MISOFONIA: DEFINIZIONE, EZIOLOGIA E SINTOMI. UNA REVISIONE SISTEMATICA DELLA LETTERATURA SECONDO IL METODO PRISMA.

Misophonia is a condition of reduced tolerance to specific sounds or stimuli associated with those sounds, characterized by intense neurophysiological activation. General symptoms include heightened sensitivity to everyday noises such as coughing, sniffing, chewing and throat clearing, which results in a strong emotional reaction followed by avoidance behaviors, distancing, and, in some cases, aggressive responses. This is followed by emotions, as of anger, disgust, anxiety and depression (Swedo et al., 2022). Despite the growing interest in this phenomenon, there is currently no diagnostic classification. The purpose of this paper is to provide an updated overview of the literature regarding the definition and the etiology of misophonia, with particular emphasis on the symptomatology and psychological and behavioral correlates. Data in the literature were collected and analyzed according to the guidelines of the PRISMA method (Moher et al., 2009). The review was conducted through the main search engines on scientific papers published between 2010 and 2022, in English. Overall, a total of 40 articles were included. The research suggests that misophonia could be classified as a discrete psychological disorder, as symptoms present in a stable and consistent pattern, and patients report similar developmental pathways (Schroder et al., 2013; Jager et al., 2020). The patient's intensity reaction is determined not so much by the physical characteristics of the trigger sound, but rather by his or her psychological profile, context, and the cognitive interpretations the individual makes about the specific source of the sounds, which influence the intensity and uncontrollability of his or her reactions (Brout et al., 2018). A difficulty in emotion regulation and the presence of affective lability, exacerbates the severity of symptoms and may impair the individual's work, school and social functioning in the long run (Guetta et al., 2022). The etiology of misophonia can be traced back to both hereditary factors and environmental causes, e.g., associative learning mechanisms. Moreover, misophonia is thought to be related to high levels of connectedness between the auditory, autonomic and limbic systems and that, in particular, it would be AIC (Anterior Insular Cortex) that plays an important role (Edelstein et al., 2013). It would be desirable to expand the research to have more clarity on the phenomenon and possible treatments useful in reducing the discomfort and improving the quality of life of the subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]