Postictal psychiatric symptoms: A neurophysiological study.

OBJECTIVE: Postictal psychiatric symptoms (PPS) are a relatively common but understudied phenomenon in epilepsy. The mechanisms by which seizures contribute to worsening in psychiatric symptoms are unclear. We aimed to identify PPS prospectively during and after admission to the epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) in order to characterize the postictal physiologic changes leading to PPS. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled patients admitted to the EMU and administered repeat psychometric questionnaires during and after their hospital stay in order to assess for postictal exacerbations in four symptom complexes: anger/hostility, anxiety, depression, and paranoia. Electroclinical and electrographic seizures were identified from the EEG recordings, and seizure durations were measured. The severity of postictal slowing was calculated as the proportion of postictal theta/delta activity in the postictal EEG relative to the preictal EEG using the Hilbert transform. RESULTS: Among 33 participants, 8 demonstrated significant increases in at least one of the four symptoms (the PPS+ group) within three days following the first seizure. The most common PPS was anger/hostility, experienced by 7/8 participants with PPS. Among the 8 PPS+ participants, four experienced more than one PPS. As compared to those without PPS (the PPS- group), the PPS+ group demonstrated a greater degree of postictal EEG slowing at 10 min (p = 0.022) and 20 min (p = 0.05) following seizure termination. They also experienced significantly more seizures during the study period (p = 0.005). There was no difference in seizure duration between groups. SIGNIFICANCE: Postictal psychiatric symptoms including anger/hostility, anxiety, depression, and paranoia may be more common than recognized. In particular, postictal increases in anger and irritability may be particularly common. We provide physiological evidence of a biological mechanism as well as a demonstration of the use of quantitative electroencephalography toward a better understanding of postictal neurophysiology.

The Amplification of Symptoms in the Medically Ill.

The mechanism of symptom amplification, developed in the study of somatization, may be helpful in caring for patients with symptoms that, while they have a demonstrable medical basis, are nonetheless disproportionately severe and distressing. Amplified medical symptoms are marked by disproportionate physical suffering, unduly negative thoughts and concerns about them, and elevated levels of health-related anxiety. They are accompanied by extensive and sustained illness behaviors, disproportionate difficulty compartmentalizing them and circumscribing their impact, and consequent problems and dissatisfaction with their medical care. A distinction has long been made between "medically explained" and "medically unexplained" symptoms. However, a more comprehensive view of symptom phenomenology undermines this distinction and places all symptoms along a smooth continuum regardless of cause: Recent findings in cognitive neuroscience suggest that all symptoms-regardless of origin-are processed through convergent pathways. The complete conscious experience of both medically "explained" and "unexplained" symptoms is an amalgam of a viscerosomatic sensation fused with its ascribed salience and the patient's ideas, expectations, and concerns about the sensation. This emerging empirical evidence furnishes a basis for viewing persistent, disproportionately distressing symptoms of demonstrable disease along a continuum with medically unexplained symptoms. Thus, therapeutic modalities developed for somatization and medically unexplained symptoms can be helpful in the care of seriously ill medical patients with amplified symptoms. These interventions include educational groups for coping with chronic illness, cognitive therapies for dysfunctional thoughts, behavioral strategies for maladaptive illness behaviors, psychotherapy for associated emotional distress, and consultation with mental health professionals to assist the primary care physician with difficulties in medical management.

Toward a Unified Classification System for Brain-Mind Disorders: Putting Calls for Integrated Clinical Neuroscience Into Action.

