Case report, 1983
Can a hormone treatment stop psychosis that comes back with the menstrual cycle?
In this one woman, yes - her psychosis stopped coming back each month when she took danazol, a hormone-blocking drug. But this is one person's story, so we can't be sure it would work for others.
What they did
The doctors describe one 26-year-old woman who had a psychotic episode after giving birth. She had a family history of schizophrenia. After that, her psychotic symptoms kept coming back each month, just before her period started. They treated her with danazol, a synthetic steroid that stops ovulation.
What they found
Before danazol treatment, her psychotic symptoms came back each month, just before her period started. When she took danazol, this monthly pattern was prevented.
What it means for you
This suggests that hormones related to the menstrual cycle might trigger psychosis in some women, and blocking ovulation might help. The main limit is that this is just one woman's experience - we don't know if it would work for others.
1
woman in the case
26
age in years
About the study
- Original title
- Psychosis and the menstrual cycle
- Authors
- Dennerstein L, Judd F, Davies B
- Journal
- The Medical journal of Australia
- Year
- 1983
- Study design
- Case report
- What was tested
- Danazol (synthetic steroid that blocks ovulation)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.5694/j.1326-5377.1983.tb136197.x
Topics
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