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Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences is published by MDPI from Volume 12 Issue 1 (2025). Previous articles were published by another publisher in Open Access under a CC-BY (or CC-BY-NC-ND) licence, and they are hosted by MDPI on mdpi.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Valparaiso University (ValpoScholar).
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Article

Syndrome or Symptoms? Assessing Cothymia, Neuroticism and Lifetime Comorbidity in a Sample of Psychiatric Patients

by
Fiammetta Iannuzzo
1,
Fabiana Fiasca
2,
Antonella Mattei
3,
Carmela Mento
1,
Maria Catena Silvestri
1,
Fabrizio Turiaco
1,
Rocco Antonio Zoccali
1,
Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello
1 and
Antonio Bruno
1,*
1
Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
2
U.O.C. Laboratory Analysis, St Filippo and St Nicola Hospital, Avezzano (L’Aquila), Italy
3
Department of Health, Life and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Mind Med. Sci. 2024, 11(1), 106-113; https://doi.org/10.22543/2392-7674.1460
Submission received: 12 December 2023 / Revised: 12 January 2024 / Accepted: 3 February 2024 / Published: 30 April 2024

Abstract

Background. Cross-sectional and longitudinal psychiatric comorbidity rates could represent a syndromic process rather than the co-occurrence of different disorders. ‘Cothymia’, the concomitant presence of depression and anxiety symptoms, and the ‘neuroticism’ dimension have been proposed as candidate vulnerability factors for psychiatric disorders trajectories. Based on this background, the present research was aimed at assessing the role of cothymia and neuroticism as syndromic processes in lifetime psychiatric disorders, and examining homotypic or heterotypic trends in the diagnostic continuum of comorbid mental disorders. Materials and methods. Data collection was carried out retrospectively through the consultation of medical records at the Psychiatry Unit of the University Hospital of Messina. Cothymia was determined by the lifetime presence of depression and other anxiety disorders, and neuroticism was determined by the presence of borderline personality disorders and other personality disorders. Results. Cothymia and neuroticism were found in 580 patients with higher rates of hospitalization, drug prescription, polypharmacotherapy, and longer duration of illness. Furthermore, diagnostic trajectories in patients with cothymia and neuroticism followed both homotypic and heterotypic progressions. Limitations: This study presented several limitations. The small sample size from a restricted recruitment area, and the retrospective design may have influenced a realistic and accurate estimation of the lifetime prevalence of the disorders. Conclusions. Despite the limitations, the findings of this study confirm the presence of consistent and meaningful homotypic and heterotypic trajectories in psychiatric patients, suggesting that the evolution of lifetime diagnoses should become a focus in theoretical and practical approaches to psychiatric disorders.
Keywords: cothymia; neuroticism; psychiatric disorders; comorbidity cothymia; neuroticism; psychiatric disorders; comorbidity

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MDPI and ACS Style

Iannuzzo, F.; Fiasca, F.; Mattei, A.; Mento, C.; Silvestri, M.C.; Turiaco, F.; Zoccali, R.A.; Muscatello, M.R.A.; Bruno, A. Syndrome or Symptoms? Assessing Cothymia, Neuroticism and Lifetime Comorbidity in a Sample of Psychiatric Patients. J. Mind Med. Sci. 2024, 11, 106-113. https://doi.org/10.22543/2392-7674.1460

AMA Style

Iannuzzo F, Fiasca F, Mattei A, Mento C, Silvestri MC, Turiaco F, Zoccali RA, Muscatello MRA, Bruno A. Syndrome or Symptoms? Assessing Cothymia, Neuroticism and Lifetime Comorbidity in a Sample of Psychiatric Patients. Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences. 2024; 11(1):106-113. https://doi.org/10.22543/2392-7674.1460

Chicago/Turabian Style

Iannuzzo, Fiammetta, Fabiana Fiasca, Antonella Mattei, Carmela Mento, Maria Catena Silvestri, Fabrizio Turiaco, Rocco Antonio Zoccali, Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello, and Antonio Bruno. 2024. "Syndrome or Symptoms? Assessing Cothymia, Neuroticism and Lifetime Comorbidity in a Sample of Psychiatric Patients" Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences 11, no. 1: 106-113. https://doi.org/10.22543/2392-7674.1460

APA Style

Iannuzzo, F., Fiasca, F., Mattei, A., Mento, C., Silvestri, M. C., Turiaco, F., Zoccali, R. A., Muscatello, M. R. A., & Bruno, A. (2024). Syndrome or Symptoms? Assessing Cothymia, Neuroticism and Lifetime Comorbidity in a Sample of Psychiatric Patients. Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences, 11(1), 106-113. https://doi.org/10.22543/2392-7674.1460

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