28, and these changes are linked to physical symptoms like bloating, anxiety, and breast swelling but not depression. Progesterone appears to drive these changes. Case-control study, 2019 Do women with sickle cell disease have more severe PMS symptoms than other women? Women with sickle cell disease had similar rates and severity of PMS as healthy women (68% versus 78%). However, they showed lower depression scores related to PMS, possibly because they are accustomed to more severe chronic pain. Survey study, 2019 Can birth control pills treat PMDD? Yes. Birth control pills with drospirenone significantly reduced emotional symptoms like depression and anxiety by 50% at 6 months, while physical symptoms like pain improved by 70%. Without a placebo control, we cannot be certain the medication caused all the improvement. Survey study, 2018 How common are PMS and PMDD among medical students in South India? Of 635 medical students surveyed, 177 had PMS and 88 had PMDD. The most common symptoms were anger or irritability, feeling tearful or overly sensitive, and fatigue or lack of energy. Systematic review, 2018 Does acupuncture or acupressure help PMS symptoms? Acupuncture may reduce mood-related PMS symptoms more than sham acupuncture, but the evidence is very weak due to small studies with design problems. We cannot be confident it works. Interview study, 2018 How do adolescents perceive PMDD symptoms? Adolescents had two different views of PMDD. Some saw it as a natural part of being female, while others saw it as a disease. The study included only 6 girls, so findings may not apply to all teenagers. Survey study, 2018 How aware are men of what PMS is and how it affects their partners? This abstract only describes the background and purpose of the study; it does not give the actual results on men's awareness, attitude, or behavior regarding PMS. Study, 2018 What does traditional Unani medicine teach about treating PMS? This article reviews traditional Unani medicine approaches to PMS, but doesn't report on any research study testing whether they work. Survey study, 2018 What is PMDD and how common is it? PMDD is a serious form of premenstrual distress affecting 1.8 to 5.8 percent of women who menstruate. It is officially recognized as a psychiatric condition, though the exact cause is still being researched. Randomised trial, 2018 Does intranasal oxytocin help women with PMDD, and does early life trauma change the effect? It depends on trauma history. In women with early life abuse, oxytocin worsened emotional symptoms. In women without early life abuse, oxytocin improved symptoms. This is preliminary evidence from a very small study. Survey study, 2018 Do PMS and unhelpful thinking patterns connect to postpartum depression? Yes. Both showed clear connections to postpartum depression. Together they explained 42% of the variation in depression scores. Case report, 2018 Does removing the ovaries help severe PMDD with binge eating? In one woman with severe PMDD and binge eating that hadn't improved with many treatments, removing both ovaries stopped all PMDD symptoms including the binge eating and food cravings. This is one person, so we can't know if it works for others. Randomised trial, 2018 How do progesterone metabolites affect PMDD symptoms? Women with PMDD respond differently to these natural brain chemicals. Blocking one type may reduce negative mood symptoms, but this summary is incomplete. Lab study, 2018 Does menstrual cycle phase affect how the brain responds to money rewards in women with depression? Women with depression symptoms showed a weaker brain response to money gains during the luteal phase than during the follicular phase, while women without depression showed no such change. Greater fluctuation across cycle phases was linked to higher depression symptoms. Survey study, 2018 Do difficulties handling emotions affect premenstrual symptom severity? Yes. Women who act impulsively when upset had worse premenstrual symptoms. Women who ruminate (think repetitively about problems) had symptoms that increased faster before their period and improved more slowly afterward. Survey study, 2018 Does estrogen affect anxiety and mood problems in PMDD, and does a woman's genes play a role? In women with PMDD, higher estrogen before the period was linked to lower anxiety and stress, but only in women carrying a specific genetic variant. This shows correlation in this subset and cannot confirm cause and effect. Survey study, 2018 Can a questionnaire predict which homeopathic medicine helps PMS? Yes, a questionnaire with a computer algorithm reliably ranked 11 homeopathic medicines for PMS based on a woman's specific symptoms, though this does not prove the medicines actually work. Survey study, 2018 How do women respond differently to psychiatric medications and why do we need sex-specific treatments? Women respond differently to psychiatric medications than men because of biological differences in brain receptors and hormones. Sex-specific treatments are important for conditions like PMDD and postpartum depression. Lab study, 2018 How does Baixiangdan capsule work to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder? In rats with PMDD-like symptoms, Baixiangdan capsule reduced aggressive behavior and altered many genes in the brain, similar to fluoxetine. The exact mechanism remains unclear but likely involves brain signaling systems. Survey study, 2018 Do women with PMS really experience mood and behavior changes linked to their menstrual cycle? No. This small study found no evidence of mood or behavior changes linked to the menstrual cycle, suggesting retrospective questionnaires may overestimate PMS. Cohort study, 2018 Do emotional and behavioral symptoms of borderline personality disorder get worse before menstruation? Most emotional symptoms appeared to get worse in the middle-to-late luteal phase and around menstruation, then improved in the follicular phase. However, the study was very small and included only unmedicated women without painful periods. Review, 2018 How should doctors diagnose and treat PMDD? This review explains that PMDD needs to be carefully told apart from other mental health conditions, and that antidepressants (SSRIs and SNRIs) are the recommended first treatment, with other options available if those don't work. Case report, 2018 Can severe head injury lead to PMDD? Yes. A 17-year-old girl developed PMDD months after a severe traumatic brain injury. She needed antipsychotic medication to manage her symptoms. Review, 2018 Is PMDD properly recognized and treated in Denmark? No. PMDD is often overlooked in Denmark despite being common. SSRIs (antidepressants) can treat PMDD when used only during the luteal phase rather than continuously, which differs from how they are typically prescribed for depression. Survey study, 2018 How common are PMS and PMDD in medical and nursing students? About 61-64% of medical and nursing students had PMS, while about 39% had PMDD. These numbers reliably describe what researchers found in this student group. Survey study, 2018 How common are PMS and PMDD in Jordanian women, and how do they manage them? Moderate to severe PMS affects 29% of Jordanian women and PMDD affects 14%. Most women use herbal remedies or take no medication. Survey study, 2018 Do Asian and Caucasian women experience different PMS symptoms? Yes. Asian women reported significantly higher rates of mood swings, depression, food cravings, digestive problems, and menstrual cramps, and had shorter menstrual periods. Survey study, 2018 Do the PSST and DRSP questionnaires give the same PMS diagnosis? No, the two questionnaires gave very different results with poor agreement. The PSST is best used as a screening tool to identify possible cases that then need confirmation with the more thorough DRSP. Survey study, 2018 How aware are female students about PMS and PMDD, and do they seek treatment? Most female students (96.4%) knew about PMS but only 19% knew about PMDD, and nearly half did not take treatment for their symptoms. These numbers reliably describe this student group. Survey study, 2018 How common are PMS and PMDD in female university students, and do they affect academic performance? PMS was very common at 92.3% and PMDD was 7.7%. PMDD symptoms negatively affected academic performance. But the study doesn't measure how much the impact is. Cohort study, 2018 How common is PMDD in young adult women and what factors increase the risk? PMDD affected 17.6% of young adult women studied in Brazil and was more common in older women and those with lower income. The study relied on women remembering past symptoms, so the actual rate may differ. Survey study, 2018 How common is PMDD in women with psychiatric disorders? PMDD was far more common in women with psychiatric conditions than controls, especially among those with depression. The findings suggest PMDD is closely related to mental health conditions, particularly depression and bipolar disorder. Survey study, 2018 How common are PMS and PMDD among medical students and do they affect school and social life? PMS was common (65%) and PMDD less common (12%), and while most attended classes, about a third avoided social activities. This finding is from one medical college in India. Survey study, 2018 What is the prevalence of PMDD and severity of PMS among female college students in India? About 4% of female college students had PMDD, and nearly a quarter experienced severe mood swings. Healthcare students had higher rates of moderate to severe symptoms than non-healthcare students. Case-control study, 2018 How does progesterone affect metabolism differently in women with PMDD? Progesterone reduces amino acid levels in the blood, and this reduction appears to be different in women with PMDD compared to controls. However, the sample is very small and findings are preliminary. Review, 2018 Can acoustic startle response help us understand how hormones affect PMDD? Possibly. Two types of acoustic startle response tests may help scientists understand how hormones affect PMDD, but most studies have not yet properly tested this. Cohort study, 2018 Does suicide risk change across the menstrual cycle? Suicide risk may increase at certain cycle points, especially in women with PMDD. However, no studies have actually tracked suicidal thoughts or attempts throughout the cycle to confirm this. Study, 2018 Could oxidative stress be a cause of PMS? Researchers designed a study to test this question, but this abstract does not report what they found. Study, 2018 Do depressed adolescents respond differently to angry faces than non-depressed adolescents? Yes. Depressed adolescents found it harder to ignore angry faces compared to non-depressed adolescents. Happy faces did not create this difference in either group. Case report, 2018 Does dienogest help premenstrual mood changes in someone with schizophrenia? One woman with schizophrenia improved in her premenstrual mood symptoms and returned to work. This is one person's experience, so we can't be sure others would benefit. Survey study, 2017 How common are PMS and PMDD among Japanese medical students? Of 147 Japanese medical students, 37 (25.2%) had PMS and 13 (8.8%) had PMDD. More sixth-year students received treatment than third-year students. Survey study, 2017 Can a symptom diary distinguish between PMS and PMDD? Yes, researchers developed scoring systems for symptom diaries that reliably distinguished between PMS and PMDD and correlated well with other assessments. Cohort study, 2017 Are there differences in spontaneous brain activity between women with PMS and healthy women? Women with PMS show abnormal patterns of brain activity during the luteal phase, with overactivity in some regions and underactivity in others. These differences correlate with symptom severity, suggesting altered brain function is involved in PMS. Interview study, 2017 What is the experience of living with PMDD and how well do doctors understand it? Women with PMDD reported severe suffering including suicidal thoughts and felt misunderstood by both doctors and family members. Survey study, 2017 Do women believe cannabis helps their PMS or PMDD symptoms? Yes, women who use cannabis for PMS or PMDD believe it reduces most of their symptoms. However, very little research exists on whether it actually works or is safe. Case report, 2017 Can a combined oral contraceptive pill help PMDD in women who also have depression or anxiety? One 34-year-old woman with PMDD along with depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions improved on a combined oral contraceptive pill. Her mood, anxiety, menstrual cramps, and ability to handle stress all got better. Survey study, 2017 Does cognitive-behavioral therapy or cognitive hypnosis help reduce depression in students with PMS? Both therapies reduced depression in students with PMS. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and cognitive hypnosis worked about equally well. Survey study, 2017 Are prolactin and beta-arrestin1 different in PMDD versus PMS? In women with PMDD and depression, beta-arrestin1 protein was reduced and prolactin was increased compared to those with PMS. These two changes were correlated. This is a tiny study and much more research is needed. Randomised trial, 2017 What do we currently know about PMDD? PMDD is increasingly recognized as a serious diagnosis affecting 3-8% of women. We understand its symptoms and how to diagnose it, but we don't yet have enough high-quality research to recommend evidence-based treatments. Study, 2017 Do women with PMDD experience emotions differently than other women? Only women with PMDD showed important changes in how they experienced unpleasant emotions and anxiety. The ability to recognize emotions in faces also depended on whether the face was male or female. Non-randomised trial, 2017 What are the different types of PMDD according to traditional Chinese medicine? The study identified two types of PMDD based on traditional Chinese medicine principles. Evidence is weak because the study did not use a randomized design. Interview study, 2017 How does PMDD affect women at work and what can employers do to help? Women with PMDD experience severe difficulty concentrating, self-doubt, paranoia, fatigue, tearfulness, and difficulty with social interaction at work. Some women leave their jobs or careers entirely because of PMDD. Survey study, 2017 Does the body's immune response to tryptophan relate to PMS? Women with PMS had higher immune responses to certain tryptophan byproducts. This suggests PMS involves the immune system, though more research is needed to understand what this means. Survey study, 2017 What is the impact of having both bipolar disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Women with both conditions experience significantly worse bipolar illness: earlier onset, more rapid cycling, more mood episodes, and higher rates of anxiety disorders and other conditions. They also experience more severe symptoms during pregnancy and while taking oral contraceptives. Survey study, 2017 Are PMS symptoms linked to mood disorders and personality? This study found significant relationships between PMS symptoms and lifelong mania or hypomania symptoms, and between PMS and personality traits. Because it was cross-sectional, we cannot know if hormonal changes in PMS cause mood and personality changes. Randomised trial, 2017 Does having PMS or PMDD affect how well university students do academically? No. Academic performance did not differ between students with different levels of PMS or PMDD. However, the length of the menstrual cycle was significantly associated with academic performance. Survey study, 2017 Can we detect differences in how women's brains work during different parts of the menstrual cycle? Yes. Brain activity patterns are different during menstruation, the follicular phase, and the luteal phase, with 72-93% accuracy in detecting these differences depending on which phases are compared. Survey study, 2017 How common is PMS in adolescents with psychiatric problems and does it affect their quality of life? PMS was present in nearly 4 out of 5 adolescents in a psychiatric clinic and significantly lowered their quality of life. The more severe their PMS, the worse their quality of life became. Survey study, 2017 Are dietary and lifestyle habits like alcohol consumption linked to PMS in college students? The study examined alcohol consumption in college students and found females drink much less than males. The connection to PMS specifically is not clearly described. Survey study, 2017 Do complementary medicine treatments work as well as medications for premenstrual syndrome? Some women using complementary medicine achieved moderate symptom relief, and many women taking medications experienced side effects. However, this study only observed what women used, not whether treatments truly worked in controlled conditions. Survey study, 2017 Is depression more common in women with severe PMS? Yes. Among women with severe PMS, 51% had depression symptoms, compared to 13.5% of women without severe PMS. Survey study, 2017 How common is PMS in university students and is it related to depression? More than half of university students had PMS (58.1%), and there was a strong link between PMS and depression risk. Women with depression were more likely to have PMS symptoms. Survey study, 2017 How much quality of life do women with untreated PMDD lose over their lifetime? Untreated PMDD causes an expected loss of about 3 years of quality-adjusted life over a woman's lifetime, accounting for pregnancy and menstruation-free periods. This is based on a preliminary survey of 66 untreated women. Interview study, 2017 Is PMDD caused by genes? Probably not much. There is limited evidence that genes cause PMDD, though some genes may play a role. The evidence is stronger for postpartum depression. Interview study, 2017 What is it like to live with PMDD and how do you experience healthcare? Women with PMDD reported severe suffering including suicidal thoughts and inability to do daily tasks premenstrually. Most felt misunderstood by family and healthcare providers, and many waited a long time for diagnosis. Survey study, 2017 Do women with moderate PMS have more depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep problems than those with mild PMS? Yes. Women with moderate PMS had significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, and significantly worse sleep quality compared to those with mild PMS. Review, 2017 Could hormonal and immune changes cause both PMS and postpartum depression? Possibly. This review proposes that similar changes in hormones and immune markers during the menstrual cycle might explain why PMS symptoms often improve during pregnancy but return and worsen after birth as postpartum depression. Survey study, 2017 Does calcium and vitamin D supplementation reduce premenstrual symptoms and depression? Calcium and vitamin D together did not significantly reduce PMS or depression symptoms in this study. The study was very small with no control group, making the results unreliable. Cohort study, 2017 Do women with PMDD have different cellular responses to ovarian hormones? Yes. Women with PMDD showed differences in how their cells respond to hormones, specifically involving genes that control gene expression. This lab study is very small so findings may not apply to real women. Review, 2017 How does the menstrual cycle affect mood and development, especially in adolescents? Menstrual cycle-related symptoms may trigger developmental challenges that worsen mood symptoms in adolescent girls and have long-term effects. Individual responses to hormones vary greatly, so each woman's experience differs. Study, 2017 Can gynecologists help find and treat depression in women? Yes. Since gynecologists see women during times when depression risk is highest, they can screen for depression and help with treatment. Survey study, 2017 How many young women have premenstrual syndrome? The abstract is mostly in Polish and incomplete, so we cannot give a clear answer about prevalence from the available text. Randomised trial, 2017 Does adding birth control to antidepressants help depression that worsens before your period? Adding drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol to antidepressants did not significantly improve premenstrual depression better than placebo in this small study. Both groups improved similarly. Survey study, 2017 Is PMS linked to personality temperament types? No clear link was found between PMS and different temperament types in this study. Although some temperament types seemed to have more PMS, the overall pattern was not significant. Survey study, 2017 Does fear of period pain affect mood and thinking during the menstrual cycle? Yes. Women expecting severe period pain showed increased anxiety and depression and slower thinking response during the premenstrual phase, suggesting that fear of pain affects emotions and cognition. Randomised trial, 2016 Does blocking progesterone conversion help PMDD symptoms? A high dose of dutasteride reduced several PMDD symptoms by blocking conversion of progesterone to a hormone compound. However, only the high dose worked and the study was small. Survey study, 2016 Can a blood test tell PMDD apart from regular PMS? Possibly, but this is early lab research. Women with PMDD had lower beta-arrestin1 protein and higher testosterone than women with PMS, suggesting these might one day help with diagnosis, but it has not been tested as an actual diagnostic test. Study, 2016 What are the features of premenstrual syndrome and how is it treated? Premenstrual syndrome is a common disorder of young and middle-aged women with emotional and physical symptoms during the luteal phase. Calcium and evening primrose oil supplements may offer modest benefit. Review, 2016 Can contraceptives help PMDD? Combined hormonal contraceptives containing drospirenone in a 24+4-day regimen are FDA-approved for PMDD, and evidence suggests other formulations may also work. The review could not determine which components matter most because it is based on existing studies. Survey study, 2016 Is eating behavior in the luteal phase related to