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Anxiety in the first attack of vertigo
Lea Pollak1, Colin Klein, Stryjer Rafael
1Department of Neurology, Tha Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Affiliated with the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University,Tel Aviv, Israel. Eitan.pollak@telrad.co.il
Summary
Acute vertigo attacks cause significant anxiety and a disproportionate sense of disability in patients. This psychological impact may stem from the vestibular system's connection to the brain's emotional centers.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Vestibular System
Background:
- Psychiatric disturbances are known in chronic vestibular disorders.
- The psychological impact of acute vertigo is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the psychological impact of acute vertigo attacks.
- To compare anxiety and disability in patients with acute vertigo versus nonvestibular neurological deficits.
Main Methods:
- A comparative questionnaire study was performed.
- 30 patients with first-time vestibular dysfunction were compared to 35 patients with acute nonvestibular neurological deficits.
Main Results:
- Patients experiencing vertigo reported significantly higher anxiety levels compared to the control group (P = 0.002).
- Vertigo patients felt more disabled (P = 0.06), independent of objective limitations.
- No significant difference in depression rates was observed between the groups (P = 0.09).
Conclusions:
- Acute vertigo attacks induce severe anxiety, contributing to a heightened sense of disability.
- The vestibular system's physiological links to the limbic system likely explain these emotional disturbances.
- Further neuroanatomic research is warranted to understand these connections.