Project description:Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a psychiatric disorder that causes serious impairments in the functioning and quality of life of affected women. Until recently, research efforts were somewhat hampered by the lack of formal diagnostic criteria, which have now been codified as a category in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Better characterization of deficits in socioemotional functioning caused by PMDD may aid in improving treatment efforts. In this investigation, prospective symptom ratings, based on DSM-5 criteria, were used to measure PMDD symptoms in 36 women (18 with PMDD and 18 healthy controls). Two self-report inventories, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, were used to measure ability to regulate emotions, and socioemotional functioning was measured by inventories of social connectedness, perceived stress, and affect. Potential relationships between ability to regulate emotion and PMDD symptom severity, as well as other measures of socioemotional functioning and affective state, were tested. Women with PMDD reported significantly more behavioral impulsivity and greater difficulties in regulating emotion and in socioemotional functioning. Cognitive or behavioral strategies to improve these problems may benefit women with PMDD and help to alleviate distress caused by this disorder.
Project description:Bipolar disorder (BD) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are two cyclic mood illnesses, sometimes presenting together. Their comorbidity appears to be linked to common biological mechanisms and usually results in more severity of mood symptoms and a poorer long-term outcome. Nevertheless, the management of comorbid PMDD/BD has been scarcely studied. Therefore, the aim of the present paper was to review the published literature on the treatment of comorbid PMDD/BD and to provide point-by-point hypotheses to address these complex clinical cases. We searched PubMed to identify the studies focused on the treatment and management of comorbid PMDD/BD using the following search words, alone and in combination: premenstrual dysphoric disorder, bipolar disorder, comorbid, treatment, management, pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy. The search was conducted on the 1st of June 2019 and yielded 55 records. Four papers met our inclusion/exclusion criteria and were therefore included in our qualitative synthesis. Integrating the few data pertaining to the treatment of comorbid PMDD/BD with the large amount of published data on the two conditions separately, we can suggest that the management of comorbid PMDD/BD needs as a first step to stabilize the bipolar symptoms by means of optimal dosages of mood stabilizers. Then, in euthymic BD patients, the PMDD symptoms could be treated with estroprogestins (first-line treatment). On the contrary, during acute phases of BD, antidepressants (for major depressive episodes) and atypical antipsychotics/hormonal modulators (for manic episodes) could be considered as promising add-on treatments to mood stabilizers. In case of resistant PMDD/BD symptoms, combined strategies should be taken into account, as well as alternative treatments, such as lifestyle changes. In conclusion, RCTs on comorbid PMDD/BD are still lacking. The management of this complex condition is therefore challenging and it requires a tailored treatment.
Project description:BackgroundDifficulties in regulating emotions are linked to the core symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). We therefore investigated the neural substrates of emotion-regulation problems in women with PMDD.MethodsOn the basis of self-evaluations over 2 months on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems, eligible participants were assigned to two groups: PMDD and control (18 per group). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a well-validated task were used to assess brain function during emotion regulation. Participants were tested twice, once during the follicular (asymptomatic) and once in the late luteal (symptomatic) phase of the menstrual cycle.ResultsWomen with PMDD gave higher ratings of negative affect in the luteal phase than in the follicular phase, and compared with healthy control participants during the luteal phase. A region-of-interest fMRI analysis indicated that during the late luteal phase, women with PMDD had hypoactivation in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during all conditions of the emotion-regulation task, not only in the contrast that isolated emotion regulation. An exploratory whole-brain, voxel-wise analysis showed that women with PMDD had less activation in the precentral gyrus during the luteal phase than the follicular phase, and less activation in the postcentral gyrus compared with control participants.ConclusionsDuring the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, women with PMDD experience difficulty regulating emotions. Hypoactivation in the right dlPFC may contribute to this problem, but may be related more generally to other affective symptoms of PMDD. Hypofunction in the right pre- and postcentral gyri warrants additional study.