anxiety in women with PMDD? The provided abstract does not include results or findings from this study, so no answer can be determined. Interview study, 2016 How should researchers use daily symptom diaries to study PMDD? Daily diaries are valuable for PMDD research but need more consistency in how they are used. A review of 75 studies found diaries used to study causes, symptoms, and treatment, but with inconsistent methods across studies. Case-control study, 2016 Do women with major depression or bipolar disorder experience more premenstrual symptoms than healthy women? Women with major depression in remission had more PMS than healthy women, with higher scores for depressive mood, anger, and other symptoms. Women with bipolar disorder in remission had similar PMS rates to healthy women. Cohort study, 2016 Do women with PMDD have more difficulty controlling their emotions? Yes. Women with PMDD reported significantly more trouble controlling emotions and more impulsive behavior than healthy women. Cognitive and behavioral strategies might help, but this finding is based on a small study. Survey study, 2016 Do women with PMDD have more difficulty regulating their emotions? Yes. Women with PMDD and PMS had significantly more difficulty with emotional regulation compared to controls, especially those with psychological symptoms. Survey study, 2016 Does eating fish help reduce PMS or PMDD symptoms in female athletes? Fish or dried fish consumption was associated with lower risk of poor athletic performance caused by PMS or PMDD in female athletes. The overall prevalence of PMS and PMDD was similar in athletes and nonathletes. Survey study, 2016 Do women with PMDD also have postpartum depression? Rarely. Only about 11.7% of women with PMDD had a history of postpartum depression, suggesting these are separate conditions even though both involve mood changes. Survey study, 2016 Can we reliably measure how much PMS interferes with a woman's daily life? Yes. Researchers created an 18-item questionnaire that reliably measures both emotional and daily life effects of PMS, with good reliability (Cronbach's alpha 0.90 for both subscales) confirmed in 101 women. Survey study, 2016 Do women with schizophrenia have irregular periods, and does this affect their psychiatric symptoms? Among 139 women with schizophrenia, 41% had irregular periods. Irregular cycles were linked to antipsychotic medications and lower estrogen levels, but did not appear to worsen psychiatric or depressive symptoms. Survey study, 2016 Does study pressure affect depression during the premenstrual phase? The study found no clear difference in depression levels during the premenstrual phase between medical students (high study pressure) and economics students (lower study pressure). Survey study, 2016 Is premenstrual syndrome associated with suicide risk personality traits? Women with PMS or PMDD showed more personality traits linked to suicide risk, especially high anger, though this study involved women who had attempted suicide. Survey study, 2016 How common is PMDD among female medical students? The study results are not included in the abstract, so we cannot report the prevalence they found. Interview study, 2016 How common are PMS and PMDD among college students in India? PMS was found in 18.4% of college students and PMDD in 3.7%. A simple screening questionnaire was 90.9% effective at identifying women with PMS. Non-randomised trial, 2016 Does a birth control pill improve quality of life in women with moderate to severe PMS? Yes, this pill significantly improved quality of life in multiple areas after 3 months, with 88.4% of women reporting satisfaction with treatment. However, this was a small study with no comparison to other treatments. Lab study, 2016 Does a traditional Chinese medicine help premenstrual depression by changing serotonin receptors? In rats, Shuyu Capsules reduced depression-like symptoms and lowered abnormally high serotonin receptors in the brain, working similarly to the antidepressant fluoxetine. This was an animal study. Survey study, 2016 Does PMDD cause sleep problems? Yes. Women with PMDD have significantly worse sleep quality than those without, with 80.5% reporting poor sleep compared to 56.4% without PMDD. Survey study, 2016 What characteristics do women with PMDD share? A survey of 102 women with professional PMDD diagnosis showed symptom profiles matching medical literature. A comparison group of 110 women without professional diagnosis had different patterns, suggesting women seeking online forums differ from other symptomatic women. Survey study, 2016 Can a computer program help diagnose PMDD reliably? Researchers developed C-PASS, a computer system to help diagnose PMDD from daily symptom tracking. The abstract was incomplete and did not include results of how well it works. Survey study, 2016 Does PMS increase the risk of stress fractures in teenage athletes? Among teenage athletes, 8.9% had moderate-to-severe PMS. Those with strong physical premenstrual symptoms had 1.66 times higher risk of stress fractures, suggesting PMS symptoms may increase injury risk. Survey study, 2016 Is depression linked to PMS in college women? Yes. Women with higher depression levels tend to have more severe PMS. This is observational, so depression may not cause the PMS. Survey study, 2016 Is Toxoplasma infection linked to PMDD? Possibly. Among 151 women with PMDD, 6.6 percent had evidence of Toxoplasma infection. Total symptom count did not differ between infected and uninfected women. However, infected women were less likely to report difficulty concentrating and more likely to feel out of control or overwhelmed. Review, 2016 Is the PMDD information available online high quality? Much of the PMDD information available on websites is poor quality, particularly the condition-specific content. Women should be careful about which websites they trust for health information. Interview study, 2016 Do women with premenstrual mood problems have different brain serotonin activity? Yes, a brain imaging study found women with premenstrual dysphoria lack a normal pattern of serotonin activity on the right side of the brain during the premenstrual phase that asymptomatic women show. This is preliminary research based on only 12 women with the condition. Case-control study, 2016 Do women with PMDD respond differently to allopregnanolone across the menstrual cycle? Yes, women with PMDD show an opposite pattern of brain response to injected allopregnanolone across the cycle compared to healthy women, with stronger effects in the luteal phase, suggesting altered sensitivity to this hormone. Survey study, 2015 Does a chemical in your body change before menstruation, and does smelling it affect your feelings? A chemical called 2-heptanone increases to about twice the level before menstruation. When people smelled this chemical for longer periods (180 seconds), they were less interested in smelling it again compared to shorter exposures. The connection to PMS or mood is unclear. Case-control study, 2015 Are brain connections different in women with PMS? Yes. Women with PMS had decreased connectivity in some brain regions involved in emotion and memory, and increased connectivity in other regions. They also reported higher anxiety and depression. Survey study, 2015 Are eating attitudes different in adolescents with PMS? Yes. Both what adolescents eat and their attitudes toward eating differ in those with PMS compared to those without. Most adolescents with PMS experienced multiple symptoms including fatigue (93.5%), irritability (91.6%), and depressive feelings (88.8%). Case-control study, 2015 Are brain chemical levels different in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD have lower levels of GABA (which helps calm the brain) and higher levels of Glx (which activates the brain) in regions that control mood. Survey study, 2015 Can blood protein levels help diagnose PMDD? Women with PMDD had lower levels of a blood protein called beta-arrestin1 that correlated with depression severity, suggesting it may help distinguish PMDD from PMS. Review, 2015 What do we currently know about premenstrual disorders like PMS and PMDD? This is a review summarising existing knowledge, not a new study: it says premenstrual disorders range from mild PMS to the more severe PMDD, the exact cause is unclear, and genetics, hormone changes, and brain chemical problems may all play a part. Survey study, 2015 Does PMDD affect mood and quality of life more than PMS? Yes, women with PMDD had higher anxiety and depression scores and lower quality of life than women with PMS in every area measured. Survey study, 2015 Do women with depression show signs of more cellular stress in their bodies? Yes. Women with depressive symptoms had a higher level of a cellular stress marker than women without depressive symptoms, consistent across all menstrual cycle phases. Survey study, 2015 Is PMDD linked to postpartum depression? Yes, strongly. Among women with postpartum depression, 34.8% had PMDD, compared to only 4.9% without postpartum depression. This suggests a hormonal connection between the two conditions. Randomised trial, 2015 Does quetiapine help women with PMS/PMDD who don't respond well to antidepressants? This very small pilot study suggests quetiapine as an add-on to antidepressants may help reduce mood-related symptoms like anxiety and irritability, but the evidence is weak because only 20 women were studied. Cohort study, 2015 Can a procedure to treat heavy periods also ease premenstrual symptoms like bloating and mood swings? In this small study, women reported clear improvement in all 6 premenstrual symptoms up to a year after endometrial ablation, but without a comparison group we can't be fully certain the procedure itself was the cause. Non-randomised trial, 2015 Does this birth control pill help premenstrual symptoms in Japanese women? Yes, in this study of 48 Japanese women, most premenstrual symptoms improved significantly after 3 and 6 cycles of treatment. The study had no comparison group, so we cannot be fully certain of the effect. Case report, 2015 Can an antidepressant used for PMDD cause dangerously low blood sugar? One woman without diabetes who took sertraline had multiple episodes of low blood sugar that stopped when she stopped the drug. Survey study, 2015 What causes schizophrenia, mania, and depression? This is a theoretical proposal, not based on study of actual patients. The author suggests these conditions may result from imbalances in brain chemicals and amino acids, influenced by activity levels. Interview study, 2015 What are the symptoms of PMDD and how many women have it? PMDD is a severe form of premenstrual syndrome. About 90% of women experience premenstrual symptoms, but only 4.6% to 6.4% meet criteria for PMDD, and about 5% experience severe symptoms. Study, 2015 Should premenstrual dysphoric disorder be classified as a mental illness? A bioethicist argues PMDD should not be classified as a psychiatric disorder because doing so pathologizes normal anger and distress. This is a philosophical perspective, not based on a research study. Case-control study, 2015 Do certain genes affect whether you get PMDD? No. This study found no link between two genes (DRD3 and CNR1) and PMDD risk. Case report, 2015 Do hormones from the menstrual cycle affect schizophrenia symptoms? Yes. Women with schizophrenia often have worsening psychotic symptoms and depression or anxiety at certain times in their menstrual cycle. Doctors can manage this by adjusting medications. Cohort study, 2015 Can brain scans explain what happens in the brain during PMDD? Brain scans show some short-term changes in brain structure and activity linked to hormone shifts across the cycle, but there are too few well-designed studies to draw firm conclusions yet. Survey study, 2015 Does changing hormones during menopause cause depression? Changing hormones during menopause may disrupt the body's stress-management system, making depression more likely. This is a theory based on reviewing research, not new evidence from testing. Study, 2015 How are hormones related to depression in women? Depression in women is caused by hormonal changes at certain times: before periods, after birth, and around menopause. These can be effectively treated with medications or procedures that change hormone levels, especially transdermal estrogens. Case report, 2015 How is PMDD diagnosed and treated differently in teenagers compared to adults? A 16-year-old girl with PMDD shows that diagnosis and treatment may need to be different for adolescents than for adults. This case raises important questions but is based on a single teenager, so we cannot yet say what the best approach is. Survey study, 2015 How common is PMDD in Indian medical students and what lifestyle factors affect it? PMDD was found in 37% of medical students and was linked to poor sleep, low physical activity, and high caffeine intake. Study, 2015 How should PMDD be treated? Women with PMDD should receive medication treatment if correctly diagnosed. Accurate diagnosis using standard criteria is essential, and treatment should be given by experienced psychiatrists to distinguish PMDD from regular PMS. Survey study, 2015 How common are PMS and PMDD in college athletes and do they affect athletic performance? About 8.6% of Japanese college athletes have moderate to severe PMS and 2.9% have PMDD. Nearly half of athletes (44.3%) said their athletic performance suffered during their cycle. Survey study, 2015 How common is PMS in Ethiopia and what factors are associated with it? 41.12% of women had PMS. It was more common in women with low income and those with a history of depression. Survey study, 2015 Which screening tool is best for diagnosing PMDD and menstrual-related psychiatric conditions? There is no agreed-upon best tool. Different studies use different definitions and methods, making it hard to compare research and provide consistent care. Survey study, 2015 Does sweet taste preference change with depression during the menstrual cycle? In women during their luteal phase, those with higher depression symptoms needed more sugar to taste sweetness. This connection happened only in the luteal phase, not at other times. Review, 2015 Does tanakan help with reproductive dysfunction? Tanakan (a Ginkgo biloba extract) is described as helpful for reproductive dysfunction and other conditions. Survey study, 2015 Does lower estrogen during menopause cause depression and anxiety? Women going through menopause who had depression had lower estrogen levels than those without depression, suggesting a link. The very small sample means we cannot prove this causes depression. Study, 2014 How did PMDD become an official diagnosis? PMDD was officially added to the DSM-5 with little controversy, unlike earlier proposals. Interviews revealed that changes in scientific evidence and professional attitudes led to acceptance. Survey study, 2014 Should PMDD be included as an official diagnosis in psychiatric manuals? The authors argue yes, because evidence confirms PMDD exists, affects a minority of women, and exists worldwide. Making it official allows affected women to receive proper recognition and treatment. Survey study, 2014 Does allopregnanolone cause mood problems in premenstrual dysphoria and postpartum depression? It may trigger mood problems in susceptible women, but the research is preliminary. There is no clear evidence that allopregnanolone levels differ between those with and without these conditions. Case-control study, 2014 Is a certain gene linked to period symptoms and depression around pregnancy? Possibly. Women with depression during or after pregnancy reported more frequent premenstrual and menstrual symptoms, and a specific gene variant (RAI1) was more common in them. Survey study, 2014 Can measuring a protein in blood cells help diagnose PMDD? Lower levels of a protein called beta-arrestin1 were found in women with PMDD, and the reduction was correlated with more severe depression symptoms, suggesting this measurement could help diagnose PMDD. Survey study, 2014 Which PMS symptoms tend to occur together? Different PMS symptoms commonly occur together. Women who have mood symptoms like anxiety and irritability also tend to have appetite changes, depression, and sleep problems, and these associations were found to be statistically significant. Survey study, 2014 Do doctors actually diagnose PMDD using the research-recommended 60-day monitoring method? No. Only 11.5% of physicians surveyed reported using 60-day monitoring routinely, and only 18.4% reported using any type of daily symptom monitoring for diagnosis. Case-control study, 2014 Do women with PMDD have different brain activation during emotion processing? Women with PMDD showed lower activation in certain brain emotion-processing regions, especially those carrying a specific gene variant (Met-allele). This is suggestive evidence but based on a small study. Survey study, 2014 Does progressive muscle relaxation help reduce anxiety and depression in women with PMS? Progressive muscle relaxation reduced both anxiety and depression in women with PMS. Women who did the technique for one month showed clear improvement. Survey study, 2014 Which stomach and digestive symptoms occur around the time of menstruation? Most healthy women get stomach symptoms before or during their period, especially stomach pain and diarrhea. Women who have mood symptoms like depression or anxiety are more likely to have multiple stomach symptoms. Non-randomised trial, 2014 Does hormone therapy help women with depression linked to periods and menopause? Yes. Thirty-five percent reported being cured and 55 percent had considerable improvement. For 94 percent, hormone therapy was life-changing for the better, and none reported worsening. Case report, 2014 Does acetazolamide help PMDD symptoms in women who don't respond to standard treatments? In 8 women with PMDD who hadn't improved with standard treatments, adding acetazolamide 125 mg per day for 7-10 days before each period made their symptoms disappear. They stayed symptom-free for at least 12 months. Study, 2014 Does combining medication and therapy help PMDD? In one teenage girl with PMDD and anxiety, combining medication and therapy led to a good outcome. Combined treatment appeared to work better than either one alone. Survey study, 2014 What does Asian research show about premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Most research from Asia on PMDD has been prevalence studies documenting how common it is. Asian research on the genetic and biological basis of PMDD remains very limited. Survey study, 2014 Is depression more common in women with PMS? Yes, depression is more common in women with PMS. The rate of depression was higher in the PMS group than in women without PMS. Study, 2014 What are the symptoms and causes of PMS and PMDD? PMS involves physical and emotional symptoms before menstruation that resolve at the start. Over 40% experience emotional symptoms like irritability and tension, plus physical symptoms like breast tenderness and fatigue. PMDD is the most severe form. Survey study, 2014 How common are PMS and PMDD in middle-aged women going through perimenopause? Approximately 95% of perimenopausal women had PMS and 23% had PMDD. Women with PMDD were significantly more likely to have severe menstrual pain. Randomised trial, 2014 Does Shu-Yu capsule reduce depression from premenstrual syndrome in rats? This was an animal study in rats, not humans. In rats, Shu-Yu capsule improved depression-like symptoms and balanced a key brain chemical. Case-control study, 2014 Does PMDD change how the brain reacts to upsetting social situations? Yes, in this small study. Women with PMDD showed stronger brain reactions to upsetting social images than non-social ones in the late luteal phase, compared with women without PMDD. Survey study, 2014 Does a genetic difference in the serotonin system make thinking and memory problems worse in PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD who carry the G/G genotype of a serotonin gene (HTR1A rs6295) showed greater decline in working memory and cognitive control before their period. Review, 2014 Why do some women get mood problems during their menstrual cycle and after having a baby? According to laboratory research, women's brains change how they regulate a calming brain chemical during hormonal changes. When the brain cannot adapt properly, mood disorders like PMS, PMDD, and postpartum depression may develop. Study, 2014 Does Kamikihito herbal medicine help PMS and menstrual pain? Three women with PMS, menstrual pain, and sleep problems improved when treated with Kamikihito, a Japanese herbal medicine. However, this is just three cases without comparison to other treatments, so we cannot say whether the medicine or other factors caused the improvement. Case report, 2013 Can mood disorder symptoms happen only during the second half of the menstrual cycle? One woman had cycles of high mood followed by low mood that happened only during the second half of her menstrual cycle, repeating each month. Survey study, 2013 How common are PMS and PMDD among female medical students, and do they affect schoolwork? In this study of 182 female medical students, 90.1% met criteria for PMS and 26.4% for PMDD. Over 70% reported that symptoms harmed their exam performance and concentration. Cohort study, 2013 Are brain abnormalities in PMDD related to how severe the condition is? Yes, women with PMDD show abnormal activation in a thinking and emotion brain region, and the degree of abnormality correlated with how severe their symptoms and disability were. Case report, 2013 Can high testosterone levels be connected to PMDD, bipolar disorder, and certain medications? In one woman with bipolar disorder and PMDD on quetiapine and lithium, initial testosterone was 88.5 ng/dL. When hormone levels were normalized, testosterone returned to normal. This is one case only. Survey study, 2013 Do women with OCD experience worse symptoms before their period? About half (49.7%) do experience premenstrual worsening of OCD symptoms. These women show higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal thinking, and specific obsessions about sex or religion. Survey study, 2013 Is emotional PMS connected to postpartum depression risk? Yes. Women with three or more emotional PMS symptoms had 3.78 times the risk of developing postpartum depression compared to other women. Survey study, 2013 Is PMDD common in women with lupus and linked to depression? Yes. 32% of women with lupus had PMDD, and this was significantly associated with major depression (p=0.010). Survey study, 2013 Does smoking behavior change across the menstrual cycle and is it linked to mood and period symptoms? Yes. Young women smokers smoked more cigarettes and had stronger cravings during the luteal phase (second half of the cycle). Smoking was linked to higher depression and menstrual symptoms, but the study cannot prove smoking causes these or vice versa. Survey study, 2013 Is a daily symptom tracker reliable for measuring PMS in Chinese women? Yes. The Daily Record of Severity of Problems showed good reliability and validity for tracking PMS symptoms in Chinese women, with stable measurements across two cycles. Randomised trial, 2013 Does chromium supplementation help with menstrual cycle-related mood symptoms? Possibly, but this is very preliminary evidence from a tiny study. Most women noticed improved mood and health satisfaction. Some improved on chromium alone, others improved more when combined with an antidepressant. Case report, 2013 Can contraceptive medications help people with both bipolar disorder and PMDD? Three people with both conditions improved significantly. These are only three cases, so we need larger studies to be sure. Survey study, 2013 Do women with PMDD have different brain activity related to depression during their menstrual cycle? Yes, women with PMDD show different brain activity related to depression during the luteal phase compared to women without PMDD. The study is small and needs confirmation in larger groups. Case-control study, 2013 Does the brain structure differ in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD had greater gray matter volume in the posterior cerebellum, and this was related to symptom severity. This is a very small study, so the findings may not apply to all women with PMDD. Survey study, 2013 Do women with PMDD have sleep problems? Yes. About a quarter have sleep disorders, and over half experience excessive daytime sleepiness. Case report, 2013 Does lamotrigine help when antidepressants don't work well enough for severe PMDD? One woman with severe PMDD significantly improved when lamotrigine was added to her antidepressant. This is one person's experience, so we can't be sure it would work for everyone. Case-control study, 2013 Are brain chemicals different in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD had higher levels of two brain proteins (BDNF and HSP70) during the luteal phase, suggesting their brain may be under stress or trying to compensate. This is a small study, so results need confirmation. Case report, 2013 Can severe mood changes around a period be an early sign of bipolar disorder? In one teenage girl, a psychotic episode tied to her period turned out to be the first sign of bipolar disorder. This is a single case, so it cannot tell us how common this is. Survey study, 2013 Can headaches happen in the middle of a woman's cycle? Yes. About half of women get headaches before their period, but one in six experience headaches around the middle of their cycle instead. Headache timing often matches when mood symptoms occur. Survey study, 2013 Is health anxiety connected to PMS and PMDD? Yes, women with PMS and PMDD reported significantly more health anxiety and anxiety sensitivity than those with mild or no PMS. These links remained even after accounting for general anxiety, and both groups reported worse quality of life overall. Survey study, 2013 How common are premenstrual disorders in adolescent girls? About 99.5% of adolescent girls reported at least one premenstrual symptom, and 59% met the criteria for PMDD. This is based on a survey in Iran. Randomised trial, 2013 Can stress trigger PMDD-like symptoms in female monkeys and does traditional Chinese medicine treat it? In this animal study, stress caused PMDD-like symptoms in 70% of monkeys and was linked to hormone and brain chemical changes. A traditional Chinese medicine reversed both the symptoms and chemical abnormalities. Case-control study, 2013 Is brain reactivity to emotional stimuli different during the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD? Yes. During the luteal phase, women with PMDD show heightened brain activity when anticipating negative emotional stimuli, but this heightened activity does not occur when they are actually viewing the stimuli. Randomised trial, 2013 What treatments work for PMS and PMDD in teenagers? At least 20% of teenagers experience moderate-to-severe premenstrual symptoms. Education, calcium, exercise, and stress reduction help mild cases, but severe PMS and PMDD usually need medication like SSRIs or hormonal contraceptives. Research on teenagers is limited. Survey study, 2013 Is PMDD linked to a higher risk of suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempts? Yes. In this large US survey, women with PMDD were more than twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts than women with no premenstrual symptoms, even after accounting for other factors. Survey study, 2013 Are premenstrual symptoms linked to how women experience their body? Yes. Women with premenstrual symptoms tend to focus more on physical sensations in their body, and this may contribute to how severe their symptoms become. Case report, 2013 Can increasing methadone during the premenstrual period help PMS symptoms? One woman improved in her premenstrual symptoms when her methadone dose was increased during her premenstrual period. This is one person's experience, so we can't be sure it would work for others. Case report, 2013 Can the menstrual cycle trigger hypomanic episodes in bipolar disorder? This case describes an 18-year-old woman with bipolar disorder who experienced hypomanic episodes aligned with her menstrual cycle since the start of her periods, followed by depressive episodes. This shows that mood episodes and the menstrual cycle can be connected in some people. Randomised trial, 2013 Are low calcium and other minerals related to PMS symptoms? Yes, very low calcium is extremely common in women with PMS, and weak associations were found between low sodium or magnesium and some PMS symptoms like anxiety and depression. However, this study only shows association, not proof of causation. Lab study, 2013 Could antidepressants help prevent PMS by keeping brain chemicals stable? This is a theory based on how antidepressants work and animal research, but it has not yet been tested in women. Survey study, 2013 Does how symptoms change during a week affect how accurately women remember them? Yes. When symptoms were increasing or decreasing during the week, women's memories were less accurate than when symptoms stayed stable. Survey study, 2013 What causes depression during pregnancy, and does PMS increase the risk? Yes. Depression during pregnancy is linked to many factors including premenstrual syndrome. Emotional support from partners and family members significantly reduces the risk. Survey study, 2013 Do women with epilepsy have more PMDD, and does the medication matter? Overall, PMDD rates are similar in women with and without epilepsy. But women with certain types of epilepsy, especially temporal lobe epilepsy, have more PMDD, and lamotrigine may reduce the risk. Randomised trial, 2013 What treatments work for PMDD? Serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants and hormonal contraceptives are the most evidence-based treatments. Alternative treatments like calcium, chasteberry, St. John's wort, and behavioral therapy may help but have less research supporting them. Study, 2012 Does stopping progesterone cause depression-like behavior? Yes. Stopping progesterone caused depression-like behavior in rats that was reduced by amitriptyline but not by fluoxetine or duloxetine. Lab study, 2012 Do stress and anger affect neurotransmitter levels in female monkeys with PMS-like symptoms? Yes. Female monkeys under social stress that developed PMS-like symptoms showed increased levels of three neurotransmitters (norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin) during the luteal phase. A herbal medicine treatment returned these levels to normal. Case-control study, 2012 Do PMDD and generalized anxiety disorder affect memory and thinking in the same way during the cycle? No. In this study, women with generalized anxiety disorder had worse memory, attention and psychomotor function in the late luteal phase than women with PMDD, and both groups did worse than healthy women. Case-control study, 2012 Do women with anger and depression types of premenstrual syndrome have different brain chemicals? Yes. Women with these PMS types had significantly lower calming brain chemicals (allopregnanolone and pregnenolone) and significantly higher stress hormones (adrenaline and noradrenaline) during the luteal phase compared to healthy women. Cohort study, 2012 Do depression increases in early adolescence predict menstrual cycle mood problems later? Girls whose depression increased in early adolescence showed menstrual cycle mood changes in adulthood, suggesting hormonal factors link early teen depression to later cycle symptoms. The study was small. Case-control study, 2012 Do women with PMDD have different brain structures? Yes. Women with PMDD showed more gray matter in one brain region and less in another compared to healthy women, though these differences did not relate to symptom severity. Survey study, 2012 Do premenstrual disorders lower teenage girls' quality of life? Yes. In this Iranian study, teenage girls who met the criteria for PMDD had worse quality of life than those who did not, across almost every area measured. Survey study, 2012 Do women with PMS eat more food before their period? Yes. Women with PMS ate significantly more energy and carbohydrates during the luteal phase (before their period) compared to other times. Case-control study, 2012 How does sleep differ during the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD had lower melatonin and more deep sleep compared to controls. This suggests their sleep regulation may be different. Survey study, 2012 Do women with PMDD have different ovaries or hormones than women without it? Women with PMDD had significantly fewer developing egg follicles than women without PMDD, but did not have polycystic ovaries or higher male hormones as researchers expected. Review, 2012 What causes PMS and PMDD? PMS and PMDD are triggered by hormonal changes after ovulation, but not by abnormal hormone levels. The brain's calming system (GABA) and mood system (serotonin) are both affected by progesterone changes. Case-control study, 2012 Do women with PMDD have different melatonin patterns than women without PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD had significantly lower melatonin at night and a weaker rhythm pattern, especially during the luteal phase when symptoms occur. However, this was a very small pilot study with only 5 women per group, so findings need confirmation in larger research. Interview study, 2012 Should PMDD be recognized as a real mental health diagnosis? Yes, research has grown enough to support PMDD as a full diagnostic category in the DSM-5, which should increase treatment options and research. Survey study, 2012 How common is PMDD in East Asian countries? PMDD appears less common in East Asia (1.3-2.8%) than in Western countries (3-8%), though the reasons are not yet clear. Lab study, 2012 What's the best way to extract Yueanjian herb to treat PMS? Steam-distillation produced the best results in rats with PMS symptoms, based on hormone and behavior changes. However, this was tested in rats, not in women, so it's unclear how it would work in people. Study, 2012 How should criminal law treat women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder? This is a legal argument, not medical research. The author argues that women with PMDD need legal defenses that account for whether the condition affected their thinking and judgment. Study, 2012 Does being close to menstruation increase the risk of psychiatric hospital admission? Yes. 37% of women were admitted within 5 days of their last menstrual period, which is significantly more than would be expected by chance. Non-randomised trial, 2012 Does brain activity during response inhibition differ in women with PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD showed reduced activity in brain areas involved in attention and movement control compared to healthy women, and the insula showed different activation patterns across menstrual cycle phases. Review, 2012 Should surgery be used to treat PMDD? Surgery (removing both ovaries and uterus, followed by low-dose estrogen therapy) can be effective for PMDD, but only for women who don't respond to medications or cannot tolerate them. Survey study, 2011 Do overweight or obese women have worse PMS than normal weight women? Yes. Overweight and obese women reported significantly more pain and mood-related PMS symptoms compared to normal weight women. Non-randomised trial, 2011 Does a Chinese herbal medicine (Jingqianshu granule) help PMS by changing serotonin signaling in the brain? In a study of PMS model rats, the herbal medicine increased serotonin receptor expression in key brain areas. However, this is an animal study and cannot be directly applied to humans with PMS. Survey study, 2011 Do women with PMDD have higher cholesterol levels? Women with PMDD had higher average cholesterol (180.82 mg/dL) than women without PMDD (162.45 mg/dL). About 24% of women with PMDD had high cholesterol versus none of the controls. However, the sample was very small. Survey study, 2011 Does being more exposed to American culture raise the risk of PMDD in ethnic minority women? Yes, women born in the US, those who immigrated at a young age, and those who had lived longer in the US were more likely to have had PMDD, but this is based on a one-time survey so cause and effect cannot be proven. Survey study, 2011 Does experiencing discrimination increase the risk of PMDD? Yes, women who experience discrimination were significantly more likely to have PMDD. However, this study shows a link, not proof that discrimination causes PMDD. Randomised trial, 2011 Does myo-inositol help treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms? Yes, myo-inositol significantly improved PMDD symptoms on three rating scales. Powder and capsule formulations worked similarly, though the study did not report how many women were treated. Survey study, 2011 Do women with PMDD have different brain activity linked to their mood changes? Yes. Women with PMDD showed increased activity in a specific brain region as they moved from the first half to the second half of their cycle, and this increase was linked to worsening mood. Healthy women did not show this pattern. Survey study, 2011 Do all women experience mood changes the same way across their menstrual cycle? No. About 61% of women follow the classic PMS pattern, 13% show mood peaking mid-cycle instead, and 26% have no regular pattern. Randomised trial, 2011 Do women with PMDD process emotional anticipation differently during the luteal phase? Yes, women with PMDD show heightened emotional responses to anticipation during the luteal phase compared to women without PMDD. This suggests their brain circuits for emotional processing are more reactive, but the study was small and lab-based. Survey study, 2011 Do women with severe PMS have more personality disorders? Yes. 27% of women with severe PMS had a personality disorder compared to 0% of women without PMS. The most common was obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. Survey study, 2011 Is PTSD linked to a higher risk of PMDD? Yes. Women with trauma and PTSD were 8.14 times more likely to have PMDD than women without trauma, and women with trauma but no PTSD were 2.84 times more likely. Non-randomised trial, 2011 Can we predict which women with PMDD will benefit from leuprolide treatment? Yes, likely. Women whose daily mood ratings show more regular patterns (less variable day-to-day) before treatment are more likely to respond to leuprolide. This can be determined from mood records taken over less than 3 months. Cohort study, 2011 How common are PMS and PMDD in teenage girls, and what causes them? PMS is very common, affecting 76% of teenage girls in this study. PMDD affected 4%. Living in a large city increased risk, but being sexually active, physically active, or differences in socioeconomic status made no difference. Cohort study, 2011 Does having epilepsy increase the risk of PMDD, and what makes it worse? The study suggests epilepsy and certain antiepileptic drugs may influence PMDD severity in women with epilepsy, but findings are preliminary. Specific medications like carbamazepine and lamotrigine appear to affect PMDD differently. Survey study, 2011 Do women with PMDD experience more physical, emotional, or sexual abuse than other women? No. Women with PMDD reported similar rates of abuse as gynecological patients and healthy controls, though abuse was common in all groups. Randomised trial, 2011 Is Vitex agnus castus effective for premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Vitex agnus castus appeared to reduce PMDD symptoms with no reported side effects. However, this was a very small preliminary study without clear methodology or statistical comparison, so firm conclusions cannot be drawn. Study, 2011 Does bright morning light reset the body clock differently in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD showed a weaker response to bright morning light during the luteal phase compared to women without PMDD. The difference appeared only in the luteal phase, not the follicular phase. Cohort study, 2011 What is the economic burden of moderate to severe PMS or PMDD in Latin American women? Moderate to severe PMS or PMDD costs an average of 1,618 Brazilian reals per woman per year and causes increasing impairment in work and daily activities as symptom severity increases. Study, 2011 What is PMDD and how common is it? PMDD is a condition where mood symptoms occur regularly during the second half of the menstrual cycle and cause problems with daily life. It affects 3 to 5 percent of women. Survey study, 2011 How common is severe PMS or PMDD in teenage girls, and what does it look like? Almost 3 in 10 girls screened positive for severe PMS or PMDD, with irritability being the most common symptom, and the pattern looked similar to what is seen in adult women. Survey study, 2011 Are bipolar disorder, seasonal affective disorder, and premenstrual symptoms related? This is a review article that explores potential connections between these three cyclical mood disorders. The abstract does not present specific empirical findings or results from research. Survey study, 2011 Does work stress and night shifts increase risk of PMS and PMDD? Yes, women working night shifts had higher rates of PMS (56% vs 32%) and PMDD (22% vs 13%) compared to women without shift work, but we cannot prove the shifts caused these conditions. Survey study, 2010 How should doctors diagnose PMS and PMDD? Doctors should use symptom diaries and other proven diagnostic tools to distinguish PMS and PMDD from other conditions, though many overlapping symptoms make diagnosis challenging. Cohort study, 2010 How do anxiety disorders differ across different life stages? The provided summary focuses on anxiety in children and risk factors. The section about women and hormones is cut off in the provided text, so no conclusion about menstrual-related anxiety can be drawn. Review, 2010 How should mental health professionals approach PMDD? Mental health practitioners should provide a clear diagnosis and use a step-by-step treatment plan. PMDD involves biological, psychological, and social factors, though exactly how they interact needs more research. Review, 2010 Is the menopause transition a risky time for depression to develop? Yes, some women are at higher risk of depression during the transition to menopause, and women with a history of severe PMS may be especially vulnerable. Study, 2010 Which PMDD medication is most cost-effective? This analysis suggests the birth control pill DRSP/EE may be the most cost-effective option for PMDD treatment, though fluoxetine could be cost-effective depending on how much someone is willing to spend. Study, 2010 Do herbal plant capsules help with depression and anxiety in PMS? Women who took Elsholtzia splendens capsules had lower depression and anxiety scores than women who took Cirsium japonicum capsules. This suggests Elsholtzia splendens may help reduce these PMS symptoms. Lab study, 2010 Does Jingqianshu granule affect estrogen receptor activity in the brain? In rats with PMS-like symptoms, Jingqianshu granule (a Chinese herbal medicine) reduced estrogen receptor gene activity in the brain and brought levels back to normal. This was not tested in women. Study, 2010 Are women with PMDD more sensitive to how light affects sleep hormones? The study tested whether women with PMDD respond differently to light exposure by measuring effects on melatonin, a hormone related to sleep, at different times in the menstrual cycle. Review, 2010 Does the menstrual cycle make mental and physical health problems worse? Yes. Many medical and mental health conditions get worse at specific phases of the menstrual cycle, particularly during the luteal phase when premenstrual dysphoric disorder (a severe form of PMS) and depression commonly occur. Case-control study, 2010 Are personality traits different in women with PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD showed higher levels of neuroticism-related traits including anxiety, stress susceptibility, embitterment, and mistrust than healthy women. These traits were stronger in women with more severe symptoms and linked to a genetic variation in the serotonin transporter gene. Survey study, 2010 How many Greek nursing students have PMS or PMDD? Among 101 Greek nursing students who completed the study, 25.7% had PMS and 8.9% had PMDD. Survey study, 2010 How common is PMDD among medical students in Nigeria? 