Hysteroid dysphoria has been described as a chronic illness
characterized by recurrent periods of depression precipitated by a specific
type of stress and associated with a histrionic personality. In addition,
there are specific atypical symptoms. The authors tested the syndromal
validity of this proposed category in a sample of 1,324 patients with mild
depression reported on by psychiatrists in a questionnaire survey. They
found 41 (3.1%) who fit a pattern consisting of the basic features of the
condition. However, patients who fit this pattern were not more likely to
have substantially more atypical symptoms than patients without this
pattern. The authors conclude that the syndromal validity of hysteroid
dysphoria is not supported.Abstract Teaser