Psychocutaneous Disorders of Young People

Abstract

Common emotions such as insecurity, anxiety, hostility and guilt may stimulate the autonomic nervous system and lead to flushing, sweating, itching and excoriation. The intermediaries of such effects are acetylcholine released at parasympathetic nerve terminals in the skin and sympathetic nerve endings at the sweat glands, an epinephrine-like substance produced by sympathetic stimulation, synergism between acetylcholine and a histaminelike substance, and the mechanical and allergic effects of sweat retained under pressure. A number of skin disorders believed to possess emotional components are described, and an effort is made to relate the clinical entities to recurrent emotional patterns. Certain functional disorders of the skin resulting from compulsions, phobias, delusions and psychoses are discussed.