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Ashar YK, Lumley MA, Perlis RH, Liston C, Gunning FM, Wager TD. Reattribution to Mind-Brain Processes and Recovery From Chronic Back Pain: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2333846. [PMID: 37768666 PMCID: PMC10539987 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.33846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance In primary chronic back pain (CBP), the belief that pain indicates tissue damage is both inaccurate and unhelpful. Reattributing pain to mind or brain processes may support recovery. Objectives To test whether the reattribution of pain to mind or brain processes was associated with pain relief in pain reprocessing therapy (PRT) and to validate natural language-based tools for measuring patients' symptom attributions. Design, Setting, and Participants This secondary analysis of clinical trial data analyzed natural language data from patients with primary CBP randomized to PRT, placebo injection control, or usual care control groups and treated in a US university research setting. Eligible participants were adults aged 21 to 70 years with CBP recruited from the community. Enrollment extended from 2017 to 2018, with the current analyses conducted from 2020 to 2022. Interventions PRT included cognitive, behavioral, and somatic techniques to support reattributing pain to nondangerous, reversible mind or brain causes. Subcutaneous placebo injection and usual care were hypothesized not to affect pain attributions. Main Outcomes and Measures At pretreatment and posttreatment, participants listed their top 3 perceived causes of pain in their own words (eg, football injury, bad posture, stress); pain intensity was measured as last-week average pain (0 to 10 rating, with 0 indicating no pain and 10 indicating greatest pain). The number of attributions categorized by masked coders as reflecting mind or brain processes were summed to yield mind-brain attribution scores (range, 0-3). An automated scoring algorithm was developed and benchmarked against human coder-derived scores. A data-driven natural language processing (NLP) algorithm identified the dimensional structure of pain attributions. Results We enrolled 151 adults (81 female [54%], 134 White [89%], mean [SD] age, 41.1 [15.6] years) reporting moderate severity CBP (mean [SD] intensity, 4.10 [1.26]; mean [SD] duration, 10.0 [8.9] years). At pretreatment, 41 attributions (10%) were categorized as mind- or brain-related across intervention conditions. PRT led to significant increases in mind- or brain-related attributions, with 71 posttreatment attributions (51%) in the PRT condition categorized as mind- or brain-related, as compared with 22 (8%) in control conditions (mind-brain attribution scores: PRT vs placebo, g = 1.95 [95% CI, 1.45-2.47]; PRT vs usual care, g = 2.06 [95% CI, 1.57-2.60]). Consistent with hypothesized PRT mechanisms, increases in mind-brain attribution score were associated with reductions in pain intensity at posttreatment (standardized β = -0.25; t127 = -2.06; P = .04) and mediated the effects of PRT vs control on 1-year follow-up pain intensity (β = -0.35 [95% CI, -0.07 to -0.63]; P = .05). The automated word-counting algorithm and human coder-derived scores achieved moderate and substantial agreement at pretreatment and posttreatment (Cohen κ = 0.42 and 0.68, respectively). The data-driven NLP algorithm identified a principal dimension of mind and brain vs biomechanical attributions, converging with hypothesis-driven analyses. Conclusions and Relevance In this secondary analysis of a randomized trial, PRT increased attribution of primary CBP to mind- or brain-related causes. Increased mind-brain attribution was associated with reductions in pain intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoni K. Ashar
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora
| | - Mark A. Lumley
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Roy H. Perlis
- Center for Quantitative Health, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Conor Liston
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | - Faith M. Gunning
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York
| | - Tor D. Wager
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
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Kimber J, Sullivan N, Anastasides N, Slotkin S, McAndrew LM. Understanding Veterans' Causal Attributions of Physical Symptoms. Int J Behav Med 2021; 28:299-307. [PMID: 32691396 PMCID: PMC7855405 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-020-09918-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Illness beliefs are significant contributors to health outcomes. Beliefs about the cause of physical symptoms are considered particularly important among those with medically unexplained symptoms and illnesses (MUS); yet little is known about causal beliefs among those with the most severe MUS (i.e., Veterans). The goal of the current study was to examine Veteran's causal attributions of their physical symptoms. METHOD A total of 91 combat Veterans with MUS were surveyed using a mixed-methods design about the cause of their physical symptoms, physical symptom severity, and PTSD symptoms. Causal attributions of physical symptoms were analyzed through thematic response analysis and grouped into categories. Chi-square analysis was used to assess the distribution of causal attribution types across Veterans with varying physical symptom severity and PTSD symptom severity. RESULTS Veterans with MUS reported an average of 7.9 physical symptoms, and attributed the cause of their symptoms to seven different categories ("Do not Know," "Stress/Mental Health," "Deployment/Environment," "Functional/Symptom," "Medically Explained," "Medically Unexplained Syndrome," and "Lifestyle"). Exploratory chi-square analysis revealed significant differences in causal attributions across physical symptom severity and severity of PTSD symptoms. Veterans with more severe PTSD and Veterans with more severe physical symptoms were more likely to attribute their MUS to stress/mental health or to a medically unexplained syndrome compared with those with low/no PTSD symptoms and physical symptom severity. Veterans with minimal PTSD and Veterans with minimal physical symptom severity were more likely to attribute the cause of their MUS to lifestyle choices (e.g., exercise/diet) compared with those with high PTSD and physical symptom severity. CONCLUSION Veterans with MUS endorse multiple, varied causal attributions for their physical symptoms, suggesting more complex causal beliefs than typically assumed. This has important implications for patient-provider communication and development of concordance around MUS treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Kimber
- Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Ave Ext, Albany, 12222, NY, USA.
