Premenstrual changes and affective disorders.

The differential relationship between specific subtypes of premenstrual changes and specific subtypes of mental disorder was studied. Premenstrual changes were evaluated with the Premenstrual Assessment Form, which provides specific criteria for the classification of the various subtypes of premenstrual change. The Research Diagnostic Criteria were used to make lifetime diagnoses of mental disorder. Differential relationships were found between subtypes of premenstrual change and subtypes of mental disorder. The results suggest that premenstrual changes characterized by a depressive syndrome may represent a mild or subclinical manifestation of affective disorder.