---
title: Can adding aripiprazole to an antidepressant help premenstrual violence?
description: 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
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effective-treatment-of-premenstrual-violence-in-major-depression-augmentation-2008/
---

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- Can adding aripiprazole to an antidepressant help premenstrual violence?

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.

 Early or limited evidence

One 38-year-old woman with major depression and premenstrual exacerbation

## What they did

This describes one woman with major depression and severe premenstrual irritability and uncontrollable violence. She was not improving even when her SSRI dose was increased, so doctors added aripiprazole during her luteal phase.

## What they found

Adding aripiprazole during the luteal phase successfully treated her premenstrual violence. The doctors believe the combination worked through both serotonin and dopamine pathways in the brain.

## What it means for you

This single case suggests combining an SSRI with aripiprazole might help women with severe premenstrual violence who do not respond to SSRI alone. Large double-blind placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm this approach.

1

Number of women in this case

38

Age of the woman

## About the study

Original title Effective treatment of premenstrual violence in major depression: augmentation with aripiprazole Authors Yao YC, Chiang PH, Hsiao MC et al. Journal Chang Gung medical journal Year 2008 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Aripiprazole added during luteal phase to SSRI Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18935799/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18935799/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)[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/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Schizophrenia and psychosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-psychosis/)[Legal and forensic](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-legal-crime/)

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

Study, 2026

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Survey study, 2001

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Randomised trial, 2000

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Survey study, 2026

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Cohort study, 2022

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

Cohort study, 2012

How quickly does fluoxetine start working for PMDD symptoms?

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