Symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Abstract

The article presents the results of assessing the psychoemotional status and the content of serotonin in peripheral blood in patients with the most common cause of systemic peripheral vertigo–benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). 35 patients with otolithiasis accompanied by BPPV were examined. The control group of the study consisted of 15 healthy individuals. The assessment of the psychoemotional status and the level of quality of life of patients was carried out using specialized scales and questionnaires: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the CES-D Questionnaire Scale (depression), the Spielberger–Hanin test (situational and personal anxiety), a questionnaire to identify signs of autonomic changes (Vane A. M., 1998), Vestibular Rehabilitation Benefit Questionnaire (VRBQ). Quantitative determination of serotonin (ng/mL) in peripheral blood serum was carried out by enzyme immunoassay. Statistical data processing was carried out using the program Statistica 10.0 (USA). In the conducted study, clinically significant signs of anxiety and depression according to the HADS and CES-D scales were not detected in patients with BPPV, a moderate level of reactive and personal anxiety was observed according to the Spielberger–Hanin test. There was a significant decrease in the quality of life (48.6%). A significant decrease in the level of peripheral blood serotonin was revealed in BPPV, a statistically significant correlation with the indicator of personal anxiety of this group of patients was obtained. Features of personal and reactive anxiety (as a background state) in patients with BPPV should be considered as a risk of developing functional dizziness. It is likely that a decrease in serotonin in the blood serum may contribute to the pathogenetic mechanisms of vertigo, considering the diverse connections of the serotonergic and vestibular functional systems. The results obtained require further research.