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Benfante A, Romeo A. Alexithymia Among People Living with HIV: A Scoping Review. AIDS Behav 2022; 27:1926-1941. [PMID: 36367612 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-022-03926-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The present scoping review aimed to identify studies that investigated alexithymia, defined as a difficulty in identifying and describing one's own emotions, in people living with HIV (PLWH).A literature search, in line with the guidelines of PRISMA-ScR, was conducted in the following bibliographic databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. The databases were queried using the following strings (using Boolean operators): ("alexithymia" OR "alexithymic") AND ("HIV" OR "Human Immunodeficiency Virus"). In line with the eligibility criteria, fourteen articles were found.Ten studies showed the involvement of alexithymia in disease severity (e.g., viral load levels), and adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Three studies revealed an association between alexithymia and cardiovascular disease, and three studies highlighted the implication of alexithymia in cognitive impairment.This review revealed the complex role of alexithymia in HIV disease. A careful clinical assessment of the emotional regulation process of PLWH can provide useful prognostic information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Benfante
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124, Turin, Italy
| | - Annunziata Romeo
- Department of Psychology, University of Turin, Via Verdi 10, 10124, Turin, Italy.
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2
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Cerebellum, Embodied Emotions, and Psychological Traits. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1378:255-269. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-99550-8_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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3
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Wang Z, Chen M, Goerlich KS, Aleman A, Xu P, Luo Y. Deficient auditory emotion processing but intact emotional multisensory integration in alexithymia. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13806. [PMID: 33742708 PMCID: PMC9285530 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Alexithymia has been associated with emotion recognition deficits in both auditory and visual domains. Although emotions are inherently multimodal in daily life, little is known regarding abnormalities of emotional multisensory integration (eMSI) in relation to alexithymia. Here, we employed an emotional Stroop‐like audiovisual task while recording event‐related potentials (ERPs) in individuals with high alexithymia levels (HA) and low alexithymia levels (LA). During the task, participants had to indicate whether a voice was spoken in a sad or angry prosody while ignoring the simultaneously presented static face which could be either emotionally congruent or incongruent to the human voice. We found that HA performed worse and showed higher P2 amplitudes than LA independent of emotion congruency. Furthermore, difficulties in identifying and describing feelings were positively correlated with the P2 component, and P2 correlated negatively with behavioral performance. Bayesian statistics showed no group differences in eMSI and classical integration‐related ERP components (N1 and N2). Although individuals with alexithymia indeed showed deficits in auditory emotion recognition as indexed by decreased performance and higher P2 amplitudes, the present findings suggest an intact capacity to integrate emotional information from multiple channels in alexithymia. Our work provides valuable insights into the relationship between alexithymia and neuropsychological mechanisms of emotional multisensory integration. Our behavioral and electrophysiological data provide substantial evidence for intact emotion multisensory integration in relation to alexithymia. With high ecological validity, these findings are of particular importance given that humans are constantly exposed to competing, complex audiovisual emotional information in social interaction contexts. Our work has important implications for the psychophysiology of alexithymia and emotional processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Cognitive Neuroscience, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mai Chen
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Katharina S Goerlich
- Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Cognitive Neuroscience, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - André Aleman
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Biomedical Sciences of Cells & Systems, Section Cognitive Neuroscience, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Pengfei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Learning, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,Center for Neuroimaging, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China.,Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Research Institute for Neuroscience and Neurotechnologies, Kwun Tong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yuejia Luo
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Neuroscience, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,State Key Laboratory of Cognitive and Learning, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,The Research Center of Brain Science and Visual Cognition, Medical School, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China.,Center for Neuroimaging, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China
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4
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Ridout N, Smith J, Hawkins H. The influence of alexithymia on memory for emotional faces and realistic social interactions. Cogn Emot 2020; 35:540-558. [PMID: 32268841 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2020.1747991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