Dividing the brain-mind into the specialized fields of neurology and psychiatry has produced many granular advantages, but these silos have imposed barriers to comprehensively understanding and contextualizing the fundamentals governing mental life and its maladies. Scientific inquiry into these fundamentals cannot reach its full potential without interdigitating the boundaries of two specialties of the same organ for both scholarship and clinical practice. We propose that to truly integrate disorders of the brain and the mind for research and clinical care, we must carefully reexamine the classification of its disorders (nosology) as an instrument to develop a coherent pathological and psychological framework. We call on professional organizations from neurology, psychiatry, behavioral neurology, neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, and other relevant subspecialties (eg, geriatric psychiatry) to convene a multidisciplinary task force to define the current classification principles of their subspecialties and work toward developing an integrated nosology. The effect of a shared classification system, which we acknowledge is a difficult proposition philosophically and politically, would have transformative potential across educational, clinical, scientific, programmatic, and sociocultural realms. If accomplished, this initiative would provide a definitive step toward reducing stigma (and promoting reimbursement parity) for the full spectrum of complex brain disorders (regardless of traditional neurologic vs psychiatric conceptualizations).

Correlation Between Rostral Dorsomedial Prefrontal Cortex Activation by Trauma-Related Words and Subsequent Response to CBT for PTSD.

OBJECTIVE: Trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an important component of evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but the efficacy of treatment varies from individual to individual. It is hypothesized that some of this variability is derived from interindividual differences in the brain's intrinsic response to trauma-related stimuli and in activity of executive functional regions. The authors sought to characterize these differences using functional MRI (fMRI) in patients about to undergo CBT for PTSD. METHODS: Blood-oxygenation-level-dependent signal was measured in 12 individuals with PTSD related to sexual and/or physical trauma while they read words with positive, neutral, and negative content. Some negative words had PTSD-related themes, while others did not. It was hypothesized that PTSD-related words would evoke emotional processes likely to be engaged by the CBT process and would be most likely to activate brain circuitry important for CBT success. RESULTS: A group-level analysis showed that the rostral dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (rdmPFC) was activated to a greater degree in response to PTSD-related words compared with other word types. This activation was strongest among patients with the best CBT responses, particularly in the latter part of the task, when differences between individuals were most pronounced. CONCLUSIONS: The rdmPFC activation observed in this study may reflect the engagement of neural processes involved in introspection and self-reflection. CBT may be more effective for individuals with a greater ability to engage these processes.

Predictors of involuntary and voluntary emotional episodic memories of virtual reality scenarios in Veterans with and without PTSD.

This study investigated predictors of involuntary and voluntary memories of stressful virtual reality scenarios. Thirty-two veterans of the two Persian Gulf Wars completed verbal memory tests and diagnostic assessments. They were randomly assigned to a Recounting (16) or a Suppression (16) condition. After immersion in the VR scenarios, the Recounting group described the scenarios and the Suppression group suppressed thoughts of the scenarios. One week later, participants completed surprise voluntary memory tests and another thought suppression task. The best predictors of voluntary memory were verbal memory ability, dissociation, and to a lesser extent, physiological arousal before and after scenarios. Dissociation and physiological stress responses selectively affected memory for neutral elements. Higher distress during scenarios impaired voluntary memory but increased the frequency of involuntary memories. Physiological stress responses promoted more frequent involuntary memories immediately after the scenarios. More frequent initial involuntary memories, tonic physiological arousal, and stronger emotional responses to dangerous events predicted difficulty inhibiting involuntary memories at follow-up. The effects of thought suppression were transient and weaker than those of other variables. The findings suggest that posttraumatic amnesia and involuntary memories of adverse events are more related to memory ability and emotional and physiological stress responses than to post-exposure suppression.

Major Depressive Disorder in Medical Illness: A Review of Assessment, Prevalence, and Treatment Options.

