Anomalous Self-Experiences: Markers of Schizophrenia Vulnerability or Symptoms of Depersonalization Disorder? A Phenomenological Investigation of Two Cases

ABSTRACTDepersonalization disorder (DPD) is characterized by a subjective sense of detachment from one's own being and a sense of unreality. An examination of the psychobiology of depersonalization symptoms may be useful in understanding the cognitive-affective neuroscience of embodiment. DPD may be mediated by neurocircuitry and neurotransmitters involved in the integration of sensory processing and of the body schema, and in the mediation of emotional experience and the identification of feelings. For example, DPD has been found to involve autonomic blunting, deactivation of sub-cortical structures, and disturbances in molecular systems in such circuitry. An evolutionary perspective suggests that attenuation of emotional responses, mediated by deactivation of limbic structures, may sometimes be advantageous in response to inescapable stress.

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Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Improves Depersonalization: A Case Report

CNS Spectrums ◽

10.1017/s1092852900009366 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 375-376 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Alejandro M. Jiménez-Genchi

Keyword(s):

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Case Report ◽

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽

Magnetic Stimulation ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ◽

Treatment Resistant ◽

Depersonalization Disorder ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal

AbstractDepersonalization disorder is a poorly understood and treatment-resistant condition. This report describes a patient with depersonalization disorder who underwent six sessions of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation produced a 28% reduction on depersonalization scores.

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Depersonalization Disorder in Former Addicts (Prevalence of Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder in Former Addicts)

Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy ◽

10.4172/2155-6105.1000225 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 06 (02) ◽

Author(s):

Carlos Sirvent Carlos Sirvent

Keyword(s):

Depersonalization Disorder

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Unpacking the depersonalization syndrome: an exploratory factor analysis on the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291705005325 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 35 (10) ◽

pp. 1523-1532 ◽

Cited By ~ 83

Author(s):

MAURICIO SIERRA ◽

DAWN BAKER ◽

NICHOLAS MEDFORD ◽

ANTHONY S. DAVID

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Exploratory Factor Analysis ◽

Emotional Numbing ◽

Poor Agreement ◽

Body Experience ◽

Anomalous Body ◽

Depersonalization Disorder

Background. Depersonalization has long been considered a syndrome but there is poor agreement on its constituent symptoms.Method. In order to establish whether different symptoms of depersonalization represent the expression of a single or several underlying dimensions, an exploratory factor analysis on the Cambridge Depersonalization Scale (CDS) was carried out on 138 consecutive patients diagnosed with depersonalization disorder.Results. Four well determined factors accounting for 73·3% of the variance were extracted. These were labelled ‘Anomalous Body Experience’; ‘Emotional Numbing’; ‘Anomalous Subjective Recall’ and ‘Alienation from Surroundings’.Conclusions. Symptoms of depersonalization belong to distinct but related psychopathological domains.

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