About this Research Topic
The DSM-5 defines trauma as “death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence”. Therefore, several situations in the context of somatic care are potentially related to trauma, for instance, when a disease is severe or perceived by the patient as associated with a risk of death or serious injury. Trauma-related disorders in somatic contexts have been studied in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients after cancer diagnosis, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, traumatic childbirth, HIV diagnosis, and motor vehicle accidents resulting in physical injury.
Links between physical symptoms and psychological trauma appear throughout recently published data and identify the involvement of neuroinflammatory mechanisms and oxidative stress in PTSD. This might explain the neurobiological mechanisms underlying PTSD and provide future avenues for therapeutic development. These recent data also highlight the potential physical complications associated with PTSD, such as chronic pain, cardiometabolic disease, neurocognitive disorders, and dementia.
However, some patients develop unexplained medical symptoms that correspond to somatoform disorders resulting from previous psychological trauma, such as functional neurological disorders (e.g. psychogenic non-epileptic seizures classified as conversion disorders. Somatic symptoms and related disorders, including “Somatic Symptom Disorder”, “Illness Anxiety Disorder”, “Factitious Disorder”, and other related conditions, can also be developed after psychological trauma. For people with unexplained physical symptoms, NICE guidelines recommend asking whether they have experienced 1 or more traumatic events to consider the possible involvement of traumatic events in the pathophysiology of these disorders.
In all cases, there are bidirectional links between physical and psychological components related to psychological trauma. Dualistic approaches, consisting of distinct somatic disorders versus psychiatric disorders, so far remain inconclusive regarding trauma. Thus, through understanding the links between psychological trauma and physical symptoms, researchers and clinicians can continue to improve clinical diagnoses and therapy. Further to this, Edmondson's Enduring Somatic Threat (EST) Model of PTSD due to acute life-threatening medical events differs from “traditional” definitions, in that it includes future-oriented alongside past-related, intrusive thoughts, and physical health consequences.
The purpose of this Research Topic is to elucidate comprehensive analyses of extant knowledge and empirical data about models, theories, and specific dimensions and variables to increase the understanding of physical symptoms following psychological trauma and reciprocally, psychological trauma following acute life-threatening medical events. Submissions to this collection should focus on epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment within this context.
In particular, submissions focusing on the following subthemes are welcomed:
• Exploring epidemiology, risk, and protective factors contributing to PTSD following acute life-threatening medical events;
• Exploring epidemiology, risk, and protective factors contributing to functional and unexplained physical symptoms linked with psychological trauma;
• Examination of psychological theories and models related to PTSD following acute life-threatening medical events;
• Pathophysiology of PTSD following acute life-threatening medical events;
• Preventive strategies and early interventions to avoid PTSD following acute life-threatening medical events;
• Specific treatments for PTSD following acute life-threatening medical events;
• Specific treatments for functional and unexplained physical symptoms linked with psychological trauma.
Various article types are encouraged, including Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Perspectives, and Case Reports. Full list here.
Links between physical symptoms and psychological trauma appear throughout recently published data and identify the involvement of neuroinflammatory mechanisms and oxidative stress in PTSD. This might explain the neurobiological mechanisms underlying PTSD and provide future avenues for therapeutic development. These recent data also highlight the potential physical complications associated with PTSD, such as chronic pain, cardiometabolic disease, neurocognitive disorders, and dementia.
However, some patients develop unexplained medical symptoms that correspond to somatoform disorders resulting from previous psychological trauma, such as functional neurological disorders (e.g. psychogenic non-epileptic seizures classified as conversion disorders. Somatic symptoms and related disorders, including “Somatic Symptom Disorder”, “Illness Anxiety Disorder”, “Factitious Disorder”, and other related conditions, can also be developed after psychological trauma. For people with unexplained physical symptoms, NICE guidelines recommend asking whether they have experienced 1 or more traumatic events to consider the possible involvement of traumatic events in the pathophysiology of these disorders.
In all cases, there are bidirectional links between physical and psychological components related to psychological trauma. Dualistic approaches, consisting of distinct somatic disorders versus psychiatric disorders, so far remain inconclusive regarding trauma. Thus, through understanding the links between psychological trauma and physical symptoms, researchers and clinicians can continue to improve clinical diagnoses and therapy. Further to this, Edmondson's Enduring Somatic Threat (EST) Model of PTSD due to acute life-threatening medical events differs from “traditional” definitions, in that it includes future-oriented alongside past-related, intrusive thoughts, and physical health consequences.
The purpose of this Research Topic is to elucidate comprehensive analyses of extant knowledge and empirical data about models, theories, and specific dimensions and variables to increase the understanding of physical symptoms following psychological trauma and reciprocally, psychological trauma following acute life-threatening medical events. Submissions to this collection should focus on epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment within this context.
In particular, submissions focusing on the following subthemes are welcomed:
• Exploring epidemiology, risk, and protective factors contributing to PTSD following acute life-threatening medical events;
• Exploring epidemiology, risk, and protective factors contributing to functional and unexplained physical symptoms linked with psychological trauma;
• Examination of psychological theories and models related to PTSD following acute life-threatening medical events;
• Pathophysiology of PTSD following acute life-threatening medical events;
• Preventive strategies and early interventions to avoid PTSD following acute life-threatening medical events;
• Specific treatments for PTSD following acute life-threatening medical events;
• Specific treatments for functional and unexplained physical symptoms linked with psychological trauma.
Various article types are encouraged, including Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Perspectives, and Case Reports. Full list here.
Keywords: somatic symptoms, physical symptoms, psychological trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
