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Introduction: Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR) serve as an instrument for identifying and classifying specific psychosomatic syndromes that are not adequately encompassed in standard nosography. The present study aimed at measuring the prevalence of DCPR syndromes in different clinical settings and exploring factors associated to such diagnoses. Methods: A cross-sectional and nationwide study recruited 6,647 patients in different clinical settings: 306 were diagnosed with fibromyalgia (FM), 333 with irritable bowel syndrome, 1,109 with migraine, 2,550 with coronary heart disease (CHD), and 2,349 with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Participants underwent DCPR diagnostic interview and were assessed for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale), and subjective well-being (World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index). The PsychoSocial Index was used to evaluate global well-being, stress, and abnormal illness behavior. The prevalence of DCPR diagnoses was calculated, and factors associated to such diagnoses were analyzed by logistic regression. Results: Alexithymia (64.47%), irritable mood (20.55%), and demoralization (15.60%) were the most prevalent psychosomatic syndromes, with demoralization being most common in FM (49.02%). The factors associated to DCPR diagnoses encompassed high anxiety or abnormal illness behavior, and poor well-being. Notably, stress was found to be associated specifically to FM and T2D, with OR of 1.24 (95% CI: 1.06–1.46) and 1.26 (95% CI: 1.18–1.36), respectively. Conclusion: DCPR is a clinically helpful complementary assessment tool in need of being widely implemented in clinical settings in order to have a comprehensive picture of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used a cross-sectional study to investigate potential correlations between psychosomatic disorders generated by irrational beliefs and forensic involvement in patients with pelvic fractures. The study focused on 198 participants who completed the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI). These results suggest that there is essentially no significant linear correlation between age and WBSI score in the 198 observation dataset. The findings from this dataset contribute to our understanding of key demographic factors, the distribution of forensic complications, age characteristics, and WBSI scores within the study population. The statistical analyses did not reveal any significant associations or correlations, suggesting a level of independence between the variables. This insight provides a valuable foundation for future medical research and deeper analysis. These results offer a reliable starting point for further exploration and investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alexithymia, characterized by difficulty identifying and expressing emotions, is often associated with various psychiatric disorders, including personality disorders (PDs). This study aimed to explore the relationship between alexithymia and PD, focusing on their common origins and implications for treatment. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines using databases such as MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science. The inclusion criteria were studies assessing adults with DSM-5-diagnosed personality disorders using validated alexithymia scales. The Newcastle‒Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: From an initial yield of 2434 citations, 20 peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. The findings indicate a significant association between alexithymia and personality disorders, particularly within Clusters B and C. Patients with these disorders exhibited higher levels of alexithymia, which correlated with increased emotional dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties. The review also highlighted the comorbidity burden of conditions such as psychosomatic disorders, eating disorders, depression, anxiety, suicidal behavior, and substance use disorders. Conclusions: These findings underscore the need for integrating alexithymia-focused assessments into clinical practice to enhance therapeutic approaches, allowing for more personalized and effective interventions. Addressing the emotional processing challenges in patients with personality disorders could significantly improve patient outcomes. Future research should prioritize establishing clinical guidelines and conducting longitudinal studies to explore the relationship between alexithymia and specific personality disorder subtypes, ensuring the practical translation of these findings into clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aging is a process inherent to the human condition that is characterized by various biological, psychological, and social changes that can lead to certain mental health problems. Objective: This study aimed to understand and characterize how biological, psychological, and social factors influence mental health symptoms and neuropsychological function in the aging process. Methods: A sample consisting of 616 participants (73.8% female) aged between 50 and 90 years, (mean [SD]: 69.6 [17.2] years). Data collection involved a neuropsychological assessment carried out by a psychologist in a clinical interview session and the self-completion of a questionnaire. Results: Regression models revealed that depressive symptoms are explained by anxiety, psychological and environmental quality of life, and sleep habits. Anxiety symptoms are explained by depression, physical quality of life, and sleep habits. Statistically significant differences were identified between participants with and without anxiety in neuropsychological terms at the level of agnosia and praxis. Statistically significant differences were identified between participants with and without depression in neuropsychological terms at the level of memory, language, agnosia and praxis, and executive function (eg, prefrontal tests). Conclusions: Depression and anxiety symptoms are associated and could negatively influence the aging process. Aging should be understood in an ecological way taking into account the action of biological, psychological, social, and environmental factors, as well as the relationship and influence between the different levels and factors. This knowledge is important for diagnosis, for clinical practice, and for the development and definition of public policies to promote healthy aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We investigated the predictors of poor SRH in a representative sample of Lithuanian mainstream school students in grades 7–8. We also checked for gender differences in the associations between SRH and depressive symptoms and other predictors. Methods: A total of 2104 7th–8th-grade students participated (response rate 73.95%) and were asked about depressive symptoms, psychosomatic health complaints, negative acts at school, feeling at school, family stress and violence, sense of coherence, self-esteem, and lifestyle. We used a hierarchical regression analysis including a variety of self-rated health predictors. Results: Boys scored significantly higher on physical activity and smoking, whereas girls scored significantly higher on SRH, depressive symptoms, psychosomatic health complaints, and family stress and violence, though the significance was lost in the hierarchical regression. Depressive symptoms were the strongest predictor of poor SRH (standardized β = 0.309, p < 0.001), though other investigated predictors were also significant but had lower effect sizes. Strong evidence was found supporting the buffering role of sense of coherence in the relationship between depressive symptoms and SRH (standardized β = −0.266, p < 0.001). Conclusions: We can conclude that the magnitude of the relationship between depressive symptoms and self-rated health is dependent on the levels of sense of coherence. We did not find gender differences in those associations. As poor SRH is easy to determine, especially with a one-item question, the cases of poorly rated health should be detected early and corrected by interventions in order to prevent poor health outcomes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we report on a case of a 40-year-old female patient who presented with hypomanic episode after hyperthyroidism and major depressive episode after hypothyroidism, which was initially misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder due to another medical condition, and was found to be a co-morbid bipolar disorder of hyperthyroidism after treatment and follow-up. The course of diagnosis and treatment in this case suggests a close temporal relationship does not necessarily mean that there is a causal relationship on a physiologic level. User's Guide for the SCID-5-CV Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders elaborate that the diagnosis of "......due to another medical condition" is relatively rare, and comorbidity between psychiatric disorders and somatic diseases is much more common. Therefore, the relationship between somatic diseases and psychiatric disorders requires careful study of symptom correlation and more time for observational follow-up. When in doubt, the examiner's default assumption should be that the somatic disease is not the cause (i.e., the psychiatric disorder is primary). