Which statement about PMDD mood and behavioral symptoms is true?

• A. First-line treatment is SSRIs.
• B. First-line treatment is NSAIDs.
• C. PMDD has no effective treatment.
• D. First-line treatment is antibiotics.

Answer: (A)

SSRIs are the first-line option for PMDD mood and behavioral symptoms because these medications directly target the serotonin pathways involved in mood regulation, often producing meaningful relief from irritability, mood swings, anxiety, and depressive symptoms that characterize PMDD. They can be used continuously or only during the luteal phase, and many people notice improvement within days to weeks, making them highly effective for the cyclical mood disturbances of PMDD.

Think of the other choices in context: NSAIDs help with physical symptoms like cramps, not the mood problems that define PMDD; antibiotics have no role in PMDD since it is not an infection; and PMDD does have effective treatments, so saying there’s no improvement isn’t accurate.