Pre-morbid alexithymia in panic disorder: a cohort study

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Perinatal Mental Health

Background:

• The relationship between alexithymia and Panic Disorder (PD) remains debated, particularly regarding whether alexithymia is a predisposing personality trait.
• Understanding this relationship is crucial for identifying individuals at risk and developing targeted interventions, especially in vulnerable populations like pregnant women.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively investigate whether alexithymia is a personality trait that increases the risk of developing Panic Disorder in pregnant women.
• To examine the temporal relationship between alexithymia levels, Panic Disorder onset, and anxious-depressive symptoms during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving pregnant women attending prenatal care centers.
• Evaluation of alexithymia using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), PD using the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders, and anxious-depressive symptoms via the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).
• Comparison of 21 women with PD to 256 healthy controls, with assessments conducted before, during, and after PD episodes.

Main Results:

• Women who developed PD showed similar alexithymia and anxiety-depression scores to controls during the pre-morbid phase.
• Significant increases in alexithymia and anxious-depressive symptoms were observed during active PD episodes in affected women.
• These scores significantly decreased after symptom improvement, while controls showed no changes.

Conclusions:

• Alexithymia does not appear to be a personality trait that predisposes pregnant women to Panic Disorder.
• The findings support the hypothesis that alexithymia in pregnant women with PD is a state-dependent phenomenon, fluctuating with the presence and severity of the disorder.