Alexithymia, body mass index and gestational diabetes in pregnant women - FinnBrain birth cohort study

Nausea and vomiting during pregnancy: a possible correlation with obsessive compulsive disorder and alexithymia

The possible correlation between nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (NVP) with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and alexithymia were examined in this cross-sectional study. A cohort of pregnant women at the first trimester of pregnancy experiencing NVP were divided into three groups, according to severity (mild, moderate and severe) with the Pregnancy Unique Quantification of Emesis and Nausea (PUQE) test. The Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Scale (MOCQ) and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) were applied. Scores of scales were compared in all three groups, and the relationship between NVP severity and OCD and alexithymia was evaluated. On the 110 enrolled pregnant women, 42 had mild, 36 had moderate and 32 had severe NVP. Pregnant women with mild NVP had lower MOCQ scores than those with severe NVP (p = .010). Total scores of TAS-20 were higher among subjects with greater NVP severity (p < .001). PUQE scores were demonstrated significant correlations with MOCQ and total and subsection scores of the TAS-20, regardless of NVP groups. Study results showed that women with more pronounced OCD and/or alexithymia can experience somatic complaints, such as NVP, particularly intense in their first trimester of pregnancies. For this reason, psychotherapy in addition to medical treatments could be recommended to pregnant women with severe NVP.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? NVP is a condition experienced by most women, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy, which can be affected by the psychosomatic condition of the pregnant woman.What do the results of this study add? The severity of nausea and vomiting according to PUQE test were significantly associated with OCD and alexithymia presence in pregnant women during their first trimester period.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? These findings might demonstrate the symptoms of NVP are correlated to OCD, as well as alexithymia. Longitudinal studies are required to demonstrate the clear causal relationship between NVP and psychiatric symptoms as in OCD and in alexithymia.

Ideal cardiovascular health in adolescents and young adults is associated with alexithymia over two decades later: Findings from the cardiovascular risk in Young Finns Study: Department: Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

We evaluated the association of cardiovascular health in adolescence and young adulthood with alexithymia 25 years later. The study sample (n = 1122) participated in evaluations conducted in 1986 (baseline) and in 2011-2012 (T2). Baseline health factors and behaviors were assessed utilizing seven ideal cardiovascular health metrics (ICH index) including blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, smoking, physical activity, body-mass-index, and diet. The stability of the ICH index was evaluated with corresponding assessments in 2007 (T1). At T2, alexithymia was measured with the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The main analyses were conducted using ANCOVA and adjusted for depression, age, and present social and lifestyle factors. TAS-20 subscales, Difficulty Identifying Feelings (DIF), Difficulty Describing Feelings (DDF), and Externally Oriented Thinking, were analyzed separately. The ICH index was significantly associated with the TAS-20 total score, as well as both with DIF and DDF. A less ideal cardiovascular health was associated with higher alexithymia scores. However, regarding the separate factors, only the association between non-ideal dietary habits and DIF was significant in the multivariate analyses. The baseline ICH index score was stable from baseline to T1. We conclude that non-ideal cardiovascular lifestyle habits in adolescence and young adulthood are significantly associated with later alexithymia.

Alexithymic Traits and Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Pregnant Women

INTRODUCTION

Alexithymia, a personality construct characterized by difficulties in identifying and expressing emotions, and an externally oriented thinking style, has been associated with a number of stress-related disorders, and physiological markers of stress. We examined the relationships of alexithymia and hair cortisol concentrations (HCC), a measure of long-term cortisol levels, in pregnant women.

METHODS

Participants were 130 women from the FinnBrain Birth Cohort study. Alexithymia was measured with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Analysis of covariance and regression analyses were used to assess the associations between alexithymia and HCC. Educational level, current depressive symptoms, and body mass index (BMI) were applied as covariates.

RESULTS

In the adjusted analyses, individuals with moderate to high alexithymic traits had significantly higher HCC (F = 5.11, partial η² = 0.040 , p = 0.026) compared to non-alexithymics. Regression analyses in the whole sample revealed that, of the individual dimensions of alexithymia, Difficulty Identifying Feelings (DIF) was associated with HCC (β = 0.187, t = 2.064, p = 0.041).

CONCLUSIONS

Alexithymia, and especially its dimension DIF, were associated with higher HCC and, therefore, may be linked to increased chronic physiological stress. Implications for pregnancy outcomes and infant development are discussed.