Personality and Psychiatric Disorders in Women Affected by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine disorder among fertile women. Studies show reduced quality of life, anxiety, depression, body dissatisfaction, eating disorder, and sexual dysfunction, but the etiology of these disturbs remains still debated. The aim of our study is to verify whether this hyperandrogenic syndrome characterizes a strong psycho(patho)logical personality.Method: Sixty PCOS subjects (mean age 25.8 ± 4.7 years) were evaluated by anthropometric, metabolic, hormonal, clinical, and psychological parameters. After the certainty of the diagnosis of PCOS, the Rorschach test, according to Exner’s comprehensive system (CS) and the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III) were administered to each patient. The control group, on which the comparison was carried out, was composed by 40 healthy and aged compared women who were exclusively administered the Rorschach test according to CS.Results: MCMI-III evidenced axis II DSM-IV personality disorders [4.1% schizoid, depressive, sadistic, negativistic (passive–aggressive), and masochistic, 6.1% avoiding, 12.2% dependent, 20.4% histrionic, 16.3% narcissistic, 2.0% obsessive–compulsive], and axis I DSM-IV psychiatric disorders: 10.2% anxiety, 2.0% somatoform disorder and bipolar disorder, 16.3% major depressive disorder. Finally, we found 44.9% delusional disorder and 4.1% thought disorder. Rorschach test’s results show 53.1% reduced coping abilities and social skills, 55.1% depression, 30.6% perceptual distortion and cognitive slippage, 24.5% constantly alert and worry, 8.1% at risk for suicide, and finally about 50% of our patients had chronic stress.Conclusion: PCOS women have relevant personality and psychiatric disorders, when compared with normal subjects.

The Overlap Between Binge Eating Behaviors and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: An Etiological Integrative Model

“…Similarly, other work (based on a sample of 60 women with PCOS) showed an overall prevalence rate of 40% for depression, 57% for mood disorders, 12% for anxiety syndromes and 23% for BED [31] with 60% of women with PCOS reporting painful emotions and high sense of insecurity, confusion and ambivalence, low self-esteem and anxiety. In addition, these women presented less able to tolerate frustration, often behaving impulsively [67]. In line with these, one could assume that due to common physical consequences of PCOS, such as hirsutism, acne and weight gain, females with PCOS tend to experience feelings of deviance from idealized cultural norms, which in turn influence self-esteem and cultivate feelings of body dissatisfaction [68], that could in turn precipitate and perpetuate psychopathological manifestations.…”

Body image, personality profiles and alexithymia in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

“…Indeed, as far as we know, only two studies have explored the relationship between PCOS and personality profiles: one through the Rorschach test [44] and one through the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) [45], underlining that patients with PCOS show higher rates of clinical elevations on depression, hysteria, psychasthenia, and hypomania, as well as higher absolute scores on the same scales.…”

Psychosomatic Aspects of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: A Review

“…Prior studies have found that depression increases cortisol levels while it decreases serotonin levels in the central nervous system (10,22). According to the findings of several studies in this area, 28% to 64% of patients with PCOS had depression (40). The variation in prevalence of depression among studies can be due to the application of different methods and tools for screening and diagnosing the influence of culture on epidemiology of depression and recent use of medication (24).…”

“…In comparison with healthy females, those with PCOS experience relevant personality and psychiatric comorbidities (40). Borderline Personality disorder (BPD) is a serious public health problem that is characterized by interpersonal distress, affective instability, stress-related dissociation, and chronic suicidal tendencies (48).…”