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underlying mechanism of MCS is not understood, as a result, there are no accepted diagnostic tests. This situation has had a major effect on the acceptance of MCS as a clinical entity. The lack of diagnostic tools has discouraged clinicians to address the problem in their patients. This paper reviews the current approaches to MCS, with particular attention to the role of adaptive immunity. Immunoglobulin free light chains (FLCs), specific to conjugated chemical haptens, may be involved. The production of FLCs can be elicited by chemical concentrations far below those required for a T cell response. Crosslinking of FLCs on mast cells by conjugated haptens, in the respiratory mucosa, releasing mediators and cytokines, produces local inflammation. Over time, repeated mast cell activation may sensitise neural pathways, lowering the threshold for activation, both peripherally, and subsequently in the central nervous system (CNS). As a result, there may be increasing prominence of CNS-based symptoms. If assays can be developed for FLCs specific to hapten-protein conjugates, then specific chemicals eliciting symptoms can be identified in individual patients. Also, there would be wider acceptance of MCS as a significant clinical problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Narcolepsy type-1 is a rare chronic sleep disorder that has negative effects on quality of life if left untreated. Symptoms such as excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, disrupted night sleep, vivid dreams, psychosomatic complaints, and decreased sexual desire are also observed. Diagnosis will be made according to the criteria in the international classification of sleep disorders 3rd edition 2023 revision (ICSD-3-TR-2023). In our case, there was excessive daytime sleepiness, disrupted night sleep, cataplexy, overeating, and increased sexual desire. As a result of clinical data, polysomnography, and multiple sleep latency tests, she was diagnosed with narcolepsy type-1 according to the ICSD-3-TR-2023 guidelines. In the differential diagnosis of excessive sexual desire, it was planned to distinguish "persistent genital arousal", "restless genital syndrome", "sexomnia", and "hypersexuality" diseases. According to the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders fifth edition criteria, "hypersexuality" accompanying narcolepsy type-1 was diagnosed in the patient. To date, no increase in sexual desire has been reported in the literature regarding the diagnosis of narcolepsy type-1. In this case, it is aimed to discuss a case of hypersexuality that has not been observed to date, together with a diagnosis of narcolepsy type-1, in the light of the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Living I was Your Plague: Martin Luther's World and Legacy" by Lyndal Roper is a collection of essays that explores Martin Luther's controversial and dominant role during his lifetime and his lasting impact on German culture. Roper examines Luther's use of polemical assaults, his reliance on dreams for personal insights, his complex relationship with secular authorities, his use of names and hate speech, his strong anti-Papalism, and his fierce anti-Semitic views. The book also discusses Luther's enduring legacy and the commemorative culture surrounding him. While the book provides new insights and data, some critics argue that it uses coarse language and presents a simplified and teleological version of history. [Extracted from the article]

Mental disorders with body-centered symptoms, such as somatic, eating, and body dysmorphic disorders, present difficulties in psychotherapy because psychological suffering is manifested in the body rather than expressed verbally. The present study illustrates a single case multi-method investigation sensitive to detecting characteristic change manifestations in the treatment of these disorders. We investigated a treatment of a patient with body dysmorphic disorder. Computerized linguistic measures were applied to 86 sessions to assess changes in symbolic processing; out of the 86 sessions, 40 were analyzed to calculate the proportion of speech focused on bodily symptoms versus on relationships. Changes in personality were assessed using the SWAP-200 on nine sessions from different treatment stages. Measures of linguistic style, speech content, and personality showed marked changes over the treatment. The patient manifested schizoid and schizotypal personality traits that decreased over time, along with an increase in personality high-functioning dimension. The patient's ability to translate his emotional experience into words steadily increased, switching the primary focus of narratives from bodily symptoms to relationships. A multimethod assessment of the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder shows that improvement in personality functioning is accompanied by a shift from a focus on bodily experiences to a focus on relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Palpitations are a common symptom described by patients as a feeling of a racing or fluttering heart, a pounding chest, irregular or skipped heartbeats, or a pounding sensation in the neck. They are associated with a low mortality rate; however, recurrent palpitations have been shown to impair quality of life and increase health care use. Common triggers are cardiac disorders, endocrine and metabolic disorders, medication or illicit drug use, or psychosomatic disorders. A detailed history, physical examination, directed laboratory studies, and 12-lead electrocardiography are often sufficient to identify the etiology of palpitations. Additional testing may be indicated to include echocardiography, cardiac stress testing, electrocardiogram monitoring, or electrophysiologic studies to distinguish whether symptoms correlate with cardiac arrhythmia or structural or ischemic heart disease. Management of palpitations is based on the suspected etiology. In most cases of cardiac-induced palpitations, the treatment can include reassurance, education, trigger avoidance, or use of atrioventricular nodal blockers. Tachyarrhythmias may require cardiac ablation. Patients who have palpitations with no arrhythmia causality and no cardiac disease should be reassured; however, screening for psychosomatic disorders should be considered. Wearable smart devices with ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring technologies are currently available to consumers; these tools have shown diagnostic accuracy for detection of arrhythmias, allowing patients to have greater participation in their health care. Palpitations are a common symptom described by patients as a feeling of a racing or fluttering heart, a pounding chest, irregular or skipped heartbeats, or a pounding sensation in the neck. They are associated with a low mortality rate; however, recurrent palpitations have been shown to impair quality of life and increase health care use. Common triggers are cardiac disorders, endocrine and metabolic disorders, medication or illicit drug use, or psychosomatic disorders. A detailed history, physical examination, directed laboratory studies, and 12-lead electrocardiography are often sufficient to identify the etiology of palpitations. Additional testing may be indicated to include echocardiography, cardiac stress testing, electrocardiogram monitoring, or electrophysiologic studies to distinguish whether symptoms correlate with cardiac arrhythmia or structural or ischemic heart disease. Management of palpitations is based on the suspected etiology. In most cases of cardiac-induced palpitations, the treatment can include reassurance, education, trigger avoidance, or use of atrioventricular nodal blockers. Tachyarrhythmias may require cardiac ablation. Patients who have palpitations with no arrhythmia causality and no cardiac disease should be reassured; however, screening for psychosomatic disorders should be considered. Wearable smart devices with ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring technologies are currently available to consumers; these tools have shown diagnostic accuracy for detection of arrhythmias, allowing patients to have greater participation in their health care. Am Fam Physician. 2024; 110(3):259–269. Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Family Physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shift work disrupts natural circadian rhythms, sleep-wake cycles, negatively impacting workers' psychosomatic health and overall quality of life. Even in peaceful conditions, the nature of military service significantly differs from the daily routines and work activities of civilian population with a number of notable and significant features. Military service is always performed under stressful conditions, characterized by frequent deviations from standard work schedules, workloads and disruptions to normal daily rhythms, especially due to shift work. These stress factors have a negative effect on the working ability and health of servicemen. Moreover, this impact increases as the duration of military service extends. This situation is exacerbated among servicemen on combat duty due to constant stress and psychological strain. Shift work is associated with sleep disturbances, depressive mood and anxiety, cognitive impairment, low quality of life and even suicidal thoughts, leading to increased safety risks. Shift work, sleep deprivation, and related fatigue endanger personal safety, task performance, and national security as well. Shift work, sleep deprivation and daily rhythm disruptions lead to metabolic, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal system, mental, physical and functional cognitive disorders. Its impact on family and social life can result in psychological stress and psychosomatic disorders. Furthermore, it can negatively affect marital relations, fulfillment of parental responsibilities, and children's education. Published articles provide considerably more data on the impacts of shift work on civilian workers than it does on servicemen. Present study was conducted to demonstrate the detrimental effects of shift work on the psychosomatic health and life quality of workers with various professions, including military personnel. Various methods have been suggested to evaluate servicemen's suitability for work, to reduce professional errors, to ensure service safety and to mitigate the negative impact of shift work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long-lasting symptoms with a possible relation to psychosomatic comorbidity have been described following COVID-19. However, data is sparse in general practice. The trial's objective was to investigate the time-dependent frequency of disease symptoms and relation to psychosomatic comorbidity and daily life impairment (DLI). Methods: Comparative cohort study of patients reporting a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and uninfected controls in general practice. Participants were recruited in 14 general practices in the greater Munich area. Data collection was questionnaire based with a 12 months follow-up. Descriptive statistics, multivariable regression and bivariate correlations were used for analysis. Results: A total of n = 204 cases infected up to 42 months ago (n = 141 Omicron, n = 63 earlier variants), and n = 119 controls were included. Disease symptoms were substantially more prevalent in cases (55–79% vs. 43% within one year of infection). This difference also appeared in the multivariable analysis adjusting for socio-demographics and psychosomatic comorbidity with odds ratios (OR) of 4.15 (p < 0.001) and 3.51 (p = 0.054) for the cohorts with Omicron or earlier variants infection (vs. controls), respectively. It was persistent with earlier variants (OR 1.00 per month, p = 0.903), while a decreasing trend was observed for Omicron (OR 0.89 per month, p < 0.001). DLI was especially correlated with fatigue (r = 0.628). Conclusion: DLI, psychosomatic comorbidity and independently increased disease symptoms require holistic treatment of the patient in general practice according to the bio-psycho-social model. A key role in restoring the daily life capability may be attributed to the symptom fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Audiovestibular disorders in childhood occur with considerable frequency. However, the difficulty of obtaining medical history, the nonspecificity of symptoms, and the lack of cooperation during complementary tests often contribute significantly to diagnostic biases, attributing clinical presentations to psychosomatic disorders. The objectives of this work are, firstly, to characterize, from an auditory and vestibular perspective, the most frequent causes of vertigo in childhood and a possible relationship with emotional symptoms. On the other hand, to propose the usefulness of the MSSQ-Short questionnaire as a predictive variable in the evolution of children diagnosed with recurrent vertigo of childhood (RVC). Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was designed with retrospective data collection at three tertiary hospitals. Results: Among the 117 patients recruited between 2016 and 2024, 32 patients (27.35%) were diagnosed with an anxious-depressive syndrome prior to audiovestibular testing. The mean age was 11.19 ± 5.61 years and the most frequent final diagnoses were vestibular migraine (VM) with 41.03% and RVC with 23.93%. Patients with VM, compared with RVC, are approximately 1.12 times more likely to have psychosomatic pathology (CI 0.39 to 3.25). The most sensitive and frequently altered test was VEMPS (39.32%), with statistical significance in VM and otic capsule dehiscence, while regarding the MSSQ-Short questionnaire, the linear regression of 0.28 indicates an increase in clinical duration with high questionnaire scores. Conclusions: Vestibular disorders causing dizziness and vertigo are challenging to diagnose, often due to lack of cooperation and/or symptom nonspecificity. A thorough medical history and complementary tests, including audiovestibular and imaging studies, are advisable, thus avoiding systematically attributing children's complaints to other psychosomatic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper appraises convolutional neural network (CNN) models' capabilities in emotion detection from facial expressions, seeking to aid the diagnosis of psychosomatic illnesses, typically made in clinical setups. Using the FER-2013 dataset, two CNN models were designed to detect six emotions with 64% accuracy—although not evenly distributed; they demonstrated higher effectiveness in identifying "happy" and "surprise." The assessment was performed through several performance metrics—accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-scores—besides further validation with an additional simulated clinical environment for practicality checks. Despite showing promising levels for future use, this investigation highlights the need for extensive validation studies in clinical settings. This research underscores AI's potential value as an adjunct to traditional diagnostic approaches while focusing on wider scope (broader datasets) plus focus (multimodal integration) areas to be considered among recommendations in forthcoming studies. This study underscores the importance of CNN models in developing psychosomatic diagnostics and promoting future development based on ethics and patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients who survive critical COVID-19 frequently report post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) such as psychosomatic and neurocognitive health problems. The goal of this study was to identify clinical risk factors and other predictors for such long-term consequences in severely ill COVID-19 patients. Adult COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) survivors from August 2020 to May 2021 were enrolled. A broad range of clinical, laboratory and chest computed tomography (CT) data was collected during their ICU stays. The association between ICU predictors and psychosomatic, respiratory, and neurocognitive assessments 12 months after ICU discharge was analyzed using univariate regression analysis. In 17 patients (mean age 58.9 ± 11.4 years), laboratory markers (CRP, lymphocytes, hemoglobin), ICU severity (SOFA, SAPS II, need for mechanical ventilation), complications (ARDS), and lung CT data (ground-glass opacity) were promising predictors of depressive and anxiety symptoms, fatigue, and sleep problems. Recovery of psychosomatic health such as fatigue, depression, and anxiety correlated with lower levels of inflammation and high hemoglobin levels. ARDS, mechanical ventilation, and worse SOFA and SAPS II scores were further risk factors for depressive and anxiety symptoms. Our study identified novel associations such as pulmonary ground-glass opacity being positively associated with depression, anxiety, fatigue, and insomnia levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychological hotlines are widely used, convenient, and effective means to help people overcome their stress reactions. In this article, we focused on integrating somatic and mental-micro interventions into the psychological assistance hotline process. In addition to verbal communication, dance movement therapy based on the body-mind interaction can help clients re-establish their connection with psychological resources, such as creativity and resilience in addition to verbal communication. Based on the basic steps and core points of the SAFER-R model, we explored how embodied movement elements can be applied to the hotline setting for body-mind micro-interventions. Furthermore, we proposed the CREATE model and explained how it can be used to intervene and realise the basic functions of psychological hot line service through four case vignettes. Through this