Clinical Features
The overwhelming majority of these patients have evidence of manic depression (bipolar disorder). Many have conventional manic and depressive phases, or recurrent mania, or schizoaffective mania. A minority have atypical forms, such as catatonia, extreme anxiety associated with delusions or hallucinations, or acute polymorphic psychosis. Thus the clinical features resemble those of the common form of postpartum psychosis, and (like puerperal psychosis) menstrual psychosis is not a disease in its own right, but a member of the group of bipolar disorders. In women who have the bipolar diathesis (lifelong susceptibility), menstruation is one of the triggers of episodes. In fact there is evidence of two menstrual triggers - at the mid-cycle associated with ovulation, and in the late luteal (necrotic) phase just before menstrual bleeding.
As in postpartum psychosis, acute organic syndromes are occasionally seen, associated with epilepsy, urea cycle disorders and perhaps endometriosis.
Read more about this topic: Menstrual Psychosis
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