| | - Nicole Sullivan
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, 385 Tremont Avenue, East Orange, 07018, NJ, USA
| | - Nicole Anastasides
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, 385 Tremont Avenue, East Orange, 07018, NJ, USA
| | - Sarah Slotkin
- Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Ave Ext, Albany, 12222, NY, USA
| | - Lisa M McAndrew
- Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Ave Ext, Albany, 12222, NY, USA
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Wang X, Tan Y, Van den Bergh O, von Leupoldt A, Qiu J. Intrinsic functional brain connectivity patterns underlying enhanced interoceptive sensibility. J Affect Disord 2020; 276:804-814. [PMID: 32738665 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cumulative evidence has suggested that brain regions including the bilateral insula and the anterior cingulate cortex play critical roles in the processing of interoceptive information. However, the brain functional connectivity patterns underlying interoceptive sensibility (IS) and their role in the relationship between IS and self-reported bodily symptoms remain unknown. We aimed to investigate the intrinsic functional connectivity patterns associated with IS and how this modulates the relationship between IS and self-reported bodily symptoms. METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to test the intrinsic large-scale functional connectivity in 459 healthy subjects. IS and self-reported bodily symptoms were assessed by questionnaires. RESULTS Individuals with greater IS had a stronger tendency to report bodily symptoms. Higher IS was correlated with decreased ventral anterior insula-superior temporal gyrus, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex-middle frontal cortex and amygdala-medioventral occipital cortex connectivity. The large-scale functional connectivity of cingulo-opercular task control network (CON)-default mode network, CON-subcortical network and CON-dorsal attention network moderated the association between IS and bodily symptoms. LIMITATIONS The Body Perception Questionnaire mainly reflects the self-perceived tendency to focus on negatively-valenced interoceptive sensations. Future research should distinguish neutral and negative IS in order to make the definition of IS clearer. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that IS may be related to impaired intrinsic functional connectivity between brain areas related to multisensory integration and cognitive-affective control, resulting in increased vigilance-attention to bodily signals. These findings offer new empirical evidence for a better understanding of the intricate relationships between interoception and symptom reporting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yafei Tan
- School of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | | | | | - Jiang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Chongqing, China; School of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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Kube T, Rozenkrantz L, Rief W, Barsky A. Understanding persistent physical symptoms: Conceptual integration of psychological expectation models and predictive processing accounts. Clin Psychol Rev 2020; 76:101829. [PMID: 32062101 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Persistent physical symptoms (PPS) are distressing, difficult to treat, and pose a major challenge to health care providers and systems. In this article, we review two disparate bodies of literature on PPS to provide a novel integrative model of this elusive condition. First, we draw on the clinical-psychological literature on the role of expectations to suggest that people with PPS develop dysfunctional expectations about health and disease that become increasingly immune to disconfirmatory information (such as medical reassurance) through cognitive reappraisal. Second, we invoke neuroscientific predictive processing accounts and propose that the psychological process of 'cognitive immunization' against disconfirmatory evidence corresponds, at the neurobiological and computational level, to too much confidence (i.e. precision) afforded to prior predictions. This can lead to an attenuation of disconfirming sensory information so that strong priors override benign bodily signals and make people believe that something serious is wrong with the body. Combining these distinct accounts provides a unifying framework for persistent physical symptoms and shifts the focus away from their causes to the sustaining mechanisms that prevent symptoms from subsiding spontaneously. Based on this integrative model, we derive new avenues for future research and discuss implications for treating people with PPS in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Kube
- Harvard Medical School, Program in Placebo Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University of Marburg, Gutenbergstr. 18, 35032 Marburg, Germany; Pain and Psychotherapy Research Lab, University of Koblenz-Landau, Ostbahnstr. 10, 76829 Landau, Germany.
| | - Liron Rozenkrantz
- Harvard Medical School, Program in Placebo Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Winfried Rief
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University of Marburg, Gutenbergstr. 18, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Arthur Barsky
- Harvard Medical School, Program in Placebo Studies, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 60 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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De Almeida‐Marques FX, Sánchez‐Blanco J, Sanduvete‐Chaves S, Cano‐García FJ. Causal attributions of potentially traumatic life events in fibromyalgia patients. Int J Rheum Dis 2019; 22:2170-2177. [DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.13739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco X. De Almeida‐Marques
- Department of Personality, Psychological Assessment and Treatment Faculty of Psychology Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | | | - Susana Sanduvete‐Chaves
- Department of Experimental Psychology Faculty of Psychology Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
| | - Francisco J. Cano‐García
- Department of Personality, Psychological Assessment and Treatment Faculty of Psychology Universidad de Sevilla Seville Spain
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Berens S, Stroe-Kunold E, Kraus F, Tesarz J, Gauss A, Niesler B, Herzog W, Schaefert R. Pilot-RCT of an integrative group therapy for patients with refractory irritable bowel syndrome (ISRCTN02977330). J Psychosom Res 2018; 105:72-79. [PMID: 29332637 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2017.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Different forms of psychotherapeutic treatments have been proven effective in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but disorder-oriented and integrative concepts are still rare. Therefore, we implemented and evaluated an integrative group therapeutic concept within an interdisciplinary tertiary care clinic for functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). AIMS present our integrative group concept, assess feasibility issues, and evaluate efficacy. METHODS A pilot-RCT with a randomized controlled wait-listed group design was conducted. The treatment concept was a disorder-oriented multicomponent group therapy (12 90-min weekly sessions) integrating interactive psychoeducation, gut-directed hypnotherapy, and open group phases. All patients received enhanced medical care and completed a short online diary as an active wait-listed control condition. INCLUSION CRITERIA refractory IBS diagnosed as somatoform autonomic dysfunction of the lower gastrointestinal tract (SAD). PRIMARY OUTCOME IBS symptom severity (IBS-SSS). RESULTS Of 294 patients, 220 had IBS (ROME III), 144 were diagnosed as SAD (ICD-10), 51 were eligible regarding inclusion/exclusion criteria, and 30 consented to participate (group intervention: n=16, wait-listed control condition: n=14). Only 1 patient dropped out. Intention-to-treat-analysis with repeated-measures mixed ANOVA showed that the group intervention was not significantly superior to the wait-listed control condition. Nevertheless, the calculated effect size for the between-group difference in IBS-SSS at the end of treatment (post) was moderate (d=0.539). CONCLUSION Our disorder-oriented integrative group intervention for IBS proved to be acceptable and feasible in an interdisciplinary tertiary care setting. There is promise in this intervention, but a larger RCT may be needed to investigate efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Berens
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - E Stroe-Kunold
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - F Kraus
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - J Tesarz
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - A Gauss
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - B Niesler
- Institute of Human Genetics, Department of Human Molecular Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - W Herzog
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 410, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - R Schaefert
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Hebelstrasse 2, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
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Symptoms and the body: Taking the inferential leap. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 74:185-203. [PMID: 28108416 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 308] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Revised: 12/01/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between the conscious experience of physical symptoms and indicators of objective physiological dysfunction is highly variable and depends on characteristics of the person, the context and their interaction. This relationship often breaks down entirely in the case of "medically unexplained" or functional somatic symptoms, violating the basic assumption in medicine that physical symptoms have physiological causes. In this paper, we describe the prevailing theoretical approach to this problem and review the evidence pertaining to it. We then use the framework of predictive coding to propose a new and more comprehensive model of the body-symptom relationship that integrates existing concepts within a unifying framework that addresses many of the shortcomings of current theory. We describe the conditions under which a close correspondence between the experience of symptoms and objective physiology might be expected, and when they are likely to diverge. We conclude by exploring some theoretical and clinical implications of this new account.
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What Do Patients Think about the Cause of Their Mental Disorder? A Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Causal Beliefs of Mental Disorder in Inpatients in Psychosomatic Rehabilitation. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0169387. [PMID: 28056066 PMCID: PMC5215939 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0169387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients' causal beliefs about their mental disorders are important for treatment because they affect illness-related behaviours. However, there are few studies exploring patients' causal beliefs about their mental disorder. OBJECTIVES (a) To qualitatively explore patients' causal beliefs of their mental disorder, (b) to explore frequencies of patients stating causal beliefs, and (c) to investigate differences of causal beliefs according to patients' primary diagnoses. METHOD Inpatients in psychosomatic rehabilitation were asked an open-ended question about their three most important causal beliefs about their mental illness. Answers were obtained from 678 patients, with primary diagnoses of depression (N = 341), adjustment disorder (N = 75), reaction to severe stress (N = 57) and anxiety disorders (N = 40). Two researchers developed a category system inductively and categorised the reported causal beliefs. Qualitative analysis has been supplemented by logistic regression analyses. RESULTS The causal beliefs were organized into twelve content-related categories. Causal beliefs referring to "problems at work" (47%) and "problems in social environment" (46%) were most frequently mentioned by patients with mental disorders. 35% of patients indicate causal beliefs related to "self/internal states". Patients with depression and patients with anxiety disorders stated similar causal beliefs, whereas patients with reactions to severe stress and adjustment disorders stated different causal beliefs in comparison to patients with depression. LIMITATIONS There was no opportunity for further exploration, because we analysed written documents. CONCLUSIONS These results add a detailed insight to mentally ill patients' causal beliefs to illness perception literature. Additionally, evidence about differences in frequencies of causal beliefs between different illness groups complement previous findings. For future research it is important to clarify the relation between patients' causal beliefs and the chosen treatment.
