Personality Traits in Burning Mouth Syndrome Patients With and Without a History of Depression

Abstract

Objectives: So far, the strong link between neuroticism, chronic pain, and depression has been well-documented in literatures. Some suggested that they might share etiological factors, thus resulting in overlapping constructs. However, such effect has never been tested in burning mouth syndrome (BMS) patients, a complex phenomenon influenced by both neuropathic and psychopathological factors. We aim to clarify how personality affects individual's pain and pain-related experiences.Methods: Two hundred forty-eight patients with BMS provided demographic information and psychiatric history; completed Ten-Item Personality Inventory, a Visual Analog Scale of pain, and McGill Pain Questionnaire; and provided adequate parameters of depressive state, catastrophizing thinking, and central sensitization.Results: BMS patients with depression history suffered more severe clinical symptoms and scored higher in neuroticism and less in openness and extraversion than did those without psychiatric diagnoses. After age, sex, and duration of pain were controlled, neuroticism in BMS patients with depression correlates with affective dimension of pain. Instead, if psychiatric history is absent, neuroticism correlates with sensory dimension and pain intensity. In both groups, higher neuroticism, unlike other personality facets, contributed to a more severe clinical condition.Conclusion: Of the five traits, neuroticism appears to be the most crucial dimension associated with the pain symptoms and patient's conditions. This study implies that management of pain must extend beyond solely providing pain-relieving medication and must require a holistic and multidisciplinary approach.

Idiopathic Burning Mouth Syndrome: Specifics and Tactics of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

“…Burning in the mouth is a symptom that arises as a result of complex dynamics, from hysterical conversion to inability to realize separation (divorce, loss of relationships, children becoming adults) and the error of "failure" in the narcissistic core (sense of identity, "What's mine", "who am I?") [4].…”

“…Most patients have mental disorders or a history of psychiatric treatment prior to the onset of the syndrome • Manifests itself in older women (65+) due to specific biological and/or psychological factors • 79% of patients have alexithymia (according to the examination using the TAS-20 scale,difficulties in identifying and describing feelings) [4] • Violation of the regulation of negative affect • Violation of symbolic thinking, limited fantasy life • Externally oriented cognitive style • Difficulties in distinguishing feelings from bodily sensations, as well as violations of intuition and empathy.…”

The use of self‐report questionnaires in an analysis of the multidimensional aspects of pain and a correlation with the psychological profile and quality of life in patients with burning mouth syndrome: A case‐control study

“…For this reason, various questionnaires have been used in the assessment of pain in patients with BMS in order to evaluate every feature of this multidimensional symptomatology. 3 Traditionally, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), 5,6 the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) 7 and the short form of the McGill Pain Q uestionnaire (SF-MPQ ) [8][9][10] have been the most frequently used tools for measuring and estimating pain intensity and quality in BMS. In addition, recently, in three studies [11][12][13] the Pain DETECT Questionnaire (PD-Q) has been used in a screening stage to evaluate the neuropathic component of pain in this disease.…”

Phantosmia and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures in a patient with burning mouth syndrome suffering from severe depression

“…Among personality traits, research has particularly investigated neuroticism with components of introversion and hostility 10 11. A recent study has shown that neuroticism correlates with a more serious condition for BMS patients with and without a psychiatric history of depression 12. Alexithymia, a psychological trait elevated in individuals with chronic pain,13 should be routinely screened in those patients 14 15.…”