36.1% of medical students had PMDD. Menstrual pain was significantly linked to PMDD. Review, 2010 What is PMDD and how can it be treated? PMDD is a severe set of mood and physical symptoms linked to estrogen that appear during the luteal phase and disappear within one week after menstruation. Treatment with SSRIs (antidepressants) shows promise but works best as part of a multidisciplinary approach. Study, 2010 What is the difference between PMS and PMDD? PMS affects about 75% of women and lasts a week or two before the period. PMDD is a more severe form affecting 3-6% of women, and both are diagnosed by tracking symptoms over several cycles, not blood tests. Survey study, 2010 How common is premenstrual syndrome in female university students? PMS is very common: 85.5% of students experienced symptoms regularly. We have low confidence since this is one study from one university in Nigeria. Survey study, 2010 How common are PMS and PMDD, and who is more likely to get them? About 10.3% of women had PMS and 3.1% had PMDD. Both were strongly linked with poor physical health and psychological distress. Rates were higher in unmarried women and those aged 35-44. Review, 2010 Should PMDD be included in psychiatric diagnostic manuals? PMDD is currently in the DSM diagnostic manual, which helps women access treatment. The authors raise ethical concerns about whether this classification has unintended consequences. Survey study, 2010 How do hormones affect sleep and circadian rhythms across the menstrual cycle, especially in women with PMDD? A literature review shows sleep and circadian rhythms change across the menstrual cycle in all women, but women with PMDD have more severe disruptions during the luteal phase. Non-drug treatments that help reset circadian rhythms may improve sleep and mood. Non-randomised trial, 2010 Does a birth control pill with drospirenone improve severe PMS or PMDD? Yes. Symptom scores dropped dramatically from an average of 24.6 to 7.2 after 3 to 4 months of treatment, with significant improvement in women whether or not they had used contraception before. Survey study, 2010 How common is premenstrual syndrome in university students? PMS is common: 67.5% of university students experienced it. We have low confidence from this single university study in Turkey. Case report, 2009 Can acupuncture help PMDD? In one woman with severe PMDD, symptoms improved during acupuncture treatment but returned when she stopped. It's unclear whether acupuncture truly caused the improvement. Randomised trial, 2009 Does a hormone called allopregnanolone calm the body's startle reaction in PMDD? No. Giving this hormone by injection made women feel more sedated but did not change their physical startle response, in either women with PMDD or healthy women. Lab study, 2009 Can an animal model help us understand PMDD and test treatments? Yes, researchers found a rat model showing premenstrual-like irritability that responds to antidepressants, which could help understand what causes PMDD and test new treatments. Systematic review, 2009 Does cognitive-behavioral therapy help PMS or PMDD? There is not enough good evidence that cognitive-behavioral therapy works for PMS or PMDD at this time. Survey study, 2009 Do doctors diagnose and treat PMS the same way in different countries? No. Doctors in different countries use very different treatments: North America and the UK favour antidepressants called SSRIs, while France uses hormones and painkillers and Germany uses a plant extract. Few doctors diagnose PMS at all despite how common it is. Randomised trial, 2009 Does duloxetine help treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Yes. 65% of the 20 women improved by at least 50%, with statistically significant overall symptom reduction. However, this was a small uncontrolled pilot study, so larger research is needed to confirm results. Survey study, 2009 Does job stress affect periods and hormone levels in female workers? Women with higher job stress had more period problems and some hormone changes, with longer work hours linked to lower estrogen levels. Randomised trial, 2009 Does a combination of St. John's Wort and Chaste Tree help PMS-like symptoms in perimenopausal women? The herbal combination significantly improved PMS symptoms, especially depression and food cravings, compared to placebo. The study was very small with only 14 women. Lab study, 2009 Does the menstrual cycle affect how well women recognize emotions on people's faces? Yes. Women in the low-hormone early follicular phase recognize angry, sad, and fearful faces better than women in other menstrual phases or men. Higher estrogen levels are linked to lower accuracy recognizing angry faces. Study, 2009 Can the standard mental health diagnostic interview assess PMS and PMDD adequately? No. The standard interview does not assess PMS, PMDD, or other women-specific mental health conditions. New diagnostic modules were developed to address this gap. Survey study, 2009 Are physical menstrual cycle symptoms linked to premenstrual depression? Six physical symptoms of the menstrual cycle together explained nearly 30% of the difference in depression levels. Physical symptoms and mood appear to be connected, though other factors also matter. Study, 2009 What causes PMDD? PMDD is caused by multiple problems in how the brain and body handle hormones and brain chemicals, not by hormone levels being too high or low. It involves changes in serotonin, GABA, how the brain responds to estrogen, and possibly genetics. Review, 2009 How common are PMS and PMDD, and how much do they disrupt women's lives? PMS causes distress in up to 20% of women and severe work or relationship problems in 3-8%. Women with PMDD experience about 3000 days of severe symptoms over their reproductive years. Survey study, 2009 What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how common is it? Premenstrual dysphoric disorder affects 3 to 5 percent of women of reproductive age and causes severe mood problems and food cravings. It is much more severe than regular PMS and significantly disrupts quality of life and work. Survey study, 2009 Are women who have mood problems from birth control pills more likely to have psychiatric disorders? Yes. Women who experienced mood-related side effects from combination birth control pills had higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders compared to women who had no mood problems from the pills. Cohort study, 2009 How common is PMDD among preschool teachers in one city? About 27.3 percent of teachers in this study had PMDD, which is higher than the 3 to 8 percent reported in general. Physical symptoms were the most bothersome. Review, 2009 What causes PMDD and how should it be treated? PMDD affects up to 7% of women severely. It results from biological factors interacting with life stress, past trauma, and cultural beliefs, not from hormones alone. Review, 2009 Does taking vitamin D help with depression? We still don't know. This review says there isn't enough good evidence yet to say vitamin D levels cause or prevent depression. Survey study, 2008 Do the diagnostic criteria for PMDD correctly identify who has the condition? 20% of women met the diagnostic criteria for PMDD in this study, but 4% of men also met criteria when given the same forms, and people with psychological distress did not necessarily meet the criteria, suggesting the criteria may not be valid. Survey study, 2008 Are bipolar mood symptoms affected by the phase of the menstrual cycle? No clear difference in bipolar symptoms across menstrual cycle phases was found overall. However, a small number of women showed mood changes during the luteal phase. Non-randomised trial, 2008 Does duloxetine help PMDD symptoms? In this small study, 78% of women had at least half their symptoms improve. But there was no comparison group, so we cannot be sure the improvement came from the drug rather than from attention or expectation. Randomised trial, 2008 Can adding aripiprazole to an antidepressant help premenstrual violence? A single 38-year-old woman with major depression and severe premenstrual violence improved when aripiprazole was added to her SSRI. However, this is only one case, so we cannot be confident it works for other women. Survey study, 2008 Do women with PMS show more sadness in their facial expressions during the luteal phase? Women with PMS showed increased sadness muscle activity in their face during the luteal phase compared to the follicular phase, while women without PMS showed no change. This suggests women with PMS process emotions differently premenstrually. Survey study, 2008 Does having PMS increase the risk of depression after having a baby? Yes. Women with a history of PMS were about 1.8 times more likely to develop depression in the six weeks after giving birth compared to those without PMS. Survey study, 2008 Do genes related to mood and stress change during the menstrual cycle? One stress-related gene (FKBP5) showed lower activity in the follicular phase compared to other phases. Anxiety scores also changed during the cycle, but these two changes were not connected to each other. Non-randomised trial, 2008 Does changing sleep timing help mood in women with PMDD? Wake therapy improved mood in women with PMDD, but changing how early or late they slept did not work by reducing the morning melatonin hormone as researchers expected. Randomised trial, 2008 Does levetiracetam help treat PMDD? In a small pilot study, 6 out of 7 women with PMDD had their symptoms improve considerably with levetiracetam over 4 months. Because there was no control group, we cannot be sure the improvement was due to the drug rather than other factors. Survey study, 2008 Do women with PMDD have different growth factors than other women? Yes, women with PMDD had significantly lower insulin-like growth factor-1 levels throughout their menstrual cycle (205.7 vs 240.2 ng/mL, P=.01). Case report, 2008 How do doctors diagnose and treat migraines linked to menstruation? Two case examples show that menstrual migraines are often diagnosed and managed together with other conditions like PMDD or depression. Treatment combines migraine prevention medication, management of mood disorders, and acute migraine treatments. Survey study, 2008 Do healthy women without PMDD have mood changes during their menstrual cycle? Yes, but the changes are small. Healthy women without PMDD showed small increases in anxiety, depression, and other negative mood symptoms from late follicular to late luteal phase. Survey study, 2008 How common is PMDD in African women and what factors are linked to it? 6.1% of Nigerian university students had PMDD. It was strongly linked to depression (17 times more likely), anxiety, panic disorder, painful periods, and a personality trait called neuroticism. Study, 2008 How common is PMDD and how does it affect women's lives? About 5% of menstruating women have severe PMDD with significant impairment in functioning. At least another 20% have clinically significant premenstrual symptoms. PMDD affects romantic relationships, parenting, work, and increases health care use. Study, 2008 What causes severe PMS and how is it treated? Severe PMS is caused by the body's reaction to normal hormone changes during the menstrual cycle. It is treatable with hormonal methods or antidepressants. Survey study, 2008 Do prenatal vitamins with folic acid prevent depression during pregnancy? No. Prenatal multivitamins with folic acid were not linked to lower depression rates during pregnancy, though women with a history of premenstrual syndrome had three times the risk of depression. Survey study, 2008 Do women with PMS have higher blood pressure, and could PMS predict future high blood pressure? Yes. Women with PMS have higher blood pressure in the late premenstrual phase compared to the early phase, and this may put them at risk for developing high blood pressure later. The connection may be related to stress and anxiety. Randomised trial, 2008 Do brain glutamate levels change during the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD? Brain glutamate levels decrease during the luteal phase in both women with PMDD and healthy women. Women with PMDD may experience symptoms because they are more sensitive to these brain changes, though the reason is not yet clear. Study, 2008 Does calcium and vitamin D deficiency cause PMS? Evidence suggests that calcium and vitamin D deficiency may cause PMS symptoms during the luteal phase. Calcium and vitamin D supplements may help treat PMS. Randomised trial, 2008 Is it better to take paroxetine every day or just during your luteal phase for PMDD? Both daily paroxetine and luteal-phase-only paroxetine improved symptoms in women with PMDD over six months. However, this was an open-label study where women knew their treatment, with a small sample size, so larger blinded studies are needed. Survey study, 2008 Do hormone changes during the premenstrual phase relate to mood symptoms in women with mood disorders? In women with bipolar disorder and major depression, progesterone and allopregnanolone levels during the premenstrual phase are linked to mixed mood features and suicidal ideas, particularly in those with bipolar disorder. We cannot be certain because the study is very small. Study, 2008 Should we understand PMDD only as a medical illness, or also consider gender and social factors? The authors argue that understanding PMDD requires looking beyond just the medical view to include gender and social science perspectives, which helps us understand women's experiences more fully. Interview study, 2008 How do hormones change the brain in PMDD and menstrual-related seizures? Sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone affect brain chemicals that control mood and seizure activity. These effects may explain why both PMDD and menstrual-related seizures worsen around the menstrual cycle, suggesting similar treatments might help both conditions. Lab study, 2008 How does the brain respond to emotions differently in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD show different brain activity during the premenstrual phase: they react more strongly to negative emotions and less to positive ones, and brain regions that normally control emotions don't work as well. Study, 2008 Does YAZ birth control help PMDD symptoms? FDA has approved YAZ for treating PMDD, and two studies showed it helps mood, physical, and behavior symptoms plus symptoms related to food cravings, water retention, and relationship difficulties. Survey study, 2007 Are personality traits different between women with PMDD and women with major depression? Personality traits are mostly similar between PMDD and depression during the second half of the cycle. Both groups were more likely to show a trait of caution and worry about harm than healthy women, but personality tests could not reliably distinguish PMDD from depression. Survey study, 2007 Does the nervous system work differently during the menstrual cycle in women with PMS or PMDD? Yes. Women with PMS showed decreased automatic body control in the second half of their cycle, and women with PMDD showed decreased body control throughout their cycle compared to women without PMS. Cohort study, 2007 Is there something different about calcium and vitamin D levels in women with PMDD? Yes, this study found women with PMDD had some differences in calcium-related hormones across the cycle compared to women without PMDD, including lower vitamin D levels in the second half of the cycle, though this does not prove it causes PMDD. Survey study, 2007 What is dysphoria, and how is it different from other mood problems? Dysphoria is a complex emotional state combining intense unhappiness and discontent with irritability. It is related to but distinct from other mental health conditions like depression. Non-randomised trial, 2007 Can a herbal formula called kamishoyosan help PMDD symptoms? In this small pilot study, many women with PMDD improved after taking kamishoyosan, but it was not tested against a dummy treatment, so this is an early, less certain result. Study, 2007 Can a certain birth control pill ease the emotional and physical symptoms of PMDD? Yes. This combined birth control pill eased both the emotional and physical symptoms of PMDD, with the dosing pattern thought to play a role in why it worked. Case-control study, 2007 Does serotonin function change differently in PMDD versus PMS versus healthy women? Women with PMDD show unusually high serotonin function in the follicular phase but low function in the luteal phase, different from women with PMS and healthy women. This suggests PMDD involves an unstable serotonin system. Survey study, 2007 Does cycle-related anger connect to depression? In a rat study, females showing more anger during certain parts of their cycle also showed depression-like behavior at the same stage, suggesting these traits may share similar biological roots. Survey study, 2007 Is there a link between postnatal depression and premenstrual symptoms? No. Only one woman showed both conditions, and there was no association between postnatal distress and psychological symptoms in this study. Study, 2007 Does isolation stress during the luteal phase cause depression-like symptoms in female monkeys? Yes, female monkeys isolated during their luteal phase developed depression-like symptoms in the following cycles. A traditional Chinese herbal medicine reduced these symptoms and normalized hormone and chemical levels. Survey study, 2007 How common and how recognised is PMDD among young women? In this small study of Croatian students, 15 out of 87 women had PMDD, suggesting it may be more common than usually recognised, but this is from one small sample so it cannot tell us the true rate everywhere. Case report, 2007 Does Fluoxetine taken only during the luteal phase help PMDD in teenagers? Yes. One 17-year-old girl had complete resolution of her PMDD symptoms when she took Fluoxetine 20 mg daily during the luteal phase. This is a single case. Case report, 2007 How does sertraline affect thinking in women with PMDD? One female aviator with PMDD received sertraline 25 mg daily for 5-7 days per month and had her thinking and attention assessed while on and off the medication. The report interprets her neuropsychological performance and discusses potential cognitive effects. Survey study, 2007 Is depression common in people with PMS? About 40% of people with PMS or anxiety had recurrent brief depression, even though most weren't being treated for it. Cohort study, 2007 Do women with depression or bipolar disorder experience premenstrual mood symptoms? 67.7% of women with major depression or bipolar disorder reported premenstrual mood symptoms, significantly more than women without mood disorders. The rates were similar between the two diagnoses. Case-control study, 2007 Is PMDD linked to genetic variations in the estrogen receptor gene? Yes. Four genetic variations in the ESR1 estrogen receptor gene were significantly more common in women with PMDD than in controls. These associations were strongest in women with a specific genetic variation in the COMT gene. Case-control study, 2007 Does a genetic variant in the serotonin receptor gene affect PMDD risk? A genetic variant (the C version) was more common in women with PMDD. Having at least one C version was associated with increased PMDD risk, though evidence was borderline. Survey study, 2007 Does light therapy for seasonal depression affect when menstruation starts? Menstruation started on average 1.2 days earlier after light therapy for seasonal depression. This was noted as a minor side effect in only 2 people. Case-control study, 2007 Do women with PMDD have lower relaxin hormone levels? Yes, women with PMDD had lower relaxin levels than healthy women, a clear difference. This is a small study, so we need confirmation. Case report, 2007 Does taking citalopram starting when symptoms appear help PMDD? Yes. All eight women had clear improvement in PMDD symptoms when they took citalopram from the start of premenstrual symptoms until their period began. Randomised trial, 2007 Does the birth control pill containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol help treat PMDD? The limited research available suggests it may help, and the pill has good tolerability and other health benefits, but more studies are needed to be sure. Randomised trial, 2007 Do birth control pills help depression that worsens before the period in women on antidepressants? Both women who got additional hormone in the second phase and those who got placebo improved significantly, so we cannot say whether the additional hormone made a difference. Randomised trial, 2006 Does a five-day gradual reduction of chlormadinone help PMDD symptoms? Yes, significantly reducing anxiety and depression and some other symptoms by the third month of treatment. This is a small pilot study, so larger trials are needed to confirm. Review, 2006 Why do antidepressants work differently for PMDD than for general depression? A theoretical model suggests PMDD responds faster to certain antidepressants (SSRIs) because it involves different brain mechanisms than depression. This framework has not yet been tested. Survey study, 2006 Could hormone-driven changes in brain chemistry explain mood problems during the menstrual cycle? This is a proposed explanation, not proven by research. The authors suggest that changes in specific brain-made chemicals called neurosteroids, triggered by shifting estrogen levels during the menstrual cycle, might cause depression and other mood problems. Non-randomised trial, 2006 Do women with PMDD respond differently to estrogen? Yes. Women with PMDD showed a different response to an estrogen injection, with stronger hormone surges linked to bloating and irritability. Survey study, 2006 Does the menstrual cycle affect mood disorders? Some women with mood disorders may experience worsening symptoms during the premenstrual period. Evidence is limited and