article, we added new perspectives and options for the provision of psychological support during public health events, and we enriched the working methods of psychological hotline assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palliative care is dedicated to terminally ill patients with advanced disease, regardless of diagnosis, under the overarching premise of optimizing quality of life. This narrative review examines the extent to which principles of cybernetics and psychophysiology underlie this approach. Psychophysiology researches the physiological equivalents of psychological states and traits such as activation and individual reactivity, the interoception and the personal characteristics. Cybernetics specifies these principles, which are possible by understanding terms such as "psychophysiology" or "cybernetics" or "self-organization/autopoiesis". The meaning of these terms for palliative care can also be elucidated in relation to the terms "biofeedback", "consciousness", "pain", and "anxiety". The common themes of cybernetics and psychophysiology are environment, subjectivity, personality characteristics, the difference between time scale separation in cybernetic systems, and real-time procedures in environment and rhythm. These lead to special therapies based on psychophysiology, such as consciousness training. The concepts of quality of life, causality, the biopsychosocial model, therapy, and autonomy are examined as palliative care concepts. The equivalents can be described from the perspective of cybernetics. For some palliative care-related terms, cybernetic thinking is already present (quality of life, autonomy, symptom control), while for others, it is not (biopsychosocial). Cybernetic terms (complexity, stability, identity, rhythm) are still used to a lesser extent in palliative care. Terms like genetic basis are common in cybernetics and psychophysiology to explain the identity of the subject in transition. Identity, on the other hand, is the basis of the concept of dignity in palliative care. Psychophysiology investigates disturbances like pain and psychological illnesses, which are also present in palliative care. Psychophysiology, cybernetics, and palliative care have subjectivity and resources in common. Therapies based on cybernetic principles of psychophysiology can also be used for symptom control in palliative care in the oncology setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this population-based longitudinal study was to explore whether distinct mental health trajectories in youths can be identified over the course of the pandemic. Methods: Mental health problems (MHP), psychosomatic symptoms and HRQoL were assessed at five time points between May 2020 and October 2022 in 744 children and adolescents aged 7 to 20 years using established instruments. We used generalized mixture modeling to identify distinct mental health trajectories and fixed-effects regressions to analyse covariates of the identified profiles of change. Results: We found five distinct linear latent trajectory classes each for externalising MHP and psychosomatic symptoms and four trajectory classes for internalising MHP. For HRQoL, a single-class solution that indicates a common development process proved to be optimal. The largest groups remained almost stable at a low internalising and externalising symptom level (64 to 74%) and consistently showed moderate psychosomatic symptoms (79%), while 2 to 18% showed improvements across the pandemic. About 10% of the youths had consistently high internalising problems, while externalising problems deteriorated in 18% of youths. Class membership was significantly associated with initial HRQoL, parental and child burden, personal resources, family climate and social support. Conclusions: The mental health of most children and adolescents remained resilient throughout the pandemic. However, a sizeable number of youths had consistently poor or deteriorating mental health. Those children and adolescents need special attention in schools and mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of respiratory and cutaneous allergic disorders may be variable if we consider work activity. These disorders are reported in the current literature to have a relevant psychosomatic involvement. The aim of the study was to submit a survey on the self-reported occurrence of allergic respiratory and cutaneous diseases in outdoor and indoor workers to verify the onset or exacerbations of such pathologies, encourage surveillance, and suggest the need for further studies. Two groups of workers were compared when exposed and not exposed to air pollutants. An outdoor population of motorway toll collectors (153 workers; M: 58.03 years old, SD: 6.1; and female prevalence of 66.01%) and an indoor group of office employees (59 workers; mean age 54.44 years, SD: 8.50; and male prevalence of 61.02%) entered the study. The results of three multivariate analyses of the obtained data, investigating contributions of external factors, including age, sex, smoking habits, working type, and seniority, on allergic conditions were significant in both workers' groups. The findings highlighted that age and smoking habits were significant contributors to allergic conditions, both independently and in combination with other factors, such as sex and working type. The data suggest the presence of phenomena related to different etiological domains, as already reported in the literature. Through the collection of these data, it was possible to highlight the need to analyze clinical signs from different perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A problem in psychotherapy is the limited availability of psychotherapists. This can not only delay the start of therapy but also curtail the number of sessions and the therapeutic dosage. An option to extend the therapeutic dose without an increase in therapist time may be to combine group psychotherapy with a self-help group. The goal of the present study is to investigate how patients judge this treatment mode and to what degree the contents of a regular group treatment are pursued in a parallel self-help group. Method: Seventy-two psychosomatic inpatients participated in cognitive behavior group therapy and parallel self-help group, which was monitored by the therapist during the regular group therapy sessions. Patients in both groups filled in a questionnaire that asked for the content of the group session, how patients had experienced the interaction, and what they had taken from the group. Results: Patients reported that in the self-help group, they discussed similar topics as in the regular group therapy, like how to deal with anxiety or sadness, how to interact with other people, and how to cope with their mental disorder and problems at work, in the family, or with friends. Patients indicated that there was more relaxed chatting in the self-help group, whereas learning new behavior was reported more frequently for the regular group therapy. Conclusions: In the regular group therapy and the guided self-help group, similar topics were discussed, which suggests that a combination of both can extend the therapeutic process and increase the therapeutic dosage without costs for the therapist or the institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aims to investigate trends in four types of adolescent mental health problems; that is, psychosomatic symptoms, depressive symptoms, suicidal ideations, and suicide attempts 2004–2020. A second aim is to investigate the moderating roles of socioeconomic status and sex in these trends. Methods: The analysis is based on repeated cross-sectional data 2004–2020 among grade 9 students in secondary schools in a Swedish county. In total, data from 19,873 students were included in the analysis. We fitted linear and logistic regression equations and used survey-years' coefficients to estimate the trends. We also estimated the moderating effects of socioeconomic status and sex using interactions between survey year and socioeconomic status and sex, respectively. Results: The trends in all mental health problems declined over time. Through its interaction with survey year, socioeconomic status moderated the trends; psychosomatic symptoms (B = −0.115, P <0.001), depressive symptoms (B = −0.084, P <0.001) and suicidal ideations (odds ratio 0.953, confidence interval 0.924–0.983) significantly declined over time among those with high socioeconomic status. However, socioeconomic status did not have an association with the trend in suicide attempts. Interaction between sex and year of survey was associated with significant decreasing trends in depressive symptoms and suicidal ideations only among girls. Conclusions: Adolescent mental health problems have decreased over time, but only for adolescents with high socioeconomic status, or only in depressive symptoms and suicidal ideations for girls. The results shed light on the growing inequalities in health outcomes across levels of socioeconomic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with cancer receiving infusional chemotherapy show