Donja Rodic1, Andrea Hans Meyer2, Roselind Lieb3, Gunther Meinlschmidt4,5,6. 1. Department of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. donja.rodic@unibas.ch. 2. Department of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. andrea.meyer@unibas.ch. 3. Department of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. roselind.lieb@unibas.ch. 4. Department of Psychology, Division of Clinical Psychology and Epidemiology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. gunther.meinlschmidt@unibas.ch. 5. Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. gunther.meinlschmidt@unibas.ch. 6. Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Missionsstrasse 60/62, 4055, Basel, Switzerland. gunther.meinlschmidt@unibas.ch.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Somatoform Disorders or Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders are a major public health problem.The pathophysiology underlying these disorders is not yet understood. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore if sensory responsiveness could contribute to a better understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying two key symptoms of Somatoform Disorders, namely somatic symptoms and illness anxiety. METHODS: We measured vibrotactile perception thresholds with the HVLab Perception Meter and examined their association with somatic symptoms, illness anxiety and trait anxiety. A sample of 205 volunteers participated in the study. RESULTS: Sensory responsiveness was neither associated with somatic symptoms (β = -0.01; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.37, 0.39) nor trait anxiety (β = -0.07; 95% CI, -0.30, 0.07). However, lower vibrotactile perception thresholds were associated with increased scores of the overall illness anxiety scale (β = -0.65; 95% CI, -1.21, -0.14) and its constituent subscale disease conviction (β = -2.07; 95% CI, -3.94, -0.43). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that increased sensory responsiveness is associated with illness anxiety and hence should be examined further as potential target within the etiopathology of somatoform disorders.
BACKGROUND: Somatoform Disorders or Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders are a major public health problem.The pathophysiology underlying these disorders is not yet understood. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore if sensory responsiveness could contribute to a better understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying two key symptoms of Somatoform Disorders, namely somatic symptoms and illness anxiety. METHODS: We measured vibrotactile perception thresholds with the HVLab Perception Meter and examined their association with somatic symptoms, illness anxiety and trait anxiety. A sample of 205 volunteers participated in the study. RESULTS: Sensory responsiveness was neither associated with somatic symptoms (β = -0.01; 95% confidence interval (CI), -0.37, 0.39) nor trait anxiety (β = -0.07; 95% CI, -0.30, 0.07). However, lower vibrotactile perception thresholds were associated with increased scores of the overall illness anxiety scale (β = -0.65; 95% CI, -1.21, -0.14) and its constituent subscale disease conviction (β = -2.07; 95% CI, -3.94, -0.43). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that increased sensory responsiveness is associated with illness anxiety and hence should be examined further as potential target within the etiopathology of somatoform disorders.
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