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.
What they did
Researchers tracked daily mood ratings in 41 women with bipolar disorder across different phases of their menstrual cycle.
What they found
No clear relationship was found between menstrual cycle phase and depression or mania. In a closer look, 8 of 41 women had higher depression scores and 5 of 41 had higher mania scores in the luteal phase compared to the follicular phase.
What it means for you
The menstrual cycle may not affect bipolar symptoms for most women, but a small subgroup might be affected. The study was small and only included women who met strict criteria, so findings may not apply to all women with bipolar disorder.
41
women with bipolar disorder studied
8 of 41
showed higher depression in luteal phase
5 of 41
showed higher mania in luteal phase
About the study
- Original title
- Are bipolar mood symptoms affected by the phase of the menstrual cycle?
- Authors
- Shivakumar G, Bernstein IH, Suppes T et al.
- Journal
- Journal of women's health (2002)
- Year
- 2008
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 41
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1089/jwh.2007.0466
Topics
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