Trikkas G, Nikolatou O, Samara C, Bazopoulou-Kyrkanidou E, Rabavilas A D, Christodoulou G N
Athens University, Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Greece.
Psychother Psychosom. 1996;65(3):163-8. doi: 10.1159/000289070.
Glossodynia or burning mouth syndrome has been suggested to be a multifunctional disorder. Etiologic factors that have been reported include hematologic or vitamin deficiencies, denture factors, the climacteric, infections or endocrinological disorders. On the other hand psychological factors, such as anxiety, depression and phobias have been reported to play a significant role at the beginning of this nosological entity. It seems therefore that there are two main categories of glossodynia, one with a detectable organic etiology and another with a psychologic origin. The purpose of this study was to provide further information concerning the personality characteristics and the incidence of psychopathology in patients suffering from glossodynia without an organic etiology.
Twenty-five patients suffering from glossodynia and 25 control subjects, matched for sex and age, participated in the study. Patients and controls were assessed concerning their psychosomatic morbidity. Both groups were given psychometric instruments (SRSD, STAI, EPQ, HDHQ, SSPS) for the assessment of personality characteristics and psychopathological symptoms.
Patients were significantly differentiated from controls with respect to all factors of HDHQ; they exhibited more hostility, either introverted or extroverted, than control subjects. The patients also had significantly higher values in the N (neuroticism) and the L (lie) factors of the EPQ. Concerning the other psychometric measurements there were no significant differences. Patients also had significantly higher rates of psychosomatic morbidity than controls.
Our findings indicate that hostility-especially introverted hostility-neuroticism and possibly depression are important components of the psychological profile of patients suffering from glossodynia.
灼口综合征或口腔烧灼感被认为是一种多因素紊乱疾病。已报道的病因包括血液学或维生素缺乏、假牙因素、更年期、感染或内分泌紊乱。另一方面，据报道，焦虑、抑郁和恐惧症等心理因素在该疾病实体的发病初期起重要作用。因此，灼口综合征似乎主要有两类，一类有可检测到的器质性病因，另一类有心理起源。本研究的目的是提供更多关于无器质性病因的灼口综合征患者的人格特征和精神病理学发病率的信息。
25名灼口综合征患者和25名年龄、性别匹配的对照者参与了本研究。对患者和对照者的身心疾病发病率进行了评估。两组均接受了心理测量工具（SRSD、STAI、EPQ、HDHQ、SSPS）以评估人格特征和精神病理症状。
在HDHQ的所有因素方面，患者与对照者有显著差异；与对照者相比，他们表现出更多的内向或外向敌意。患者在EPQ的N（神经质）和L（掩饰）因素上也有显著更高的值。关于其他心理测量指标，没有显著差异。患者的身心疾病发病率也显著高于对照者。
我们的研究结果表明，敌意——尤其是内向敌意、神经质以及可能的抑郁是灼口综合征患者心理特征的重要组成部分。
