Validation of a Rational Malingering Test Using Evoked Potentials

Terminology and assessment tools of psychosis: A systematic narrative review

AIM

Phenomena within the psychosis continuum that varies in frequency/duration/intensity have been increasingly identified. Different terms describe these phenomena, however there is no standardization within the terminology. This review evaluated the definitions and assessment tools of seven terms - (i) 'psychotic experiences'; (ii) 'psychotic-like experiences'; (iii) 'psychotic-like symptoms'; (iv) 'attenuated psychotic symptoms'; (v) 'prodromal psychotic symptoms'; (vi) 'psychotic symptomatology'; and (vii) 'psychotic symptoms'.

METHODS

EMBASE, MEDLINE, and CINAHL were searched during February-March 2019. Inclusion criteria included 1989-2019, full text, human, and English. Papers with no explicit definition or assessment tool, duplicates, conference abstracts, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or no access were excluded.

RESULTS

A total of 2238 papers were identified and of these, 627 were included. Definitions and assessment tools varied, but some trends were found. Psychotic experiences and psychotic-like experiences were transient and mild, found in the general population and those at-risk. Psychotic-like symptoms were subthreshold and among at-risk populations and non-psychotic mental disorders. Attenuated psychotic symptoms were subthreshold but associated with distress, risk, and help-seeking. Prodromal psychotic symptoms referred to the prodrome of psychotic disorders. Psychotic symptomatology included delusions and hallucinations within psychotic disorders. Psychotic symptoms was the broadest term, encompassing a range of populations but most commonly involving hallucinations, delusions, thought disorder, and disorganization.

DISCUSSION

A model for conceptualizing the required terms is proposed and future directions needed to advance this field of research are discussed.

The utility of electrodiagnostic tests for the assessment of medically unexplained weakness and sensory deficit

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Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are challenge for electrodiagnostic testing.

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Weakness and sensory deficit can be manifestations of psychogenic disorders.

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This is a review of electrodiagnostic methods used for the assessment of MUS.

Patients with suspected medically unexplained symptoms or psychogenic disorders are frequently requested to undergo an EMG exam. However, the suspected diagnosis is not always told to the electromyography practitioner, who must be able to recognize such a condition to avoid false positive diagnosis without dismissing the possibility to uncover any true dysfunction. There are many clinical manoeuvers to assess the consistency of the patients’ reported weakness or sensory deficit. The electrodiagnostic practitioner should be aware of those clinical tricks and interpret the electrodiagnostic findings in the clinical context. There are many electrodiagnostic tests that the practitioner can use for the assessment of motor and sensory functions but these tests have also important drawbacks and limitations. Only after a good clinical evaluation would the practitioner be able to give his/her opinion on the clinical relevance of the electrodiagnostic findings. Here we review some of the tests that can help the practitioner to define the electrophysiological characteristics of a suspected functional disorder presenting with weakness or sensory deficit.