ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Psichiatrica 2008 March;49(1):37-43

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Premenstrual symptoms and mood spectrum: a clinical study in healthy subjects

Castrogiovanni A., Pasquini R., Castrogiovanni P.

Neuroscience Department, Psychiatry Section University of Siena, Siena, Italy

Aim. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a clinical picture highly prevalent among fertile women. In contrast the researchers have focused their attention only on premestrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). At present there is not agreement if PMS is a real disorder and if it belongs to mood spectrum disorders (MSD). The aim of the work was to analyze the possible correlations between PMS and MSD.
Methods. This study has been conducted on 50 healthy women randomly selected from the population. The SCI-MOODS was used to reveal mood spectrum symptoms, and the Daily Symptom Report (DSR) was used to assess PMS.
Results. Statistical analysis pointed out strict relationships between symptoms of late luteal phase and depressive and maniacal aspects analyzed by SCI-MOODS. These results suggest that PMS should be a psychopathological picture analogous to mixed states.
Conclusion. Psychiatrists, gynecologists and general practitioners should be aware of PMS in order to face the problems caused by this disorder.