Altered patterns of heartbeat-evoked potentials in depersonalization/derealization disorder: neurophysiological evidence for impaired cortical representation of bodily signals
Schulz, André; Köster, S.; Beutel, M. E.et al.
2015 • In Psychosomatic Medicine, 77 (5), p. 506-516
[en] OBJECTIVE: Core features of depersonalization-/derealization disorder (DPD) are
emotional numbing and feelings of disembodiment. While there are several
neurophysiological findings supporting subjective emotional numbing, the psychobiology of
disembodiment remains unclear.
METHODS: Heartbeat-evoked potentials (HEPs), which are considered
psychophysiological indicators for the cortical representation of afferent signals originating
from the cardiovascular system, were assessed in 23 patients with DPD and 24 healthy control
individuals during rest and while performing a heartbeat perception task.
RESULTS: Absolute HEP amplitudes did not differ between groups. Nevertheless, healthy
individuals showed higher HEPs during the heartbeat perception task than during rest, while
no such effect was found in DPD patients (p = .031). DPD patients had higher total levels of
salivary alpha-amylase than healthy individuals (9626.6±8200.0 vs. 5344.3±3745.8 kUmin/l;
p = .029), but there were no group differences in cardiovascular measures (heart rate:
76.2±10.1 vs. 74.3 ±7.5 bpm, p = .60; nLF HRV: .63±.15 vs. .56 ±.15 n.u., p = .099; LF/HF
ratio: 249.3±242.7 vs. 164.8 ±108.8, p = .10), salivary cortisol (57.5±46.7 vs. 55.1±43.6
nmolmin/l, p = .86) or cortisone levels (593.2±260.3 vs. 543.8±257.1 nmolmin/l, p = .52).
CONCLUSION: These results suggest altered cortical representation of afferent signals
originating from the cardiovascular system in DPD patients, which may be associated with
higher sympathetic tone. These findings may reflect difficulties of DPD patients to attend to
their actual bodily experiences.
Disciplines :
Neurosciences & behavior
Author, co-author :
Schulz, André ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education (FLSHASE) > Integrative Research Unit: Social and Individual Development (INSIDE)
Köster, S.
Beutel, M. E.
Schächinger, H.
Vögele, Claus ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education (FLSHASE) > Integrative Research Unit: Social and Individual Development (INSIDE)
Rost, Silke ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education (FLSHASE) > Integrative Research Unit: Social and Individual Development (INSIDE)
Rauh, M.
Michal, M.
External co-authors :
yes
Language :
English
Title :
Altered patterns of heartbeat-evoked potentials in depersonalization/derealization disorder: neurophysiological evidence for impaired cortical representation of bodily signals