Glossodynia--psychodynamic basis and results of psychopathometric investigations

Between 1985 and 1988, 131 patients suffering from glossodynia were submitted to a careful examination that included a neurological work-up, a detailed psychiatric interview and a number of psychological tests. Particular attention was paid to psychosomatic and psychopathologic disorders. The average age of the patients was 55 yr, and 73% of them were female. In 40% of patients, the psychiatric interview revealed no psychopathological findings, while in most of them, a psychiatrically relevant disorder, usually depression, was found. All patients had an unremarkable neurological status, and the EEG's showed no pathological changes. Psychodynamic considerations in conjunction with the elevated scores for depressive mood, anxiety and tension suggest that glossodynia is an expression of a psychosomatic disorder.