An exploration of anger phenomenology in multiple sclerosis

  1. U. Nocentini1,2,3,
  2. G. Tedeschi4,5,
  3. R. Migliaccio4,
  4. D. Dinacci4,
  5. L. Lavorgna4,
  6. S. Bonavita4,
  7. V. Bresciamorra6,
  8. G. Comanducci2,
  9. G. Coniglio7,
  10. P. Livrea8,
  11. R. Mannu2,
  12. G. Orefice6,
  13. M. Paciello7,
  14. F. Patti9,
  15. A. Quattrone10,
  16. G. Salemi11,
  17. G. Savettieri11,
  18. I.L. Simone8,
  19. P. Valentino10,
  20. M. Zappia9,
  21. V. Bonavita5,6,
  22. M. Musicco2,12,
  23. C. Caltagirone1,2,3

Article first published online: 29 JUN 2009

DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2009.02727.x

Issue

European Journal of Neurology

European Journal of Neurology

Volume 16, Issue 12, pages 1312–1317, December 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Nocentini, U., Tedeschi, G., Migliaccio, R., Dinacci, D., Lavorgna, L., Bonavita, S., Bresciamorra, V., Comanducci, G., Coniglio, G., Livrea, P., Mannu, R., Orefice, G., Paciello, M., Patti, F., Quattrone, A., Salemi, G., Savettieri, G., Simone, I., Valentino, P., Zappia, M., Bonavita, V., Musicco, M. and Caltagirone, C. (2009), An exploration of anger phenomenology in multiple sclerosis. European Journal of Neurology, 16: 1312–1317. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2009.02727.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Neuroscience, University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata’, Rome, Italy

  2. 2

    I.R.C.C.S. ‘S. Lucia’ Foundation, Rome, Italy

  3. 3

    University Centre for Adaptive Disorders and Headache (UCADH), Pavia, Italy

  4. 4

    Department of Neurological Sciences, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

  5. 5

    Institute Hermitage Capodimonte, Naples, Italy

  6. 6

    Department of Neurology, University of Naples ‘Federico II ’, Naples, Italy

  7. 7

    Department of Neurology, San Carlo Hospital, Potenza, Italy

  8. 8

    Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Bari, Bari, Italy

  9. 9

    Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

  10. 10

    Department of Neurology, University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy

  11. 11

    Department of Neurology, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy

  12. 12

    Institute of Biomedical Technologies – National Research Council, Milan, Italy

*Ugo Nocentini, I.R.C.C.S. ‘S. Lucia’ Foundation, Via Ardeatina, 306, 00179 Rome, Italy. (tel.: +00390651501764; fax: +0039065032097; e-mail: u.nocentini@hsantalucia.it).

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 17 NOV 2009
  2. Article first published online: 29 JUN 2009
  3. Received 24 January 2009 Accepted 14 May 2009

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Keywords:

  • anger;
  • anxiety;
  • depression;
  • disability;
  • multiple sclerosis

Background and purpose:  Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are often emotionally disturbed. We investigated anger in these patients in relation to demographic, clinical, and mood characteristics.

Patients and methods:  About 195 cognitively unimpaired MS patients (150 relapsing–remitting and 45 progressive) were evaluated with the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory, the Chicago Multiscale Depression Inventory, and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. The patients’ anger score distribution was compared with that of the normal Italian population. Correlation coefficients among scale scores were calculated and mean anger scores were compared across different groups of patients by analysis of variance.

Results:  Of the five different aspects of anger, levels of withheld and controlled Anger were respectively higher and lower than what is expected in the normal population. Although anger was correlated with anxiety and depression, it was largely independent from these mood conditions. Mean anger severity scores were not strongly influenced by individual demographic characteristics and were not higher in more severe patients.

Conclusions:  The presence of an altered pattern of anger, unrelated to the clinical severity of MS, suggests that anger is not an emotional reaction to disease stress. An alteration of anger mechanisms might be a direct consequence of the demyelination of the connections among the amygdale, the basal ganglia and the medial prefrontal cortex.

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