study methods are inconsistent across available research. Survey study, 2006 Does the menstrual cycle affect how severe OCD symptoms are? Yes. For many women with OCD, symptoms get worse before their period, with nearly half reporting this pattern. The menstrual cycle should be considered when assessing OCD severity. Study, 2006 Is there a difference in brain activity between women with high and low premenstrual dysphoric symptoms? Women with low premenstrual dysphoric symptoms had more left frontal brain activity at rest compared to women with high symptoms, and this was consistent across both menstrual cycle phases. Review, 2006 When mood changes seem tied to your cycle, is it actually PMDD? No. Many mood and anxiety symptoms tied to the menstrual cycle are not genuine PMDD. When true PMDD occurs, its impact on quality of life is similar to major depressive disorder. Case-control study, 2006 Do women with IBS and period pain have worse symptoms? Yes. Women with IBS who also have dysmenorrhea and premenstrual distress report significantly more cramping, depression, anger, and cognitive problems than women with IBS alone. This group may need complex, multicomponent treatment. Randomised trial, 2006 Are women with PMDD low in magnesium, and does magnesium help their mood symptoms? No, this small study found no evidence that women with PMDD are magnesium deficient, and a magnesium infusion worked no better than placebo for mood. Study, 2006 Does tracking your mood closely make premenstrual mood changes feel worse? Yes. Women who closely monitored their mood reported worse happiness and calmness before their period compared to those who didn't closely track. Survey study, 2006 Is low brain serotonin linked to mood problems in premenstrual dysphoric disorder? In women with premenstrual dysphoria, mood symptoms like irritability and depression worsen when brain serotonin levels drop before their period, suggesting serotonin plays a role in PMDD. This supports why serotonin-boosting drugs help these symptoms. Survey study, 2006 Do oral contraceptives improve mood in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder? This theoretical review proposes that birth control pills affect mood by changing brain chemicals called neurosteroids, but researchers still disagree on whether the pills improve or worsen mood in PMDD. Survey study, 2006 What is premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how common is it? PMDD is now officially recognized as a distinct mood disorder linked to the menstrual cycle, affecting an important minority of women, and should be distinguished from regular PMS and depression. Randomised trial, 2006 Are women screened for PMS/PMDD trials representative of all women with these conditions? Not answered clearly. The paper raises concerns that screening procedures bias who gets recruited into trials, so study results may not apply to all women with PMS or PMDD. Case-control study, 2006 Can disrupted sleep and body rhythms explain mood problems around periods, pregnancy, or after birth? It's a promising idea but not yet proven. Women with depression at these times show a different pattern of sleep and body rhythms than healthy women, though the exact pattern differs by life stage. Lab study, 2006 Can a hormone that usually reduces anxiety instead cause anxiety after your body adapts to its being blocked? Yes. When a hormone precursor was blocked, the hormone THP (which normally calms anxiety) instead increased anxiety in female mice. This effect involved changes to specific brain receptors. Survey study, 2006 Are seasonal mood changes linked to premenstrual symptoms? Yes, there is a strong connection between seasonal mood symptoms and premenstrual symptoms (r = .45), even in women without seasonal affective disorder. This connection is only partly explained by depression. Randomised trial, 2006 Does vitamin B6 treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Results are not reported in the available abstract, so we cannot determine whether vitamin B6 was effective. Survey study, 2006 What percentage of Japanese high school girls have PMDD or PMS, and what affects it? About 8.4% have PMDD and 18.5% have PMS. Stress, poor sleep, less exercise, irregular eating, and headaches may increase risk. Review, 2005 How does acute tryptophan depletion help us understand mood disorders? Acute tryptophan depletion is a research method that temporarily lowers serotonin levels in the brain to study its role in depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and psychiatric conditions. Survey study, 2005 Do women with PMDD who struggle to identify their feelings have more severe symptoms and body concerns? Yes. About 31.3% of women with PMDD have difficulty identifying and expressing their feelings, and these women report more severe PMDD symptoms and worse body image than others. Survey study, 2005 Does a genetic variant in the estrogen receptor gene affect premenstrual and menopausal symptoms? Yes. Women with the SS genotype had 7.6-fold increased risk of premenstrual symptoms, 7-fold increased risk of hot flashes, and 13-fold increased risk of psychological symptoms compared to other genotypes. Survey study, 2005 How common is depression during pregnancy and what causes it? Depression affects about 13.9% of pregnant women in this Lebanese hospital. Risk factors include family history of depression, mood changes before the period, and life stressors like lack of partner support and financial problems. Study, 2005 Do women with PMDD have different eating and body changes across their menstrual cycle? Both groups experience the same pattern. Women eat more, gain weight, and retain water during the second half and start of the cycle. There is no difference between women with PMDD and those without symptoms. Randomised trial, 2005 Can estrogen treat depression linked to hormonal changes? Estrogen affects mood through brain chemistry, but there is not enough evidence to recommend it as a main treatment. SSRIs (a type of antidepressant) remain the standard choice. Survey study, 2005 Does the menstrual cycle affect obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms? Yes, for some women. OCD started at menarche in 22% of women and worsened premenstrually in 20%. It worsened after childbirth in 50% of women who became pregnant. Randomised trial, 2005 Does a history of sexual abuse change how women with PMDD respond to the drug clonidine? In this very small study, yes: women with PMDD who had been sexually abused showed different heart rate, blood pressure and stress-hormone responses to clonidine than those without that history, though the sample was too small to be confident. Randomised trial, 2005 Does clonidine help PMDD symptoms? No. Clonidine showed no benefit compared to placebo for mood or PMDD symptoms in this small study and caused more side effects. Randomised trial, 2005 Does intermittent luteal phase medication help PMDD symptoms during the first days of menstruation? Yes. Symptom improvement from luteal phase-only medication continued into the first 2-3 days of menstruation with similar benefit to continuous treatment, and abruptly stopping the medication did not cause withdrawal symptoms. Interview study, 2005 Can doctors correctly diagnose PMDD and depression in gynecology clinics? Gynecologists diagnosed PMDD correctly 80% of the time but depression only 48% of the time. Ironically, they were more confident about their depression diagnoses despite being less accurate. Randomised trial, 2005 Can the antidepressant fluoxetine help teenage girls with PMDD? In these 3 case reports, fluoxetine fully resolved PMDD symptoms in teenage girls treated for 2 years, but with no control group this cannot prove the drug caused the improvement. Survey study, 2005 What are the main symptom types of PMDD? The study found that mood symptoms are most important in PMDD, but physical symptoms and feeling overwhelmed are also significant. Since this was a survey of college students in Brazil, the findings may not apply to all women. Cohort study, 2005 How common is PMS and how severe is it in young college women? More than half of college women (53%) met PMS diagnostic criteria, with 31.7% having severe symptoms. About 18% met criteria for PMDD, the most severe form. This is a high prevalence, though the study used convenience sampling in one country. Survey study, 2005 How common are PMS and PMDD in female students, and what mental health problems go with them? PMS affected 15.3% and PMDD affected 4% of female hostel students. Psychiatric illness was present in 58.62% of these women. Case-control study, 2005 Is the brain chemical serotonin different in women with premenstrual syndrome? Yes. Women with PMS have significantly lower levels of serotonin receptors compared to healthy women, which might help explain why antidepressants work for PMS symptoms. Systematic review, 2005 Does bright light therapy reduce depression in premenstrual dysphoric disorder? It is uncertain. Four small trials with 55 total participants were found, but results were inconsistent and the trials had methodological limitations. Survey study, 2005 Are suicidal attempts more likely during certain phases of the menstrual cycle? Yes. Suicidal attempts were most frequent during the menstrual phase. However, this study only looked at women already hospitalized for attempts, so it cannot tell us the true risk in the general population. Survey study, 2005 How does trauma history affect PMDD symptoms and pregnancy? Women with PMDD who experienced trauma show different body reactions to stress and may experience symptom changes during pregnancy. These findings come from reviewing existing published research rather than new studies. Randomised trial, 2004 Does PMDD change how women respond to alcohol during their menstrual cycle? Yes, women with PMDD show reduced sensitivity to alcohol in the late luteal phase of their cycle, while women without PMDD do not show this change. Study, 2004 Did SSRIs change what people thought of as depression in women? Between 1985 and 2000, as SSRIs became available for PMDD and related conditions, popular media began describing menstruation, motherhood, and childbirth as potential signs of depression. Survey study, 2004 Does menstrual cycle aggression in rats relate to breathing changes? Female rats that showed aggression during their menstrual-like cycle had higher variation in their breathing depth, which may help explain why women with premenstrual dysphoria show increased breathing variability. Review, 2004 Could a brain hormone called allopregnanolone explain mood problems like PMDD in women? This review suggests that changes in allopregnanolone, a hormone-like substance in the brain, may be linked to mood problems including premenstrual dysphoria (PMDD), but this is a theory based on existing animal and human research, not new proof. Non-randomised trial, 2004 Do women with depression have abnormal hormone rhythms across the menstrual cycle? Both healthy women and women with depression showed clear daily hormone rhythms that changed with cycle phase, with no significant differences between groups. However, depressed women had higher overall estradiol levels. Non-randomised trial, 2004 Does taking venlafaxine only during the premenstrual phase help PMDD? Nine out of 11 women showed good improvement in their PMDD symptoms, and the medication was well tolerated. This is a very small study, so we should be cautious about how much it proves. Case-control study, 2004 Are reproductive hormones abnormal in women with premenstrual dysphoria? No. Women with premenstrual dysphoria had normal hormone levels before and after stimulation, similar to healthy women. Non-randomised trial, 2004 Does premenstrual dysphoric disorder affect how the heart's nervous system regulates itself? Women with PMDD showed reduced activity in the vagus nerve, which helps regulate the heart. The difference from women without PMDD was most clear during the non-symptom phase of the cycle. Case-control study, 2004 Do women with PMDD who experienced sexual abuse have different thyroid hormone levels? Yes. Women with PMDD and sexual abuse history had abnormal thyroid hormone patterns, including higher T3 levels, compared to other groups. Non-randomised trial, 2004 Does serotonin activity change across the menstrual cycle? Yes. Serotonin transporter binding was highest in the late follicular phase (right before ovulation), while serotonin receptor binding was highest in the early follicular and early luteal phases. These changes correlated with estradiol and progesterone levels. Interview study, 2004 What causes premenstrual syndrome and PMDD, and how should they be treated? Dysregulation of serotonin and GABA neurotransmitter systems combined with hormone changes causes these conditions. SSRIs, GnRH agonists, Yasmin birth control, cognitive-behavior therapy, lifestyle changes, and placebo all help. Survey study, 2004 How does serotonin function change during the menstrual cycle in women with PMS? Serotonin function varies throughout the menstrual cycle linked to hormone levels. This variation may contribute to PMS, but we don't yet know why only some women develop the condition. Non-randomised trial, 2004 Are depression and anxiety linked to estrogen and progesterone levels in women with PMDD? No. This study found no significant correlations between depression or anxiety ratings and either hormone. Survey study, 2004 What is PMDD? PMDD is a severe form of PMS with at least 5 of 11 symptoms, including mood changes or irritability, that happen before your period and go away when you bleed. Symptoms must last at least a year and be bad enough to disrupt daily life. Case-control study, 2004 Does PMDD change the brain's electrical activity? Yes. Women with PMDD show a shift to negative patterns in brain electrical activity during the luteal phase while controls remain stable. This change in a brain measure linked to mood matches their severe negative mood. Survey study, 2004 What other mental health conditions often happen alongside PMDD? PMDD commonly occurs together with mood and anxiety disorders. This review does not report specific rates of how often this happens. Survey study, 2004 How common is PMS and premenstrual worsening of psychiatric symptoms in women with mental health disorders? Very common. Between 52% and 80% of women with anxiety, depression, or panic disorder reported PMS symptoms, and between 36% and 52% experienced worsening of their psychiatric symptoms before their period. Survey study, 2004 How does the menstrual cycle affect sleep problems in women? Sleep problems in women are connected to hormone changes during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. Medical systems recognize premenstrual insomnia and oversleeping as sleep disorders linked to the cycle. Review, 2003 Is PMDD just a biological problem, or do stress and life experience matter too? This review argues PMDD is not only biological; life stress, a history of sexual abuse, and cultural background also matter, though as a review it does not provide its own new numbers or data. Randomised trial, 2003 Does Qi therapy reduce PMS symptoms? Yes. Women who received Qi therapy had significant reductions in pain, depression, and anxiety compared to controls, though this was a small pilot study. Survey study, 2003 Is cycle-related aggression linked to changes in breathing during the menstrual cycle? In rats prone to cycle-related aggression, breathing rate was higher during one phase of the cycle, whereas non-aggressive rats showed no breathing changes. This may help explain similar patterns in humans with PMDD. Case-control study, 2003 Do women with PMDD have different attitudes toward menstruation? Yes, women with PMDD reported more negative attitudes toward menstruation and more negative views of their mothers from childhood. This is one study in one city, so findings may differ elsewhere. Cohort study, 2003 Do women with PMDD who experienced abuse respond differently to stress? Women with PMDD who had experienced sexual or physical abuse showed different stress hormone patterns when stressed, with lower resting stress hormones but stronger adrenaline responses, different from non-PMDD women with abuse histories. Non-randomised trial, 2003 Does venlafaxine help women with PMDD? Yes. This small study found venlafaxine significantly improved PMDD symptoms in Asian women. Randomised trial, 2003 Does chasteberry (Vitex agnus castus) work as well as fluoxetine for PMDD? Both treatments worked in similar numbers of women (68.4% for fluoxetine, 57.9% for Vitex), with no significant difference. Fluoxetine worked better for emotional symptoms while Vitex worked better for physical symptoms. Survey study, 2003 Do hormone levels change during the menstrual cycle in women with depression? Yes. Women with depression had higher levels of a chemical called homocysteine in the early cycle compared to the late cycle, and overall higher levels than healthy women. Survey study, 2003 Is PMDD a form of depression, a form of anxiety, or something completely different? PMDD is a distinct condition, separate from both depression and anxiety. It is characterized more by irritability and mood swings than by depressed mood or anxiety. Review, 2003 Does paroxetine, an antidepressant, help PMDD symptoms? Clinical trials show evidence that paroxetine (an SSRI antidepressant) helps treat PMDD. This review summarizes what those trials found. Non-randomised trial, 2003 How many women with PMS want to participate in research studies? Very few. Only 10% of women with current PMS symptoms agreed to participate, and only 22% of those who started confirmed their diagnosis by keeping daily symptom charts. Survey study, 2003 Is how much control women feel over their life linked to premenstrual symptoms? Yes. Women who felt they had less control over their circumstances were more likely to have premenstrual symptoms, anxiety, and depression. Women felt especially out of control during the premenstrual phase compared to other times in their cycle. Survey study, 2003 What is the difference between PMS and PMDD, and how are they diagnosed? PMS and PMDD are distinguished by how many symptoms are required. PMDD needs at least five symptoms, while PMS needs just one distressing symptom, and diagnosis requires daily diaries since no blood test exists. Survey study, 2003 How common is PMDD in women in Bosnia and Herzegovina and what are the most common symptoms? 52% of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina met diagnostic criteria for PMDD. The most common symptoms were depressed mood (68%) and breast swelling or weight gain (81.8%). Non-randomised trial, 2003 Do women with premenstrual dysphoria have different serotonin genes than others? Women with premenstrual dysphoria have fewer serotonin transporter proteins on their blood cells than controls, but genetic differences in the serotonin transporter gene do not explain this. Case report, 2003 Does St. John's wort help treat PMDD? In this one case, yes. A woman with PMDD who couldn't tolerate a common antidepressant improved significantly on St. John's wort over at least five months. Review, 2003 What treatments have been developed for PMS and PMDD? Over 40 years, hundreds of compounds have been patented for PMS and PMDD, including hormone therapies, antidepressants, vitamins, minerals, supplements, and newer drugs affecting brain chemistry. Survey study, 2002 How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder among women in Morocco? About half of 618 women interviewed in Casablanca met criteria for PMDD, with the most common symptoms being appetite changes, depressed mood, and emotional instability. Case-control study, 2002 Do women with PMDD have worse cognitive function during their menstrual cycle? Tests found no significant differences in cognitive function between women with PMDD and controls, despite the PMDD group reporting cognitive problems. The researchers suggest these complaints may come from how women perceive things rather than actual cognitive deficits. Review, 2002 Do antidepressants help with PMDD symptoms? Some antidepressants appear to help relieve PMDD symptoms in controlled studies. The evidence comes from reviews of existing research rather than new data. Case-control study, 2002 Does brain GABA change differently in women with PMDD during the menstrual cycle? Yes. GABA levels dropped across the cycle in healthy women but rose in women with PMDD. This is a very small study, so results need confirmation. Review, 2002 Can antidepressants help severe PMS (PMDD) symptoms like irritability and low mood? Yes. This review says serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) antidepressants reduce PMDD symptoms effectively, while non-serotonin antidepressants do not, and they can even be taken only in part of the cycle. Review, 2002 Are women more likely to get depression, especially due to hormonal changes? Yes. Women have 1.7 to 2.7 times higher risk of depression in their lifetime compared to men, and hormonal changes around puberty, periods, and menopause increase that risk. Randomised trial, 2002 Does taking extra nefazodone before your period help depression that worsens premenstrually? Yes, all 3 women in the study showed significant improvement with extra nefazodone taken before their period, but not with placebo. However, the study was very small. Survey study, 2002 What medical conditions and lifestyle factors affect menstrual cycle patterns? Several factors are linked to abnormal cycle patterns. Higher body weight, depression, starting periods after age 14, smoking, and a history of difficulty getting pregnant are all associated with changes in cycle length. Case-control study, 2002 Do women with PMDD feel pain differently and have different hormone levels than other women? Yes. In this small study, women with PMDD felt pain more easily and more unpleasantly, and had lower levels of cortisol and beta-endorphin (the body's natural pain-relieving and calming chemicals) than women without PMDD. Guideline, 2002 What is the best way to diagnose premenstrual dysphoric disorder? A three-step diagnostic process including phone screening, clinical interview, and daily symptom tracking over two menstrual cycles can accurately identify PMDD. Using this process, 4% of women tested had PMDD, matching rates reported in other studies. Study, 2002 How do women's thoughts and coping affect PMDD? Through interviews, researchers found that women with PMDD often feel overly responsible for everything and out of control. Their symptoms develop from interactions between their feelings, thoughts, relationships, and cultural expectations. Case-control study, 2002 Do women with both seasonal affective disorder and PMDD share genetic risk factors? Yes. Women with both SAD and PMDD were significantly more likely to have a specific genetic variation and family history of mood disorders, suggesting they share genetic vulnerability to both conditions. Review, 2002 Are SSRIs like fluoxetine effective treatments for PMDD? Fluoxetine is FDA-approved for PMDD, but it only works for a small subset of women and the treatment benefits are limited. Review, 2002 Are SSRIs like fluoxetine effective for PMDD? Fluoxetine is licensed for PMDD treatment and there is evidence that SSRIs work for this condition, though not for all women. Review, 2002 Are hormone problems the cause of PMS? No clear hormone abnormalities have been found in people with PMS, even though hormones seem connected to mood. A treatment that stops monthly cycles improved mood, but why this works is still unclear. Survey study, 2002 Does the menstrual cycle change gut sensitivity in women with IBS? Yes. Women with IBS have more sensitive bowels during their period compared to other times, which may explain why their IBS gets worse. Women without IBS do not show this change. Review, 2002 How did PMS and PMDD become recognized as medical conditions? Historical, cultural, political, and economic forces shaped the diagnosis of PMS and PMDD, which became popular among doctors, the public, and women. These diagnostic labels can be helpful but also harmful to women. Lab study, 2002 Does the official list of PMDD symptoms match what women seeking treatment actually experience? The official list of PMDD symptoms matched 19 of 22 most frequently reported symptoms. When other mental health conditions were ruled out, irritability and anger were more common than depressed mood. Case-control study, 2002 Do difficult childhood experiences with parents cause PMDD? No. Women with PMDD reported no worse childhood parenting experiences than women without PMDD, suggesting PMDD comes from biology rather than childhood experiences. Cohort study, 2001 Do women with PMDD handle stress hormones differently than women without it? Yes. In this small study, women with PMDD showed different patterns of the hormone allopregnanolone and cortisol around stress compared to women without PMDD, hinting at a biological difference in how their bodies respond to stress. Cohort study, 2001 Do women with PMDD have weaker bones? No, women with PMDD have normal bone density for their age, no different from women without PMDD. Randomised trial, 2001 Do women with PMDD have different serotonin activity in their blood? Yes, women with untreated PMDD showed higher serotonin binding sites in their blood compared to controls, and this difference disappeared with hormone treatment. Cohort study, 2001 Do psychiatric symptoms get worse before the period in women with schizophrenia? Yes, overall psychiatric symptoms were worse in the premenstrual phase. However, the psychotic symptoms like hallucinations barely changed, while mood and behavioral symptoms worsened significantly. Cohort study, 2001 Do women with PMDD who have never had depression differ from those who have? Women with PMDD and no past depression history tend to be more educated and more likely to have experienced relationship breakdown, but are otherwise similar to women with PMDD who have had depression. Randomised trial, 2001 Do changing reproductive hormones disrupt the body's internal clock and cause mood disorders? The authors propose that reproductive hormones may disrupt the body's internal clock in susceptible women, but this is a theory not yet proven. Women have twice the rate of depression as men. Review, 2001 Can citalopram, an antidepressant, help premenstrual dysphoria? Yes, citalopram is an antidepressant shown in controlled trials to help premenstrual dysphoria, depression, anxiety, and other conditions. This review focuses on the drug's general benefits, not specifically on PMS. Randomised trial, 2001 Do buspirone and nefazodone help premenstrual dysphoria? Buspirone reduced premenstrual irritability and overall symptoms more than placebo. Nefazodone did not work better than placebo. Both had good tolerability with no excess sexual side effects. Study, 2001 How can doctors tell PMDD apart from other mood disorders that get worse before a period? PMDD can be recognized by specific timing: symptoms must appear in a monthly cycle and impairment must increase in the days before a period. Symptoms that continue year-round or don't follow a monthly pattern indicate other conditions instead. Case report, 2001 Does taking nefazodone just during the luteal phase help PMDD? Yes. All three women who took nefazodone reported marked improvement in symptoms. All three had complete relief of emotional symptoms, and two also had complete relief of body symptoms. This is a very small study. Study, 2001 Is taking sertraline every day or just before your period better for PMDD? Taking sertraline every day is better tolerated than taking it only before your period. However, many women in both groups stopped the medication due to side effects. Survey study, 2001 Do women with PMDD have other mental health conditions or personality traits? Most women with PMDD (77%) had experienced other mood or anxiety disorders in their past, compared with only 17% of women without PMDD. Two-thirds of women with PMDD who had children experienced postpartum depression. Survey study, 2001 Do gynecologists feel as responsible for treating depression as they do for treating severe PMS? No. Gynecologists reported different attitudes toward PMDD compared with major depressive disorder, and many did not see treating depression as their job in the same way. Case-control study, 2001 Does breathing carbon dioxide trigger panic attacks in people with PMDD like it does in panic disorder? Yes, people with PMDD had panic attacks during CO2 breathing at similar rates to people with panic disorder. However, this was a very small study with only 10 PMDD participants, so results need confirmation in larger studies. Cohort study, 2001 Does having PMDD increase the risk of developing major depressive disorder? In this small pilot study, 7 of 8 women with PMDD developed major depressive disorder within two years. However, this needs confirmation in much larger studies. Review, 2001 Can mood disorders get worse before your period? Yes. Mood disorders can worsen before the period. This is different from PMDD and PMS but it is not well understood. Survey study, 2001 How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how is it related to other psychiatric conditions? About 75-85% of women report some premenstrual symptoms, but only 10-15% seek care and 2-5% experience serious disruption to work or social life. PMS may worsen other psychiatric conditions. Survey study, 2001 Are hormone levels different in women with PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD had significantly lower melatonin and progesterone levels and higher prolactin levels during the late luteal phase compared to women without PMDD. Study, 2001 What are the current treatment options for PMS and PMDD? SSRIs (a type of antidepressant) are used for severe PMDD, while milder PMS receives various medical and non-medical treatments. Better understanding of how hormones work is needed to develop improved treatments. Survey study, 2001 Does how much you tend to worry affect your mood before your period? Yes. Women who scored higher on a personality test for worry and upset feelings reported more negative mood before their period, even accounting for baseline mood. Women taking birth control pills had higher worry scores. Non-randomised trial, 2001 Do people with PMDD have different breathing patterns? Yes. PMDD patients showed greater variation in their breathing patterns than women without PMDD. Survey study, 2001 Do antidepressants work for PMDD? Yes, according to this review. Serotonergic antidepressants have shown effectiveness for premenstrual dysphoric disorder, whether taken every day or just during the luteal phase before the period. Review, 2001 Do serotonin drugs help PMDD? Yes. Research supports using serotonin drugs for PMDD. PMS affects 20%-50% of women while PMDD (more severe PMS) affects 3%-9% of women. Case-control study, 2000 Does blood flow in the brain change during PMS? Yes. A small study found that brain blood flow decreased in the temporal lobes during the premenstrual period in women with PMS, and this related to worsening depression. Survey study, 2000 Can the Premenstrual Assessment Form questionnaire diagnose PMDD? The questionnaire correctly identified most women with PMDD symptoms compared to healthy women, but it cannot confirm a definite PMDD diagnosis alone. Daily symptom tracking is needed. Survey study, 2000 Does the menstrual cycle affect how much people smoke or how hard it is to quit? Not strongly. Smoking was slightly higher mid-cycle, and withdrawal was worse in women with depression, but the cycle phase did not strongly predict smoking behavior. Study, 2000 How did PMDD become recognized as a medical diagnosis? Premenstrual mood and behavior problems were noticed for thousands of years, but formal diagnostic criteria were not created until 1987. Lab study, 2000 Does calling PMS a psychiatric condition change how people think about it? Labeling it as a psychiatric condition increased recommendations for psychiatric help. However, it did not cause the widespread negative effects like increased stigma or misuse that some people feared. Survey study, 2000 Why do women get more anxious when hormone levels drop? Falling estrogen and progesterone levels may trigger anxiety and mood disorders by affecting how brain receptors that control anxiety and mood work. The exact mechanism is not yet fully understood. Cohort study, 2000 How common is PMDD among women in India? In this study, 6.4% of women met the criteria for PMDD, which is similar to rates found in other countries. Review, 2000 What causes premenstrual syndrome and how is it treated? PMS is caused by an abnormal brain response to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle. Treatment depends on severity and symptoms, ranging from lifestyle changes to medications that increase serotonin and norepinephrine or suppress hormonal changes. Randomised trial, 2000 Does massage therapy help premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms? Massage therapy reduced anxiety, depressed mood, and pain right after sessions. Over 5 weeks, it reduced pain and water retention but did not improve mood or activity level long-term. Review, 2000 How do hormonal changes affect women's psychiatric conditions and their treatment? Psychiatric disorders occur more commonly or exclusively in women. Hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle affect how psychiatric symptoms present and how medications work in women's bodies. Study, 2000 How does depression in women differ from depression in men, and how can it be treated? Depression is twice as common in women as in men. Women experience different symptoms, different patterns of illness, and may respond differently to treatment. Hormonal changes during menstruation, birth control use, pregnancy, menopause, and aging can trigger or worsen depression. Survey study, 2000 Is there a link between premenstrual syndrome and postnatal depression? This exploratory study found an association between PMS and later postnatal depression, suggesting women with PMS might be at higher risk. However, this is very early research and we cannot be confident the results apply widely. Survey study, 2000 Are women with PMDD more likely to have had mental health problems? This review questions the common belief that women with PMDD have higher rates of past psychiatric disorders. It suggests this assumption may be premature, but does not provide new research to confirm either way. Randomised trial, 2000 Does sertraline help PMDD in women taking birth control pills? Yes, sertraline worked better than placebo in this very small pilot study of 8 women. Randomised trial, 2000 Does St John's Wort help PMS symptoms? One small study found a 49% reduction in symptom scores, but the researchers noted that natural symptom fluctuation and placebo effect probably explained the improvement. We cannot be confident the herb itself helped. Review, 2000 Do antidepressants work differently for women, and can they help PMDD? This expert review suggests newer antidepressants (SSRIs) may work better than older ones in women and may help premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), including when taken only in part of the cycle, but it is an opinion piece summarising other research, not a new trial. Cohort study, 1999 Do women with PMS have a higher risk of depression later in life? In a 5 to 12 year follow-up study, women with PMS had a nonsignificantly higher rate of new depression, but this difference disappeared when comparing only women who had no prior depression history, suggesting prior depression rather than PMS drives the risk. Study, 1999 Why is depression more common in women than men? Women are twice more likely than men to suffer from depression. This is related to biological, psychological, and social factors, especially during reproductive years when hormone changes occur. Review, 1999 Are SSRIs effective for treating PMDD? Yes, SSRIs are effective in treating PMDD and many related conditions in women, according to this review of depression treatment. Randomised trial, 1999 Does alprazolam (an anti-anxiety medicine) affect how much women with PMDD eat? Yes. Alprazolam increased food intake during the premenstrual phase, especially fatty foods. Women who restrict eating were most affected, eating 26% more calories on the highest dose than on placebo. Survey study, 1999 Does menstrual cycle phase affect mood in women with rapid cycling bipolar disorder? No. This study found no systematic pattern between menstrual cycle phase and mood in women with rapid cycling bipolar disorder, even though some individual women showed a connection. Cohort study, 1999 Does PMDD affect mood, memory and thinking differently across the menstrual cycle? Mood got worse in the luteal (premenstrual) phase for women with PMDD, but memory and thinking problems in that phase happened in both PMDD and non-PMDD women equally, based on this very small study. Study, 1999 What causes PMS and how should different symptoms be treated? PMS involves hormone problems and disruptions in brain chemical systems (GABA, serotonin, endorphins). Different symptoms may respond to different treatments: mood symptoms to medication, physical symptoms to progesterone or diuretics. Non-randomised trial, 1999 Do women seeking PMS treatment actually have underlying mood or anxiety disorders? About 39% of women seeking PMS treatment meet criteria for mood or anxiety disorders. Mood disorders were about twice as common as anxiety disorders. Review, 1999 Do SSRI antidepressants work for PMDD? Yes, SSRIs are the treatment of choice for PMDD because they are effective, have acceptable side effects, and are well tolerated. Randomised trial, 1999 Are women with PMDD more sensitive to anxiety and panic from CCK-4 injection? Yes, women with PMDD showed a greater anxiety and panic response to CCK-4 than normal women, suggesting the CCK system may be involved in PMDD. The results are preliminary and specific outcome numbers were not reported. Non-randomised trial, 1999 Does taking sertraline only in the second half of the cycle help PMDD? In this very small study, half of the women who completed treatment (3 out of 6) showed significant improvement in PMDD symptoms with luteal-phase sertraline dosing. Randomised trial, 1999 Which symptom rating scales best measure PMDD? Three simple rating scales reliably measure PMDD symptoms and track treatment effects. They work well together, with strong agreement between them (correlations 0.70 to 0.82). Non-randomised trial, 1998 Is there a brain chemistry abnormality in PMDD? The study found some differences in brain chemistry related to mood in PMDD, with early-cycle levels predicting worse symptoms later in the cycle. The sample was very small and the clinical meaning is unclear. Case-control study, 1998 Do stress receptors on immune cells function differently in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD have higher beta2-adrenergic receptor density compared to healthy women. Measurements in the follicular phase predict how severe luteal phase symptoms will be. Study, 1998 Can PMDD be treated, and what helps? Yes. This paper states that PMDD is a biological condition that responds to biological treatments, and women can see real improvement with the right care. Case report, 1998 Does how women manage anger affect how bad their PMS gets? No, not significantly. Women who coped with anger differently had similar PMS severity. But stress from work and family life was linked to worse PMS. Cohort study, 1998 Do women with PMDD react differently to stress than other women? Yes, in this small study, women with PMDD showed different heart and stress-hormone responses to stressful tasks than women without PMDD, and this was true in both halves of their cycle. Survey study, 1998 Does trouble digesting fructose cause depression? This small study found that people who couldn't absorb fructose well had higher depression scores, especially women. But the study can't prove fructose malabsorption causes depression. Survey study, 1998 Should doctors use hormone blood tests to diagnose premenstrual syndrome? No, according to these experts. Hormone tests are irrelevant for PMS. They believe PMS relates to other factors we haven't identified yet, not hormone levels. Case report, 1998 What treatments help when PMS becomes very severe? Several treatments can help severe PMS, including antidepressants, anxiety medications, and hormones that stop ovulation. The right choice depends on each woman's specific symptoms. Survey study, 1998 How common is PMS in women of reproductive age and what factors increase the risk? 30.4% had PMS, with most having mild to moderate symptoms. Women with higher stress, depression symptoms, painful periods, and higher education level had higher rates. Survey study, 1998 Is depression around the period, after birth, or at menopause caused by abnormal reproductive hormones? No clear hormone abnormality has been found to explain PMS. No abnormalities in LH, estrogen, or progesterone were documented in PMS, though completely stopping monthly hormone cycling with a drug called leuprolide improved mood. Non-randomised trial, 1998 Is the stress hormone cortisol different in women with premenstrual depression? Yes, but opposite to regular depression. Women with severe premenstrual depression had low cortisol levels before the period, similar to seasonal depression, while women with mild symptoms had high cortisol. Case report, 1998 Can antidepressant and anti-epilepsy medications help premenstrual dysphoria? Yes, it appeared to help. Women with premenstrual dysphoria responded well to a combination of antidepressant and anti-epilepsy medications. Most participants had epilepsy, so we need to test this in women without epilepsy to be sure. Randomised trial, 1998 Does taking sertraline only during the second half of the cycle help PMDD symptoms? Yes, in this small study sertraline taken only during the luteal phase (the time between ovulation and your period) worked better than placebo at easing PMDD symptoms, but the evidence is weak because so few women finished the study. Non-randomised trial, 1997 Does paroxetine help severe PMS? Yes, paroxetine reduced mood and anxiety symptoms significantly. However, about 50 percent of women experienced sexual side effects that persisted, and the lack of a control group limits certainty. Survey study, 1997 Does exercise reduce mood problems during the menstrual cycle? Exercise did not reduce negative moods like tension and depression before menstruation. However, exercise improved mood (vigor) during the mid-cycle phase and produced better overall mood stability. Survey study, 1997 How are anxiety symptoms and anxiety disorders linked to PMDD? PMDD appears linked to anxiety disorders. Women with PMDD often have anxiety histories, and treatments that work for anxiety also help PMDD, though this is a review of existing research rather than new original findings. Non-randomised trial, 1997 Do women with PMDD respond differently to bright morning light? Yes. Women with PMDD showed a different (blunted and reversed) response to bright morning light during their symptomatic phase. Randomised trial, 1997 Do women with PMDD have lower serotonin activity? Women with PMDD had a significantly weaker hormone response to a serotonin challenge compared to healthy women, suggesting lower serotonin activity may be involved in PMDD. However, this is a very small laboratory study, so findings need confirmation. Cohort study, 1997 Does counseling that reframes menstrual experiences help PMS? Yes, counseling combining social support and positive reframing reduced PMS impairment and depression. However, this was a very small study without a control group, so results are preliminary. Case-control study, 1997 Do current PMDD diagnostic criteria measure what they are supposed to measure? The study suggests the criteria may be incomplete. It recommends that anger and irritability, depressed mood, and problems with relationships be expanded with more items on symptom checklists. Lab study, 1997 Does depression get worse during certain parts of the menstrual cycle? Depression-like behavior was stronger during the part of the cycle when progesterone is absent, and stress made this worse. This might help explain why women