In this review article, we outline the evidence linking attachment adversity to psychosis, from the premorbid stages of the disorder to its clinical forms. To better understand the neurobiological mechanisms through which insecure attachment may contribute to psychosis, we identify at least five neurobiological pathways linking attachment to risk for developing psychosis. Besides its well documented influence on the hypothalamic-pituary-adrenal (HPA) axis, insecure attachment may also contribute to neurodevelopmental risk through the dopaminergic and oxytonergic systems, as well as bear influence on neuroinflammation and oxidative stress responses. We further consider the neuroscientific and behavioral studies that underpin mentalization as a suite of processes potentially moderating the risk to transition to psychotic disorders. In particular, mentalization may help the individual compensate for endophenotypical impairments in the integration of sensory and metacognitive information. We propose a model where embodied mentalization would lie at the core of a protective, resilience response mitigating the adverse and potentially pathological influence of the neurodevelopmental cascade of risk for psychosis.
Attachment, Neurobiology, and Mentalizing along the Psychosis Continuum
M. Debbané,G. Salaminios,P. Luyten,Deborah Badoud,M. Armando,Alessandra Solida Tozzi,P. Fonagy,Benjamin K. Brent
Published 2016 in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
ABSTRACT
PUBLICATION RECORD
- Publication year
2016
- Venue
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
- Publication date
2016-08-22
- Fields of study
Medicine, Psychology
- Identifiers
- External record
- Source metadata
Semantic Scholar, PubMed
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