Menopause-related affective disorders: a justification for further study

Despite descriptions dating back to the nineteenth century of menopause-related affective syndromes, recent investigations have been unable to characterize a specific disturbance of mood or behavior related to this period of life. In this article the authors identify a number of methodologic problems in earlier studies and suggest that further study is warranted and that it is premature to conclude that menopause-related affective syndromes do not exist. They then provide guidelines for examining mood and behavioral changes that take place during the climacteric and menopause, with the hope of stimulating further research which may determine whether menopause-related affective disorders exist and, if so, their characteristics.