Updates on the psychological and psychiatric aspects of the Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and hypermobility spectrum disorders.

The field of the psychiatric and psychological aspects of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) has been understudied and neglected for many years. People with EDS are often classified as "somatizers" by untrained clinicians. However, research on the biological basis of EDS is improving our understanding of the physiology and psychopathology of the disorder. In this article, we consider the literature on the psychopathological dimensions associated with EDS as well as the EDS symptoms in psychiatric conditions since our review in 2017. Literature confirms that psychological processes (i.e., fear, emotional distress, or negative emotions) in EDS have a significant impact on the outcomes of EDS. Common systemic associations are found between anxiety disorders and EDS as well as significant correlations with neurodevelopmental, eating, mood, and sleep disorders. There is limited but increasing evidence of an association between EDS and suicidal thoughts and behaviors, which should be further explored. The broad spectrum of human anxiety and associated somatic symptoms (beyond anxiety disorders) appears to be the core of the psychopathology in EDS and therefore, detecting and assessing EDS might be a new opportunity for psychiatric nosology to develop more inclusive phenotypes like the Neuroconnective Phenotype that include both somatic and psychological manifestations.

Perspectivas hacia la psiquiatría de los estudiantes de medicina. Ocho años después / Views of psychiatry among medical students. Eight years after

Introducción. El objetivo de este estudio es observar si existen cambios en las opiniones de los estudiantes de medicina de la UAB hacia la psiquiatría en un período de ocho años. Sujetos y método. Mediante un diseño transversal, se administró el cuestionario de Balon et al (1999) a 90 estudiantes de medicina después de cursar la asignatura de psiquiatría en el año 2005. Los resultados de esta muestra se han comparado con un estudio previo llevado a cabo bajo las mismas condiciones con 91 estudiantes de 1997. Resultados. En comparación con el año 1997, los estudiantes de 2005 tienen una mayor percepción de avance y rigor científico de la psiquiatría y de claridad de las funciones del psiquiatra. Además los estudiantes de 2005 tienen una menor percepción de presión social si muestran interés por la especialidad. Estos cambios coinciden con una mayor percepción de calidad de la enseñanza y un aumento en el porcentaje de estudiantes que muestran interés por escoger psiquiatría como futuro profesional (un 2,2% en 1997 y un 5,6% en 2005). Conclusiones. La mejoría en la percepción de la calidad de la enseñanza puede haber influido en el aumento de las vocaciones hacia la psiquiatría (AU)

Introduction. The aim of the study is to assess changes in the opinions of medical students from UAB towards psychiatry in an 8-year period. Subjects and method. With a cross-sectional design, we administered the Balon et al (1999) questionnaire to 90 medical students after the psychiatry rotation in 2005. The results of this sample have been compared with a previous study carried out under the same conditions with 91 students in 1997. Results. Compared to 1997, the students of 2005 have a greater perception of advance and scientific rigor of psychiatry and of clarity of the psychiatrist's functions. In addition, the students of 2005 have a lower perception of social pressure if they show interest in the specialty. These changes co-occur with a greater perception of the teaching quality and an increase in the rate of students who show interest in choosing psychiatry as a professional future (2.2% in 1997 vs. 5.6% in 2005). Conclusions. This better perception of the teaching quality could have influenced the increase of vocational tendencies towards psychiatry (AU)