ABSTRACT
This paper tries to summarize the results of studies from different areas of knowledge supporting the idea that temperamental traits, such as "reckless/hyper-exploratory" attitudes, commonly believed to be associated with psychopathology, surprisingly turn out as adaptive under specific stress conditions. In particular, this paper analyzes an ethologic line of research on primates suggesting models for a sociobiological interpretation of mood disorders in humans; a study that found high frequencies of a genetic variance associated with bipolar disorder in people without bipolar disorder but with hyperactivity/novelty-seeking traits; the outcomes of socio-anthropological-historical surveys on the evolution of mood disorders in Western countries in the last centuries; surveys on changing societies in Africa and African migrants in Sardinia; and studies that found higher frequencies of mania and subthreshold mania among Sardinian immigrants in Latin American megacities. Although it is not unequivocally accepted that the prevalence of mood disorders has increased, it would be logical to suppose that a nonadaptive condition should have disappeared over time; mood disorders, on the contrary, persist and their prevalence might have even increased. This new interpretation could lead to counter discrimination and stigma towards people suffering from the disorder and would be a central point in psychosocial treatments in addition to pharmacological therapy. Our aim is to hypothesize that bipolar disorder, strongly characterized by these traits, may be the result of the interaction between genetic characteristics, not necessarily pathological, and specific environmental conditions rather than a mere product of an aberrant genetic profile. If mood disorders were mere nonadaptive conditions, they would have disappeared over time; however, their prevalence paradoxically persists if not even increases over time. The hypothesis that bipolar disorder may result from the interaction between genetic characteristics, not necessarily pathological, and specific environmental factors seems more credible than considering bipolar disorder as a mere product of an aberrant genetic profile.
ABSTRACT
RESUMO Objetivo: Na prática clínica, é importante diferenciar problema e conflito, porque os passos sugeridos na técnica de resolução de problemas costumam não ser suficientes para auxiliar o cliente a lidar com conflitos. Esta revisão sistemática teve como objetivos: investigar como a terapia cognitivo-comportamental (TCC) pode auxiliar na resolução de problemas e na mediação de conflito; sugerir uma estratégia que favoreça a melhor capacidade de mediar conflitos (QPD). Métodos: Foi realizada uma busca nas bases de dados: PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science (ISI) e Scopus. O método prisma foi utilizado, e foram selecionados para leitura na íntegra artigos experimentais. Resultados: Trezentos e sessenta e quatro ensaios clínicos aplicaram a resolução de problemas, apontando a eficácia dessa técnica juntamente com outras estratégias/intervenções da TCC. Livros-guias de TCC: não diferenciam problema e conflito; descrevem detalhadamente passos para resolução de problemas, focando na perspectiva do cliente, no momento presente e no uso da razão lógica; não abordam a mediação de conflitos pela TCC. Sugerimos uma estratégia que pode ajudar na mediação de conflitos: auxiliando na coleta/organização de informações; melhorando a comunicação - empática e assertiva; favorecendo escolhas com o intuito de causar o menor dano possível a todas as partes envolvidas no conflito. Conclusões: Para treinar terapeutas para aplicarem a resolução de problemas, há descrição detalhada dos passos a serem seguidos. Entretanto, para capacitar os terapeutas para mediarem conflitos, práticas clínicas que têm sido frequentemente descritas/utilizadas nas terapias cognitivas contextuais podem ser necessárias: aceitação psicológica, mindfulness , entender valores individuais, vivenciar/considerar a emoção em tomadas de decisão, ativar a compaixão/autocompaixão.
ABSTRACT Objective: It is important to differentiate between problem and conflict in clinical practice, because the steps suggested in the problem-solving technique are usually not enough to help patients deal with conflicts. This systematic review aimed to: investigate how cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can help in problem solving and conflict mediation; suggest a strategy that can improve conflict mediate skills (QPD). Methods: A search was performed in the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of science (ISI) and Scopus. Prisma flow diagram was used and experimental articles were selected for full reading. Results: Three hundred and sixty four clinical trials applied problem solving, showing the effectiveness of this technique with other CBT strategies/interventions. CBT guide books: do not differentiate between problem and conflict; describe in detail problem solving steps, focusing on the customer's perspective, the present moment and the use of logical reason; do not explore conflict mediation in the CBT. We suggest a strategy that can help in the mediation of conflicts: assisting in the collection/organization of information; improving communication - empathic and assertive; favoring choices that can cause the least possible harm to all parties in the conflict. Conclusions: There is detailed description of the steps to train therapists to apply problem solving. However, to improve therapeutic skills to mediate conflicts, clinical practices that have been frequently described/used in the contextual cognitive behavioral therapies may be necessary: psychological acceptance, mindfulness, understanding personal values, experiencing/considering emotion in decision making, activating compassion/self-compassion.
ABSTRACT
Abstract Humanity is sporadically subjected to leaders with deviant behavior, ego problems, or psychiatric disorders, potentially leading to social instability. Bipolar disorder is not common in all populations, but, coincidentally, studies suggest that it affected two sovereigns that were contemporaries, King George III of England, who died 201 years ago, and Queen Maria I of Portugal, who died 205 years ago. They lived during a time when Europe was in turmoil with the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, which also coincided with the rise of psychiatry. Both monarchs were forced to have prince regents rule in their place, due to their emotional decline, and they shared the same medical consultant, Francis Willis.
ABSTRACT
Dream-reality confusion (DRC) is the consequence of hypnagogic content confusion with real events and memories. Narcoleptic subjects eventually have DRC and can be misdiagnosed as schizophrenic or with another disorder with delusional or hallucinatory symptoms. Although dream-related experiences and hallucinatory perception share neurophysiological pathways, they are phenomenologically distinct. The lack of phenomenological intentionality in Dreamrelated perceptions, the different cognitive pathways for delusion generation, and other differences between mental disorders psychopathology, and DRC-related phenomena are here discussed. The lived world and awake experience interpretation, and dream neurobiology in narcoleptic subjects related to DRC, might indicate some hints for the mind-brain gap issue that still exists in neurology and psychiatry.
A confusão entre realidade e sonho (CRS) é a consequência da confusão do conteúdo hipnagógico com eventos e memórias reais. Sujeitos narcolépticos eventualmente têm CRS e podem ser diagnosticados erroneamente como esquizofrênicos ou com outro transtorno com sintomas delirantes ou alucinatórios. Embora as experiências relacionadas ao sonho e à percepção alucinatória compartilhem vias neurofisiológicas, elas são fenomenologicamente distintas. A falta de intencionalidade fenomenológica nas percepções relacionadas ao sonho, as diferentes vias cognitivas para a geração do delírio e outras diferenças entre a psicopatologia dos transtornos mentais e os fenômenos relacionados à CRS são discutidos aqui. A interpretação do mundo vivido e da experiência de vigília, e a neurobiologia dos sonhos em sujeitos narcolépticos relacionados à CRS, podem indicar algumas dicas para a questão do gap mente-cérebro que ainda existe na neurologia e na psiquiatria.
Subject(s)
Humans , Confusion/psychology , Sleep Arousal Disorders , Dreams/psychology , Narcolepsy/diagnosis , Narcolepsy/psychology , REM Sleep Parasomnias , Diagnosis, Differential , Hallucinations/psychologyABSTRACT
Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the body sway response in specific phobia (SP) patients and healthy controls while viewing neutral, phobic, and disgusting images. Methods: The participants' heart rate (HR) and skin conductance were also recorded during the procedure. Nineteen patients with arachnophobia and 19 healthy volunteers matched by age, gender, and years of education underwent a postural control test on a stabilometric platform. Results: The platform recorded increased body sway in the SP group when exposed to spider images (SPI). The SP group presented increases in most parameters (SD, velocity, frequency, area, p ≤ 0.05) when viewing pictures of the SPI category. Psychometric measures of subjective anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, STAI) and physiological states (HR; skin conductance responses; spontaneous fluctuations in skin conductance) showed increased anxiety (p ≤ 0.05) in the SP group compared to healthy volunteers. High anxiety levels were observed throughout the assessment, including the task of exposure to SPI (p ≤ 0.05). No significant effect or correlation was found between skin conductance and body sway measures (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The results of the postural control test suggest the occurrence of a defensive escape response in SP, in agreement with previous evidence.
Subject(s)
Phobic Disorders , Spiders , Anxiety , Anxiety Disorders , Heart RateABSTRACT
Panic disorder (PD) pathophysiology is very heterogeneous, and the discrimination of distinct subtypes could be very useful. A subtype based on respiratory symptoms is known to constitute a specific subgroup. However, evidence to support the respiratory subtype (RS) as a distinct subgroup of PD with a well-defined phenotype remains controversial. Studies have focused on characterization of the RS based on symptoms and response to CO2. In this line, we described clinical and biological aspects focused on symptomatology and CO2 challenge tests in PD RS. The main symptoms that characterize RS are dyspnea (shortness of breath) and a choking sensation. Moreover, patients with the RS tended to be more responsive to CO2 challenge tests, which triggered more panic attacks in this subgroup. Future studies should focus on discriminating respiratory-related clusters and exploring psychophysiological and neuroimaging outcomes in order to provide robust evidence to confirm RS as a distinct subtype of PD.
Subject(s)
Humans , Carbon Dioxide/blood , Panic Disorder/physiopathology , Pulmonary Ventilation/physiology , Hyperventilation/physiopathology , Psychopathology , Psychophysiology , Panic Disorder/diagnosis , Panic Disorder/psychology , Dyspnea/etiology , Hyperventilation/diagnosis , Hyperventilation/psychologyABSTRACT
Objective: To determine whether people with a Sardinian genetic background who live in the megacities of South America have a higher frequency of hypomania than residents of Sardinia. Methods: A community survey of Sardinian immigrants was carried out in four Brazilian metropoles (n=218) and Buenos Aires (n=306). The results were compared with those of a study involving a similar methodology (Mood Disorder Questionnaire [MDQ] as a screening tool) conducted in seven Italian regions, including a sub-sample from Sardinia. Results: There was a higher prevalence of lifetime hypomania among Sardinians living in the Brazilian metropoles than among those living in Sardinia. This result was also consistent with Sardinian immigrants in Buenos Aires. After stratification by sex and age, the lifetime prevalence of MDQ scores ≥ 8 among Sardinians in South-American megacities and Sardinia was 8.6% vs. 2.9%, respectively (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The higher frequency of hypomania in migrant populations appears to favor an evolutionary view in which mood disorders may be a maladaptive aspect of a genetic background with adaptive characteristics.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Transients and Migrants/psychology , Bipolar Disorder/epidemiology , Argentina/epidemiology , Brazil/epidemiology , Cross-Cultural Comparison , Prevalence , Surveys and Questionnaires , Risk Factors , Cities/epidemiology , Sex Distribution , Age Distribution , Italy/ethnologyABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate body dissatisfaction and distorted body self-image in women with prolactinoma. Methods: Body dissatisfaction and distorted body self-image were evaluated in 80 women with prolactinoma. All patients were in menacme, 34% had normal body mass index (BMI), and 66% were overweight. Most patients (56.2%) had normal prolactin (PRL) levels and no hyperprolactinemia symptoms (52.5%). The Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) was used to assess the patients' dissatisfaction with and concern about their physical form, and the Stunkard Figure Rating Scale (FRS) was used to assess body dissatisfaction and distorted body self-image. The patients were divided according to PRL level (normal vs. elevated) and the presence or absence of prolactinoma symptoms. Results: The normal and elevated PRL groups had similar incidences of body dissatisfaction and distorted body self-image. However, symptomatic patients reported a higher incidence of dissatisfaction than asymptomatic patients. Distorted body self-image was less common among symptomatic patients. Conclusion: Symptomatic patients showed higher body dissatisfaction, but lower body self-image distortion. The presence of symptoms may have been responsible for increased body awareness. The perception of body shape could have triggered feelings of dissatisfaction compared to an ideal lean body. Therefore, a distorted body self-image might not necessarily result in body dissatisfaction in women with prolactinomas.