Brief protocol for an international investigation of menstrual psychosis

Abstract

where a 5 the range of onset of psychosis in days relative to a fixed point in the menstrual cycle (ideally the first day of bleeding); b 5 the mean cycle length and n 5 the number of episodes recorded. Recurrent symptom-free widows are important so that the onset of episodes can be clearly identified. The daily rating methods currently employed for the prospective study of menstrual mood disorder are not appropriate because (1) menstrual psychosis is not a frequent and regular event in those predisposed and (2) the severity of the illness makes self-rating a dubious approach. Menstrual psychosis is associated with anovulatory menstrual cycles, at least in some cases. It is essential, for scientific study and treatment, to establish whether ovulation occurs in cycles affected by psychosis.