---
title: Does clomipramine help premenstrual irritability and dysphoria?
description: Yes. Clomipramine reduced symptoms by more than 80 percent compared to about 40 percent with placebo, with a response rate close to 100 percent.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/clomipramine-effectively-reduces-premenstrual-irritability-and-dysphoria-a-1992/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Does clomipramine help premenstrual irritability and dysphoria?

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.

 Moderate study design

40 nondepressed women with severe premenstrual irritability and dysphoria

## What they did

Double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. 40 women were observed for 2 baseline cycles, then treated for 3 cycles with either clomipramine (25-75 mg per day, flexible dose) or placebo. They rated their irritability and dysphoria daily.

## What they found

Both groups showed improvement compared to baseline, but clomipramine reduced symptoms by more than 80 percent while placebo reduced them by only about 40 percent. Clomipramine showed significantly lower symptom ratings than placebo at all 3 treatment cycles.

## What it means for you

Clomipramine works well for premenstrual irritability and dysphoria. However, this is a small study with only 40 women, so results should be confirmed in larger groups.

40

Women in the study (20 per group)

>80%

Symptom reduction with clomipramine

40%

Symptom reduction with placebo

## About the study

Original title Clomipramine effectively reduces premenstrual irritability and dysphoria: a placebo-controlled trial Authors Sundblad C, Modigh K, Andersch B et al. Journal Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica Year 1992 Study design Randomised trial Participants 20 What was tested Clomipramine 25-75 mg per day, flexible dose Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1992.tb01440.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1992.tb01440.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

Randomised trial, 1998

Is intermittent citalopram during the luteal phase more effective than continuous dosing?

Randomised trial, 1995

Does fluoxetine help premenstrual dysphoria?

Randomised trial, 2025

Does escitalopram reduce aggressive behavior in women with premenstrual anger and irritability?

Randomised trial, 2025

Does escitalopram improve attention and reduce impulsivity in women with premenstrual irritability and anger?

Cohort study, 2022

What are PMS and PMDD and how should they be diagnosed and treated?

Randomised trial, 2017

Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