negative symptoms such as worry about their survival, anxiety, anguish, depression, fear, magnified perception of the passage of time, and difficulty managing boredom. Patients also suffer various side effects produced by chemotherapy such as nausea, vomiting, pain, and fatigue, which, together with psychological distress, drastically reduce their quality of life and adherence to therapy with a corresponding reduction in the probability of the individual's survival. Virtual Reality is one of the most innovative and promising digital health interventions, capable of quickly and effectively producing a positive influence on the psychosomatic axis, improving patients' quality of life during chemotherapy. Virtual Reality, through its 3-dimensional multisensory technology, isolates sensory channels from the negative external environment and enables an experience of being physically and psychologically present within virtual scenarios, in which patients can perceive sensations, emotions, cognitions, and interactions as if they really were in different surroundings. This article systematically expounds the scientific conditions necessary for effective, appropriate, and safe implementation of Virtual Reality interventions in holistic nursing practice, describing the underpinning conceptual framework, the types, technological characteristics, methods of use, duration, type of virtual content, and implementation procedure of Virtual Reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post-pandemic psychosomatic complaints in children and adolescents have been underreported. This study investigated psychosomatic complaints in children and adolescents in Northern Italy in 2023, with the aim of identifying changes in predictors and vulnerable subgroups. Methods: Cross-sectional data representative of scholars from a northern Italian province were analyzed using the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) checklist. The sum scores, count data, and dichotomized data were examined, and predictor effects were expressed using a linear regression model for the sum scores. Results: Data from 4525 participants (aged 7–19 years, 50.5% girls) were analyzed. Psychosomatic symptoms remained unchanged after the pandemic. Significant gender differences were noted, especially in older age groups, with girls reporting more complaints. Factors such as children's health, digital media use, and school problems significantly influence psychosomatic outcomes. While migration background negatively affected girls' psychosomatic well-being, boys showed improvement through sports. Conclusion: The psychosomatic well-being of children and adolescents did not improve after the pandemic. These findings indicate the need for targeted interventions, improved health literacy, and ongoing monitoring to support the mental well-being of this vulnerable population. Reducing screen time remains a critical strategy for enhancing youth well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many reasons associated with stress, long term stress induces neurological and psychosomatic disorders like hypertension, hypothyroidism, diabetes, anxiety and depression which affect the lifestyle of human beings. Consequently, behavioural activity and action gradually change in their surrounding environment and also perceived by others. In general, stressful respiration is relatively different from normal. To release stress and control all the neuropsychological hormones, multiple activities like playing games, watching a movie, listening to songs and music, etc. or intake of medicine/drugs such as (Allopathic /Homeopathic/Ayurvedic) are used. Medicines can provide easy stress evasion, but relief is only temporary. Thus, yoga and Sudarshan kriya (SK) meditation is a unique and alternate therapy identified by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar by Art of living. It would be a healthy way to get rid of stress in peoples’ lives. Study of long-term effects of (SKY) Sudarshan kriya Yoga before and after and response of the brain regions in experienced (10–15 yrs) practitioners, mediocre (3–5 yrs) and novice(non-practitioners) is the main objective of this work. This study is planned in three phases, the first phase is an experiment on SKY practitioners for more than 10–15 years, in which their (EEG) Electroencephalogram is recorded just after a session of meditation and the common portion of excitation amongst the three subjects is mined and analysed, to draw inferences. This inference would help us draw a conclusion about (BLOC) base level of consciousness considered as benchmark. In the second phase, comparison of benchmark data with the Mediocre (3–5 yrs) measurement and in third phase, benchmark versus Novice data, is done. Next is the phase of interpretation of the response in the form of EEG spectral waves as Type I- 10 to 15 years SKY Practitioners (Superconscious), Type II- SKY practitioners 3 to 5 years (mediocre/semiconscious) and Type. III- Non-practitioner subjects (Novice/Un-conscious). The unconsciousness here means a state of complete unawareness of the self, though conscious of the external, physical world. Thus, power spectrum analysis (PSA) is carried out and frequency of each electrode is computed through segment analysis, Power Spectrum Density (PSD), Correlation coefficient, Mean and Standard Deviation, for finding the level of consciousness. The spectral waveform of these recordings is analysed programmatically using machine learning techniques (used Python Language run on the Jupyter notebook, Spyder, Google colab environment).Frequency analysis results are obtained by placing 21 electrodes in human brain in different lobes that is (Fz, C2, P2, FP1, FP2, F3, F4, C3, C4, P3, P4, O1, O2, F7, F8, T3, T4, T5, BP4, E.G, T6) those are frequency measuring electrodes/channels placed on the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe and occipital lobe over skull and brainwaves alpha (α)[8–12 Hz], beta (β)[12–16 Hz], delta (δ)[0.5–4 Hz], theta (Θ)[4–8 Hz], gamma (γ)[16–32 Hz] are synthesized. The interpretation of these analyses suggests alternative therapeutic techniques, to improve both mentally and psychologically and thus become socially acceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to evaluate health literacy and general health status among school principals and vice principals in Pakistan, (1) to identify work-related factors associated with them, and (2) to determine their association with physical and mental health, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 350 school principals and vice principals in Punjab province, Pakistan. The study was conducted under the COVID Global Health Literacy Network. Data related to socio-demographic characteristics, health literacy, general health status, chronic illnesses and impairment, well-being, psychosomatic complaints, and emotional exhaustion were collected. We applied bivariate analyses as well as binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: Over half of the respondents (66.6%) had sufficient levels of health literacy. A good general health status was reported by 80.3%. One of the strongest predictors of health literacy and general health status was school position (principals vs. vice principals). Additionally, those with sufficient health literacy were less likely to have frequent emotional exhaustion; while those having good general health status were less likely to report low well-being, frequent emotional exhaustion, and psychosomatic complaints. The study also found that females were less likely to have a good general health status (OR 0.45) and were more likely to have frequent emotional exhaustion (OR 1.75) as well as psychosomatic complaints (OR 1.94) than males. Conclusions: Limited health literacy in school leaders requires interventions for better decision-making on health matters, emphasizing the need for targeted training programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mask use during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been widely recommended and mandated worldwide. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research on the potential adverse health effects of mask usage. This study aimed to investigate and evaluate the negative effects of surgical mask use on scientifically proven cardiopulmonary functions in undergraduate and associate degree students, as well as its impact on coronaphobia. A total of 145 volunteer university students (49 males, 96 females, with a mean age of 20 years) were enrolled in the study, which consisted of two 120-minute sessions. Blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, and blood pressure were assessed before and immediately after each session. The Coronavirus-19 Phobia Scale was utilized to measure levels of COVID-19 phobia. While a time-dependent decrease in oxygen saturation level, blood pressure, and heart rate was measured when vital signs were evaluated at 1 and 120 minutes, none of the values fell outside the reference range. The study also investigated the effects of mask use on various symptoms including headaches, visual impairment, facial discomfort, earaches, shortness of breath, and anxiety. Significantly increased occurrences of all these symptoms were observed at the 60th and 120th minute compared with the baseline. The participants enrolled in the study demonstrated a moderate level of COVID-19 phobia based on the mean total score. Furthermore, high scores were recorded in the psychological and social sub-dimensions, while lower scores were recorded in the economic and psychosomatic sub-dimensions. In the post-COVID-19 normalization phase, the use of a surgical mask during a 120-minute course was found to have no significant impact on cardiopulmonary functions, but moderately affected coronaphobia scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As Jungian analysts, we rarely discuss our medical conditions, especially chronic illness and disability and their effects on our work and lives. The sense of being judged by our colleagues and being forced to give up our practices by prevailing cultural and societal norms can create fear and apprehension in a disabled analyst, who may not feel able to discuss the depths that can also emerge from serious physical conditions. These apprehensions may also be connected to the overused and often misused concept of psychosomatic illness, a reductive and causal approach that may stifle a more creative experience emerging from illness and disability. C. A. Meier brings a different understanding and approach to the links between soma and psyche, connecting the two at the psychoid level, where synchronistic experiences may emerge. Furthermore, through the myth of Inanna's journey to the death world of Ereshkigal, this paper includes a personal account of illness and disability, connecting it to a wider conversation concerning the Jungian approach to ourselves as analysts, to our colleagues, and to our clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to explore the effects of web-based mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) combined with focused solution mode on alleviating negative emotions in dementia caregivers. Methods: Sixty dementia caregivers were randomly assigned to either a control group receiving conventional guidance or an intervention group receiving MBSR combined with focused solution mode in addition to conventional guidance. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks. Changes in depression-anxiety-stress scale 21 (DASS-21) and Zarit caregiver burden inventory (ZBI) scores were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention. Results: After 8 weeks of intervention, caregivers in the intervention group showed significant decreases in depression, anxiety, stress, and total DASS-21 scores as well as total ZBI score (P<0.001), all of which were lower than those of the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion: MBSR combined with focused solution mode can effectively improve negative emotions and reduce burden levels in dementia caregivers, and is worth promoting and applying in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Endocrinology / Mìžnarodnij Endokrinologìčnij Žurnal is the property of Zaslavsky O.Yu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As it is well known, that operative procedures which influence on ovary functions and relieve the patient of some suffering and danger from diseases, are realized by pronounced changes in hormonal self-regulation, homeostasis disturbance, deep psycho)emotional disorders, which leads to a change in the quality of life, an increased risk of long-term complications development (cardiac vascular pathology, osteoporosis, etc.). Some authors explain the changes in neurovegetative and endocrine homeostasis after hysterectomy not only by the insufficient development of collateral blood flow, but also by the removal of one of the links of the self-regulatory system – APUD – the uterine system, which causes the disorders in hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian relationships. Menopausal symptoms with the appearance of neurovegetative, psychoemotional disorders, urological disorders, sexual dysfunction, as well as metabolic manifestations do not always provide an opportunity to assess the parameters of a woman’s health, which are combined into the concept of quality of life. The article presents the results of a study on the use of Cimicifuga racemosa for the treatment and prevention of post-hysterectomy syndrome in patients with uterine cancer in the postoperative period. The objective: to study the clinical effectiveness of the drug, which contains the estrogen receptor modulator Cimicifuga racemosa, in patients after surgical treatment for hormone-dependent uterine tumors. Materials and methods. The study included 50 uterine cancer patients after hysterectomy. 30 patients (main group) of them had rehabilitation therapy in the postoperative period (postoperative antibacterial prophylaxis, analgesic therapy, vaginal sanation) and, starting from the second month, they additionally received a herbal preparation with an extract of Cimicifuga racemosa, 1 tablet 1 time a day for 4 months. The control group included 20 women who received only rehabilitation therapy after surgery. Quality of life was assessed after 6 months of therapy based on a comprehensive assessment using the modified MENQOL scale and the study of such important indicators as energy, sleep, emotional reactions, social isolation, physical activity, and pain. All types of statistical processing were performed using the standard package «Statistica for Windows – 10». Results. The use of selective combined herbal therapy of the post-hysterectomy syndrome in patients with hormone-dependent tumors after 6 months of treatment leads to a decrease in the frequency of hot flashes by 63.3%, profuse sweating by 63.4%, sleep disturbances by 43.3%, increased fatigue by 40.0%, depressive disorders – by 36.7% and irritability – by 33.3%. Additional use of the herbal preparation with Cimicifuga racemosa extract reliably (p<0.05) reduces the manifestations of post-hysterectomy syndrome, improves the quality of life, is well tolerated and has no side effects. Conclusions. The use of selective combined herbal therapy in the postoperative period in patients with cancer of the uterine body allows to reliably improve the quality of life of patients and reduce the clinical manifestations of post-hysterectomy syndrome, which is especially relevant in patients with cancer of the uterine body, for whom replacement hormone therapy is contraindicated. Selective herbal therapy is well tolerated by patients and can be used for a long time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial focuses on the "Havana Syndrome," concluding that it results not from a targeted energy weapon but from a psychogenic stress reaction fueled by misinformation, media sensationalism, and a loss of credibility in trusted institutions and authorities.

This document summarizes a study on the relationship between alexithymia and dissociation in psychogenic pruritus, a type of chronic itch with psychological factors. The study found that individuals with high levels of alexithymia and significant dissociative experiences may struggle with emotional regulation, potentially contributing to the development and persistence of psychogenic pruritus. The authors suggest that psychotherapies aimed at improving emotional awareness and regulation may be helpful for these individuals, but more research is needed to confirm these findings and understand the role of dissociation in psychodermatology. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract The present research was conducted aiming at predicting the resilience based on parenting and coping strategies in patients with psychosomatic disorders. The statistical population of the present research consisted of all patients suffering from psychosomatic disorders who had visited medical clinics related to Medical Sciences (University) of Arak County in 2019-20. The statistical sample includes 347 women, aged 18 to 55 years-old, who were selected by available sampling. Data collection tool included Young parenting, Moss and Billings coping strategies questionnaire and Connor and Davidson resilience questionnaire. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that parenting (dependency, preoccupied/untransformed self) have a negative and significant relationship with resilience. Coping strategies focused on emotion, coping focused on physical restraint or physicalization of problems have a negative and significant relationship with resilience and have a positive and significant relationship with coping strategies focused on problem-solving and coping focused on cognitive evaluation. According to the findings, it can be concluded that it is possible to pave the way for increasing resilience and preventing the development of psychosomatic disorders by creating suitable conditions during the childhood, improving parent-child relationships, and by strengthening coping strategies focused on problem-solving and coping focused on cognitive evaluation.

