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Lancet (London, England) Mar 2012In this Seminar we discuss developments from the past 5 years in the diagnosis, neurobiology, and treatment of major depressive disorder. For diagnosis, psychiatric and... (Review)
Review
In this Seminar we discuss developments from the past 5 years in the diagnosis, neurobiology, and treatment of major depressive disorder. For diagnosis, psychiatric and medical comorbidity have been emphasised as important factors in improving the appropriate assessment and management of depression. Advances in neurobiology have also increased, and we aim to indicate genetic, molecular, and neuroimaging studies that are relevant for assessment and treatment selection of this disorder. Further studies of depression-specific psychotherapies, the continued application of antidepressants, the development of new treatment compounds, and the status of new somatic treatments are also discussed. We address two treatment-related issues: suicide risk with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and the safety of antidepressants in pregnancy. Although clear advances have been made, no fully satisfactory treatments for major depression are available.
Topics: Antidepressive Agents; Depressive Disorder, Major; Genome-Wide Association Study; Hallucinations; Humans; Neuroimaging; Psychotherapy; Schizophrenia, Paranoid
PubMed: 22189047
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60602-8 -
Schizophrenia Bulletin Sep 2015
Review
Topics: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Humans; Schizophrenia, Paranoid
PubMed: 26209547
DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbv080 -
BioPsychoSocial Medicine 2016Cenesthopathy is characterized by abnormal and strange bodily sensations and is classified as a 'delusional disorder, somatic type' or 'somatoform disorder' according to... (Review)
Review
Cenesthopathy is characterized by abnormal and strange bodily sensations and is classified as a 'delusional disorder, somatic type' or 'somatoform disorder' according to the DSM 5. The oral cavity is one of the frequent sites of cenesthopathy, thus the term 'oral cenesthopathy.' Patients with oral cenesthopathy complain of unusual sensations without corresponding abnormal findings in the oral area, such as excessive mucus secretion, a slimy sensation, or a feeling of coils or wires being present within the oral region. They usually visit multiple dentists rather than psychiatrists. Without a proper diagnosis, they repeatedly pursue unnecessary surgical procedures to remove their 'foreign body'. This sometimes creates a dilemma between the dentists and patients. The nosography of oral cenesthopathy has been discussed in some case reports and reviews but is overlooked in mainstream medicine. This review focuses on the various aspects of oral cenesthopathy. The estimated prevalence of cenesthopathy was 0.2 to 1.9 % in a study done at a Japanese university psychiatry clinic and 27 % in a study done at a Japanese psychosomatic dentistry clinic. Oral cenesthopathy do not have clear disposition, while some studies reported that elderly women were most commonly affected. Its pathophysiology has not been fully elucidated. However, recent studies have suggested a right > left asymmetrical pattern of the cerebral blood flow of patients with oral cenesthopathy. Antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs, electroconvulsive therapy, and psychotherapy might be effective in some cases, though it is known to be intractable. To date, the epidemiology, pathophysiology, etiology, classification and treatment of oral cenesthopathy are unknown due to the few reports on the disorder, though there are a few case reports. To overcome this difficult medical condition, clinico-statistical and case-control studies done under rigorous criteria and with a large sample size are required.
PubMed: 27293481
DOI: 10.1186/s13030-016-0071-7 -
Acta Dermato-venereologica Mar 2022It is considered that certain drugs might induce delusional infestation, yet, to date, no studies have been performed to identify the pharmacodynamics associated with... (Review)
Review
It is considered that certain drugs might induce delusional infestation, yet, to date, no studies have been performed to identify the pharmacodynamics associated with these treatments. The aim of this review is to summarize current available knowledge of drug-induced delusional infestation. A literature search was performed for primary studies on suspected drugs reported to induce delusional infestation. Included articles were evaluated systematically using the Naranjo criteria. In addition, drug mechanisms of action were compared. The final selection included 31 studies, in which a total of 26 classes of drugs were identified. Anti-Parkinson drugs were most frequently associated with delusional infestation, followed by antidepressants, antiepileptics, antibiotics, prescription stimulants, and a few other drug groups. The current available literature suggests that the onset of delusional infestation is initiated by drug-induced alterations in neurotransmitter levels, predominantly dopamine, in the central nervous system.
Topics: Anticonvulsants; Antidepressive Agents; Delusional Parasitosis; Humans; Schizophrenia, Paranoid
PubMed: 35170743
DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v102.183 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Oct 2009This papers aims at familiarizing psychiatric and nonpsychiatric readers with delusional infestation (DI), also known as delusional parasitosis. It is characterized by... (Review)
Review
This papers aims at familiarizing psychiatric and nonpsychiatric readers with delusional infestation (DI), also known as delusional parasitosis. It is characterized by the fixed belief of being infested with pathogens against all medical evidence. DI is no single disorder but can occur as a delusional disorder of the somatic type (primary DI) or secondary to numerous other conditions. A set of minimal diagnostic criteria and a classification are provided. Patients with DI pose a truly interdisciplinary problem to the medical system. They avoid psychiatrists and consult dermatologists, microbiologists, or general practitioners but often lose faith in professional medicine. Epidemiology and history suggest that the imaginary pathogens change constantly, while the delusional theme "infestation" is stable and ubiquitous. Patients with self-diagnosed "Morgellons disease" can be seen as a variation of this delusional theme. For clinicians, clinical pathways for efficient diagnostics and etiology-specific treatment are provided. Specialized outpatient clinics in dermatology with a liaison psychiatrist are theoretically best placed to provide care. The most intricate problem is to engage patients in psychiatric therapy. In primary DI, antipsychotics are the treatment of choice, according to limited but sufficient evidence. Pimozide is no longer the treatment of choice for reasons of drug safety. Future research should focus on pathophysiology and the neural basis of DI, as well as on conclusive clinical trials, which are widely lacking. Innovative approaches will be needed, since otherwise patients are unlikely to adhere to any study protocol.