with depression feel worse during the premenstrual phase. Survey study, 1997 Does learning about PMDD as a diagnosis change how women think about their symptoms? Learning that PMDD is a diagnosis didn't change women's own symptom reports, but it did make them more likely to see premenstrual problems as a psychiatric issue for women in general. Survey study, 1997 Does how well runners breathe and perform change during the menstrual cycle? Yes. Women had higher breathing rates, needed more oxygen, and were less efficient at running during the mid-luteal phase compared to the early follicular phase. Survey study, 1997 How do doctors treat mood and energy problems linked to the menstrual cycle? Low mood and low energy linked to the cycle usually occur just before the period. Women with and without these symptoms have similar hormone levels. The difference is how the brain responds. Most women improve with antidepressants (usually SSRIs) and discussing stressful situations. Survey study, 1997 Does pregnancy or the menstrual cycle affect OCD symptoms? Some women's OCD worsened before their period (42 percent) and after childbirth (29 percent), suggesting hormones may play a role. However, most women's OCD did not change during pregnancy itself (69 percent had no change). Survey study, 1997 Are optimism and social support related to fewer premenstrual mood and performance symptoms? Optimism was linked to fewer premenstrual mood symptoms, but social support did not appear to matter for symptoms. Optimism did not help with performance or concentration problems. Survey study, 1997 How is premenstrual dysphoric disorder treated? Multiple treatments help PMDD, including antidepressants (particularly SSRIs), psychotherapy, sleep deprivation, and light therapy. SSRIs showed the best results among medications. Case-control study, 1997 Are PMDD and eating disorders related? Possibly. PMDD and eating disorders share high rates of mood and anxiety disorders and a personality trait called harm avoidance, but this small study cannot confirm they share a common cause. Review, 1997 What causes PMDD and how can it be treated? The review suggests PMDD is caused by problems with how the brain's serotonin system works. Medications called serotonin reuptake inhibitors appear effective for treatment. Non-randomised trial, 1997 Is fluoxetine an effective long-term treatment for PMDD, and what happens when women stop taking it? Fluoxetine significantly improved PMDD symptoms in all 20 women after 6 months, and improvement persisted in those who continued treatment. However, symptoms returned in most women who stopped the medication. Interview study, 1997 Is PMDD different from PMS, and what causes it? PMDD is a more specific diagnosis than PMS. It involves low serotonin and melatonin in the brain, and antidepressant SSRIs reduce symptoms according to rigorous studies. Interview study, 1997 Is PMDD related to other mood disorders like depression? PMDD shares many symptoms with depression and other mood disorders and is classified with them in diagnostic manuals. However, important differences suggest PMDD is distinct, though its exact relationship remains unclear. Review, 1997 Is PMS classified as a mood disorder? Yes, PMS is listed as one of the common mood disorders seen in women in primary care, along with depression and other conditions. Non-randomised trial, 1996 Do women with PMDD have different brain wave patterns linked to alcoholism risk? Yes. Women with PMDD showed different patterns in brain waves and electrical responses compared to healthy women. Those with a family history of alcoholism showed even more pronounced differences, suggesting PMDD and alcoholism risk may share biological mechanisms. Review, 1996 How does estrogen affect mood and memory? Yes. Estrogen affects mood and memory by changing levels of brain chemicals that control emotion and behavior. Low estrogen is linked to PMS, depression after childbirth, and postmenopausal depression, though human studies remain limited. Non-randomised trial, 1996 Does fluvoxamine help premenstrual dysphoric disorder? In this open-label study, fluvoxamine at 100 mg per day improved PMDD symptoms in 60% of women, with the biggest improvements in irritability, anxiety, and feeling out of control. Side effects were mostly mild and temporary. Randomised trial, 1996 Does paroxetine help PMDD symptoms? Yes. Paroxetine appeared to significantly reduce PMDD symptoms, particularly feelings of worthlessness, low mood, and anger. The study was very small and had no proper control group beyond one placebo cycle, so results are preliminary. Randomised trial, 1996 Do personality traits change with the menstrual cycle in women with PMDD? Women with PMDD have certain personality traits like passivity and aggression that are consistent with higher depression and mood elevation compared with controls. These traits do not change between menstrual cycle phases. Study, 1996 Is PMDD officially recognized as a mood disorder? Yes. PMDD is classified as a mood disorder in the medical system used for diagnosis. More evidence is supporting this classification. Survey study, 1996 How common is premenstrual dysphoric disorder in the general population? About 3-10% of women have premenstrual dysphoric disorder severe enough to disrupt work or social life. About 30.5% have enough symptoms to meet diagnostic criteria. Randomised trial, 1996 Is sertraline better than desipramine for treating premenstrual syndrome? Both medications reduced depressive symptoms. Sertraline appeared to work better overall and was much better tolerated. However, the study was not properly blinded and the sample was very small, so we cannot be certain. Review, 1996 Do PMS, postpartum depression, and menopause share a common cause related to the brain? The hypothesis suggests that when brain estrogen levels fall below a critical threshold, mood and neurological symptoms develop. This could explain why PMS, postpartum depression, and menopause involve similar symptoms, though the mechanism remains unproven. Interview study, 1996 Do antidepressants help treat PMDD and similar conditions? The evidence suggests antidepressants probably help, but the research quality is too varied to be certain. Better studies are needed. Review, 1995 Do PMDD symptoms follow predictable time patterns? PMDD is mentioned as a mood condition with a monthly rhythm, though the abstract does not provide specific findings about PMDD patterns or underlying causes. Survey study, 1995 What's different about women who seek treatment for premenstrual mood changes? Women seeking treatment reported significantly more depression, anxiety, and unwanted negative thoughts than those not seeking treatment. Both groups had similar physical symptoms. The commonly used 30% improvement rule did not distinguish the two groups well. Survey study, 1995 Is premenstrual syndrome related to depression? The evidence suggests yes. Women with PMS are more likely to have had depression, and antidepressants help both conditions. Case-control study, 1995 Do women with PMDD experience pain more intensely than other women? Yes, but the study is very small and preliminary. Women with PMDD are significantly more sensitive to ischemic pain (pain from blocked blood flow) during the luteal phase than healthy women, but not to heat pain. Survey study, 1995 Are certain personality traits linked to PMS? Women with PMS have higher scores on harm avoidance and novelty seeking compared to the general population. These traits are modestly linked to specific symptom patterns. Survey study, 1995 Do PMS symptoms affect how well women work? Yes. Over half of working women (57%) said their PMS symptoms affected job performance, and 40% felt less productive during premenstrual symptoms. Mood-related symptoms like irritability, anger, and depression had the strongest link to reduced work performance. Study, 1995 What matters about diagnosing late luteal phase dysphoric disorder? Evidence supports using this diagnosis for women's health, but doctors must follow strict criteria. Survey study, 1995 Is depression being missed in women's health care? Depression is twice as common in women as in men and occurs in as many as 21% of women over their lifetime. Doctors often miss it because depression hides behind complaints about other gynecologic problems. Case-control study, 1995 How often do women experience suicidal thoughts during the premenstrual period? About 10% of women reported suicidal ideas or death wishes during the premenstrual period, especially those with other PMS symptoms like depression and irritability, though we cannot prove PMS causes these thoughts. Non-randomised trial, 1995 Does cognitive behaviour therapy help premenstrual dysphoric symptoms? Both cognitive behaviour therapy and a comparison treatment improved anxiety, depression, negative thoughts and physical symptoms. It's unclear how much came from the therapy itself since both groups improved similarly. Study, 1995 Do women with depression before their period have different brain chemistry than other women? No clear difference was found in brain chemistry between women with depression before their period and control women, even though the test measured a key system involved in mood. Survey study, 1995 What causes menstrual problems and depression in early pregnancy? This is a review of existing research, not a new study. It discusses psychological and biological factors that may contribute to menstrual problems and depression in pregnancy. Survey study, 1994 Do brain chemicals linked to mood (serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline) look different in women with PMS? Overall levels of these brain chemicals in spinal fluid were not different between women with PMS and women without, but some patterns in how the chemicals related to each other and to hormones did differ. With only 13 women per group, the authors call this preliminary. Cohort study, 1994 Do a woman's PMS symptoms predict what symptoms she will have at menopause? Yes. The type and severity of premenstrual symptoms significantly predict the type and severity of menopausal symptoms a woman experiences 10 years later. Survey study, 1994 Do women with PMDD use more cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs at certain times in their cycle? Yes. Women with PMDD increased smoking, alcohol, and other drug use during menstruation. However, the peak use did not match their worst mood symptoms, suggesting it is not simply using these substances to feel better. Non-randomised trial, 1994 Does fluoxetine (an antidepressant) help premenstrual mood symptoms when taken for a long time? Yes, in this study most women improved and about half went into full remission with long-term fluoxetine use, though it was not a controlled comparison. Study, 1994 Do women with irregular periods have different premenstrual mood changes than women with regular periods? No. Both women with irregular and regular periods showed similar increases in anxiety, depression, physical symptoms, and feelings of inadequacy before their period, suggesting the mood changes are not caused by negative expectations. Randomised trial, 1994 Does nefazodone reduce symptoms of premenstrual syndrome? Yes. Women taking nefazodone showed significant improvement in PMS symptoms within 4 weeks. However, this study did not use a placebo control group, so we cannot be certain the improvement was not due to expectancy. Survey study, 1994 What symptoms do teenage girls experience, and do symptoms change during their menstrual cycle? Yes. Girls reported physical and emotional symptoms that were more intense during their period. Girls from the larger city reported more intense symptoms overall than girls from the medium-sized city. Non-randomised trial, 1994 Does bright light therapy reduce depression and anxiety before the period? Evening bright light significantly reduced depression symptoms. It tended to reduce anxiety and sluggishness, but these improvements were not statistically significant. More research is needed. Randomised trial, 1994 Does L-tryptophan help premenstrual mood symptoms? In a small uncontrolled study, 13 women improved significantly on L-tryptophan with mild side effects, but because there was no placebo group, we cannot be sure the improvement came from treatment rather than from expectation of improvement. The evidence is weak. Survey study, 1994 Do women with a history of depression experience worse menstrual mood changes? Yes. Women with depression history are more likely to report PMS (31.3%) and their depression during the cycle is more severe and lasts longer. Case report, 1993 Do psychotic symptoms happen during the menstrual cycle? Yes, according to medical literature from decades. Transient psychotic symptoms during the week before menstruation and during menstruation have been documented. However, recent systematic research on this is lacking, so we cannot say how common it is. Interview study, 1993 What role does serotonin play in dysphoric PMS? Evidence suggests serotonin activity may be altered in dysphoric PMS, particularly in the late-luteal phase, and female sex hormones may influence serotonin. More research is needed. Survey study, 1993 Which menstrual symptoms are most common and how do lifestyle and age affect them? Bloating, backache, and headache are the most common. Symptoms vary significantly based on education level, whether you live in a city or rural area, age, and weight, suggesting both biology and lifestyle matter. Review, 1993 Is low brain serotonin linked to mood swings and the weight gain and carb cravings that can come with them? This review argues that brain serotonin plays a role in linking mood changes to carbohydrate cravings and weight gain, and that treatments which raise serotonin activity can improve both mood and eating control, but it is a summary of past research, not a new study. Case report, 1993 Can extreme sleepiness around periods be linked to prolactin and a medication called metoclopramide? In one woman, severe sleepiness tied to her menstrual periods continued even after her periods stopped with metoclopramide, and this sleepiness was linked to high prolactin levels, but this is a single case and cannot tell us how common or treatable this is in general. Non-randomised trial, 1993 Does stopping menstruation with a GnRH agonist reduce PMS symptoms? In women with PMS alone, yes. Six of seven had significant symptom reduction including near-complete relief of premenstrual depression. In women with PMS and depression, the treatment did not help. Survey study, 1993 Is there a biological marker for dysphoric PMS that can be detected in blood? Possibly. Women with dysphoric PMS showed increased receptor binding in blood platelets that correlated with symptom severity, but evidence comes from a very small study. Cohort study, 1993 Is low serotonin sensitivity a permanent trait in PMDD? Women with PMDD showed blunted serotonin responses during their follicular phase, suggesting low serotonin sensitivity may be a constant trait rather than only occurring before the period. Study, 1993 What causes late luteal phase dysphoric disorder? It's caused by complex interactions of biological, psychological, socioeconomic, and cultural forces on the female brain and body. Understanding it requires looking at multiple perspectives together rather than one single cause. Non-randomised trial, 1993 Does fluoxetine (an antidepressant) help severe PMS? In this uncontrolled trial, 10 women taking fluoxetine had moderate to marked symptom relief, and 7 maintained relief after stopping. Without a control group, we cannot be sure the improvement was from the drug. Case-control study, 1993 Are hormone levels different in women with PMS? Possibly. Women with PMS had lower ACTH levels during the luteal phase, and different subgroups showed different hormone patterns, suggesting multiple biological subtypes. Non-randomised trial, 1993 Do women with PMDD react more strongly to lactate challenge? Yes. 58% of women with PMDD had panic responses to sodium lactate injection, compared to 0% of control women. Review, 1993 What psychiatric disorders in women show a premenstrual pattern? Many psychiatric and neurological disorders are more common in women than men and often show a premenstrual pattern of worsening symptoms. These conditions, along with premenstrual migraines, often respond to antidepressant medication. Randomised trial, 1993 Does aerobic exercise reduce premenstrual symptoms? Yes. After three months, women who did aerobic exercise improved more on PMS symptoms than those who did non-aerobic exercise, especially for depression. Review, 1993 Does the menstrual cycle affect depression and other mood disorders? For some women who have existing mood disorders, the premenstrual phase can increase vulnerability to severe depression or make ongoing depression worse. The paper reviews evidence for this link. Review, 1993 What mood disorders affect women and how should they be treated? Yes. Premenstrual depression is strongly linked to major depression and responds well to serotonin-boosting antidepressants. SSRIs are especially useful because they have few side effects and are safe even in overdose. Case report, 1992 Can severe depression linked to the menstrual cycle be treated? Yes. One woman with severe psychotic depression that happened every month before her period improved completely with bupropion medication after many other treatments failed. Cohort study, 1992 What role do hormones play in mood problems linked to the menstrual cycle? Hormones can trigger mood problems in a small percentage of women who are vulnerable, often those with a history of depression. The menstrual cycle may act as a biological trigger in susceptible women. Study, 1992 Does group behavioral treatment help women with PMS? Yes. Eighty-three percent of women had either a complete remission or 50% reduction in symptoms one month after the treatment. Improvements were linked to increased exercise. Survey study, 1992 Do premenstrual symptoms improve when depression is treated with antidepressants? Overall symptom severity decreased after antidepressant treatment, but improvement was only significant for mood-related symptoms. In 2 women, other PMS symptoms became more noticeable after treatment, possibly because depression lifting allowed them to recognize the pattern. Cohort study, 1992 Do standard depression tests detect mood changes linked to PMS? The Beck Depression Inventory detected mood changes in women with PMS, while another test did not. This suggests PMS depression is mainly about negative thinking rather than physical symptoms. Lab study, 1992 Is serotonin different in women with PMDD? Yes. Women with PMDD show signs of lower serotonin activity in the brain, especially in the luteal phase. Interview study, 1992 Can eating carbohydrates help ease PMS symptoms by increasing serotonin in the brain? There is evidence that carbohydrates may help ease PMS symptoms by boosting serotonin, a brain chemical that controls mood and eating. Women with PMS who crave carbohydrates may be trying to boost serotonin naturally. Case-control study, 1992 Do women with severe premenstrual irritability have different hormone levels than other women? Yes, in this small study. Women with severe premenstrual irritability and low mood had higher free testosterone at all three cycle points tested, and higher DHEA and 17-OH-progesterone at some points, compared with women without premenstrual complaints. Randomised trial, 1992 Does fluoxetine (Prozac) help severe PMS? Yes. Fluoxetine significantly improved behavioral symptoms by 75%, physical symptoms by 40%, and total symptoms by 62% compared to placebo, with no significant side effects. Survey study, 1992 Can daily symptom tracking reliably diagnose PMS? No. Five different rating methods that doctors have used to diagnose PMS from daily symptom tracking could not reliably separate women with diagnosed PMS from women without symptoms. Non-randomised trial, 1991 Does atenolol help depression that comes before periods? No. Atenolol at 100 mg daily did not improve mood compared to placebo. This suggests that if bright light helps PMS depression, it may work through other mechanisms besides melatonin reduction. Study, 1991 Do women with premenstrual depression have different brain chemistry responses? Yes. Women with premenstrual depression had smaller growth hormone and cortisol responses to a chemical test throughout their cycle, suggesting abnormal brain chemistry that may interact with normal cycle changes. Interview study, 1991 Can eating carbohydrates help ease PMS symptoms by increasing serotonin in the brain? There is evidence that carbohydrates may help ease PMS symptoms by boosting serotonin, a brain chemical that controls mood and eating. Women with PMS who crave carbohydrates may be trying to boost serotonin naturally. Case report, 1991 How are depression, chronic fatigue, and PMS related and treated? Depression, chronic fatigue, and PMS often happen together in women seeking treatment. Doctors can diagnose these conditions by tracking symptoms for two menstrual cycles and doing exams and tests. Treatment with diet, hormones, or antidepressants can help many women. Randomised trial, 1991 Does fluoxetine help women with late luteal phase dysphoric disorder? Yes. Nine out of 10 women taking fluoxetine improved, compared to 2 out of 10 on placebo, and all who took fluoxetine wanted to continue it. Case-control study, 1991 Is serotonin processing different in women with premenstrual changes? Women with PMS had lower imipramine receptor binding even before symptoms appeared, suggesting a pre-existing vulnerability in their serotonin system. However, the study was small with high individual variation, so findings are preliminary. Survey study, 1991 Are women more likely to need psychiatric hospital admission during certain phases of the menstrual cycle? Yes. 47% of psychiatric emergency admissions occurred during the para-menstrual phase (the 4-5 days before and during the start of menses), compared with 22% of hospital staff. This suggests menstrual cycle changes can worsen psychiatric symptoms in vulnerable women. Survey