Background Psychosomatic disorders present high prevalence and disease burden in the community. Currently, different disciplines of medical institutions possess unclear functions and inadequate process strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of psychosomatic disorders, resulting in differences in the perceptions of disease and behavioral characteristics of doctors and patients, which affects the management of disease in the community. Objective To understand and analyze the cognitive and behavioral characteristics as well as the influencing factors of psychosomatic disorders from multiple perspectives of doctors and patients, and then provide strategic directions to improve the diagnosis and management of psychosomatic patients in the community. Methods During the period from 2022-02-01 to 06-31, 5 internists from a general hospital (H1) in Yangpu District, 12 general practitioners from 2 community health centers (H2, H3) in Yangpu District, and 2 community health centers (H4, H5) in Jiading and Pudong New Districts, 2 healthcare professionals from a mental health center hospital in Yangpu District, and 10 patients and with psychosomatic disorders who had been treated in the above hospitals or their relatives. The interview was performed by WeChat, face-to-face as well as telephone and other methods, with the content including perceptions of psychosomatic disorders, healthcare seeking behaviors, disease attitudes, problems and suggestions, and lasted 15-30 min. The interview content was recorded and transcribed into text, coded, summarized to generate themes, and finally quoted from representative interviewees. Results (1) There was a high level of disease awareness among general practitioners and psychiatrists, a low level of awareness among internists, and a general lack of awareness among patients. (2) General practitioners and psychiatrists possessed more experience in the diagnosis and treatment of psychosomatic disorders, but lacking sufficient work and effective treatment results. (3) The attitudes of multiple doctors and patients were varied with an overall lack of positivity. General practitioners had the most positive attitudes toward the diagnosis and treatment of psychosomatic disorders. (4) Doctors of different disciplines faced difficulties, including large patient bases, insufficient mental health resources, lack of solid psychological perceptions, lack of standardized guidelines for diagnosis and treatment, and busy practices, etc. (5) Most patients had not received psychotherapy, but they didn't exclude it either, while there were problems such as distrust of general practitioners, fear of treatment side effects, and health seeking behavior affected by many factors. (6) Both doctors and patients offered constructive suggestions, which included strengthening publicity and policy guidance to the public, promoting the continuous development of psychosomatic medicine, improving doctors' identification of psychological disorders, opening joint clinic for chronic disease and psychology, improving the experience of medical treatment, setting up a comfortable treatment environment, and coordinating referrals, etc. Conclusion Barriers such as differences in perceptions and attitudes between doctors and patients, unequal medical resources, and irregularities in behavior exist between doctors and patients. In the community, it is necessary to strengthen the advantages and functions of general practitioners on the management of psychosomatic disorders; fully implement and utilize relevant resources; and improve the negative attitudes of both doctors and patients, so that patients can seek proper medical treatment and improve their mental health.

The present research was conducted aiming at predicting the resilience based on parenting and coping strategies in patients with psychosomatic disorders. The statistical population of the present research consisted of all patients suffering from psychosomatic disorders who had visited medical clinics related to Medical Sciences (University) of Arak County in 2019-20. The statistical sample includes 347 women, aged 18 to 55 years-old, who were selected by available sampling. Data collection tool included Young parenting, Moss and Billings coping strategies questionnaire and Connor and Davidson resilience questionnaire. Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that parenting (dependency, preoccupied/untransformed self) have a negative and significant relationship with resilience. Coping strategies focused on emotion, coping focused on physical restraint or physicalization of problems have a negative and significant relationship with resilience and have a positive and significant relationship with coping strategies focused on problem-solving and coping focused on cognitive evaluation. According to the findings, it can be concluded that it is possible to pave the way for increasing resilience and preventing the development of psychosomatic disorders by creating suitable conditions during the childhood, improving parent-child relationships, and by strengthening coping strategies focused on problem-solving and coping focused on cognitive evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To determine the contributions of different kinds of symptoms to the quality of life and mediating effect of psychological and physical symptoms between heart failure symptoms and quality of life. Design: A multi‐centre cross‐sectional study. Methods: 2006 chronic heart failure patients from four cities were recruited in China from January 2021 to December 2022. Patients' symptoms and quality of life were self‐reported, and data were analysed using correlation analysis, dominance analysis and mediating effects analysis. Results: The dominance analysis revealed that the overall mean contributions of heart failure, psychological and physical symptoms were.083,.085 and.111; 29.5%, 30.2% and 39.5% of the known variance. And heart failure symptoms could negatively affect quality of life through psychological and physical symptoms, accounting for 28.39% and 22.95% of the total effect. Heart failure symptoms could also affect quality of life through the chain‐mediated effect of physical and psychological symptoms, accounting for 16.74%. Conclusions: Physiological symptoms had the strongest effect on quality of life and heart failure symptoms had the weakest. Most of the effect for heart failure symptoms on quality of life in chronic heart failure patients was mediated by psychological and physiological symptoms. Relevance to Clinical Practice: It is important to design non‐pharmacological intervention plans for the enhancement of physical and psychological symptoms' management skills, to reduce the adverse impact of heart failure symptoms on quality of life. Reporting Method: Study methods and results reported in adherence to the STROBE checklist. No Patient or Public Contribution: No patients or members of the public were involved in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a global health concern and affects patient quality of life, anxiety, depression, and sleep. Physical exercise shows promise in alleviating these effects. Karate is a holistic intervention that could be used to improve several outcomes related to cancer disease, but to date its effect remains unexplored. This quasi-experimental pre-/poststudy evaluated the effects of a 6-month karate program conducted twice a week for 60 minutes each session on quality of life, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and psychosomatic symptoms in 22 patients with posttherapy oncology. Significant improvements in quality of life (P = .006), anxiety (P < .001), depression (P < .001), and sleep quality (P = .011) were observed. Multidimensional psychophysical evaluation showed significant reductions in symptoms (P < .05). High participant satisfaction was reported across all dimensions. This pilot study shows the potential benefits in oncology patients, but more research is necessary to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageing, immobilization, sepsis or cachexia reduce muscle mass and function. The age-related loss, i.e. sarcopenia, contributes to frailty and results in a loss of mobility and autonomy in aging and disease. Affected individuals are often socially isolated, have a greater risk of metabolic disorders and psychosomatic problems. As a result, quality of life and life expectancy are affected. Immobilization and lack of adequate stimuli to the skeletal muscle seem to play a central part in these problems. To overcome them, resistance training (i.e., weightlifting) is an effective intervention. Despite the efficacy of resistance training for increasing muscle mass and function, this treatment is underused in clinical practice. We argue that this is due to a lack of a generally applicable methodology. To address this and related problems, we have formed the Network of Expertise for Immobilization-induced Muscle Disorders (KNIMS) to develop a potential algorithm for treating sarcopenia and other immobilization-related muscle disorders. An important aspect of the proposed method is that it is defined as a formal algorithm that consists of two stages. Stage A aims to recover bed-ridden patients' ability to stand by applying vibration-tilt table technology. Stage B aims at rehabilitating compromised gait, using a combination of squats, lunges and single leg raises. It is anticipated that this algorithm-based approach will enhance the ability for standardization and documentation, whilst reducing resource efforts at the same time, which will be equally useful to clinical practice and to clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychosomatic ophthalmology emerged after World War II because patients attended clinics with symptoms that were not explained by physiological findings, subsequently it became clear that psychological distress could be associated with several ocular disorders, including dry eye syndrome. Dry eye disease is a common disorder with increasing prevalence due to environmental factors such as pollution, smoking, and sleep disorders. The burden of dry eye disease affects both patients and society, making it a very important target for investigation. Numerous studies showed that dry eye disease prevalence including the severity of the symptoms of dry eye is higher in patients suffering from depression and/or anxiety. Some studies suggest the implication of serotonin in tears being dysregulated by the disorders. The current review highlights the evidence of the association between anxiety, depression, and dry eye disease and summarizes the recent advances in research in this area, together with a brief explanation of the physiology of stress that could lead to psychological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is an overarching diagnostic class defined by the presence of at least one prior manic episode (BD I) or both a prior hypomanic episode and a prior depressive episode (BD II). Traditionally, BD II has been conceptualized as a less severe presentation of BD I, however, extant literature to investigate this claim has been mixed. Methods: We apply genomic structural equation modeling (Genomic SEM) to investigate divergent genetic pathways across BD's two major subtypes using the most recent GWAS summary statistics from the PGC. We begin by identifying divergences in genetic correlations across 98 external traits using a Bonferroni-corrected threshold. We also use a theoretically informed follow-up model to examine the extent to which the genetic variance in each subtype is explained by schizophrenia and major depression. Lastly, transcriptome-wide SEM (T-SEM) was used to identify neuronal gene expression patterns associated with BD subtypes. Results: BD II was characterized by significantly larger genetic overlap across non-psychiatric medical and internalizing traits (e.g. heart disease, neuroticism, insomnia), while stronger associations for BD I were absent. Consistent with these findings, follow-up modeling revealed a substantial major depression component for BD II. T-SEM results revealed 35 unique genes associated with shared risk across BD subtypes. Conclusions: Divergent patterns of genetic relationships across external traits provide support for the distinction of the bipolar subtypes. However, our results also challenge the illness severity conceptualization of BD given stronger genetic overlap across BD II and a range of clinically relevant traits and disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether experiencing mobbing can predict different health risk behaviours, such as smoking, alcohol intake, increased use of medication as a consequence of psychological disorders at work, and the need to seek specialist support in non-university teachers (N = 9,350). The results of the factorial analysis confirmed the one-dimensionality of the scale and its invariance by gender and educational stage. Results for the predictive model showed that the total score on a mobbing scale predicts the increase in both alcohol intake and tobacco use, a greater use of medication as a consequence of psychological or psychosomatic health disorders at work, and the need to seek support from a specialist to overcome some personal crises related to work. Likewise, the consumption of alcohol and tobacco were positively correlated, whereas the search for specialist support was more related to the increase in the use of medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate frequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in pain‐related temporomandibular disorders (TMDp) and to determine whether specific SNPs, psychological, psychosomatic and behavioural characteristics are predictive for pain existence and intensity (low pain intensity (LPI)/high pain intensity (HPI)). Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from buccal mucosa swabs (85 TMDp;85 controls) for evaluating frequency of selected SNPs: catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (rs4680, rs4818), opiorphin (rs1387964), alpha subunit of voltage‐gated sodium channel Nav1.1 (rs6432860) and voltage‐gated sodium channel Nav1.9 (rs33985936). Participants completed questionnaires on somatosensory amplification, anxiety and depression symptoms and oral behaviours (OB). Results: Sleep‐related OB frequency was higher in TMDp patients compared to controls (p = 0.008). Compared to LPI, HPI patients had higher depression (p = 0.020) and anxiety scores (p = 0.017). TMDp group showed higher frequency of CC genotype (rs1387964) than controls (12.9% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.025). Following adjustments for age, sex and sleep‐related OB, the significance of the recessive model (CC vs. TC + TT) between TMDp patients and controls was retained (OR = 5.783; 95%CI: 1.454–23.004). Frequency of GG genotype (rs4680 and rs4818) was higher in HPI compared to LPI patients (40% vs. 11.4%, p = 0.006; 24% vs. 3%; p = 0.012, respectively). The difference remained significant after adjusting for age, sex, depression, anxiety and sleep‐related OB (rs4680: OR = 3.621; 95%CI: 1.580–8.297; rs4818: OR = 4.919, 95%CI: 1.641–14.746). Conclusion: This study has demonstrated that rs1387964 CC genotype was associated with TMDp while rs4680 GG and rs4818 GG genotypes contributed to HPI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this issue of the Journal of Individual Psychology, various articles on psychoanalytic topics are presented. An article by Donald W. Winnicott deals with psychosomatic illnesses and their significance for the integration of personality. Another article by Klitzing discusses the positive and negative aspects of psychosomatic symptoms and their connection to interpersonal processes in the healthcare system. An article by Kaufhold sheds light on the life of the Jewish psychoanalyst Edith Jacobson and her relationships with other psychoanalysts. Other articles address the history of psychoanalytic technique, the development of human life, and the psychoanalysis of anxiety. A contribution by Thrul examines heterosexual masculinity beyond traditional gender roles. [Extracted from the article]

Psychosomatics investigates complex connections between the psyche, the body (soma) and social influences. This approach assumes that psychological factors play a decisive role in the emergence and development of physical illnesses. The identification of script elements, such as deeply rooted beliefs and early conclusions, enables the clarification and treatment of connections between script and psychosomatic illnesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aims to investigate the association between dietary behaviours, overweight/obesity, and mental health and well-being among Swedish adolescents. Methods: Data from the 2017/2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey of 3692 adolescents aged ≈11, ≈13, and ≈15 years was analysed. We evaluated the prevalence and association of dietary behaviours, characterised by daily intake of fruits and vegetables, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and sweets once per week, and daily consumption of family meals and breakfast, with socioeconomic and demographic factors. Multivariate logistic regression models (adjusted and unadjusted) were then used to examine the relationship between dietary behaviours, overweight/obesity, and mental health and well-being including psychosomatic complaints, life satisfaction, and school-related pressure. Results: Boys were more likely to eat breakfast and have meals together with their family than girls, but their fruit and vegetable intake was lower compared to girls. Adolescents with lower socioeconomic status (low family affluence, families perceived 'not well-off' and two unemployed parents), single-parent households and twoforeign born parents were more likely to engage in poorer dietary behaviours. Daily breakfast, family meals, fruit and vegetable intake were positively associated with mental health and well-being. Specifically, daily family meals were linked to higher life satisfaction, fewer psychosomatic complaints, and reduced school-related pressure. Breakfast emerged as a beneficial dietary habit, associated with higher life satisfaction, and a lower likelihood of psychosomatic complaints, school-related pressure, and overweight/obesity. Fruit and vegetable consumption was consistently associated with better mental health and well-being while associations between SSBs and sweets were mixed. Conclusions: Improving mental health and well-being, along with tackling the rising rates of mental illness and challenges related to overweight/obesity in adolescents constitute key public health priorities. Implementing policies that promote the intake of fruits and vegetables, reducing the consumption of SSBs and sweets, and emphasizing the value of having breakfast and sharing family meals could offer a cost-effective public health intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypnosis, a time-honored therapeutic approach, has gained widespread recognition for its effectiveness in addressing a range of psychological and somatic disorders. While its primary effects are mediated by central top–down mechanisms, hypnosis also exerts peripheral influence by modulating the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Psychophysiological measures, such as heart rate (HR) and its variability (HRV), electrodermal activity (EDA), respiratory rate (RR), and the analgesia nociceptive index (ANI), serve as reliable indicators of ANS activity. Studies have consistently demonstrated hypnosis' ability to significantly impact ANS functions, lowering sympathetic activity and enhancing parasympathetic tone. This effect is particularly pronounced during relaxation procedures and is influenced by mediating factors like hypnotizability and task conditions. Despite methodological limitations, this review highlights the potential of enhanced ANS modulation through hypnosis, including its connections to the central nervous system (CNS), to optimize therapeutic outcomes in patients with psychosomatic disorders associated with ANS dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]