Premenstrual Disorders

In the June 20, 2002, issue of Women’s Health Weekly , the maga- zine reported that the United States Food and Drug Administra- tion had approved the use of Zoloft for the treatment of PMDD. In an experiment composed of women with and without premen- strual syndrome, both groups were given a drug that temporar- ily suppresses sex hormones and the reproductive cycle. Before the drug was taken, both groups had the same female hormone levels and the same hormonal activity during the entire men- strual cycle. But when the drug was administered, the women with PMS or PMDD were symptom free; only when they took estrogen or progesterone did the symptoms return. The women who had no PMS previously remained the same. So even though the hormone levels remained consistent, those who suffer from PMS and PMDD must be sensitive to hormone fluctuations. It may be that the hormone’s effects on the brain cause the prob- lems. Studies are beginning to show serotonin fluctuations in women who suffer from PMS, but more especially those suffer- ing from PMDD. That is why antidepressants like Zoloft work to help alleviate the symptoms. Another study of identical twins showed that if one identical twin experienced PMDD, 90 percent of the other twins also suf- fered with PMDD, compared with 44 percent of fraternal twins and only 31 percent of sisters who were not twins. Because of studies like this, researchers are looking for variations in genes that code for serotonin.

Adapted from “Premenstrual Mood Disturbance,” Harvard Men- tal Health Letter, June 2001.

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History of Zoloft and Prozac