study, 1991 Is premenstrual depression a sign of psychiatric illness? No. Premenstrual depression marks more severe PMS and is linked to anxiety symptoms, but PMS itself is not evidence of a psychiatric disorder. Survey study, 1991 How common are menstrual symptoms in working women? The most common symptoms were weight gain and swelling (over 60% of women), followed by anxiety, tension, irritability, fatigue, cramps, breast pain, mood swings, and food cravings. Symptoms were more common in younger women. Review, 1991 Can serotonin drugs treat PMS? The abstract mentions that tryptophan, a serotonin precursor, has been used to self-treat PMS, but doesn't provide evidence that serotonin drugs work for PMS specifically. Survey study, 1991 What mental health and social problems do women with PMS have? Most women seeking PMS treatment (67 percent) had a psychiatric disorder, with depression and anxiety being most common. Sexual dysfunction and social problems were also frequent. Interview study, 1991 Is premenstrual depression the same as depression from a mood disorder? For many women with PMS, the depression before their period is similar in type and severity to major depressive disorder, except it lasts shorter. Women with a history of depression after childbirth were more likely to have severe premenstrual depression. Review, 1991 What treatments are available for late luteal phase dysphoric disorder? Many treatments exist, including medications, vitamins, and hormones. However, non-drug approaches like diet, exercise, and psychotherapy have received less research attention. Case-control study, 1990 Is melatonin released differently at night in women with premenstrual syndrome? Yes. In this small study, women with PMS had melatonin release that switched off earlier at night and lasted a shorter time than in women without PMS, but the study was very small so this needs confirming in bigger groups. Cohort study, 1990 Is there a reliable way to track and diagnose PMS using a daily symptom diary? Yes. A simple daily symptom calendar was very accurate at telling women with PMS apart from women without it, when used for two cycles in a row. Survey study, 1990 Why do some women need very high hormone levels from implants? Women needing very high estrogen levels from hormone implants often have a history of depression or surgical menopause. This suggests they may require higher hormone levels to control their symptoms. Survey study, 1990 Does PMS come from a broken stress hormone system? Women with PMS had a few small differences in their stress hormone (cortisol) responses compared to women without PMS, but their overall daily cortisol output was normal. This suggests only mild, temporary hormone shifts that the body seems able to correct on its own. Survey study, 1990 Do hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle cause mood changes in healthy women? In healthy young women, hormone changes do not cause marked mood changes. Physical symptoms like breast tenderness and abdominal pain do occur, particularly before and during menstruation. Survey study, 1990 Can premenstrual anxiety and depression be confirmed with objective tests? Yes, women with reported premenstrual anxiety and depression had higher objective test scores in the premenstrual phase. Results suggest two populations: one with pure PMS and another with underlying depression that worsens premenstrually. Cohort study, 1990 Can premenstrual depression predict whether a woman will develop major depression later? Yes, women whose premenstrual depression scores are higher have a greater risk of developing major depression in the future, and this predictive value holds even after accounting for family history and past depression. Study, 1990 Can the antidepressant amitriptyline help PMS? Yes, in this small family study, seven women with PMS felt better after taking amitriptyline. The results suggest PMS might run in families, especially when depression is involved, but more research is needed. Survey study, 1990 Do women with PMDD have a history of depression or other mental health problems? Yes. 78% of women with PMDD had a lifetime history of other mental disorders, most commonly depression. 29% of those who had given birth reported postpartum depression. Guideline, 1990 Can we reliably diagnose a menstrual cycle-related psychiatric disorder? The paper does not answer this. It identifies major problems with the proposed diagnosis, including risks of overdiagnosis, underdiagnosis, and unclear measurement methods. Cohort study, 1989 What psychological factors are connected to confirmed premenstrual dysphoria? Women who tracked their mood every day and reported PMS symptoms had significantly higher anxiety, depression, and negative self-talk than others. But women who only remembered having PMS after the fact did NOT differ from controls, showing memory is unreliable. Case-control study, 1989 Does eating carbohydrates help depression during the late luteal phase in women with severe PMS? Yes. Women with severe PMS significantly increased their calorie and carbohydrate intake during the late luteal phase, and a carbohydrate-rich meal improved their depression and mood symptoms during this time, but not during other cycle phases or in control women. Study, 1989 Should late luteal phase dysphoric disorder be recognized as an official diagnosis? Yes, it was included in DSM-III-R, a major diagnostic manual, as a proposed category needing further study. However, this decision was controversial and sparked significant debate. Survey study, 1989 Does personality dysfunction change during the menstrual cycle in women with PMS? No. Personality issues were reported equally in both the follicular and luteal phases, even in women with PMS. Cohort study, 1989 Do women with premenstrual depression have different sleep patterns? Yes. Women with premenstrual depression had more light sleep and less dream sleep overall, but these patterns did not clearly worsen before their period. Study, 1989 Do women with PMS think differently from women without PMS? No. Women with PMS do not show the changes in thinking that typically happen with depression, even though they have significant mood symptoms. Study, 1989 Is neurotensin involved in causing PMS? No. Women with PMS had similar neurotensin levels in their spinal fluid compared to healthy women. This brain chemical does not appear to be abnormal in PMS. Survey study, 1989 Do mood disorders affect premenstrual depression and attention across the cycle? Only 8 of 16 women with a mood disorder history actually had premenstrual depression when tracked daily. Those who did showed worse mood premenstrually, but both groups showed the same attention patterns in both phases. Survey study, 1989 Do women's memories of premenstrual depression match their daily mood ratings? Only about half of women who reported major premenstrual depression on a questionnaire showed matching depression in daily tracking. Women with confirmed depression had worse energy and physical pain too. Non-randomised trial, 1989 Can an antidepressant called nortriptyline help with depression that happens before a period? In this very small early study, most women who took nortriptyline felt a lot better, but this was not a strong or well-controlled test, so it cannot prove the drug works. Randomised trial, 1988 Do hormones respond differently in women with PMDD? Two hormones (AVP and OT) increased similarly after an injection in women with and without PMDD, with no difference between groups or across menstrual cycle phases. This is a very small preliminary study. Cohort study, 1988 Do anxiety and depression relate to menstrual symptoms in healthy women? Yes, there was an association between anxiety and depression scores and menstrual symptoms. Nearly half of the women reported menstrual symptoms. However, this does not prove whether mood causes symptoms, symptoms cause mood, or both stem from another cause. Randomised trial, 1988 Does atenolol, a blood pressure medication, help PMDD symptoms? Atenolol improved some symptoms including irritability and mood, but not all symptoms. Women who had PMDD for more than 5 years showed more improvement. The study was very small with only 16 women. Study, 1988 Are women with premenstrual dysphoric changes at higher risk for depression? Yes. Women who report premenstrual dysphoric changes are more likely to have had previous episodes of major depression and are at higher risk for future episodes. They also face increased risk of suicidal, aggressive, or impulsive behavior during the premenstrual period. Survey study, 1988 What do we know about PMS/PMDD, how to diagnose it, and how it connects to psychiatric conditions? This review summarizes current knowledge about PMS (also called PMDD in diagnostic manuals), including how to diagnose it, possible causes, treatments, and its connections to other psychiatric disorders. It outlines areas needing more research. Survey study, 1988 How do women with PMS differ from those without PMS on mental health? Women with PMS had higher depression and stress than community women without it. Some women without a PMS diagnosis showed cyclical symptom patterns, suggesting they may develop PMS later. Review, 1988 Does caffeine make PMS worse? Yes. Caffeine may aggravate premenstrual syndrome symptoms, especially in people who are caffeine-sensitive or who consume heavy amounts chronically. Survey study, 1988 When do different PMS symptoms happen during the menstrual cycle? Physical symptoms peaked every 28 days in most women. About half showed this pattern for depression, behaviour, tension and concentration symptoms. Physical and tension symptoms tended to come 1-2 days before depression peaked. Survey study, 1987 What psychiatric conditions are associated with premenstrual tension syndrome? Depression is the main psychiatric condition. Other conditions like anxiety, psychosis, alcoholism, and bulimia may also occur. Treating the psychiatric illness does not necessarily treat the premenstrual symptoms. Study, 1987 What causes PMDD and what is the best treatment? The exact cause is unknown and no single treatment has been shown to clearly beat placebo in controlled studies. The condition involves hormone cycling, but doctors do not fully understand the mechanism. Case report, 1987 Can women with premenstrual mood changes develop serious mood disorders? In some women with premenstrual mood changes, a serious mood disorder called manic-depressive illness may develop, but mainly in those with genetic predisposition. Doctors should watch for severe mood problems after pregnancy in women with this pattern. Review, 1987 Should PMDD be a separate psychiatric diagnosis? This was debated during development of the DSM-III-R. Some experts felt PMDD was a real but rare condition, while feminist groups worried that listing it as a psychiatric disorder would inappropriately label women as mentally ill. Survey study, 1987 Do women with severe PMS have different personality and brain chemistry than healthy women? Yes, women with severe PMS have significantly lower levels of an enzyme in their blood (platelet MAO) and higher levels of anxiety, aggression, and emotional instability than healthy women. This enzyme does not change across the menstrual cycle. Cohort study, 1986 Is PMS mainly about symptoms worsening before your period, or is there more? Women with PMS have higher depression, anxiety, and tension even in the early part of their cycle. Some symptoms do worsen premenstrually, but baseline mood appears to be the bigger issue. Study, 1986 Do women with agoraphobia experience worse anxiety before their period? Yes, just over half of the women with agoraphobia in this study experienced worse anxiety before their period. Survey study, 1986 Do severely depressed women experience different PMS symptoms than women without depression? No, not in symptom type. Depressed women reported the same symptoms as non-depressed women with PMS but rated them as more severe, suggesting depression influences how severe symptoms feel rather than changing what they are. Survey study, 1986 Is premenstrual syndrome more common in women with low sexual desire? Yes. Significantly more women with low sexual desire had severe premenstrual syndrome than women without sexual dysfunction. These women also had higher rates of depression. Case report, 1986 Can hormone implants help severe premenstrual depression when antidepressants don't work? Yes. One woman with a 5-year history of frequently returning depression that didn't improve with usual antidepressants improved completely after receiving estradiol and testosterone implants every 4 months, and her cortisol level (a stress hormone) returned to normal. Survey study, 1986 Is severe premenstrual syndrome similar to depression? Women with severe PMS report more depressive-like symptoms than those with mild PMS. The study suggests these may reflect underlying depression, but as a survey without medical testing, we cannot be sure. Survey study, 1985 What did doctors know about PMS diagnosis and treatment in 1985? There was no agreement on how to diagnose PMS or what to treat it with, though doctors recognized a link between PMS and mood disorders like depression. Case-control study, 1985 Do women with PMS show different hormone patterns and ovulation timing after the corpus luteum is removed? Yes. Women with PMS took longer to ovulate after corpus luteum removal (21 days versus 19 days in controls) and had lower FSH levels, suggesting their hormonal feedback system is more sensitive. Study, 1985 What psychological patterns do women with PMS show? Women seeking treatment for PMS show various psychological patterns. About 36% have normal psychological profiles, while 25% have depression year-round, and 42% report marriage distress. Case report, 1985 Does blood lithium level change with menstrual cycle mood changes? Yes. This single woman showed that her blood lithium level changed in sync with her mood swings: highest during depression, lowest during hypomania, even though she took the same dose every day. Survey study, 1985 Do changes in serotonin levels across the menstrual cycle explain mood changes? Serotonin levels change across the cycle, but these changes don't clearly explain mood changes. The connection between the two is more complicated than a simple link. Survey study, 1984 Do moods change during different phases of the menstrual cycle? In this study, most university women aged 18-30 did not experience clear changes in mood or psychological distress during different cycle phases. Even women who attended a psychiatric clinic showed no clear changes. Case report, 1984 Can oral contraceptives help treat premenstrual depression? Yes. One 20-year-old woman was successfully treated for both premenstrual depression and a major depression using an oral contraceptive. Survey study, 1984 Are there biological differences in how depression develops in women versus men? Yes. Women show more abnormal levels of brain chemicals related to depression compared to men. Women also experience mood changes around menstruation and after birth that may relate to these biological differences, but the clinical meaning remains unclear. Study, 1983 Are all premenstrual depressive changes the same type? No, premenstrual depressive changes vary by type, and some types resemble mood disorders, which may help us understand both premenstrual and mood conditions better. Non-randomised trial, 1983 Do drugs that block prostaglandins help PMS? This paper proposes that prostaglandin-blocking drugs might help PMS based on a theory, but it does not present results from a clinical trial. Survey study, 1982 Does mood change during the menstrual cycle? Group data showed some mood changes across the cycle, with fatigue and depression lower before menstruation and anger lower during menstruation. But individual tracking showed few changes, and women's memories of their moods did not match their daily recordings. Study, 1982 Is premenstrual affective syndrome linked to sexual trauma in psychiatric patients? In psychiatric inpatients, women with premenstrual affective syndrome were much more likely to have abnormal sexual histories, including trauma, compared to women without premenstrual affective syndrome. Study, 1982 Does vitamin B6 help side effects from birth control pills? Research over 15 years shows that women on birth control pills often have low vitamin B6 levels. Taking 40 mg of vitamin B6 daily improved these levels and relieved symptoms like depression, anxiety, and low libido. Survey study, 1982 Are premenstrual and menstrual symptoms separate problems or part of one larger problem? They appear to be part of one larger problem. Although some symptoms are worse before your period and others during it, the symptoms largely overlap. Survey study, 1981 Could endorphins cause premenstrual and postpartum depression? This is a proposed theory, not proven by research. The authors suggest that changes in endorphin levels (natural chemicals that affect mood and pain) might contribute to depression before the period and after birth, since both endorphins and estrogen drop rapidly at these times. Survey study, 1981 Do teenage girls experience mood changes around their period? No. Teenage girls tested just before or during their period did not show different anxiety or depression levels compared to times tested at other parts of their cycle. A control group of teenage boys also showed no mood changes across time. Survey study, 1981 Are premenstrual changes linked to specific types of mental disorders? Yes. Specific types of premenstrual changes were linked to specific types of mental disorders. Premenstrual changes with depression may represent a mild form of mood disorder. Survey study, 1981 Is premenstrual syndrome linked to personality traits? Among 110 pregnant women, those with more severe PMS had more extreme personality traits, suggesting psychological factors may be involved. However, the study cannot prove personality causes PMS. Case report, 1981 How do hormonal birth control and progesterone affect mood? Hormonal birth control affects mood differently in different women. In some, it causes depression and loss of sexual desire. In others, it has mood-stabilizing effects and can reduce PMS. How progesterone and hormonal birth control affect mood varies from person to person. Review, 1980 Why do women's moods change during their menstrual cycle? Mood changes during the cycle are linked to changing levels of estrogen and progesterone, which affect brain chemistry. Both hormones and psychology likely play a role. Interview study, 1980 What are the main symptoms of severe premenstrual tension and how do they differ from depression or anxiety? In 42 women with severe PMS, the main symptoms were irritability, mood swings, tension, and restlessness that appear and disappear with the cycle. These don't match patterns of depression or anxiety alone. Study, 1980 Does dydrogesterone (Duphaston) help premenstrual syndrome symptoms? Dydrogesterone helped relieve depression, headache, swelling, and irregular bleeding in women with PMS, but did not help with breast tenderness. Most women wanted to continue taking it. Study, 1979 How do brain waves change after giving birth compared to pregnancy? Brain wave patterns become stronger and show more activity after delivery compared to late pregnancy at week 32. Anxiety and irritability improve after delivery, and these changes do not appear in women who are not pregnant or postpartum. Study, 1979 Does the brain chemical serotonin change during the menstrual cycle and cause mood changes? Serotonin levels in the brain change during the menstrual cycle in a way that matches hormone changes, and these changes appear to cause many of the mood, activity, and pain changes that happen during the cycle. Survey study, 1976 Is premenstrual mood problems linked to depression disorder? Yes. Women with a history of depressive disorder were significantly more likely to have premenstrual mood symptoms. Women with other psychiatric disorders were not. Survey study, 1976 Does premenstrual anxiety and depression affect how well women think? Women reported more anxiety and depression before their period, but this mood change did not affect how well they performed on thinking tests. Survey study, 1975 Do people blame biology for bad moods that occur before menstruation? Yes. People are more likely to explain negative moods before menstruation as caused by biology. They also tend to blame personality rather than the situation when mood does not match what is happening around them. Survey study, 1975 Is there a link between estrogen and progesterone levels and PMS symptoms? There was a significant link between estrogen levels and anxiety, irritability, and depression symptoms, but no clear link with progesterone levels. This is a very small early study, so we cannot be very sure. Survey study, 1975 Are women with premenstrual emotional symptoms more likely to have depression? Yes, women with premenstrual emotional symptoms were twice as likely as controls to have a history of serious depression and twice as likely to have a family member with depression. This is a small study but with clearer definitions than some earlier research. Review, 1971 Could hormone-driven changes in brain chemicals explain premenstrual mood swings? This 1971 review suggests that shifting levels of ovarian hormones (estrogen, progesterone, aldosterone) during the cycle may affect mood by altering brain chemicals called monoamines, but this is a theory built from combining older human and animal studies, not a new trial in women with PMS. Study, 1966 Is there a link between mothers' premenstrual tension and their children's colds? One observation found a pattern: children's colds occurred at the time of their mothers' premenstrual period. Survey study, 1964 How common are mood and physical changes around menstruation? Very common. One in nine women reported severe pain, irritability or headache, and one in four had moderate to severe premenstrual tension. Psychological symptoms were linked to personality traits related to anxiety. Show more studies Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