Authors:	Michal, Matthias Koechel, Ansgar Canterino, Marco Adler, Julia Reiner, Iris Vossel, Gerhard Beutel, Manfred E. Gamer, Matthias
Title:	Depersonalization disorder : disconnection of cognitive evaluation from autonomic responses to emotional stimuli
Online publication date:	6-Oct-2022
Year of first publication:	2013
Language:	english
Abstract:	BACKGROUND: Patients with depersonalization disorder (DPD) typically complain about emotional detachment. Previous studies found reduced autonomic responsiveness to emotional stimuli for DPD patients as compared to patients with anxiety disorders. We aimed to investigate autonomic responsiveness to emotional auditory stimuli of DPD patients as compared to patient controls. Furthermore, we examined the modulatory effect of mindful breathing on these responses as well as on depersonalization intensity. METHODS: 22 DPD patients and 15 patient controls balanced for severity of depression and anxiety, age, sex and education, were compared regarding 1) electrodermal and heart rate data during a resting period, and 2) autonomic responses and cognitive appraisal of standardized acoustic affective stimuli in two conditions (normal listening and mindful breathing). RESULTS: DPD patients rated the emotional sounds as significantly more neutral as compared to patient controls and standardized norm ratings. At the same time, however, they responded more strongly to acoustic emotional stimuli and their electrodermal response pattern was more modulated by valence and arousal as compared to patient controls. Mindful breathing reduced severity of depersonalization in DPD patients and increased the arousal modulation of electrodermal responses in the whole sample. Finally, DPD patients showed an increased electrodermal lability in the rest period as compared to patient controls. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated that the cognitive evaluation of emotional sounds in DPD patients is disconnected from their autonomic responses to those emotional stimuli. The increased electrodermal lability in DPD may reflect increased introversion and cognitive control of emotional impulses. The findings have important psychotherapeutic implications.
DDC:	610 Medizin 610 Medical sciences
Institution:	Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Department:	FB 02 Sozialwiss., Medien u. Sport FB 04 Medizin
Place:	Mainz
ROR:	https://ror.org/023b0x485
DOI:	http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-7892
Version:	Published version
Publication type:	Zeitschriftenaufsatz
License:	CC BY
Information on rights of use:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Journal:	PLoS one 8 9
Pages or article number:	e74331
Publisher:	PLoS
Publisher place:	Lawrence, Kan.
Issue date:	2013
ISSN:	1932-6203
Publisher URL:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0074331
Publisher DOI:	10.1371/journal.pone.0074331
Appears in collections:	DFG-OA-Publizieren (2012 - 2017)