Medically unexplained symptoms: a new model

Brown, Richard J

doi:10.1383/psyt.2006.5.2.43

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Volume 5, Issue 2 , Pages 43-47, 1 February 2006

Medically unexplained symptoms: a new model

Richard J Brown is Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at the University of Manchester, UK, and Clinical Psychologist with Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust. He completed his PhD at University College London, and trained in clinical psychology in Manchester. His research interests include somatization, dissociation and the cognitive psychology of consciousness.

Abstract

Patients with chronic medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are frequently encountered in medical practice. Despite the distress, disability and resource utilization associated with MUS, these conditions remain poorly understood. This contribution describes a novel account of MUS that combines existing models in this area within a common explanatory framework based on cognitive psychological principles. According to the model, some MUS can be understood as distortions in bodily consciousness or control produced by the over-activation of symptom representations in memory. The primary goal of treatment is to minimize the repetitive re-allocation of attention onto symptoms that maintain this process.

Keywords: psychological medicine , cognitive behavioural therapy , consciousness , conversion disorder , medically unexplained symptoms , somatoform disorder , somatization