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.
What they did
Researchers compared 16 women with PMS, 6 women with clinical depression, and 16 healthy control women. They gave them mood questionnaires (Beck Depression Inventory and Profile of Mood States) and measured their cortisol hormone levels by taking blood samples every 20 minutes over 24 hours.
What they found
Women with PMS showed marked worsening of depression scores during the luteal (premenstrual) phase compared to their own follicular phase (p less than 0.01). Beck Depression Inventory scores were threefold higher in women with depression than in those with PMS (11.9 plus/minus 2.5 vs. 3.37 plus/minus 3.6, p less than 0.005). 24-hour cortisol levels were: depression 87.8 plus/minus 5.8 ng/ml, PMS 66.7 plus/minus 3.3 ng/ml, controls 58.9 plus/minus 3.3 ng/ml.
What it means for you
Premenstrual depression is a real, milder form of mood disturbance that is biochemically distinct from clinical depression. Women with PMS should not be assumed to have clinical depression. The sample sizes are small, especially for the depression group (only 6 women).
16/6/16
Sample (PMS/depression/control)
11.9 vs 3.37
Beck Depression score
87.8-66.7
24-hr cortisol ng/ml
About the study
- Original title
- Depressive episodes in premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Mortola JF, Girton L, Yen SS
- Journal
- American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
- Year
- 1989
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 16
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0002-9378(89)90950-2
Topics
Related studies
Survey study, 2024
Did COVID-19 stress cause changes in menstrual cycles?
Survey study, 2022
What factors are associated with irregular menstrual cycles and how do irregular cycles affect other symptoms?
Randomised trial, 1994
How does light therapy affect hormone levels in women with PMDD?
Cohort study, 2026
Is there a link between excessive anxiety and mood changes during the menstrual cycle?
Survey study, 2021
What factors are related to premenstrual syndrome in high school students?
Cohort study, 2025
How common is PMS in Chinese teenage girls, and what factors are linked to it?