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Body dysmorphic disorder

Rück, Christian ; Mataix-Cols, David LU ; Feusner, Jamie D. ; Shavitt, Roseli Gedanke ; Veale, David ; Krebs, Georgina and Fernández de la Cruz, Lorena (2024) In Nature Reviews Disease Primers 10(1).
Abstract

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an obsessive–compulsive disorder-related psychiatric condition characterized by an intense preoccupation with perceived physical flaws that are not observable by others. BDD affects ~2% of the adult population but is underdiagnosed, partly owing to limited clinician awareness, and undertreated, partly due to limited access to treatment. Research on the aetiology of BDD is scarce but likely involves an interplay between genetic and environmental factors. A few studies suggest functional and structural brain differences (compared with controls) in the regions involved in visual and emotional processing, although firm conclusions about the pathophysiology of the disorder cannot be made at this stage.... (More)

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an obsessive–compulsive disorder-related psychiatric condition characterized by an intense preoccupation with perceived physical flaws that are not observable by others. BDD affects ~2% of the adult population but is underdiagnosed, partly owing to limited clinician awareness, and undertreated, partly due to limited access to treatment. Research on the aetiology of BDD is scarce but likely involves an interplay between genetic and environmental factors. A few studies suggest functional and structural brain differences (compared with controls) in the regions involved in visual and emotional processing, although firm conclusions about the pathophysiology of the disorder cannot be made at this stage. Diagnosis requires the presence of repetitive behaviours or mental acts typically aimed at checking, correcting or concealing perceived flaws. The disorder typically has its onset before 18 years of age, with a female preponderance in youth but no major gender disparity in adults. Quality of life is markedly impaired across multiple domains and suicide risk is considerable. Evidence-based treatments include cognitive behavioural therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Future research should focus on understanding the biological and environmental factors that increase the risk of BDD, and on improving access to effective treatments, thereby addressing a critical gap in care for this often misunderstood and overlooked disorder.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Nature Reviews Disease Primers
volume
10
issue
1
article number
92
publisher
Nature Publishing Group
external identifiers
  • pmid:39639018
  • scopus:85211361115
ISSN
2056-676X
DOI
10.1038/s41572-024-00577-z
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0fef43f5-2259-421f-846a-f0eb11d4c6b0
date added to LUP
2025-01-22 10:26:39
date last changed
2025-07-24 13:04:33
@article{0fef43f5-2259-421f-846a-f0eb11d4c6b0,
  abstract     = {{<p>Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an obsessive–compulsive disorder-related psychiatric condition characterized by an intense preoccupation with perceived physical flaws that are not observable by others. BDD affects ~2% of the adult population but is underdiagnosed, partly owing to limited clinician awareness, and undertreated, partly due to limited access to treatment. Research on the aetiology of BDD is scarce but likely involves an interplay between genetic and environmental factors. A few studies suggest functional and structural brain differences (compared with controls) in the regions involved in visual and emotional processing, although firm conclusions about the pathophysiology of the disorder cannot be made at this stage. Diagnosis requires the presence of repetitive behaviours or mental acts typically aimed at checking, correcting or concealing perceived flaws. The disorder typically has its onset before 18 years of age, with a female preponderance in youth but no major gender disparity in adults. Quality of life is markedly impaired across multiple domains and suicide risk is considerable. Evidence-based treatments include cognitive behavioural therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Future research should focus on understanding the biological and environmental factors that increase the risk of BDD, and on improving access to effective treatments, thereby addressing a critical gap in care for this often misunderstood and overlooked disorder.</p>}},
  author       = {{Rück, Christian and Mataix-Cols, David and Feusner, Jamie D. and Shavitt, Roseli Gedanke and Veale, David and Krebs, Georgina and Fernández de la Cruz, Lorena}},
  issn         = {{2056-676X}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{Nature Publishing Group}},
  series       = {{Nature Reviews Disease Primers}},
  title        = {{Body dysmorphic disorder}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41572-024-00577-z}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s41572-024-00577-z}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}