Emotion regulation strategies in trauma-related disorders: pathways linking neurobiology and clinical manifestations

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Emotion regulation impairments with traumatic origins have mainly been studied from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) models by studying cases of adult onset and single-incident trauma exposure. The effects of adverse traumatic experiences, however, go beyond the PTSD. Different authors have proposed that PTSD, borderline personality, dissociative, conversive and somatoform disorders constitute a full spectrum of trauma-related conditions. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the neurobiological findings covering this posttraumatic spectrum is needed in order to develop an all-encompassing model for trauma-related disorders with emotion regulation at its center. The present review has sought to link neurobiology findings concerning cortico-limbic function to the field of emotion regulation. In so doing, trauma-related disorders have been placed in a continuum between under- and over-regulation of affect strategies. Under-regulation of affect was predominant in borderline personality disorder, PTSD with re-experiencing symptoms and positive psychoform and somatoform dissociative symptoms. Over-regulation of affect was more prevalent in somatoform disorders and pathologies characterized by negative psychoform and somatoform symptoms. Throughout this continuum, different combinations between under- and over-regulation of affect strategies were also found.</jats:p>

Anxious adult attachment may mediate the relationship between childhood emotional abuse and borderline personality disorder

“…Of interest, previous research has also found that dysfunctional (insecure/anxious) adult attachment mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and eating disorders (Tasca et al, 2013), somatization (Waldinger et al, 2006), post-traumatic stress symptomatology (Muller et al, 2000) or psychotic disorders (van Dam et al, 2014). In fact, these mental disorders are very common among patients with BPD and raise the question regarding the presence of a potential spectrum of mental disorders related to trauma and attachment disturbances that warrants further investigation (Del Río-Casanova, González, Páramo, Van Dijke, & Brenlla, 2016). If so, BPD and these Axis I mental disorders could represent different phenotypic clinical expressions of the same underlying pathological process.…”

A narrative review of emotion regulation process in stress and recovery phases

“…This means that increased neuronal activity in ventral regions signals to the dorsal regions to improve neuronal functioning, thus moderating the excitatory affective response of the respective ventral regions (e.g. Bogdan et al, 2015;Del Río-Casanova et al, 2016;Phillips et al, 2008). The increased dorsal and ventral activity suggests that the use of functional strategies of emotion regulation requires greater volitional executive control (dorsal) rather than a preponderant automatic affective response (ventral).…”

Érzelmi regulációs változások krízisben és traumában – a helyreállítást segítő, pszichológiai tanácsadás során alkalmazható módszerek és gyakorlatok

“…Az akut stresszhelyzetben működő predomináns adaptációs válaszmintázat előrevetíti, hogy poszttraumás állapotban (PTSD) milyen típusú tünetek várhatók: hiperarousal vagy inkább disszociatív jellegűek. Krónikus traumatizációnál a traumatizáción alapuló későbbi diagnózis szintén összefüggésbe hozható az érzelemszabályozás sajátosságaival (Del RíoCasanova, González, Páramo, Van Dijke, & Brenlla, 2016).…”