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Luo Y, Yan C, Huang T, Fan M, Liu L, Zhao Z, Ni K, Jiang H, Huang X, Lu Z, Wu W, Zhang M, Fan X. Altered Neural Correlates of Emotion Associated Pain Processing in Persistent Somatoform Pain Disorder: An fMRI Study. Pain Pract 2016; 16:969-979. [PMID: 27641732 DOI: 10.1111/papr.12358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD) suffer from long-term pain and emotional conflicts. Recently, accumulating evidence indicated that emotion has a significant role in pain perception of somatoform pain disorder. To further understand the association between emotion and pain-related brain activities, functional activities of patients with PSPD fulfilling ICD-10 criteria and healthy controls were assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging technology, while participants viewed a series of positive, neutral, or negative pictures with or without pinprick pain stimulation. Results showed that patients with PSPD had altered brain activities in the parietal gyrus, temporal gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, and parahippocampus in response to pinprick pain stimuli during different emotions compared with the healthy control group. Moreover, patients with PSPD consistently showed hyperactivities in the prefrontal, the fusiform gyrus and the insula in response to negative stimuli under pinprick pain vs. non-pain condition. The current findings provide some insights into the underlying relationship between emotion and pain-related brain activity in patients with PSPD, which is of both theoretical and clinical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanli Luo
- Department of Psychiatry, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chao Yan
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianming Huang
- Mental Health Center of Changning District, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingxia Fan
- Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liang Liu
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiyong Zhao
- Department of Physics, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaiji Ni
- Department of Psychiatry, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hong Jiang
- Department of Medical Imaging, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Huang
- Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenyuan Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingyuan Zhang
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoduo Fan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Massachusetts, USA
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Changes in Free Symptom Attributions in Hypochondriasis after Cognitive Therapy and Exposure Therapy. Behav Cogn Psychother 2016; 44:601-14. [PMID: 27126076 DOI: 10.1017/s1352465816000163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive-behavioural therapy can change dysfunctional symptom attributions in patients with hypochondriasis. Past research has used forced-choice answer formats, such as questionnaires, to assess these misattributions; however, with this approach, idiosyncratic attributions cannot be assessed. Free associations are an important complement to existing approaches that assess symptom attributions. AIMS With this study, we contribute to the current literature by using an open-response instrument to investigate changes in freely associated attributions after exposure therapy (ET) and cognitive therapy (CT) compared with a wait list (WL). METHOD The current study is a re-examination of a formerly published randomized controlled trial (Weck, Neng, Richtberg, Jakob and Stangier, 2015) that investigated the effectiveness of CT and ET. Seventy-three patients with hypochondriasis were randomly assigned to CT, ET or a WL, and completed a 12-week treatment (or waiting period). Before and after the treatment or waiting period, patients completed an Attribution task in which they had to spontaneously attribute nine common bodily sensations to possible causes in an open-response format. RESULTS Compared with the WL, both CT and ET reduced the frequency of somatic attributions regarding severe diseases (CT: Hedges's g = 1.12; ET: Hedges's g = 1.03) and increased the frequency of normalizing attributions (CT: Hedges's g = 1.17; ET: Hedges's g = 1.24). Only CT changed the attributions regarding moderate diseases (Hedges's g = 0.69). Changes in somatic attributions regarding mild diseases and psychological attributions were not observed. CONCLUSIONS Both CT and ET are effective for treating freely associated misattributions in patients with hypochondriasis. This study supplements research that used a forced-choice assessment.
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Yon K, Nettleton S, Walters K, Lamahewa K, Buszewicz M. Junior doctors' experiences of managing patients with medically unexplained symptoms: a qualitative study. BMJ Open 2015; 5:e009593. [PMID: 26628528 PMCID: PMC4679901 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-009593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore junior doctors' knowledge about and experiences of managing patients with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) and to seek their recommendations for improved future training on this important topic about which they currently receive little education. DESIGN Qualitative study using in-depth interviews analysed using the framework method. SETTING Participants were recruited from three North Thames London hospitals within the UK. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-two junior doctors undertaking the UK foundation two-year training programme (FY1/FY2). RESULTS The junior doctors interviewed identified a significant gap in their training on the topic of MUS, particularly in relation to their awareness of the topic, the appropriate level of investigations, possible psychological comorbidities, the formulation of suitable explanations for patients' symptoms and longer term management strategies. Many junior doctors expressed feelings of anxiety, frustration and a self-perceived lack of competency in this area, and spoke of over-investigating patients or avoiding patient contact altogether due to the challenging nature of MUS and a difficulty in managing the accompanying uncertainty. They also identified the negative attitudes of some senior clinicians and potential role models towards patients with MUS as a factor contributing to their own attitudes and management choices. Most reported a need for more training during the foundation years, and recommended interactive case-based group discussions with a focus on providing meaningful explanations to patients for their symptoms. CONCLUSIONS There is an urgent need to improve postgraduate training about the topics of MUS and avoiding over-investigation, as current training does not equip junior doctors with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively and confidently manage patients in these areas. Training needs to focus on practical skill development to increase clinical knowledge in areas such as delivering suitable explanations, and to incorporate individual management strategies to help junior doctors tolerate the uncertainty associated with MUS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Yon
- Research Department of Primary Care & Population Health, UCL, London, UK
| | | | - Kate Walters
- Research Department of Primary Care & Population Health, UCL, London, UK
| | - Kethakie Lamahewa
- Research Department of Primary Care & Population Health, UCL, London, UK
| | - Marta Buszewicz
- Research Department of Primary Care & Population Health, UCL, London, UK
