[Mood changes and premenstrual syndrome]

The Authors consider particularly significant the studies on premenstrual syndrome (PMS) which point out a relationship between affective disorders and premenstrual depression indicated by several Authors as useful pattern for studying depression. Considering this results, the Authors studied a sample of women suffering from PMS sharing it on the basis of subjective depressive feelings. The Authors obtained two groups which were submitted to a further clinical study in order to point out specific personality and psychopathologies. The Authors used the Premenstrual Assessment Form (PAF) and the Daily Ratings Form (DR). The results showed that premenstrual depression can be considered a marker of the seriousness of the syndrome and it is closely linked to anxiety symptomatology. In women with PMS the Authors did not point out important psychopathological aspects, therefore the PMS is not evidence for psychiatric illness.