Geneva, Switzerland, 24th April 2022, ZEXPRWIRE, In volume 10 issue 3 of its Medical Research Archives, the European Society of Medicine (ESMED) recently published the study titled “A Model of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders and Dissociative Identity Disorder from the perspective of Social Emotions.” In the study, the authors utilize an updated version of a model of mental functioning that has been previously applied to schizophrenia to provide an interpretation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Dissociative Identity Disorder. The model, built through the method of Artificial Life and with the toolset of Artificial Intelligence, foresees that the mind is subject to two forces: trauma, which represents the attack on the mind, and dissociation, which embodies the mind’s defence in both physiological and pathological conditions. The balance between these forces determines the pathological outcome. PTSD, Complex PTSD, and DID are conditions caused by exposure to one or more stressful events of extraordinary magnitude and/or repeated over many years. The traumatic experience(s) may have different outcomes in different persons: some people fully recover within a short time, while others go on to develop one of these three disorders, whose interdependencies are still poorly understood. 

As explicated by the authors of the study, the differential diagnosis between PTSD and C-PTSD has been an object of debate. It has been speculated that C-PTSD may be equivalent to PTSD, when the latter is comorbid with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder). C-PTSD and DID display a significant degree of comorbidity and there seems to be quite a significant overlap between the three conditions. The field of psychology is characterised by a steady proliferation of diagnostic models and subcategories. This approach, which seems to be inspired by the principle of “divide and inflate,” contrasts with experimental evidence, which suggests that symptoms, environmental and genetic risk factors are shared among many disorders. The authors aim to reverse that trend.

The objective of the study is twofold. The authors’ work attempts to provide an updated version of a model of mental functioning, inspired by the method of Artificial Life and built with the toolset of Artificial Intelligence, which has already been used to explain and interpret schizophrenia. Secondly, they utilise the model to provide an interpretation for the shared and unique features of PTSD, C-PTSD and DID. Future works of the research team will be aimed at deepening the analysis and at integrating further conditions into the interpretation framework.

For more information on the aforementioned study and to read other scholarly work published by the European Society of Medicine, please visit https://esmed.org.

About the European Society of Medicine (ESMED)

The vision of the European Society of Medicine is a world connected for medical innovation. ESMED promotes this vision through its core values of Innovation, Excellence, Commitment, and Creativity. The European Society of Medicine publishes scholarly research on a wide variety of subjects in the field of medicine, including the ESMED Medical Research Archives, which offer a monthly issue compiling leading articles on current research. The European Society of Medicine exists to connect doctors with the knowledge they need to lead medical innovation and reduce the burden of disease. ESMED supports its members through facilitating cross-specialization networking, educational resources, and the free sharing of knowledge. 

The Medical Research Archives (MRA) is an international scientific peer-reviewed journal committed to publishing research and clinical medicine in a timely and professional format. MRA is published both in print and online. As outlined by the European Society of Medicine, the MRA uses a double blind peer-review to ensure the quality, accuracy, and significance of accepted manuscripts. The editorial board is dedicated to maintaining the integrity and usefulness of the content published with MRA, and strives to make content available in the newest and widest range of formats.