REVIEW   Free access

Italian Journal of Dermatology and Venereology 2022 August;157(4):301-5

DOI: 10.23736/S2784-8671.21.07139-5

Copyright © 2021 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Atopic dermatitis in psychodermatology: a concise review for dermatologists

Julio TORALES ¹, Karina MALVIDO ², Andrea SANTOS-MUÑOZ ³, Israel GONZALEZ-URBIETA ¹, Iván BARRIOS ¹, José ALMIRÓN-SANTACRUZ ¹, Oscar GARCÍA ¹, João M. CASTALDELLI-MAIA ^{4, 5}, Antonio VENTRIGLIO ⁶, Marcelo O’HIGGINS ¹ ✉

¹ Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, San Lorenzo, Paraguay; ² Center for Continuing Medical Education and Clinical Research “Norberto Quirno”, Buenos Aires, Argentina; ³ German Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina; ⁴ Department of Neuroscience, Fundação do ABC, Santo André, Brazil; ⁵ Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; ⁶ Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic disease of the skin with significant pruritus and phases of exacerbation and remission. The hallmarks of AD are changes in the epithelial barrier and chronic inflammation. This condition is associated with an increased risk of developing mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. It has been proposed that psychological stress may impact on immunological factors with an up-regulation of mediating neuropeptides at the level of central nervous system and secondary involvement of endocrine glands, peripheral nervous system, and immune resident skin cells. This article provides a concise review for dermatologists on the psychodermatology of AD, in order to highlight the putative common pathways between the dermatologic and mental health issues in this illness.

KEY WORDS: Psychopathology; Atopic dermatitis; Psychological stress