Suicidality and relation with dissociation and alexithymia in PNES and conversion disorder
Introduction Amongst different subtypes of Conversion Disorder (CD), DSM-V lists the Psychogenic Non-epileptic seizures (PNES). PNES are defined as episodes that visually resemble epileptic seizures but, etiologically, they are not due to electrical discharges in the brain. Objectives Our study...
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Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821015765/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797617489037754368 |
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| author | L. Longo T. Jannini M. Merlo C. Bombacci M.R. Biancolino R. Rossi E. Di Carlo C. Niolu A. Siracusano G. Di Lorenzo |
| author_facet | L. Longo T. Jannini M. Merlo C. Bombacci M.R. Biancolino R. Rossi E. Di Carlo C. Niolu A. Siracusano G. Di Lorenzo |
| author_sort | L. Longo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Amongst different subtypes of Conversion Disorder (CD), DSM-V lists the Psychogenic Non-epileptic seizures (PNES). PNES are defined as episodes that visually resemble epileptic seizures but, etiologically, they are not due to electrical discharges in the brain.
Objectives
Our study aims to explore the differences between PNES and other CDs. In particular, we studied the suicidality and its correlations with dissociation and alexithymia.
Methods
Patients, recruited from the Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology Unit of the Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, were diagnosed with PNES (n=22) and CD (n=16) using the DSM-5 criteria. Patients underwent the following clinical assessments: HAM-D, BDI, DES, BHS, TAS, CTQ.
Results
PNES showed significantly higher scores than CD in all assessments, except for BDI-somatic (p=0.39), BHS-feeling (p=0.86), and the presence of childhood trauma. PNES also showed significantly higher suicidality (p = 0.003). By controlling for the confounding factor “depression”, in PNES suicidality (and in particular the BHS-loss of motivation) appears to be correlated with DES-total score (p = 0.008), DES-amnesia (p = 0.002) and DES -derealization-depersonalization (p = 0.003). On the other hand, in CDs, the BHS-total score shows a correlation with the TAS-total score (p = 0.03) and BHS-Feelings with TAS-Externally-Oriented Thinking (p = 0.035), while only the BHS-Loss of motivation appears correlated with DES-Absorption (p = 0.011).
Conclusions
Our study shows significant differences between PNES and CD, in several symptomatologic dimensions, including suicidality. Indeed, in PNES suicidality appears to be related to dissociation, while in CDs it appears mainly to be correlated with alexithymia.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:56:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6b02df1e91004d4c861ff146de2806d9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:56:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-6b02df1e91004d4c861ff146de2806d92023-11-17T05:05:38ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S591S59110.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1576Suicidality and relation with dissociation and alexithymia in PNES and conversion disorderL. Longo0T. Jannini1M. Merlo2C. Bombacci3M.R. Biancolino4R. Rossi5E. Di Carlo6C. Niolu7A. Siracusano8G. Di Lorenzo9Department Of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyDepartment Of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyDepartment Of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyDepartment Of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyDepartment Of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyDepartment Of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyDepartment Of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyDepartment Of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyDepartment Of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, ItalyDepartment Of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy Introduction Amongst different subtypes of Conversion Disorder (CD), DSM-V lists the Psychogenic Non-epileptic seizures (PNES). PNES are defined as episodes that visually resemble epileptic seizures but, etiologically, they are not due to electrical discharges in the brain. Objectives Our study aims to explore the differences between PNES and other CDs. In particular, we studied the suicidality and its correlations with dissociation and alexithymia. Methods Patients, recruited from the Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology Unit of the Fondazione Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy, were diagnosed with PNES (n=22) and CD (n=16) using the DSM-5 criteria. Patients underwent the following clinical assessments: HAM-D, BDI, DES, BHS, TAS, CTQ. Results PNES showed significantly higher scores than CD in all assessments, except for BDI-somatic (p=0.39), BHS-feeling (p=0.86), and the presence of childhood trauma. PNES also showed significantly higher suicidality (p = 0.003). By controlling for the confounding factor “depression”, in PNES suicidality (and in particular the BHS-loss of motivation) appears to be correlated with DES-total score (p = 0.008), DES-amnesia (p = 0.002) and DES -derealization-depersonalization (p = 0.003). On the other hand, in CDs, the BHS-total score shows a correlation with the TAS-total score (p = 0.03) and BHS-Feelings with TAS-Externally-Oriented Thinking (p = 0.035), while only the BHS-Loss of motivation appears correlated with DES-Absorption (p = 0.011). Conclusions Our study shows significant differences between PNES and CD, in several symptomatologic dimensions, including suicidality. Indeed, in PNES suicidality appears to be related to dissociation, while in CDs it appears mainly to be correlated with alexithymia. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821015765/type/journal_articlePsychogenic non-epileptic seizuresSuicidalityPNESconversion disorder |
| spellingShingle | L. Longo T. Jannini M. Merlo C. Bombacci M.R. Biancolino R. Rossi E. Di Carlo C. Niolu A. Siracusano G. Di Lorenzo Suicidality and relation with dissociation and alexithymia in PNES and conversion disorder European Psychiatry Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures Suicidality PNES conversion disorder |
| title | Suicidality and relation with dissociation and alexithymia in PNES and conversion disorder |
| title_full | Suicidality and relation with dissociation and alexithymia in PNES and conversion disorder |
| title_fullStr | Suicidality and relation with dissociation and alexithymia in PNES and conversion disorder |
| title_full_unstemmed | Suicidality and relation with dissociation and alexithymia in PNES and conversion disorder |
| title_short | Suicidality and relation with dissociation and alexithymia in PNES and conversion disorder |
| title_sort | suicidality and relation with dissociation and alexithymia in pnes and conversion disorder |
| topic | Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures Suicidality PNES conversion disorder |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821015765/type/journal_article |
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