Survey study, 2000
What causes PMS and PMDD, and can medication help treat them?
This review suggests PMS and PMDD may involve the brain's serotonin system reacting differently to normal hormone levels, and it reports that SSRI medications have helped relieve mood symptoms for most women in large trials.
What they did
This paper reviews existing medical knowledge and research on PMS and PMDD, covering how they are diagnosed and treated. It does not describe a new study with its own group of participants.
What they found
The review states that when strict research definitions are used, PMDD is thought to affect about 3% to 5% of women of reproductive age. It describes growing evidence that women with PMS may have altered sensitivity of brain chemicals, especially serotonin, to normal levels of the hormones estradiol and progesterone. It also reports that the largest trials of SSRIs showed these medications relieved distressing mood symptoms and improved social functioning in most patients.
What it means for you
This is a summary of other research rather than a new study, so it reflects what was known at the time rather than testing a new group of women. It suggests SSRIs may genuinely help many women with PMDD, but exact figures on how many improved are not given.
3% to 5%
PMDD prevalence among reproductive-aged women (strict definition)
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual syndrome. Advances in diagnosis and treatment
- Authors
- Kessel B
- Journal
- Obstetrics and gynecology clinics of North America
- Year
- 2000
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- SSRIs and other treatment approaches, reviewed from existing research
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s0889-8545(05)70160-1
Topics
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