Clinical problems and levels of psychosomatic dysfunction

Abstract

As an introduction, some doctrinary and technical problems dealing with the complexity of the human mind and the possible approaches to investigate and treat the personality are discussed and, among them, the "medical model" is emphasized. A brief description of some cases in the author's experience are presented; they, at first, had been very difficult to diagnose. However, after some time, they were found to be of indisputable neuro-psychogenetic pathogenesis. The psychosomatic aspects of each case are analyzed, with emphasis on the different levels of pathogenic action and the means of elaboration to defend and readapt the affected personality, resulting in its final clinical expression. There are four possible levels where the primary dysfunction may act; (a) physiopathologic neuronal level; (b) cerebral subsystemic level; (c) psychodynamic level; (d) psychosocial level. The primary dysfunction, acting as a new stimulus on each of these levels, may determine in the personality pathologic responses that may assume very complex clinical situations. Many of these responses are quite different from the precipitating primary dysfunction, although there are still many evident links among them.