The anti-depressant drug Prozac is the latest treatment that may diminish symptoms for women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS can be defined as a cluster of more than 150 symptoms that occur in the week before menstruation and end at the beginning of menstruation, Dr. Edward M. Lichten, director of the Headache Institute for Women told the New England Journal of Medicine.”It is often characterized by tension, irritability, cravings, fluid retention, breast tenderness, and a depressed mood,” Lichten was quoted as saying. In June 1995, the New England Journal of Medicine reported results from the first double-blind controlled study on women who had regular menstrual cycles and no major psychiatric disorders but did suffer from PMS. They received either placebo, 20 milligrams of Prozac, or 60 milligrams of Prozac daily for 6 cycles. Women were asked to rank how they felt on standardized scales for tension, irritability, and depression. Tension was reduced in the two groups on Prozac as compared to the women on placebo. The higher dosed group did however report a high level of side effects. The most common side effect was sexual dysfunction, which may lead to delayed orgasms, decreased sexual desires and agitation, said Dr. Stephen Pariser, director of OSU’s Women’s Mood Disorder Clinic. “Each individual will be affected differently,” Pariser said. “But for most people, Prozac is easier to cope with and safer than the first drugs used (before Prozac was introduced).”Although the cause of PMS is still unknown, several theories exist. It is also not known why some women have severe symptoms, some have mild ones and others have none at all, but since the syndrome shares some common characteristics of depression and anxiety, it has been suggested that PMS may somehow be linked to the brain, Lichten told the journal.”It is believed that PMS stems from neurochemical changes within the brain,” he said.According to the New England Journal of Medicine, more than 40 million women suffer from PMS and more than 5 million require medical treatment. “All anti-depressants will help women significantly,” Pariser said. “Zoloft, Paxil, and Prozac are all used, but no one has been proven to be better than the other.”Prozac receives more attention because it was used first in research, Pariser said.Making the diagnosis for PMS can sometimes be as challenging as the treatment because many women may suffer from PMS-related symptoms but not the disease itself, he said.”I think that the research being conducted with Prozac is great,” said Candace Myers, a senior majoring in management information systems, who admits she suffers from some PMS symptoms monthly. “But I’d rather continue using Midol or Ibuprofen. I fear that continual use of Prozac may become addictive,” she said.For such reasons, women who suffer from PMS may want to consult their doctor to see if Prozac might be an effective way of reducing the signs and symptoms, Lichten told the journal.