Skin conditions such as rashes or eczema could signal a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and depression, according to a new study.
While they serve different functions, the skin and brain both originate from the same embryonic layer of cells in the womb called the ectoderm.
This shared origin prompted a team of scientists at the Gregorio Marañón Institute of Health Research in Spain to look at a possible link between mental health conditions and skin complaints.
The researchers looked at 481 patients who had experienced an episode of psychosis, such as loss of contact with reality, hallucinations and delusions.
On testing, 14.5 percent were found to have dermatological symptoms such as rash, itching, and photosensitivity.
This trend was more prevalent in females than males (24 percent versus 10 percent).
All patients were given four weeks treatment with an antipsychotic and then rechecked for a range of mental health parameters.
After four weeks of follow-up, patients who had experienced psychosis and who were suffering from skin conditions showed higher levels of depression and risk of suicide.
Skin conditions such as rashes or eczema could signal a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and depression, according to a new study (stock image)
The researchers found that 25 percent of the patients with skin conditions had suicidal thoughts or attempts.
While just seven percent of patients without skin conditions had suicidal thoughts or attempts.
Lead researcher, Dr. Joaquín Galvañ said: ‘This discovery suggests that the presence of skin conditions indicates that these patients are more at risk for worse outcomes than patients who do not have skin conditions after a first episode of psychosis.’
The researchers note that, if confirmed, this finding has the potential to act as an advance marker for mental health risk, similar to the way, a blood test might indicate a greater risk of cancer or heart disease.
Dr. Galvañ continued: ‘It was already known that between 30 percent and 60 percent of people with skin conditions show psychiatric symptoms.
‘What we have done is look at things from the opposite direction; do people with mental health problems have skin conditions, and if so, can this tell us anything useful?
‘Our findings suggest that dermatological symptoms may represent a marker of illness severity and poor short-term outcomes in the early stages of psychosis, potentially identifying a subgroup of patients with a poorer clinical prognosis who may benefit from early tailored interventions.’
The reason for the connection is still unclear, the researchers said, but their working hypothesis is that it may be due to the skin and neurological systems having common developmental origins.
Visit rate for Americans with mental health disorders, substance use disorders, or both disorders at health centers, by age group in the US in 2022 (the most recent year for which data is available)
Their findings were presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) meeting in Amsterdam.
Dr. Galvañ added: ‘As far as we know this is the first study to show this link in patients with psychosis, so we need follow-up studies to confirm the finding.
‘We also need to understand if this link applies also to a range of other psychiatric conditions, such as bipolar disorder, ADHD, anxiety or depression’.
The American Psychiatric Association notes that ‘there are many complex connections between skin conditions and mental health conditions’ and more than one-third of dermatological patients have psychological concerns.
It reveals that psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and eczema are among the skin diseases most associated with co-occurring mental health conditions.
In a separate 2015 study conducted in 13 European countries, 10 percent of dermatological patients were found to have depression, compared with 4.3 percent of controls.
Anxiety was reported in 17.2 percent of patients, while suicidal ideations were noted in 12.7 percent of patients.
Psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, eczema, and leg ulcers were among the diseases most associated with these psychiatric comorbidities.
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