Collectively, the reviewed articles form a coherent theory of dysfunctional emotion regulation in patients with BPD in the form of the fronto-limbic imbalance model, which is characterized by hypoactivity of the prefrontal region and hyperactivity of the limbic region. Thus, it appears that, compared to individuals without BPD, those with the diagnosis have a marked tendency to interpret their environment more negatively and to react with greater emotional intensity.
The drawing on the cover page was created by a young man suffering from anorexia and offers an insight into his perspective of the condition. I recommend delving into the compelling case study, where the piece and its interpretations are described in detail. Allow me to add some remarks on the drawing and its representation of anorexia expanding beyond the individual perspective to broader implications.
In this report, we present the case of a talented anorectic patient whose artistic expression of his anorexia gave us an exceptional insight into the pain he experienced. Based on his artwork, we designed an illustrated visual analogue scale (VAS) that allowed us to assess the control of the disease over his mind and thus the clinical progress from a psychotherapeutic point of view. By comparing the progression of the VAS with the Body Mass Index (BMI), we were able to identify the tipping point at which the patient regained control and provide targeted support to maintain it, perceived as very helpful by the patient. A VAS assessing anorexia's control over the mind is a simple and readily available tool that factors in the psychiatric background of the disease. It could be a good complement to the BMI as a clinical outcome parameter and should be further explored.
La psychiatrie sociale a-t-elle encore un sens et un avenir? Le professeur Charles Bonsack, du Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois et de l’Université de Lausanne, président de la Société suisse de psychiatrie sociale (so-psy.ch), répond à nos questions.
Gemäss einer Schätzung der Schweizerischen Vereinigung Psychiatrischer Chefärztinnen und Chefärzte (SVPC) und niedergelassener Psychiater:innen läuft die Schweiz Gefahr, ab etwa dem Jahr 2030 substantiell zu wenig in der Praxis niedergelassene Psychiater:innen zu haben. Dies steht im Gegensatz zu internationalen Trends, die ein zunehmendes Interesse von Kandidat:innen am Fach Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie verzeichnen.
Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is the most common form of encephalitis of noninfectious etiology and is caused by autoantibodies targeting different neural epitopes. AE classically presents as a syndrome of rapidly progressive encephalopathy with memory deficits, altered mental status and/or psychiatric symptoms.