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Frostholm L, Ørnbøl E, Fink PK. Physical symptom attributions: a defining characteristic of somatoform disorders? Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2015; 37:147-52. [PMID: 25677210 DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2015.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2014] [Revised: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 01/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We examined whether primary care patients were more likely to perceive a current health problem as 'physical illness only' as opposed to entailing psychological difficulties if they had a comorbid somatoform disorder compared to patients who had (a) both comorbid somatoform disorder and anxiety/depression or (b) comorbid anxiety and/or depression, and a reference group of (c) patients with well-defined physical disease. We examined whether attributions predicted future health expenditures. METHODS A total of 1209 of 1785 patients completed questions on patient-perceived illness. The physicians diagnosed the current health problem. A stratified subsample was interviewed using the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry. Health expenditure was obtained from registers for a 2-year period. RESULTS The belief that the current health problem was only physical was endorsed by 86% of patients presenting physical disease, 58% of patients with somatoform disorders, 29% of patients with both somatoform disorders and anxiety/depression and 24% of patients with anxiety or depressive disorders (χ2=269.2, df=3, P<.0001). In a multiple regression model, a 'physical illness only' perception predicted lower health expenditures [β = -0.31, 95% confidence interval (-0.55; -0.07), P=.013]. CONCLUSIONS The prevalent assumption that physical symptom attributions are a central aspect in somatoform disorders is not supported by the current study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisbeth Frostholm
- The Research Clinic for Functional Disorders and Psychosomatics, Noerrebrogade 44, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Eva Ørnbøl
- The Research Clinic for Functional Disorders and Psychosomatics, Noerrebrogade 44, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Per K Fink
- The Research Clinic for Functional Disorders and Psychosomatics, Noerrebrogade 44, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Grover S, Aneja J, Sharma A, Malhotra R, Varma S, Basu D, Avasthi A. Explanatory models of somatoform disorder patients attending a psychiatry outpatient clinic: a study from North India. Int J Soc Psychiatry 2014; 60:492-8. [PMID: 24029246 DOI: 10.1177/0020764013501484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The symptoms of somatoform disorders are very distressing to the sufferer as well as pose significant burden on the health-care delivery system. Although the nature of symptoms is physical, the underlying mechanisms are not clearly understood. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to assess the explanatory models of patients with somatoform disorders presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Northern India. METHOD A total of 99 consecutive adult patients (≥ 18 years) with diagnosis of somatoform disorders according to the International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision (ICD-10) were evaluated for their explanatory models using the causal models section of Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue (EMIC). RESULTS The mean age of the study sample was 36.52 years, and the mean duration of illness was 59.39 ± 57.68 months. The most common clinical diagnosis was that of persistent somatoform pain disorder. The most common explanations given belonged to the category of psychological factors (68.7%) followed by weakness (67.7%), social causes (51%) and karma-deed-heredity (53.5%) category. The mean number of etiological categories reported were 2.6 (standard deviation (SD) = 1.7). Among the various specific causes, the commonly reported explanations by one half of the sample in decreasing order were general weakness (63.6%), mind-thoughts-worry category (59.6%) and loneliness (53.5%). The mean number of specific etiologies was 4.9 (SD = 3.83). CONCLUSION Most of the patients with somatoform disorder attribute their symptoms to psychological factors. It also becomes imperative to understand the physical symptoms in somatoform disorders from the sociocultural aspects of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Grover
- Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Jitender Aneja
- Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Akhilesh Sharma
- Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Rama Malhotra
- Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Sannidhya Varma
- Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Debasish Basu
- Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ajit Avasthi
- Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India
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Schumacher S, Rief W, Brähler E, Martin A, Glaesmer H, Mewes R. Disagreement in doctor's and patient's rating about medically unexplained symptoms and health care use. Int J Behav Med 2014; 20:30-7. [PMID: 22187202 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-011-9213-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medically unexplained (somatoform) symptoms (MUS) are highly prevalent in primary care. It remains unclear to what extent patients and their general practitioners (GPs) agree upon the etiology of physical symptoms as well as on the number of visits to the GP. PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to determine patient-physician agreement on reported symptoms. METHOD A sample of 103 persons provided information on MUS and health care utilization (HCU) during the previous 12 months. The persons' GPs (n = 103) were asked for the same information. By determining patient-physician agreement on reported symptoms, the sample was subdivided into a concordance group (high agreement: Pt = GP) and two discordance groups (substantial disagreement: Pt > GP, Pt < GP). RESULTS Patients and their GPs showed substantial disagreement concerning physical symptom reports for the prior 12 months. On means, patients named 3.26 (SD = 3.23; range 0-21) physical complaints of which 71.6% were considered to be medically unexplained (MUS), whereas GPs only determined 1.77 (SD = 1.94; range 0-11) symptoms of which 57.5% were MUS. Substantial patient-physician agreement regarding the number of reported MUS was detected in 29.1% of the cases (Pt = GP). Patients of all groups underestimated their HCU. CONCLUSION Since patients' and GPs' reports differ substantially concerning the etiology of symptoms and concerning HCU, both sources of data gathering should be treated carefully in primary care research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Schumacher
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Marburg, Gutenbergstrasse 18, 35032, Marburg, Germany
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Tschudi-Madsen H, Kjeldsberg M, Natvig B, Ihlebaek C, Straand J, Bruusgaard D. Medically unexplained conditions considered by patients in general practice. Fam Pract 2014; 31:156-63. [PMID: 24368761 DOI: 10.1093/fampra/cmt081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients frequently present with multiple and 'unexplained' symptoms, often resulting in complex consultations. To better understand these patients is a challenge to health care professionals, in general, and GPs, in particular. OBJECTIVES In our research on symptom reporting, we wanted to explore whether patients consider that they may suffer from conditions commonly regarded as unexplained, and we explored associations between these concerns and symptom load, life stressors and socio-demographic factors. METHODS Consecutive, unselected patients in general practice completed questionnaires addressing eight conditions commonly regarded as unexplained (amalgam poisoning, Candida syndrome, fibromyalgia, food intolerance, electromagnetic hypersensitivity, burnout syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome). With logistic regression, we analysed associations with symptom load, burden of life stressors with negative impact on present health and socio-demographic variables. RESULTS Out of the 909 respondents (response rate = 88.8%), 863 had complete data. In total, 39.6% of patients had considered that they may suffer from one or more unexplained conditions (UCs). These concerns were strongly and positively associated with recent symptom load and number of life stressors. If we excluded burnout and food intolerance, corresponding associations were found. CONCLUSION Patients frequently considered that they may suffer from UCs. The likelihood of such concerns strongly increased with an increasing symptom load and with the number of life stressors with negative impact on present health. Hence, the number of symptoms may be a strong indicator of whether patients consider their symptoms part of such often controversial multisymptom conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hedda Tschudi-Madsen
- Department of General Practice, Institute of Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, PO Box 1130, Blindern, N-0318 Oslo and
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Rief W, Martin A. How to Use the New DSM-5 Somatic Symptom Disorder Diagnosis in Research and Practice: A Critical Evaluation and a Proposal for Modifications. Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2014; 10:339-67. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032813-153745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Winfried Rief
- Department of Psychology, Philipps University of Marburg, D-35032 Marburg, Germany;
| | - Alexandra Martin
- Faculty of Educational and Social Science, University of Wuppertal, D-42097 Wuppertal, Germany;
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Neng JMB, Weck F. Attribution of somatic symptoms in hypochondriasis. Clin Psychol Psychother 2013; 22:116-24. [PMID: 24123559 DOI: 10.1002/cpp.1871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2012] [Revised: 08/22/2013] [Accepted: 09/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The misinterpretation of bodily symptoms as an indicator of a serious illness is a key feature of the criteria and the cognitive-behavioural models of hypochondriasis. Previous research suggests that individuals suffering from health anxiety endorse attributions of physical disease, whereas persons with elevated general anxiety have the tendency to attribute psychological causes to their symptoms. However, whether a somatic attribution style is specific to patients with hypochondriasis, as opposed to those with anxiety disorders, has not yet been investigated and is therefore part of the present study. Fifty patients with hypochondriasis, 50 patients with a primary anxiety disorder and 50 healthy participants were presented with nine common bodily sensations and had to spontaneously attribute possible causes to the symptoms. Patients with hypochondriasis differed from patients with anxiety disorders and healthy controls in giving significantly fewer normalizing explanations, but attributing more often in terms of moderate or serious diseases. Patients with anxiety disorders also made significantly fewer normalizing attributions and more somatic attributions to a severe illness than healthy controls. There were no differences between the groups in the frequency of psychological attributions and somatic attributions concerning mild diseases. The present study demonstrates that hypochondriasis is associated with a disorder-specific attribution style connecting somatic symptoms primarily with moderate and serious diseases. By contrast, normalizing attributions are largely omitted from consideration by patients with hypochondriasis. The findings conform with the cognitive conception of hypochondriasis and support the strategy of modifying symptom attributions, as practiced in cognitive-behavioural therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M B Neng
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
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18
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Eriksen TE, Kerry R, Mumford S, Lie SAN, Anjum RL. At the borders of medical reasoning: aetiological and ontological challenges of medically unexplained symptoms. Philos Ethics Humanit Med 2013; 8:11. [PMID: 24006875 PMCID: PMC3846629 DOI: 10.1186/1747-5341-8-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2013] [Accepted: 09/02/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) remain recalcitrant to the medical profession, proving less suitable for homogenic treatment with respect to their aetiology, taxonomy and diagnosis. While the majority of existing medical research methods are designed for large scale population data and sufficiently homogenous groups, MUS are characterised by their heterogenic and complex nature. As a result, MUS seem to resist medical scrutiny in a way that other conditions do not. This paper approaches the problem of MUS from a philosophical point of view. The aim is to first consider the epistemological problem of MUS in a wider ontological and phenomenological context, particularly in relation to causation. Second, the paper links current medical practice to certain ontological assumptions. Finally, the outlines of an alternative ontology of causation are offered which place characteristic features of MUS, such as genuine complexity, context-sensitivity, holism and medical uniqueness at the centre of any causal set-up, and not only for MUS. This alternative ontology provides a framework in which to better understand complex medical conditions in relation to both their nature and their associated research activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thor Eirik Eriksen
- The Department of Work and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Roger Kerry
- Division of Physiotherapy Education, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- Department of Philosophy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Stephen Mumford
- Department of Philosophy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
- UMB School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
| | | | - Rani Lill Anjum
- UMB School of Economics and Business, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Aas, Norway
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Douzenis A, Seretis D. Descriptive and predictive validity of somatic attributions in patients with somatoform disorders: a systematic review of quantitative research. J Psychosom Res 2013; 75:199-210. [PMID: 23972408 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2013.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2012] [Revised: 05/07/2013] [Accepted: 05/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Research on hypochondriasis and other somatoform disorders (SFD) has provided evidence that patients with SFD tend to attribute their symptoms to organic dysfunctions or disease. However, recent studies appear to discredit this. There is no systematic evidence on whether patients with SFD predominantly rely on somatic attributions, despite calls to include somatic attributions as a positive criterion of somatic symptom disorder (SSD) in the upcoming Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). METHODS This study is a systematic review of quantitative studies which assess the descriptive and predictive validity of somatic attribution in SFD. The literature search was restricted to studies with patients who met the DSM-IV criteria for SFD. RESULTS Somatic attribution style in SFD has acceptable descriptive but insufficient predictive validity. This confirms that the overlap between somatic and psychological attributions is often substantial. Attribution style can discriminate between SFD patients with and without comorbidity. CONCLUSION A somatic attribution style does not qualify as a positive criterion in SSD. However, there is an urgent need for further research on causal illness perceptions in the full spectrum of medically unexplained symptoms in order to confirm this result. Given its high prevalence, research on psychological attribution style is warranted. Re-attribution does not provide a framework sophisticated enough to address the needs of patients in primary care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanassios Douzenis
- Second Psychiatry Department, Athens University Medical School, Attikon General Hospital, 1 Rimini St., Athens, 12462, Greece.
