| Abstract [eng] |
Objective: To collect and analyse the literature and clinical descriptions on the association of alexithymia and its level with psychosomatic disorders, and to draw up summaries and proposals for further research into the relationship between alexithymia and psychosomatic disorders. Methods: The literature review was conducted in PubMed, ScienceDirect and Frontiers databases. The search was conducted using combinations of the following keywords in English: 'alexithymia', 'emotions', 'psychosomatic disorders', 'neuroimaging', 'emotional dysregulation'. The period of publication was not limited and only literature published in English was selected. Results: Alexithymia, a deficiency in cognitive processing and emotional regulation characterized mainly by difficulty in recognizing and expressing emotions, is not considered a psychiatric diagnosis but a personality trait and is associated with several physical, psychiatric, and psychosomatic disorders. The prevalence of alexithymia is about 10% in the general population, but it is higher in patients with psychosomatic disorders. Alexithymia is associated with abnormal emotion processing and reduced gray matter volume in areas of the brain responsible for processing emotions and sensory information. Neuroimaging studies have identified reduced responses to emotional stimuli and increased responses to somatosensory stimuli. Alexithymia is significantly associated with a higher prevalence of chronic pain. Interoceptive accuracy is impaired in chronic pain sufferers with alexithymia which may interfere with the interpretation or regulation of emotions. The prevalence of alexithymia and somatisation is higher in patients with fibromyalgia, functional gastrointestinal disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis (especially women) and arterial hypertension than in the general population. Alexithymia has been found to affect health due to somatosensory amplification, leading to low tolerance to painful stimuli and altered autonomic, endocrine, and immune function. Conclusion: High alexithymia levels are strongly associated with a wide range of psychosomatic disorders and physical health problems, including cardiovascular diseases, gastroenteric disorders, dermatological diseases and chronic pain. Studies have shown that people with high levels of alexithymia experience more frequent and more severe physical symptoms compared to non-alexithymic individuals, and these symptoms are often difficult to diagnose and treat. |
