Review, 1991
Can serotonin drugs treat PMS?
The abstract mentions that tryptophan, a serotonin precursor, has been used to self-treat PMS, but doesn't provide evidence that serotonin drugs work for PMS specifically.
What they did
The authors reviewed developments in serotonin neuropharmacology and how serotonin relates to psychiatric treatment.
What they found
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors enhance serotonergic function and have been introduced for depression. Tryptophan, available in health food and drug stores, has been used for self-medication of depression, insomnia, and premenstrual syndrome. At least seven serotonin receptor subtypes have been identified in the brain.
What it means for you
Women have used tryptophan for PMS self-treatment, but the review notes it also increases potentially harmful tryptophan metabolites. This is a technical review of psychiatric drugs, not direct research on PMS treatment. The evidence for serotonin drugs in PMS isn't presented.
About the study
- Original title
- Role of serotonin in therapy of depression and related disorders
- Authors
- Fuller RW
- Journal
- The Journal of clinical psychiatry
- Year
- 1991
- Study design
- Review
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1674251/
Topics
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