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20
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de Greck M, Bölter AF, Lehmann L, Ulrich C, Stockum E, Enzi B, Hoffmann T, Tempelmann C, Beutel M, Frommer J, Northoff G. Changes in brain activity of somatoform disorder patients during emotional empathy after multimodal psychodynamic psychotherapy. Front Hum Neurosci 2013; 7:410. [PMID: 23966922 PMCID: PMC3744921 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2013] [Accepted: 07/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Somatoform disorder patients show a variety of emotional disturbances including impaired emotion recognition and increased empathic distress. In a previous paper, our group showed that several brain regions involved in emotional processing, such as the parahippocampal gyrus and other regions, were less activated in pre-treatment somatoform disorder patients (compared to healthy controls) during an empathy task. Since the parahippocampal gyrus is involved in emotional memory, its decreased activation might reflect the repression of emotional memories (which—according to psychoanalytical concepts—plays an important role in somatoform disorder). Psychodynamic psychotherapy aims at increasing the understanding of emotional conflicts as well as uncovering repressed emotions. We were interested, whether brain activity in the parahippocampal gyrus normalized after (inpatient) multimodal psychodynamic psychotherapy. Using fMRI, subjects were scanned while they shared the emotional states of presented facial stimuli expressing anger, disgust, joy, and a neutral expression; distorted stimuli with unrecognizable content served as control condition. 15 somatoform disorder patients were scanned twice, pre and post multimodal psychodynamic psychotherapy; in addition, 15 age-matched healthy control subjects were investigated. Effects of psychotherapy on hemodynamic responses were analyzed implementing two approaches: (1) an a priori region of interest approach and (2) a voxelwise whole brain analysis. Both analyses revealed increased hemodynamic responses in the left and right parahippocampal gyrus (and other regions) after multimodal psychotherapy in the contrast “empathy with anger”—“control.” Our results are in line with psychoanalytical concepts about somatoform disorder. They suggest the parahippocampal gyrus is crucially involved in the neurobiological mechanisms which underly the emotional deficits of somatoform disorder patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz de Greck
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Mainz Mainz, Germany ; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Leipzig Leipzig, Germany
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21
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Primary attributions in women suffering fibromyalgia emphasize the perception of a disruptive onset for a long-lasting pain problem. J Psychosom Res 2013; 74:265-9. [PMID: 23438720 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2012.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2012] [Revised: 12/17/2012] [Accepted: 12/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic musculoskeletal pain disorder characterized by widespread pain. This study focuses on patients' attributions of illness and of symptom onset. METHODS Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 56 women to elicit patients' views on what triggered their FM. The transcripts of the interviews were analyzed using a classical indexing technique to identify key themes. Content analysis was performed by two independent coders. RESULTS Primary causal attributions fell into five categories: psychological problems (28 respondents); somatic concerns (N=12); violence/abuse during childhood (N=7), gynaecological/obstetrical problems (N=6), and fatigue (N=3). Patients' attributions were internal and external in the same proportions, more frequently unstable than stable, and more often described uncontrollable than controllable. Participants expressed decrements in self-esteem and feelings such as self-blame or despair; global perceptions of persistent pain and long-lasting problems, evoking chronicity and hopelessness; and low perceived control over their lives as well as beliefs that nothing can be done, thus increasing a feeling of guilt and vulnerability. Patients' narratives emphasized disruptive circumstances surrounding symptom onset. CONCLUSION Attributions often referred to the psychological dimension of the events surrounding FM onset, even though some of them also had a clear somatic dimension. Many narratives mentioned successive disruptive events and suggested an increasing loss of control. Addressing these illness representations may contribute to tailor the treatment and to help patients gain self-coherency by providing means to understand pain onset but also to guide future behaviours, particularly in terms of adjustment and help-seeking.
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Wollburg E, Voigt K, Braukhaus C, Herzog A, Löwe B. Construct validity and descriptive validity of somatoform disorders in light of proposed changes for the DSM-5. J Psychosom Res 2013; 74:18-24. [PMID: 23272984 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2012.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2012] [Revised: 09/18/2012] [Accepted: 09/20/2012] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Current diagnostic criteria for somatoform disorders demand revisions due to their insufficient clinical as well as scientific usability. Various psychological and behavioral characteristics have been considered for the proposed new category Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD). With this study, we were able to jointly assess the validity of these variables in an inpatient sample. METHODS Using a cross-sectional design, we investigated N=456 patients suffering from somatoform disorder, anxiety, or depression. Within one week after admission to the hospital, informed consent was obtained and afterwards, a diagnostic interview and a battery of self-report questionnaires were administered. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine which variables significantly add to construct and descriptive validity. RESULTS Several features, such as somatic symptom severity, health worries, health habits, a self-concept of being weak, and symptom attribution, predicted physical health status in somatization. Overall, our model explained about 50% of the total variance. Furthermore, in comparison with anxious and depressed patients, health anxiety, body scanning, and a self-concept of bodily weakness were specific for DSM-IV somatoform disorders and the proposed SSD. CONCLUSIONS The present study supports the inclusion of psychological and behavioral characteristics in the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for somatoform disorders. Based on our results, we make suggestions for a slight modification of criterion B to enhance construct validity of the Somatic Symptom Disorder.
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de Greck M, Scheidt L, Bölter AF, Frommer J, Ulrich C, Stockum E, Enzi B, Tempelmann C, Hoffmann T, Han S, Northoff G. Altered brain activity during emotional empathy in somatoform disorder. Hum Brain Mapp 2012; 33:2666-85. [PMID: 21998038 PMCID: PMC6870370 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.21392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2010] [Revised: 05/28/2011] [Accepted: 05/31/2011] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Somatoform disorder patients suffer from impaired emotion recognition and other emotional deficits. Emotional empathy refers to the understanding and sharing of emotions of others in social contexts. It is likely that the emotional deficits of somatoform disorder patients are linked to disturbed empathic abilities; however, little is known so far about empathic deficits of somatoform patients and the underlying neural mechanisms. We used fMRI and an empathy paradigm to investigate 20 somatoform disorder patients and 20 healthy controls. The empathy paradigm contained facial pictures expressing anger, joy, disgust, and a neutral emotional state; a control condition contained unrecognizable stimuli. In addition, questionnaires testing for somatization, alexithymia, depression, empathy, and emotion recognition were applied. Behavioral results confirmed impaired emotion recognition in somatoform disorder and indicated a rather distinct pattern of empathic deficits of somatoform patients with specific difficulties in "empathic distress." In addition, somatoform patients revealed brain areas with diminished activity in the contrasts "all emotions"-"control," "anger"-"control," and "joy"-"control," whereas we did not find brain areas with altered activity in the contrasts "disgust"-"control" and "neutral"-"control." Significant clusters with less activity in somatoform patients included the bilateral parahippocampal gyrus, the left amygdala, the left postcentral gyrus, the left superior temporal gyrus, the left posterior insula, and the bilateral cerebellum. These findings indicate that disturbed emotional empathy of somatoform disorder patients is linked to impaired emotion recognition and abnormal activity of brain regions responsible for emotional evaluation, emotional memory, and emotion generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz de Greck
- Department of Psychology, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Beijing 100871, China.
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Saperia NJG, Swartzman LC. Openness to psychological explanations and treatment among people with Fibromyalgia versusRheumatoid Arthritis. Psychol Health 2012; 27:310-23. [DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2011.563852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Martin A, Rief W. Relevance of cognitive and behavioral factors in medically unexplained syndromes and somatoform disorders. Psychiatr Clin North Am 2011; 34:565-78. [PMID: 21889679 DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2011.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Martin
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Schwabachanlage 6, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L Levenson
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Ricmond, VA 23298, USA.
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de Greck M, Scheidt L, Bölter AF, Frommer J, Ulrich C, Stockum E, Enzi B, Tempelmann C, Hoffmann T, Northoff G. Multimodal psychodynamic psychotherapy induces normalization of reward related activity in somatoform disorder. World J Biol Psychiatry 2011; 12:296-308. [PMID: 21198419 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2010.539269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Somatoform disorder patients demonstrate a disturbance in the balance between internal and external information processing, with a decreased focus on external stimulus processing. We investigated brain activity of somatoform disorder patients, during the processing of rewarding external events, paying particular attention to the effects of inpatient multimodal psychodynamic psychotherapy. METHODS Using fMRI, we applied a reward task that required fast reactions to a target stimulus in order to obtain monetary rewards; a control condition contained responses without the opportunity to gain rewards. Twenty acute somatoform disorder patients were compared with twenty age-matched healthy controls. In addition, 15 patients underwent a second scanning session after participation in multimodal psychodynamic psychotherapy. RESULTS Acute patients showed diminished hemodynamic differentiation between rewarding and non rewarding events in four regions, including the left postcentral gyrus and the right ventroposterior thalamus. After multimodal psychodynamic psychotherapy, both regions showed a significant normalization of neuronal differentiation. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that diminished responsiveness of brain regions involved in the processing of external stimuli underlies the disturbed balance of internal and external processing of somatoform disorder patients. By providing new approaches to cope with distressing events, multimodal psychodynamic psychotherapy led to decreased symptoms and normalization of neuronal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz de Greck
- Department of Psychology, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Beijing 100871, China.
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28
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Thomas JJ, Borrayo EA. An Examination of Moderators of Perceived Stress and Illness Behavior. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.4236/psych.2011.26091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Rief W. Painting the picture of distressing somatic symptoms. J Psychosom Res 2010; 68:1-3. [PMID: 20004294 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2009.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2009] [Revised: 11/02/2009] [Accepted: 11/03/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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