Major depression, as well as other depressive disorders, is commonly comorbid with other medical illnesses, particularly chronic and systemic medical illnesses. The co-occurrence of the disorders is so common that it challenges our notions of the meaning of comorbidity and our desire to neatly separate psychiatric and medical illnesses. The overlap between symptoms of physical illness and the neurovegetative symptoms of major depression and the initial normative emotional response to physical illness add to the challenge of accurate diagnosis and timely treatment of depression in the medically ill. We review the literature on the comorbidity of depression and the various medical illnesses, including diagnostic and treatment approaches. The differential diagnosis for major depression among medically ill patients should include delirium and medication-induced symptoms. We suggest that major depression itself may be best conceptualized as a systemic illness whose pathophysiology overlaps with other systemic medical illnesses. The initial treatment strategies for major depression in medical illness are like those for the general population; however, the comorbid medical illnesses may interfere with remission. To illustrate these points, we describe a patient with clinical characteristics covered in this review who experienced major depression as well as several chronic illnesses, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain due to degenerative joint disease, and diabetes mellitus.

Promoting Health Equity Through Trauma-Informed Care: Critical Role for Physicians in Policy and Program Development.

Trauma-informed care has emerged as an important model to address the pervasiveness of traumatic experiences across the life cycle and their association with significant adverse medical and psychiatric consequences. To achieve health equity, in which all people have the opportunity for health, it is crucial for physicians to become comfortable with a neurobiopsychosocial understanding of trauma and how to provide optimal trauma-informed care. Given the pervasiveness of trauma exposure, and its impact on individual and community health, this paradigm shift in adult health care delivery systems requires physician engagement at every stage of development and implementation.

Migraine and its psychiatric comorbidities.

Migraine is a highly prevalent and disabling neurological disorder associated with a wide range of psychiatric comorbidities. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of the link between migraine and several comorbid psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. We present data on psychiatric risk factors for migraine chronification. We discuss the evidence, theories and methods, such as brain functional imaging, to explain the pathophysiological links between migraine and psychiatric disorders. Finally, we provide an overview of the treatment considerations for treating migraine with psychiatric comorbidities. In conclusion, a review of the literature demonstrates the wide variety of psychiatric comorbidities with migraine. However, more research is needed to elucidate the neurocircuitry underlying the association between migraine and the comorbid psychiatric conditions and to determine the most effective treatment for migraine with psychiatric comorbidity.

Transient and chronic seizure-induced inflammation in human focal epilepsy.

In animal models, inflammation is both a cause and consequence of seizures. Less is known about the role of inflammation in human epilepsy. We performed positron emission tomography (PET) using a radiotracer sensitive to brain inflammation in a patient with frontal epilepsy ~36 h after a seizure as well as during a seizure-free period. When statistically compared to a group of 12 matched controls, both of the patient's scans identified a frontal (supplementary motor area) region of increased inflammation corresponding to his clinically defined seizure focus, but the postseizure scan showed significantly greater inflammation intensity and spatial extent. These results provide new information about transient and chronic neuroinflammation in human epilepsy and may be relevant to understanding the process of epileptogenesis and guiding therapy.

Migraine diagnosis and treatment: A knowledge and needs assessment among primary care providers.

BACKGROUND: Studies reveal that migraine is often under-recognized, misdiagnosed and inadequately treated in the primary care setting. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to assess primary care providers' (PCP) knowledge and needs regarding migraine diagnosis and management. METHODS: We held semi-structured group interviews and distributed a brief questionnaire to PCPs in our hospital network. Building on the information from the interviews, we developed a comprehensive survey assessing PCPs' knowledge about migraine. Descriptive analyses were performed. RESULTS: The initial interviews and brief questionnaires revealed that PCPs are aware of the prevalence of migraine but are uncertain about the details of management. Eighty-three of 120 physicians completed the comprehensive survey. Only 47% would order imaging for a new type of headache, 31% for worsening headache, and 35% for a headache unresponsive to treatment. Only 28% were familiar with the American Academy of Neurology guidelines on preventive treatment and 40% were familiar with the Choosing Wisely Campaign recommendations on migraine treatment. Just 34% were aware that opioids can cause medication-overuse headache. Non-pharmacologic treatment was not usually recommended. PCPs favored educational opportunities involving direct contact with headache physicians (56%). CONCLUSIONS: PCPs are not universally aware of the specific recommendations for managing migraine patients. Future work should focus on innovative ways to provide decision support and education for PCPs caring for migraineurs.

