#DEPERSONALIZATION DISORDER TREATMENTS TRIAL#

Individuals with depersonalisation feel uneasily estranged and separated from their selves (depersonalisation) and their surroundings (derealisation), experiencing what was also described as a sense of disembodiment (desomatisation) and a diminution or loss of emotional reactivity (de-affectualisation) (American Psychiatric Association 2000 Medford et al. 2011), is an alteration in the perception or experience of the self and the environment.

Additional research on this disorder is needed.ĭepersonalisation disorder (DPRD), renamed depersonalisation-derealisation disorder in the DSM-5 (Spiegel et al. The limited data from randomised controlled trials on the pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy of DPRD demonstrates inconsistent evidence for the efficacy of lamotrigine, and no efficacy for other interventions. The four studies had 'low' or 'unclear' risk of bias. Fluoxetine and biofeedback were not more efficacious than the control condition, although there was a trend for fluoxetine to demonstrate greater efficacy in those with comorbid anxiety disorder. Evidence for the treatment efficacy of lamotrigine was found in one study (Cambridge Dissociation Scale, CDC: p < 0.001) with no evidence of effect for lamotrigine in the second study (CDS: p = 0.61 or Present State Examination: p = 0.17). The four RCTs included two lamotrigine studies, one fluoxetine study and one biofeedback study. Resultsįour RCTs (all within the duration of 12 weeks or less) met study criteria and were included (180 participants age range 18–65 years).

Of the unique 1296 papers that were retrieved, four studies met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. PRISMA guidelines were also followed to ensure that our methodology and reporting were comprehensive.

#DEPERSONALIZATION DISORDER TREATMENTS TRIAL#

Data extraction sheets were further designed to enter specified data from each trial and risk of bias information was identified. No unpublished trials were found and no restrictions were placed on language and setting. The bibliographies of all identified trials were checked for additional studies and authors were contacted for published trials. Searches were carried out on multiple databases. All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, somatic interventions and a blend of these modalities for the treatment of depersonalisation disorder were included in the review. MethodsĪ systematic search of articles on DPRD published from January 1980 to August 2012, using Cochrane methods, was conducted. Nevertheless, given the growing interest in its pathogenesis, and the publication of a number of treatment trials, a systematic review of randomised controlled pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy trials is timely. Depersonalisation-derealisation disorder (DPRD) is a distressing and impairing condition with a pathophysiology that is not well understood.

Depersonalization disorder treatments