Summary
Dissociative phenomena are characterised by alterations in the functions of conscienceness, memory, identity and perception. These are placed along a continuum ranging from normal daily experiences to real mental disorders that interfere with the performance of usual activities. Dissociation may represent the foundation for specific disorders, Dissociative Disorders, as well as the prospect of symptoms of psychopathological conditions of various kinds. This study has evaluated the clinical efficiency of quetiapine during dissociative episodes in the acute phase in patients referred in the last year to the Mental Health Centre (NHS Salerno). Participants in the study were subjected to the administration of a series of tests at the onset of symptoms (T0); after two weeks (T1); and after four weeks (T2). The assessment tools used were: the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES); the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS); the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI); the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). All observed patients showed an improvement in symptoms, no patients discontinued pharmacological therapy and side effects did not emerge which would have required the discontinuation of therapy. The analysis of the results showed that quetiapine monotherapy next to a good efficacy and tolerability may be a viable therapeutic option for the pharmacological treatment of dissociative episodes in the acute phase.
Key words
Dissociative episodes • Quetiapine • Treatment • Effectiveness