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Michal M, Wiltink J, Tibubos AN, Wild PS, Münzel T, Lackner K, Pfeiffer N, König J, Gieswinkel A, Beutel M, Kerahrodi JG. Impact of depersonalization on the course of depression: longitudinal observations from the gutenberg health study. BMC Psychiatry 2024; 24:196. [PMID: 38459472 PMCID: PMC10924423 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-024-05658-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Symptoms of depersonalization (DP) and derealization (DR) are a risk factor for more severe impairment, non-response to various treatments, and a chronic course. In this study, we investigated the effects of DP/DR symptoms in patients with clinically significant depressive symptoms on clinical characteristics and various outcomes in a representative population-based sample with a 5-year follow-up. METHODS The middle-aged sample comprised n = 10,422 persons at baseline, of whom n = 9,301 were free from depressive and DP/DR symptoms. N = 522 persons had clinically significant depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) and co-occurring DP/DR symptoms, and n = 599 persons had clinically significant depression (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) without DP/DR symptoms. RESULTS There were substantial health disparities between persons with and without depression. These disparities concerned a wide range of life domains, including lower quality of the recalled early life experiences with the parents, current socioeconomic status, social integration (partnership, loneliness), current social and interpersonal stressors (family, work), functional bodily complaints (e.g., tinnitus, migraine, chest pain), unhealthy lifestyle, and the prevalence of already developed physical diseases. These disparities persisted to the 5-year follow-up and were exceptionally severe for depressed persons with co-occurring DP/DR symptoms. Among the depressed persons, the co-occurrence of DP/DR symptoms more than doubled the risk for recurrence or persistence of depression. Only 6.9% of depressed persons with DP/DR symptoms achieved remission at the 5-year follow-up (PHQ-9 < 5). Depression with and without co-occurring DP/DR worsened self-rated physical health significantly. The impact of depression with co-occurring DP/DR on the worsening of the self-rated physical health status was stronger than those of age and major medical diseases (e.g., heart failure). However, only depression without DP/DR was associated with mortality in a hazard regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, and lifestyle. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrated that DP/DR symptoms represent an important and easily assessable prognostic factor for the course of depression and health outcomes. Given the low remission rates for depression in general and depression with DP/DR in particular, efforts should be made to identify and better support this group, which is disadvantaged in many aspects of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Michal
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), University Medical Center Mainz, Partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Jörg Wiltink
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Ana N Tibubos
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Philipp S Wild
- Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), University Medical Center Mainz, Partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Münzel
- Department of Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
- German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), University Medical Center Mainz, Partner site Rhine-Main, Mainz, Germany
| | - Karl Lackner
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Norbert Pfeiffer
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jochem König
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Alexander Gieswinkel
- Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Manfred Beutel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jasmin Ghaemi Kerahrodi
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Schlax J, Wiltink J, Beutel ME, Münzel T, Pfeiffer N, Wild P, Blettner M, Ghaemi Kerahrodi J, Michal M. Symptoms of depersonalization/derealization are independent risk factors for the development or persistence of psychological distress in the general population: Results from the Gutenberg health study. J Affect Disord 2020; 273:41-47. [PMID: 32421621 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2016] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Symptoms of depersonalization (DP) and derealization (DR) have a high prevalence in patient and community samples. Previous studies suggested that DP/DR symptoms might represent a marker of disease severity and poor prognosis. However, population-based studies investigating the impact of DP/DR symptoms on the course of depression and anxiety are sparse. Therefore, we aimed to analyze whether symptoms of DP/DR are longitudinally associated with the persistence or incidence of elevated symptoms of depression/anxiety. METHODS We analyzed observational data from a sample of 13.182 participants of the Gutenberg Health Study. The outcomes were elevated symptoms of depression/anxiety at the 2.5 years follow-up as determined by the 2-item depression scale (PHQ-2), the 2-item anxiety scale (GAD-2), and the compound measure PHQ-4 respectively. The predictor was the 2-item Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS-2). RESULTS 8.7% of the sample were bothered by symptoms of DP/DR at baseline. They had an increased risk for elevated symptoms of depression/anxiety at the 2.5-year follow-up beyond baseline depression/anxiety and other factors. Each point increment in the CDS-2 scale, ranging from 0-6, was associated with a 21% increase of risk for PHQ-4 ≥ 3 at the follow-up (odds ratio 1.21, 95% confidence interval 1.11-1.32). LIMITATIONS The study was mostly questionnaire-based. CONCLUSION Symptoms of DP/DR are independent risk factors for the persistence or incidence of elevated symptoms of depression/anxiety. Symptoms of DP/DR represent an easily assessable risk factor for the course of mental disorders. Treatment and prevention of mental disorders might benefit from the broader recognition of these phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Schlax
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
| | - Jörg Wiltink
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
| | - Manfred E Beutel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Münzel
- Department of Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
| | - Norbert Pfeiffer
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
| | - Philipp Wild
- Department of Cardiology I, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany; Preventive Cardiology and Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany; Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
| | - Maria Blettner
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
| | - Jasmin Ghaemi Kerahrodi
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthias Michal
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany; German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Rhine-Main, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany.
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Michal M, Adler J, Wiltink J, Reiner I, Tschan R, Wölfling K, Weimert S, Tuin I, Subic-Wrana C, Beutel ME, Zwerenz R. A case series of 223 patients with depersonalization-derealization syndrome. BMC Psychiatry 2016; 16:203. [PMID: 27349226 PMCID: PMC4924239 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-016-0908-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depersonalization-derealization syndrome (DDS) is an underdiagnosed and underresearched clinical phenomenon. In Germany, its administrative prevalence is far below the threshold for orphan diseases, although according to epidemiological surveys the diagnosis should be comparable frequent as anorexia nervosa for instance. Against this background, we carried out a large comprehensive survey of a DDS series in a tertiary mental health center with a specialized depersonalization-derealization clinic. To reveal differential characteristics, we compared the DDS patients, who consulted the specialized depersonalization-derealization clinic, with a group of patients with depressive disorders without comorbid DDS from the regular outpatient clinic of the mental health center. METHODS The sample comprised 223 patients with a diagnosis of depersonalization-derealization-syndrome and 1129 patients with a depressive disorder but without a comorbid diagnosis of DDS. DDS patients were described and compared with depressive outpatients in terms of sociodemographic characteristics, treatment history, treatment wishes, clinical symptomatology, prevailing psychosocial stressors, family history of common mental disorders and history of childhood trauma. RESULTS Despite the high comorbidity of DDS patients with depressive disorders and comparable burden with symptoms of depression and anxiety, the clinical picture and course of both patient groups differed strongly. DDS patients were younger, had a significant preponderance of male sex, longer disease duration and an earlier age of onset, a higher education but were more often unemployed. They tended to show more severe functional impairment. They had higher rates of previous or current mental health care utilization. Nearly all DDS patients endorsed the wish for a symptom specific counseling and 70.7 % were interested in the internet-based treatment of their problems. DDS patients had lower levels of self-rated traumatic childhood experiences and current psychosocial stressors. However, they reported a family history of anxiety disorders more often. CONCLUSION In consideration of the selection bias of this study, this case series supports the view that the course of the DDS tends to be long-lasting. DDS patients are severely impaired, utilizing mental health care to a high degree, which nevertheless might not meet their treatment needs, as patients strongly opt for obtaining disorder specific counseling. In view of the size of the problem, more research on the disorder, its course and its optimal treatment is urgently required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Michal
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
| | - Julia Adler
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jörg Wiltink
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Iris Reiner
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Regine Tschan
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Klaus Wölfling
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Sabine Weimert
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Inka Tuin
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Claudia Subic-Wrana
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Manfred E. Beutel
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Rüdiger Zwerenz
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Mainz, Germany
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Daniels JK, Frewen P, Theberge J, Lanius RA. Structural brain aberrations associated with the dissociative subtype of post-traumatic stress disorder. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2016; 133:232-40. [PMID: 26138235 DOI: 10.1111/acps.12464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE One factor potentially contributing to the heterogeneity of previous results on structural grey matter alterations in adult participants suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the varying levels of dissociative symptomatology. The aim of this study was therefore to test whether the recently defined dissociative subtype of PTSD characterized by symptoms of depersonalization and derealization is characterized by specific differences in volumetric brain morphology. METHOD Whole-brain MRI data were acquired for 59 patients with PTSD. Voxel-based morphometry was carried out to test for group differences between patients classified as belonging (n = 15) vs. not belonging (n = 44) to the dissociative subtype of PTSD. The correlation between dissociation (depersonalization/derealization) severity and grey matter volume was computed. RESULTS Patients with PTSD classified as belonging to the dissociative subtype exhibited greater grey matter volume in the right precentral and fusiform gyri as well as less volume in the right inferior temporal gyrus. Greater dissociation severity was associated with greater volume in the right middle frontal gyrus. CONCLUSION The results of this first whole-brain investigation of specific grey matter volume in dissociative subtype PTSD indentified structural aberrations in regions subserving the processing and regulation of emotional arousal. These might constitute characteristic biomarkers for the dissociative subtype PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- J K Daniels
- Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - P Frewen
- Department of Psychology, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - J Theberge
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St Joseph's Health Care London, Western University, London, ON, Canada.,Departments of Medical Imaging, Medical Biophysics and Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - R A Lanius
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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[How often is the Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (ICD-10: F48.1) diagnosed in the outpatient health-care service?]. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR PSYCHOSOMATISCHE MEDIZIN UND PSYCHOTHERAPIE 2010; 56:74-83. [PMID: 20229493 DOI: 10.13109/zptm.2010.56.1.74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The study determines how often Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder (ICD-10: F48.1) is diagnosed in the general population and analyzes the associations of other diseases with F48.1. METHODS The sample consists of 1.567 million insured persons of a statutory health insurance fund in Germany. We analyzed the prevalence of F48.1 and the associations of F48.1 with other diseases according to ICD-10. RESULTS We found a 1-year prevalence of 0.007 % for the diagnosis of F48.1. After adjustment for age, sex, depression and anxiety, several somatic disease groups were found to be associated with an increased likelihood of F48.1, e.g., abnormalities of breathing (R06), cardiac arrhythmias (I47-I49), epilepsy (G40), dizziness (H81, H82, R42) and headache (G43, G44, R51). CONCLUSIONS According to epidemiological studies, the prevalence of depersonalization-derealization disorder is 1-2 %. We therefore conclude that F48.1 is severely underdiagnosed. Increased awareness for the detection of F48.1 and further health care research are urgently warranted.
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[Depersonalisation/derealization - clinical picture, diagnostics and therapy]. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR PSYCHOSOMATISCHE MEDIZIN UND PSYCHOTHERAPIE 2009; 55:113-40. [PMID: 19402018 DOI: 10.13109/zptm.2009.55.2.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The present state of knowledge about depersonalization (DP) and derealization (DR) is reviewed with respect to classification, epidemiology, etiology, and therapy. Mild and transient DP-DR are considered to be common phenomena. The prevalence of depersonalization-derealization disorder (DP-DR-D) is estimated to be approx. 1-2% of the general population in the Western hemisphere. DP-DR-D is probably severely underdiagnosed. DP-DR-D is strongly associated with depression and anxiety disorders. It is suggested that symptoms of DP-DR indicate disease severity and negatively predict therapy outcome. Neurobiological and psychological models have shown that a disordered body schema and emotional and autonomic blunting are essential components of the disorder. Despite the frequency of DPDR and its clinical relevance, there is a considerable lack of empirical research on DP-DR with respect to the health-care situation of depersonalized patients and with regard to treatment options.
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Heidenreich T, Michalak J, Michal M. Depersonalisation und Derealisation: Grundlagen und kognitiv-behaviorale Perspektive. VERHALTENSTHERAPIE 2006. [DOI: 10.1159/000095903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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