Project description:Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) has predictable, cyclic, psychological, and somatic symptoms, such as sleep problems. They result in functional impairment, are aggravated in the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, and are resolved by menstruation. The present study evaluated the insomnia, inattention, and fatigue symptoms of PMDD and their fluctuations during the menstrual cycle. A total of 100 women were diagnosed as having PMDD based on psychiatric interviews and a prospective investigation of three menstrual cycles. A total of 96 individuals without PMDD were recruited as controls. Their symptoms, namely insomnia, inattention, and fatigue as well as functional impairment were assessed by using the premenstrual symptoms screening tool, the Pittsburgh insomnia rating scale, the attention and performance self-assessment scale, and the fatigue-assessment scale during both premenstrual and follicular phases. In both the premenstrual and follicular phases, women with PMDD experienced more severe insomnia, inattentiveness, and fatigue than did women in the control group. A paired t-test demonstrated that women with PMDD had more severe severity insomnia, inattentiveness, and fatigue in the luteal phase than in the follicular phase. A repeated-measures analysis of variance demonstrated that the interaction period of PMDD and a menstrual cycle was significantly associated with insomnia, inattentiveness, and fatigue. A further correlation analysis demonstrated that all three symptoms were positively associated with self-reported functional impairment due to PMDD. Our results demonstrated that women with PMDD experienced an exacerbation of insomnia, memory problems, difficulty maintaining focus, and fatigue in the premenstrual phase. These symptoms are correlated with PMDD symptoms severity and functional impairment, and as such, they should be evaluated, and interventions should be employed in the late luteal phase of women with PMDD.
Project description:The diagnosis of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) poses a challenge for clinicians due to the overdiagnosis of retrospective methods and overlapping symptoms with depression. The present study utilized an Item Response Theory analysis to examine the predictive utility of the Premenstrual Symptom Screening Tool (PSST) in women with and without depression. Two hundred and fifteen women aged 20-35 completed the PSST, a daily symptom calendar, SCID-I, and CES-D for two consecutive menstrual cycles. PSST items: fatigue, depressed mood, feeling overwhelmed, anxiety/tension, and decreased interest in everyday activities were the best predictors of PMS. Unlike the daily symptom ratings, the PSST over-diagnosed PMS/PMDD in the depressed group but not in the group of women without PMS/PMDD. While diagnosing premenstrual disorders, clinicians should be aware that a retrospective diagnosis with PSST can be more sensitive to mood disorders and cycle phases than a prospective diagnosis with a daily symptoms calendar.
Project description:ObjectiveDespite evidence for the validity of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and the inclusion of the disorder in DSM-5, variable diagnostic practices compromise the construct validity of the diagnosis and threaten the clarity of efforts to understand and treat its underlying pathophysiology. In an effort to hasten and streamline the translation of the DSM-5 criteria for PMDD into terms compatible with existing research practices, the authors present the development and initial validation of the Carolina Premenstrual Assessment Scoring System (C-PASS). The C-PASS (available as a worksheet, Excel macro, and SAS macro) is a standardized scoring system for making DSM-5 PMDD diagnoses using two or more months of daily symptom ratings with the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP).MethodTwo hundred women recruited for retrospectively reported premenstrual emotional symptoms provided two to four months of daily symptom ratings on the DRSP. Diagnoses made by expert clinician and by the C-PASS were compared.ResultsAgreement of C-PASS diagnosis with expert clinical diagnosis was excellent; overall correct classification by the C-PASS was estimated at 98%. Consistent with previous evidence, retrospective reports of premenstrual symptom increases were a poor predictor of prospective C-PASS diagnosis.ConclusionsThe C-PASS is a reliable and valid companion protocol to the DRSP that standardizes and streamlines the complex, multilevel diagnosis of DSM-5 PMDD. Consistent use of this robust diagnostic method would result in more clearly defined, homogeneous samples of women with PMDD, thereby improving the clarity of studies seeking to characterize and treat the underlying pathophysiology of the disorder.
Project description:BackgroundEmpathy refers to the cognitive and emotional reactions of an individual to the experiences of another. Women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) report severe social difficulties during the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle.AimsThis clinical and functional magnetic resonance imaging study aimed to explore affective and cognitive empathy in women with PMDD, during the highly symptomatic luteal phase.MethodOverall, 32 women with PMDD and 20 healthy controls participated in the study. The neuroimaging data were collected using a highly empathy-engaging movie. First, we characterised the synchrony of neural responses within PMDD and healthy groups, using the inter-individual correlation approach. Next, using network cohesion analysis, we compared connectivity within and between brain networks associated with affective and cognitive empathy between groups, and assessed the association of these network patterns with empathic measures.ResultsA consistent, although complex, picture of empathy abnormalities was found. Patients with PMDD showed decreased neural synchrony in parietal and frontal key nodes of cognitive empathy processing (theory-of-mind network), but higher neural synchrony in the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex, a part of the salience network, implicated in affective empathy. Positive correlations between cognitive perspective-taking scores and neural synchrony were found within the theory-of-mind network. Interestingly, during highly emotional moments, the PMDD group showed increased functional connectivity within this network.ConclusionsSimilar to major depression, individuals with PMDD show enhanced affective empathy and reduced cognitive empathy. These findings echo clinical observations reported when women with PMDD have a dysregulated emotional response to negative stimuli.