High levels of alexithymia are typically associated with impaired memory for emotional, but not neutral words. We conducted two experimental studies to establish if this effect generalises to non-verbal socially relevant stimuli. Thirty-nine female undergraduates (Study 1) viewed faces with different expressions (neutral, angry, happy or sad) and 38 female students (Study 2) viewed videos of realistic social interactions (featuring anger, happiness, sadness or neutral affect). Participants were asked to identify the emotion portrayed and were subsequently given an intentional recognition memory test for the stimuli. They also completed self-report measures of alexithymia and mood (depression & anxiety). In Study 1, memory for emotional (especially angry), but not neutral faces was negatively related to the "difficulty describing feelings" facet of alexithymia. In Study 2, memory for emotional (particularly those featuring anger), but not neutral videos was negatively related to the "difficulty identifying feelings" and "externally oriented thinking" facets of alexithymia. In both studies, these memory deficits were independent of the effects of age and mood. Furthermore, the deficits appear to be most evident in the conscious recollection of the emotional stimuli. Our findings confirm that the memory deficit for emotional words in alexithymia generalises to important non-verbal socially relevant stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Ridout
- Department of Psychology, School of Life & Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jade Smith
- Department of Psychology, School of Life & Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
| | - Holly Hawkins
- Department of Psychology, School of Life & Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK
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5
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Bergman MA, Vissers CTWM, Collard RM, van Eijndhoven P, Schene AH, Vrijsen JN. The Effect of Alexithymia on Attentional Bias Toward Emotional Stimuli in Depression: An Eye-Tracking Study. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:569946. [PMID: 33679459 PMCID: PMC7925401 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.569946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Alexithymia-reflecting deficits in cognitive emotion processing-is highly prevalent in individuals with depressive disorders. Subsequently, mixed evidence for attentional bias is found in these individuals. Alexithymia may be a potential influencing factor for attentional bias in depression. In the current study, 83 currently depressed (CD) and 76 never-depressed (ND) controls completed an eye-tracker task consisting of valenced (non)-social pictures. Alexithymia scores were also included as a moderator as both a continuous and categorical measure (so high vs. low alexithymia). No group difference or moderating effect of alexithymia was found on attentional bias. Thus, alexithymic symptoms, included both dimensionally and categorically, may not influence biased attentional processing in depression compared to ND individuals. Thus, it is important to explore other potential explaining factors for the equivocal results found on biased attentional processing of emotional information in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Annemiek Bergman
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Constance Th W M Vissers
- Royal Dutch Kentalis, Kentalis Academy, Sint-Michielsgestel, Netherlands.,Radboud University Nijmegen, Behavioural Science Institute, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Rose M Collard
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Philip van Eijndhoven
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Aart H Schene
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Janna N Vrijsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Donders Center for Medical Neuroscience, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Pro Persona Mental Health Care, Depression Expertise Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Riadh O, Naoufel O, Rejeb MRB, Le Gall D. Neuro-cognitive correlates of alexithymia in patients with circumscribed prefrontal cortex damage. Neuropsychologia 2019; 135:107228. [PMID: 31634488 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Alexithymia has been extensively reported in studies of psychiatric patients. However, little attention has been paid regarding its occurrence in the context of patients with circumscribed prefrontal cortex lesions. Moreover, the neuro-cognitive impairments that lead to alexithymia remain unclear and limited numbers of studies have addressed these issues. The authors investigated the impact of prefrontal cortex lesions on alexithymia and its neuro-cognitive correlates in a population of 20 patients with focal frontal lesions, 10 patients with parietal lesions and 34 matched control participants. Alexithymia was screened using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and executive functions were assessed using a large battery of executive tasks that address inhibition, flexibility and the planning process. Results showed that patients with prefrontal cortex damage showed significantly increased difficulty in facets of identifying feelings (DIF) and externally oriented thinking (EOT) on TAS-20, compared to parietal patients and control participants. Moreover, both correlation and regression analysis revealed that higher alexithymia levels on the three facets of TAS-20 were consistently but differentially associated with impairment in inhibition, flexibility and planning tasks for frontal patients and both control groups. These findings provide clinical evidence of the implication of prefrontal cortex damage and executive control in alexithymia. Our results were also discussed in the light of the cognitive appraisal concept as a mechanism involved in emotion episode processing. This study suggests that increased neuropsychological attention should be directed to the relation between the neuro-cognitive model of executive functions and cognitive appraisal theory in processing emotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ouerchefani Riadh
- University of Tunis El Manar, High Institute of Human Sciences, 26 Boulevard Darghouth Pacha, Tunis, Tunisia; University of Angers, Laboratory of Psychology of Pays de La Loire (EA 4638), 5 Bis, Boulevard Lavoisier, 49045, Angers, Cedex 01, France.
| | - Ouerchefani Naoufel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Foch Hospital, 40 Rue Worth, 92151, Suresnes, France.
| | - Mohamed Riadh Ben Rejeb
- University of Tunis I, Faculty of Human and Social Science of Tunisia, Boulvard 9 Avril, C.P. 1007, Tunis, Tunisia.
| | - Didier Le Gall
- University of Angers, Laboratory of Psychology of Pays de La Loire (EA 4638), 5 Bis, Boulevard Lavoisier, 49045, Angers, Cedex 01, France.
