Bradypsychia: what is it and what are its most frequent causes?

This symptom appears in mental pathologies that impair the ability to think fluently.

Thinking is a highly complex mental action. Reasoning requires a large number of intermediate mental processes. In order to be able to adapt to the environment, it is necessary to be able to react and use these processes with sufficient speed to be efficient.

However, sometimes some people suffer from some kind of injury or problem that makes it more difficult for them to achieve this, and their thinking is slowed down by some circumstance. These people have bradypsychia.

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What is bradypsychia?

Bradypsychia is understood as the symptom characterized by a generalized slowing of thought processes.. Bradypsychia involves a variable impairment depending on the degree to which it appears.

The slowing occurs at all levels, both in terms of generating thought and initiating different types of actions and processes, as well as in understanding external information. and processes, as well as in the understanding of external information..

Some of the aspects that are slowed down are attention span, judgment and reasoning ability, reaction speed. Sometimes it can affect other aspects such as language, especially when accompanied by alogia.

The thought is slowed down by different causes. It is frequent that one wanders without reaching a conclusion.repeating the thought in question until an end is reached. A certain rigidity and perseverance is also usually seen.

Being a symptom that affects the way of thinking at a general level, the affectation occurs in all vital areas of the person.

Etiology of this symptom

The causes of bradypsychia can be multiple and varied..

At a neurological level it can be observed that in many cases there is damage in the basal ganglia or in the connection of the cortex with these or with other subcortical pathways. Sometimes a lower Blood volume is observed in the prefrontal area of the brain, decreasing its functionality in what is called hypofrontality.

The hippocampus may also be reduced. In terms of neurotransmitters, a deficit of noradrenaline and/or dopamine can cause a decrease in alertness which in turn can lead to a slowing of thinking. Lack of acetylcholine may also be an important factor.

Another possible cause derives from the person's focus on certain types of thinking and mental schemes, which absorb him/her and hinder attentional and reaction capacity.

Disorders and situations in which it appears

Bradypsychia is a symptom that can appear in a large number of situations, both in different mental disorders and in non-pathological conditions (for example, associated with drug use). The following are the main causes of bradypsychia.

1. Normative aging

Once a certain age is reached, with the passing of the years most people notice a more or less noticeable decline in most of their mental capacities.. As we age, bones and muscles weaken, memory worsens and learning becomes slightly more complex than at other times in life. It is common to observe a generalized slowing down, both physically and psychically.

2. Dementias

Bradypsychia is very frequent in neurodegenerative very frequent in neurodegenerative disorders such as dementias.The disease is caused by neuronal degradation and death and increased difficulty in the transmission of nerve signals.

3. Schizophrenia

Slowed thinking is a negative symptom of schizophrenia, which is often linked to alogia. often appears in association with alogia..

4. Major depression

Focusing on negative thoughts, hopelessness and the feeling of lack of control that depressed subjects suffer from makes it more difficult for them to concentrate on and react to and reacting to stimulation is more difficult in the long run.This is another context in which bradypsychia appears.

5. Substance use

Many drugs have depressant effects on the nervous system.sometimes even having narcotic effects. In many cases, psycholeptic or depressant substances cause a slowing of thinking as a direct effect of consumption (both short and long term) or as an effect of intoxication.

Treatment

Bradypsychia is not a disorder in itself, but a symptom.It is a symptom, appearing before certain injuries or disorders. The treatment to be used will depend on its cause.

In the case of major depression and schizophrenia, the symptoms can improve to a greater or lesser extent based on the psychological and/or pharmacological psychological and/or pharmacological therapy that is applied. In the case of schizophrenia the application of atypical antipsychotics can be very useful even with negative symptoms such as bradypsychia.

In other cases where bradypsychia is directly caused by neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia, treatment tends to be palliative. treatment tends to be palliative and based on preserving the functionality of the subject. Some drugs may help delay symptomatology, including bradypsychia.

Bibliographic references:

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Fifth edition. DSM-V. Masson, Barcelona.

• Rodés, J. (2007). Health book of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and the BBVA Foundation. Barcelona.

• Santos, J.L. (2012). Psicopatología. Manual CEDE de Preparación PIR, 01. CEDE. Madrid.