A migraine management training program for primary care providers: An overview of a survey and pilot study findings, lessons learned, and considerations for further research.

BACKGROUND: There are five to nine million primary care office visits a year for migraine in the United States. However, migraine care is often suboptimal in the primary care setting. A prior study indicated that primary care physicians (PCPs) wanted direct contact with headache specialists to improve the migraine care they provide. OBJECTIVE: We sought to further examine PCPs' knowledge of migraine management and assess the feasibility of a multimodal migraine education program for PCPs. METHODS: We conducted a survey assessing PCPs' knowledge about migraine. We then held three live educational sessions and developed an email consultative service for PCPs to submit questions they had about migraine. We report both quantitative and qualitative findings. RESULTS: Twenty-one PCPs completed the survey. They were generally familiar with the epidemiology of migraine (mean prevalence of migraine reported was 12.6% ± 10.1), the psychiatric comorbidities (mean prevalence of comorbid depression was 24.5% ± 16.7, mean prevalence of comorbid anxiety was 24.6% ± 18.3), and evidence-based behavioral treatments. Fifty-six percent cited cognitive behavioral therapy, 78% cited biofeedback, and 61% cited relaxation therapy as evidence based treatments. Though most were aware of the prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, they did not routinely assess for them (43% did not routinely assess for anxiety, 29% did not routinely assess for depression). PCPs reported frequently referring patients for non-level A evidence based treatments: special diets (60%), acupuncture (50%), physical therapy (30%), and psychoanalysis (20%). Relaxation therapy was a therapy recommended by 40% of the PCPs. Only 10% reported referring for cognitive behavioral therapy or biofeedback. Nineteen percent made minimal or no use of migraine preventive medications. Seventy-two percent were unaware of or only slightly aware of the American Academy of Neurology guidelines for migraine. There was variable attendance at the educational sessions (N=22 at 1st session, 6 at 2nd session, 15 at 3rd session). Very few PCPs used the email consultative service (N=4). CONCLUSIONS: Though PCPs are familiar with many aspects of migraine care, there is a need and opportunity for improvement. The three live sessions were poorly attended and the email consultative service was rarely used. We provide an in depth discussion of targeted areas for educational intervention, of the challenges in developing a migraine educational program for PCPs, and areas for future study.

Frontolimbic neural circuit changes in emotional processing and inhibitory control associated with clinical improvement following transference-focused psychotherapy in borderline personality disorder.

AIMS: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by self-regulation deficits, including impulsivity and affective lability. Transference-focused psychotherapy (TFP) is an evidence-based treatment proven to reduce symptoms across multiple cognitive-emotional domains in BPD. This pilot study aimed to investigate neural activation associated with, and predictive of, clinical improvement in emotional and behavioral regulation in BPD following TFP. METHODS: BPD subjects (n = 10) were scanned pre- and post-TFP treatment using a within-subjects design. A disorder-specific emotional-linguistic go/no-go functional magnetic resonance imaging paradigm was used to probe the interaction between negative emotional processing and inhibitory control. RESULTS: Analyses demonstrated significant treatment-related effects with relative increased dorsal prefrontal (dorsal anterior cingulate, dorsolateral prefrontal, and frontopolar cortices) activation, and relative decreased ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and hippocampal activation following treatment. Clinical improvement in constraint correlated positively with relative increased left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex activation. Clinical improvement in affective lability correlated positively with left posterior-medial orbitofrontal cortex/ventral striatum activation, and negatively with right amygdala/parahippocampal activation. Post-treatment improvements in constraint were predicted by pre-treatment right dorsal anterior cingulate cortex hypoactivation, and pre-treatment left posterior-medial orbitofrontal cortex/ventral striatum hypoactivation predicted improvements in affective lability. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings demonstrate potential TFP-associated alterations in frontolimbic circuitry and begin to identify neural mechanisms associated with a psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy.