The role of the attachment relation in the pathogenesis of auditory hallucinations – literature overview

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of the article is to provide an overview of the literature concerning the role of the attachment relation in the pathogenesis of auditory hallucinations. The article holistically integrates the knowledge about the attachment relation with cognitive and biological factors. Materials and method: The literature overview was compiled using the following databases: EBSCO, PsycINFO, PubMed, Google Scholar. The databases were searched using the following keywords: „secure”, „disorganized”, „epigenetic”, „genetic”, „auditory hallucinations” and the term „monoaminergic system”. These words were combined with the term „attachment style”. Results: The literature analysis suggests that neurobiological and cognitive factors mediate in the pathomechamism affiliating traumatic experience in the attachment relation with auditory hallucinations These include: dysregulation within the monoaminergic systems, atrophy of the temporal areas and cognitive distortions such as source monitoring errors and negative automatic thoughts. Discussion and conclusions: Cognitive dysfunctions along with hereditary genetic susceptibility to auditory hallucinations may constitute factors distorting the correct interpretation of traumatic intrusions of relational experience. Future research should verify to what extent auditory hallucinations are the memory marks of a relational trauma. Verification of these hypotheses will enable better understanding of the role of the attachment styles in the development of auditory hallucinations and the formation of convictions about them.