Project description:BackgroundAlthough previous studies report an association between Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and suicidal ideation, most studies have only established a provisional and retrospective diagnosis of PMDD fundamentally invalidating the diagnosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and to explore correlates of current suicidal ideation in the late luteal phase in women with prospectively assessed and confirmed PMDD.MethodsParticipants were 110 women who attended the pre-randomization baseline visit of two randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials between January 15, 2017 and October 19, 2019. PMDD was diagnosed prospectively in line with DSM-5 criteria. Current suicidal ideation was measured by the MADRS-S in the late luteal phase. Descriptive statistics were presented and logistic regression analyses were carried out to explore the association between psychosocial and health characteristics and current suicidal ideation, presenting unadjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsCurrent suicidal ideation was reported by nearly 40% of women with confirmed PMDD (n = 43, 39.1%). Previous psychological treatment for PMDD and higher depressive symptoms in the late luteal phase were positively associated with current suicidal ideation (OR 5.63, 95% CI 1.07-29.49, and OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.10-1.25, respectively), whereas higher ratings of self-rated health were associated with lower odds ratios for current suicidal ideation (OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.96-0.99).ConclusionsA substantial proportion of women with confirmed PMDD report current suicidal ideation in the late luteal phase. Results point to a need for better awareness and screening of suicidal ideation in women with PMDD.
Project description:BackgroundDespite being considered a stress-related condition, it is not known whether the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is dysfunctional in response to acute psychosocial stress in premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). This is problematic because many women with PMDD report that they are not able to control their stress levels, and a blunted cortisol output has been identified in women with related psychiatric conditions, such as anxiety and depression. The present study is a part of the Premenstrual Hormonal and Affective State Evaluation (PHASE) project, and it aimed to characterize the cortisol trajectory in response to an acute psychosocial stress challenge.MethodsWomen with PMDD and healthy controls with confirmed ovulatory cycles underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) procedure in the mid-late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, throughout which we collected serum samples of cortisol that we analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.ResultsThe linear mixed model analysis indicated a significant time*diagnosis interaction (P = .008) such that women with PMDD displayed significantly lower serum cortisol levels at +40 through +90 minutes from the time of stress induction.ConclusionThis is the first study to show that women with PMDD have a blunted cortisol response to psychosocial stress. Combined with our earlier finding showing a greater parasympathetic nervous system withdrawal on heart oscillations in PMDD during acute stress, these and other results show that the dysregulated processing of stress in PMDD may be captured using objective study measures.
Project description:ObjectiveBoth Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) might increase the risk of suicidal behavior. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between personality dimensions specifically involved in suicidal vulnerability and PMS/PMDD.MethodWe collected data from 232 women consecutively hospitalized after a suicide attempt. We examined the relationship between impulsivity, aggressiveness/hostility, hopelessness, trait anger, affect intensity, emotional lability, and PMS/PMDD. Notably, we created an algorithm from the shortened Premenstrual Assessment form in order to assess PMDD status.ResultsThe proportions of PMS and PMDD among female suicide attempters were 50% and 23% respectively. Women with PMS or PMDD were more likely to endorse most of these personality traits to than those without even after controlling for potential confounders. We found an impulsive-aggressive pattern of personality in women with PMS or PMDD, independently from the time of the menstrual cycle. Interestingly, trait anger remained associated with both PMS and PMDD independently of every other personality traits. The higher the anger level, the higher the risk was to suffer from both PMS and PMDD.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates a strong, independent association between PMS/PMDD and trait anger among a representative sample of female suicide attempters. It is of major interest for clinicians in view of addressing a substantial public health problem among women of reproductive age.