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Correro AN, Paitel ER, Byers SJ, Nielson KA. The role of alexithymia in memory and executive functioning across the lifespan. Cogn Emot 2019; 35:524-539. [PMID: 31456477 DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2019.1659232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alexithymia is a personality trait characterised by difficulties identifying feelings (DIF), describing feelings (DDF), and externally oriented thinking (EOT). Alexithymia has been associated with poorer memory, at least for emotive materials, and recently, with executive and neural dysfunction. Aging is also accompanied by poorer memory and executive functioning (EF), neural dysfunction, and increasing alexithymia. Thus, the hypothesis of a general cognitive impairment in alexithymia, particularly in elders, needs investigation. Three large, independent, cross-sectional experiments (n = 296, 139 and 121, respectively) investigated memory and EF in healthy adults, ranging from young to old adulthood, with age, sex, and the three Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 subscales (DIF, DDF, EOT) as predictors in hierarchical regressions. Across studies, alexithymia contributed to poorer memory (via EOT) and EF (via DIF), in younger and older adults. Additionally, these effects occurred in non-emotive contexts with neutral stimuli. Moreover, although memory was worse with greater age and poor EF contributed to poor memory, those who had both high EOT and poor EF had particularly poor memory. Thus, alexithymia (particularly via high DIF or high EOT) is a risk factor for age-related cognitive decline. Further research should clarify the direction and nature of these complex relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Steven J Byers
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Kristy A Nielson
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA.,Department of Neurology and the Center for Imaging Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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8
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Addressing Evidence Linking Secondary Alexithymia to Aberrant Humor Processing. Behav Neurol 2019; 2019:1803624. [PMID: 31396292 PMCID: PMC6668559 DOI: 10.1155/2019/1803624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, we explore current literature and assess evidence linking secondary (acquired) alexithymia to aberrant humor processing, in terms of their neurobiological underpinnings. In addition, we suggest a possible common neuropathological substrate between secondary alexithymia and deficits in humor appreciation, by drawing on neurophysiologic and neuroradiological evidence, as well as on a recent and unique single-case study showing the cooccurrence of secondary alexithymia and deficit in humor appreciation. In summary, what emerges from the literature is that the cortical midline structures, in particular the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and the insular cortex, seem to play a crucial role in the expression of both alexithymia and defective humor processing, while though to a lesser extent, a right hemisphere and bilateral frontoparietal contribution becomes evident. Neurobiological evidence of secondary alexithymia and aberrant humor processing points to the putative role of ACC/mPFC and the insular cortex in representing crucial processing nodes whose damage may produce both the above clinical conditions. We believe that the association of secondary alexithymia and aberrant humor processing, especially humor appreciation deficit, and their correlation with specific brain regions, mainly ACG/mPFC, as emerged from the literature, may be of some heuristic importance. Increased awareness on this topic may be of aid for neurosurgeons when accessing emotion-relevant structures, as well as for neuropsychologists to intensify their efforts to plan evidence-based neurorehabilitative interventions to alleviate the deleterious effects of such interpersonal communication deficits.
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9
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Zhang L, Wang X, Zhu Y, Li H, Zhu C, Yu F, Wang K. Selective impairment of decision making under ambiguity in alexithymia. BMC Psychiatry 2017; 17:378. [PMID: 29179707 PMCID: PMC5704455 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-017-1537-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alexithymia is characterised by difficulties identifying and describing emotions. Few studies have investigated how alexithymia influences decision-making under different conditions (ambiguity and risk). This study aimed to examine whether alexithymia contributes to impairment in decision-making. METHOD This study included 42 participants with high scores in the Chinese version of Toronto Alexithymia Scale (alexithymia group), and 44 matched subjects with low scores (control group). Decision-making was measured using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and the Game of Dice Task (GDT). RESULTS The main findings of this study revealed selective deficits in IGT performance for the alexithymia group, while GDT performance was unimpaired when compared with the control group. In IGT, total netscores were lower for the alexithymia group compared to the control group, particularly with regard to block 5. Moreover, the alexithymia individuals selected significantly more adverse cards than the controls, indicating significant decision-making impairments. CONCLUSION Alexithymia selectively influences decision-making under ambiguity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- 0000 0000 9490 772Xgrid.186775.aDepartment of Medical Psychology, Chaohu Clinical Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China ,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Hefei, Anhui Province China ,0000 0000 9490 772Xgrid.186775.aAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Xue Wang
- 0000 0000 9490 772Xgrid.186775.aDepartment of Medical Psychology, Chaohu Clinical Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China ,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Hefei, Anhui Province China
| | - Yu Zhu
- 0000 0000 9490 772Xgrid.186775.aDepartment of Medical Psychology, Chaohu Clinical Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China ,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Hefei, Anhui Province China
| | - Hongchen Li
- 0000 0000 9490 772Xgrid.186775.aDepartment of Medical Psychology, Chaohu Clinical Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China ,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Hefei, Anhui Province China
| | - Chunyan Zhu
- 0000 0000 9490 772Xgrid.186775.aDepartment of Medical Psychology, Chaohu Clinical Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China ,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Hefei, Anhui Province China ,0000 0000 9490 772Xgrid.186775.aAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Fengqiong Yu
