Loading...
What the cognitive deficits in body dysmorphic disorder tell us about the underlying neurobiology: An investigation of three cases
Labuschagne, Izelle Castle, David Rossell, Susan L.
Labuschagne, Izelle
Castle, David
Rossell, Susan L.
Abstract
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) has only recently received attention in current research. As such, little is understood with regards to the underlying cognitive impairments and neurobiological substrates implicated in this disorder. The current report provides first, a review of the background of BDD; second, a description of the clinical features of three BDD cases; and last, the outcomes from a cognitive assessment administered to three BDD cases. The cognitive assessment included (a) executive function, (b) facial affect perception, and (c) general social cognition. All three BDD cases illustrated many of the disorder’s clinical features such as excessive disproportionate concerns about their appearance, repetitive (checking) behaviours, and camouflaging. Further, they experience significant distress and impairment in social, occupational, and other important areas of functioning. They also demonstrated poor self-esteem, greater self-ambivalence, and more pronounced delusional thinking than a comparison group of ten healthy controls. The cognitive assessment demonstrated deficits in executive functioning and facial affect perception, but not in general social cognition. The findings implicate frontalamygdala and temporal-parietal pathology in BDD although neuroimaging studies are needed to confirm this speculation. The implications of our findings for the treatment of BDD are discussed.
Keywords
Date
2011
Type
Journal article
Journal
International Journal of Cognitive Therapy
Book
Volume
4
Issue
1
Page Range
21-33
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled