Maladaptive Self-Focused Attention and Default Mode Network Connectivity: A Transdiagnostic Investigation Across Social Anxiety and Body Dysmorphic Disorders

Maladaptive self-focused attention (SFA) is a bias toward internal thoughts, feelings, and physical states. Despite its role as a core maintaining factor of symptoms in cognitive theories of social anxiety and body dysmorphic disorders, studies have not examined its neural basis. In this study, we hypothesized that maladaptive SFA would be associated with hyperconnectivity in the default mode network (DMN) in self-focused patients with these disorders. Thirty patients with primary social anxiety disorder or primary body dysmorphic disorder, and 28 healthy individuals were eligible and scanned. Eligibility was determined by scoring greater than 1SD or below 1SD of the Public Self-Consciousness Scale normative mean, respectively, for each group. Seed-to-voxel functional connectivity was computed using a DMN posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) seed. There was no evidence of increased DMN functional connectivity in patients compared to controls. Patients (regardless of diagnosis) showed reduced functional connectivity of the PCC with several brain regions, including the bilateral superior parietal lobule (SPL), compared to controls, which was inversely correlated with maladaptive SFA but not associated with social anxiety, body dysmorphic, or depression severity, or rumination. Abnormal PCC-SPL connectivity may represent a transdiagnostic neural marker of SFA that reflects difficulty shifting between internal versus external attention.

Prevalence of muscle dysmorphia symptomatology and related factors in male university students / Prevalencia de sintomatología de dismorfia muscular y factores asociados en estudiantes universitarios varones

Muscle dysmorphia is an obsessive-compulsive disorder subcategorized as a body dysmorphic disorder. Studies in Latin America have assessed the prevalence of muscle dysmorphia in bodybuilders and gym users. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of muscle dysmorphia symptomatology (MDS) and associated factors in university male students in Lima, Peru. The participants (N = 618) had an average age of 21.0 years (DS = 2.3). We assessed MDS through the Muscular Appearance Satisfaction Scale (MASS) and obsessive-compulsive disorders through the Yale-Brown Scale Modified for Body Dysmorphic Disorders (BDD-YBOCS). We also tested participants on their food consumption and physical activity (PA) frequency. The prevalence of MDS was 1.3% (IC 95% = 0.4-2.2%) . associated with factors such as intense PA defined as more than five hours per week (PRa = 9.5; 95% CI = 1.1-84.4) and a hyperproteic diet (PRa = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.1-1.6). Thirty-two percent of participants consumed protein supplements. Muscle dysmorphia is a disorder present in the general population. However, more research must be done to understand how this is an emerging problem in Latin America. Therefore, to influence its prevention and early identification among the university population, it is necessary to deepen the understanding.ResumenLa dismorfia muscular es un trastorno obsesivo-compulsivo subcategorizado recientemente como un trastorno dismórfico corporal. En Latinoamérica se ha estimado la prevalencia de sintomatología de dismorfia muscular (SDM), pero principalmente en usuarios de gimnasio o fisicoculturistas. Por tanto, el propósito de este estudio fue evaluar la prevalencia de SDM y factores asociados entre estudiantes universitarios de Lima, Perú. Participaron 618 varones con edad promedio de 21.0 años (DE = 2.3), quienes completaron la Escala de Satisfacción con la Apariencia Muscular (MASS) y la Escala Obsesiva-Compulsiva de Yale-Brown Modificada para Trastorno Dismórfico Corporal (BDD-YBOCS), y además fueron evaluados en cuanto a su consumo de alimentos y realización de actividad física. La prevalencia de SDM fue 1.3% (IC 95% = 0.4-2.2%), asociada a la realización de actividad física intensa (PRa = 9.5; IC 95% = 1.1-84.4) y al seguimiento de una dieta hiperproteica (PRa = 1.3; IC 95% = 1.1-1.6). Adicionalmente, 32% de los participantes indicó consumir suplementos proteicos. La DM es un trastorno emergente en Latinoamérica, por lo que es aún incipiente el conocimiento que se tiene sobre él. Por tanto, para poder incidir en su prevención e identificación temprana entre población universitaria, es necesario profundizar en su comprensión.

Maladaptive Self-Focused Attention and Default Mode Network Connectivity: A Transdiagnostic Investigation Across Social Anxiety and Body Dysmorphic Disorders

Background: Maladaptive self-focused attention (SFA) is a bias toward internal thoughts, feelings, and physical states. Despite its role as a core maintaining factor of symptoms in cognitive theories of social anxiety and body dysmorphic disorders, studies have not examined its neural basis. We hypothesized that maladaptive SFA would be associated with hyperconnectivity in the default mode network (DMN) in self-focused patients with these disorders. Methods: Thirty patients and 28 healthy individuals were eligible and scanned. Eligibility was determined by scoring greater than 1SD or below 1SD of the Public Self-Consciousness Scale normative mean, respectively, for each group. Fifteen patients had primary social anxiety disorder and 15 had primary body dysmorphic disorder. Seed-to-voxel functional connectivity was computed using a DMN posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) seed. Results: Patients (regardless of diagnosis) showed reduced functional connectivity of the PCC with several brain regions, including the bilateral superior parietal lobule (SPL), bilateral insula, cingulate cortex, and postcentral gyrus, compared to controls. PCC-SPL connectivity was inversely correlated with maladaptive SFA in patients but was not associated with social anxiety or body dysmorphic symptom severity, depression severity, or rumination. There was no evidence of increased functional connectivity within the DMN in patients compared to controls. Conclusions: As the SPL is part of the dorsal attention network, which is typically activated during tasks requiring externally-oriented attention, abnormal PCC-SPL connectivity in patients may reflect difficulty shifting between internal versus external attention, and may represent a transdiagnostic neural marker of maladaptive SFA that could be targeted in interventions.