- 0000 0000 9490 772Xgrid.186775.aDepartment of Medical Psychology, Chaohu Clinical Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China ,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Hefei, Anhui Province China ,0000 0000 9490 772Xgrid.186775.aAnhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Department of Medical Psychology, Chaohu Clinical Medical College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China. .,Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China. .,Collaborative Innovation Center of Neuropsychiatric Disorder and Mental Health, Hefei, Anhui Province, China. .,Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Cognition and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
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10
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Santorelli GD, Ready RE. Alexithymia and Executive Function in Younger and Older Adults. Clin Neuropsychol 2015; 29:938-55. [DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2015.1123296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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11
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Cortese S, Comencini E, Vincenzi B, Speranza M, Angriman M. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and impairment in executive functions: a barrier to weight loss in individuals with obesity? BMC Psychiatry 2013; 13:286. [PMID: 24200119 PMCID: PMC4226281 DOI: 10.1186/1471-244x-13-286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2013] [Accepted: 07/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing body of research points to a significant association of obesity to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and deficits in executive functions. There is also preliminary evidence suggesting that children with ADHD may be at risk of obesity in adulthood. DISCUSSION In this article, we discuss the evidence showing that ADHD and/or deficits in executive functions are a barrier to a successful weight control in individuals enrolled in weight loss programs. Impairing symptoms of ADHD or deficits in executive functions may foster dysregulated eating behaviors, such as binge eating, emotionally-induced eating or eating in the absence of hunger, which, in turn, may contribute to unsuccessful weight loss. ADHD-related behaviors or neurocognitive impairment may also hamper a regular and structured physical activity. There is initial research showing that treatment of comorbid ADHD and executive functions training significantly improve the outcome of obesity in individuals with comorbid ADHD or impairment in executive functions. SUMMARY Preliminary evidence suggests that comorbid ADHD and deficits in executive functions are a barrier to a successful weight loss in individuals involved in obesity treatment programs. If further methodologically sound evidence confirms this relationship, screening and effectively managing comorbid ADHD and/or executive functions deficits in individuals with obesity might have the potential to reduce not only the burden of ADHD but also the obesity epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuele Cortese
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, G, B, Rossi Hospital, Department of Life Science and Reproduction, Verona University, Verona, Italy.
| | - Erika Comencini
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, G. B. Rossi Hospital, Department of Life Science and Reproduction, Verona University, Verona, Italy
| | - Brenda Vincenzi
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Schizophrenia Clinical and Research Program, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mario Speranza
- EA4047, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Versailles, France,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Versailles General Hospital, Le Chesnay, France
| | - Marco Angriman
- Child Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Central Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
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12
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Zhang L, Ye R, Yu F, Cao Z, Zhu C, Cai Z, Hu P, Pu H, Wang K. How does emotional context modulate response inhibition in alexithymia: electrophysiological evidence from an ERP study. PLoS One 2012; 7:e51110. [PMID: 23227242 PMCID: PMC3515526 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2012] [Accepted: 10/29/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Alexithymia, characterized by difficulties in identifying and describing feelings, is highly indicative of a broad range of psychiatric disorders. Several studies have also discovered the response inhibition ability impairment in alexithymia. However, few studies on alexithymic individuals have specifically examined how emotional context modulates response inhibition procedure. In order to investigate emotion cognition interaction in alexithymia, we analyzed the spatiao-temporal features of such emotional response inhibition by the approaches of event-related potentials and neural source-localization. Method The study participants included 15 subjects with high alexithymia scores on the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (alexithymic group) and 15 matched subjects with low alexithymia scores (control group). Subjects were instructed to perform a modified emotional Go/Nogo task while their continuous electroencephalography activities were synchronously recorded. The task includes 3 categories of emotional contexts (positive, negative and neutral) and 2 letters (“M” and “W”) centered in the screen. Participants were told to complete go and nogo actions based on the letters. We tested the influence of alexithymia in this emotional Go/Nogo task both in behavioral level and related neural activities of N2 and P3 ERP components. Results We found that negatively valenced context elicited larger central P3 amplitudes of the Nogo–Go difference wave in the alexithymic group than in the control group. Furthermore, source-localization analyses implicated the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as the neural generator of the Nogo-P3. Conclusion These findings suggest that difficulties in identifying feelings, particularly in negative emotions, is a major feature of alexithymia, and the ACC plays a critical role in emotion-modulated response inhibition related to alexithymia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Department of Medical Psychology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Rong Ye
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Department of Medical Psychology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fengqiong Yu
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Department of Medical Psychology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhaolun Cao
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Department of Medical Psychology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chunyan Zhu
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Department of Medical Psychology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhu Cai
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Department of Medical Psychology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Panpan Hu
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hui Pu
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China
| | - Kai Wang
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Department of Medical Psychology, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China
- * E-mail:
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