Psychocutaneous disease: Clinical perspectives

Helena Kuhn; Constance Mennella; Michelle Magid; Caroline Stamu-O'Brien; George Kroumpouzos

doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2016.11.013

Psychocutaneous disease: Clinical perspectives

J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017 May;76(5):779-791. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2016.11.013.

Authors

Helena Kuhn¹, Constance Mennella², Michelle Magid³, Caroline Stamu-O'Brien⁴, George Kroumpouzos⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Dermatology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
² Division of Child/Adolescent Psychiatry, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
³ Department of Psychiatry at Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas; Department of Psychiatry, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Round Rock, Texas.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical School, New York, New York.
⁵ Department of Dermatology, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Department of Dermatology, Medical School of Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil; GK Dermatology, PC, South Weymouth, Massachusetts. Electronic address: gk@gkderm.com.

PMID: 28411771
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2016.11.013

Abstract

Psychocutaneous disease, defined in this review as primary psychiatric disease with skin manifestations, is commonly encountered in dermatology. Dermatologists can play an important role in the management of psychocutaneous disease because patients visit dermatology for treatment of their skin problems but often refuse psychiatric intervention. This review describes common psychocutaneous syndromes, including delusional, factitious, obsessive-compulsive and related, and eating disorders, as well as psychogenic pruritus, cutaneous sensory (pain) syndromes, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sleep-wake disorders. The updated classification of these disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition is included. Strategies for management are reviewed.

Keywords: antidepressant; antipsychotic; cognitive-behavioral therapy; drug; management; pruritus; psychocutaneous; psychotherapy.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use
Body Dysmorphic Disorders / diagnosis
Body Dysmorphic Disorders / epidemiology
Body Dysmorphic Disorders / psychology
Body Dysmorphic Disorders / therapy
Delusional Parasitosis / diagnosis
Delusional Parasitosis / drug therapy
Delusional Parasitosis / epidemiology
Factitious Disorders / diagnosis
Factitious Disorders / epidemiology
Factitious Disorders / psychology
Factitious Disorders / therapy
Feeding and Eating Disorders / diagnosis
Feeding and Eating Disorders / epidemiology
Feeding and Eating Disorders / psychology
Feeding and Eating Disorders / therapy
Humans
Mental Disorders / diagnosis*
Mental Disorders / epidemiology
Mental Disorders / psychology*
Mental Disorders / therapy
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / diagnosis
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / epidemiology
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / psychology
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / therapy
Skin Diseases / etiology*
Skin Diseases / psychology
Skin Diseases / therapy*
Trichotillomania / diagnosis
Trichotillomania / epidemiology
Trichotillomania / psychology
Trichotillomania / therapy

Substances

Antipsychotic Agents