Topics: Ectoparasitic Infestations; Humans; Schizophrenia, Paranoid
PubMed: 19822895
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00018-09 -
World Journal of Psychiatry May 2022Psychotic syndromes are divided into affective and non-affective forms. Even among the non-affective forms, substantial differences exist. The aim of this relatively... (Review)
Review
Psychotic syndromes are divided into affective and non-affective forms. Even among the non-affective forms, substantial differences exist. The aim of this relatively brief review is to synthesize what is known about the differences between two non-affective psychoses, schizophrenia and delusional disorder (DD), with respect to clinical, epidemiological, sociodemographic, and treatment response characteristics. A PubMed literature search revealed the following: in schizophrenia, hallucinations, negative symptoms and cognitive symptoms are prominent. They are rare in DD. Compared to schizophrenia patients, individuals with DD maintain relatively good function, and their delusions are believable; many are beliefs that are widely held in the general population. Treatments are generally similar in these two forms of psychosis, with the exception that antidepressants are used more frequently in DD and, for acute treatment, effective antipsychotic doses are lower in DD than in schizophrenia. It is with the hope that the contrasts between these two conditions will aid in the provision of safe and effective treatment for both that this review has been conducted.
PubMed: 35663297
DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v12.i5.683 -
The Israel Medical Association Journal... Jul 2018Delusional parasitosis (DP) is a somatic type of delusional disorder, usually mono-symptomatic, in which the patients are convinced they are being infested with animal... (Review)
Review
Delusional parasitosis (DP) is a somatic type of delusional disorder, usually mono-symptomatic, in which the patients are convinced they are being infested with animal parasites while no objective evidence exists to support this belief. The complaints are usually about skin infestation, but involvement of the gastrointestinal tract has also been described. Numerous samples are brought for examination from skin, clothes, and environmental sources, while a detailed description of the "parasite" is given. In primary DP, the delusion arises spontaneously as a mono-delusional disorder, while in secondary DP, the delusional disorder arises secondary to another major medical, neurological, or psychiatric disorder. Practically all patients refuse psychiatric help. Shared psychotic disorder - folie à deux - is a known mode of presentation in delusional parasitosis. More than one member within a family may experience the same delusional state. For diagnosis and treatment of DP, a close collaboration among dermatologists, psychiatrists, and parasitologists is essential. Patients whose delusion of parasitosis is not severe can sometimes be relieved of their symptoms by establishing a reliable and meaningful therapeutic relationship. Symptomatic medication may be prescribed for the relief of pruritus, pain, and other symptoms. In more severe cases, such patients should be treated with psychopharmacological agents.
Topics: Antipsychotic Agents; Delusional Parasitosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Male
PubMed: 30109800
DOI: No ID Found -
European Psychiatry : the Journal of... Jan 2019Even if neurocognition is known to affect functional outcomes in schizophrenia, no previous study has explored the impact of cognition on functionality in delusional...
BACKGROUND
Even if neurocognition is known to affect functional outcomes in schizophrenia, no previous study has explored the impact of cognition on functionality in delusional disorder (DD). We aimed to assess the effect of clinical characteristics, symptom dimensions and neuropsychological performance on psychosocial functioning and self-perceived functional impairment in DD.
METHODS
Seventy-five patients with a SCID-I confirmed diagnosis of DD underwent neurocognitive testing using a neuropsychological battery examining verbal memory, attention, working memory and executive functions. We assessed psychotic symptoms with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and calculated factor scores for four clinical dimensions: Paranoid, Cognitive, Affective and Schizoid. We conducted hierarchical linear regression models to identify predictors of psychosocial functioning, as measured with the Global Assessment of Functioning scale, and self-perceived functional impairment, as measured with the Sheehan's Disability Inventory.
RESULTS
In the final linear regression models, higher scores in the Paranoid (β= 0.471, p < .001, r = 0.273) and Cognitive (β = 0.325, p < .001, r = 0.180) symptomatic dimensions and lower scores in verbal memory (β = -0.273, p < .05, r = 0.075) were significantly associated with poorer psychosocial functioning in patients with DD. Lower scores in verbal memory (β= -0.337, p < .01, r = 0.158) and executive functions (β= -0.323, p < .01, r = 0.094) were significantly associated with higher self-perceived disability.
CONCLUSIONS
Impaired verbal memory and cognitive symptoms seem to affect functionality in DD, above and beyond the severity of the paranoid idea. This suggests a potential role for cognitive interventions in the management of DD.
Topics: Adult; Attention; Cognition; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Disability Evaluation; Executive Function; Female; Humans; Male; Memory; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests; Paranoid Disorders; Psychotic Disorders; Schizophrenia, Paranoid; Self-Assessment; Social Skills
PubMed: 30388425
DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.09.010