The concept of a positive body image in modern foreign psychology

Research into the problem of body image has more than a century of history, most of which is associated with the study of negative attitudes towards the body and related psychopathology - eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorders, etc. In the last decade there has been a growing tendency in this area to shift the emphasis to the study of a positive body image, just as in psychology in general there are more and more works performed in the paradigm of positive psychology, which calls for abandoning the concept of disease and searching for new approaches based on the positive potential of the individual. This review presents the main stages in the study of the problem of body image in foreign psychology, the origin and development of ideas about a positive body image as a special construct that is not the opposite pole in the general “negative-positive” continuum, the key works of leading researchers who have formed the concept of a positive body image as an independent entity, the main components of a positive body image, methodological tools used to assess a positive body image, and the results of studies of a positive body image in various social groups. The modern perspectives of research in the field of body image are presented in accordance with the views of leading foreign experts.

Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance, Self-Esteem and Symptoms of Body-Dysmorphic Disorders among Young Adults

Background: Beauty and an attractive body shape are particularly important during early adulthood, as both are related to greater mating success, positive social feedback, and higher self-esteem. The media may further influence common features of beauty. We tested whether higher body-dysmorphic disorder (BDD) scores were associated with sociocultural attitudes towards appearance. Additionally, we expected that a link between higher BDD scores and higher perceived media pressure would be mediated by lower self-esteem (SE). Method: 350 young Iranian adults (mean age: 24.17 years; 76.9% females) took part in the study. Participants completed questionnaires covering sociodemographic data, sociocultural attitudes towards appearances, and SE, while experts rated participants for symptoms of body dysmorphic disorders. Results: Higher BDD scores were associated with higher scores for sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, while SE was not associated with BDD or sociocultural attitudes towards appearance. Higher scores for sociocultural attitudes towards appearance and media pressure predicted higher BDD scores, while SE had no influence. Conclusion: Among young Iranian adults, sociocultural attitudes towards appearances and BDD scores, as rated by experts’, were related, while SE was not. The shared variance between symptoms of BDD and sociocultural attitudes towards appearance was low, suggesting that other factors such as mating and career concerns together with social feedback might be more important in explaining symptoms of body dysmorphic disorders.

“Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall…Who is the Fairest of Them All?”—Body Image and Its Role in Sexual Health

Changing times on a global scale have seen a paradigm shift in the perception of “idealness” of body shape and construct of beauty. This has far-reaching impacts on several spheres of life from psychological, physical, as well as sexual health. The influence of attitudes, beliefs, culture, art, geography, and technological advances has been explored with the premise of body image impacting sexual health and functioning. The role body image plays in sexual health has been studied widely from the Western perspective mostly in women, but studies in the Indian context are limited to weight, body mass index, eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorders, rather the relation between body image in sexuality or sexual functioning.

An Investigation on the Relationship between Narcissism and Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Cosmetic Surgery Applicants

Beauty defects are caused by diseases, aging, or by dissatisfaction with appearance originated from psychological conditions. Sometimes, these situations can be created under the influence of the personality disorders. The present study aims at examining the relationship between narcissism and body dysmorphic disorders in cosmetic surgery applicants. Research methodology in this study is survey type and it uses questionnaire for data collection. Participants consisted of 60 people who referred to Imam Reza Hospital in the city of Mashhad, Iran, for cosmetic surgery. They got scores from 40 to 120 in Body Dysmorphic test. They were also selected through the available sampling methods. The average age of samples was 24.48. Variance and standard deviation were recognized as 23.68 and 17.4 respectively. This paper employs the Multidimensional-self Relations Questionnaire i.e. 46 items (1997), and Personal Belief Questionnaire as measuring tools. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 20 by the use of Pearson’s Correlation method. Results showed that there is a significant relationship between narcissism and body dysmorphic disorders in cosmetic surgery applicants so much so that the higher their sense of narcissism is, the more they believe in their body dysmorphic.

Muscle Dysmorphia

Muscle dysmorphia is a recently identified, complex, and largely unknown psychiatric disorder. Individuals with muscle dysmorphia typically report preoccupation with thoughts of attaining greater muscularity; conceal their bodies in public; have poor levels of insight into their preoccupation; report extreme functional impairment due to their preoccupation; have elevated rates of comorbid eating, mood, anxiety, and body dysmorphic disorders; use steroids; exercise compulsively; are strong adherents to traditional male gender roles; and report an elevated history of suicide attempts. Treatments for eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder may be effective for muscle dysmorphia, and case report evidence has shown family-based therapy to be effective for adolescent muscle dysmorphia. Additional treatment strategies include dismantling ego-syntonic beliefs and toxic beliefs surrounding masculinity. Comorbid steroid use and/or dependence complicates treatment and may require incorporating an endocrinologist into the treatment team.