ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Thousands of people throughout the world are convinced that they have been abducted by aliens. We aimed to assess the emotional reaction to such an implausible event and propose some explanations alternative to severe psychopathology. METHODS: A total of 19 individuals who reported memories of having been abducted by aliens were compared to a control group of 32 participants. We employed a battery of tests measuring post-traumatic stress disorder, suggestibility, and dissociation within all participants. RESULTS: The abductee group showed higher scores in measures of post-traumatic stress disorders and dissociation, but lower in suggestibility. Nevertheless, these differences were statistically significant only in suggestibility. CONCLUSIONS: The emotional reaction to memories of an implausible experience can be similar to an individual's response to a genuinely traumatic event. Dissociation might be involved in the clarification of some cases. Explanations alternative to psychosis for these testimonies are proposed.
Subject(s)
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic , HumansABSTRACT
Our aim was to assess the effect of dietary elimination of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame on perceived pain in fibromyalgia. A total of 72 female patients with fibromyalgia were randomized to discontinuation of dietary MSG and aspartame (n = 36) or waiting list (n = 36). Patients were requested to rate their pain using a seven-point scale. Comparisons between both groups showed no significant differences on pain referred during the baseline or after the elimination of dietary MSG and aspartame. The discontinuation of dietary MSG and aspartame did not improve the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Subject(s)
Aspartame/administration & dosage , Fibromyalgia/diet therapy , Myalgia/diet therapy , Sodium Glutamate/administration & dosage , Adult , Aged , Diet , Female , Humans , Medical Records , Middle Aged , Myalgia/diagnosis , Pain Measurement , Treatment Failure , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: An excess of bulimia nervosa (BN) births during the fall has been recently reported, but this finding has not been yet adequately replicated. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the presence of a seasonal birth pattern in a representative clinical sample of women with BN. METHOD: We registered the month of birth of 216 female patients who fulfilled all the criteria for BN according to DSM-IV on admission to a specialized eating disorders service in Spain. RESULTS: Our analyses showed no significant variation in the season of birth of our BN sample when compared to a general population. DISCUSSION: Our data do not support the hypothesis of a season of birth bias in BN.
Subject(s)
Bulimia Nervosa/epidemiology , Seasons , Adult , Female , Humans , Spain/epidemiologyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: An excess of spring births has been suggested in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), especially in the restricting subtype, but most of the research has been carried out inside the United Kingdom. The aim of this study was to assess whether there is a seasonal pattern of birth in a representative sample of patients with AN in a different latitude in the northern hemisphere. METHOD: We examined the month of birth in a sample of 210 female patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of AN at first presentation to a specialized eating disorders service in Spain. RESULTS: We found no evidence of significant variation in month or season of birth in AN when compared to general population. DISCUSSION: There is not enough evidence of a season of birth bias under the latitude of the United Kingdom in the risk of developing AN.
