Interoception, a multifaceted concept defined as the perception of internal bodily signals, is crucially involved in mental health in general and in emotion regulation in particular, being interoceptive sensibility (IS) one of the most studied interoceptive processes. The main objective of this study was to explore the relationships between IS and emotion regulation processes, analyzing the role of the eight IS dimensions assessed by the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness-2 (MAIA-2) in alexithymia, emotion dysregulation, and depression. Additionally, this study also aimed to validate the MAIA-2 in a Spanish sample. To do so, 391 healthy adults, native Peninsular Spanish speakers (61.0% women, M_age = 29.00, SD_age = 11.40), completed the MAIA-2 and other self-reported questionnaires to measure alexithymia, emotion dysregulation, and depressive symptoms. Results showed that lower scores on the IS dimensions that involve an accepting attitude toward the bodily signals (e.g., not-worrying) were related to alexithymia and emotion dysregulation, which, in turn, predicted depression. Moreover, the eight-factor structure of the MAIA-2 was confirmed with acceptable fit indices. This study highlights the multidimensional nature of the IS and the relevance of IS dimensions that involve a positive appraisal of the body in regulating emotions.

When it comes to coping with stress, positive emotion upregulation is of utmost importance. Positive emotions have been suggested to be an important resource during stressful times since people try to create and upregulate pleasant emotional states when feeling stressed. Accordingly, individual differences in the ability to generate and savor positive emotional states could also affect one's skills in dealing with stress. In this regard, an important factor might be depression, which is associated with impaired positive emotion regulation. To disentangle the reciprocal influence between perceived stress and positive emotion upregulation, we conducted an Ecological Momentary Assessment study (n = 92) in which we assessed participants' stress levels and use of positive upregulating strategies (attentional deployment, cognitive change, and response modulation) three times a day over 2 weeks. Results from linear mixed-effects models showed that higher levels of perceived stress at one point predicted increased use of positive upregulating strategies from this point to the next which, in turn, resulted in subsequent diminished stress levels. Interaction analyses indicated that participants with higher depressive symptoms implemented upregulating strategies to a lower extent when experiencing intense stress. Furthermore, attentional deployment was less effective in decreasing stress in individuals higher in depression, whereas the other strategies showed comparable or even higher efficacy. Overall, positive emotion upregulation might be regarded as an adaptive tool that helps cope with stress. This mechanism might be altered in people higher in depression, who specifically struggle to implement positive upregulating strategies during times of stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The presence of meaning in life (PML) and the search for meaning in life (SML) are crucial when facing difficult times. Although several theoretical frameworks have tried to explain the dynamics of meaning in life during adversity, empirical evidence about interactions among both constructs using longitudinal designs is scarce. This study examined the trajectories of both PML and SML during the COVID-19 lockdown period in Spain. In total, 220 adults fulfilled an online survey during two periods: a strict and a relaxed lockdown period. Latent growth models showed that both PML and SML declined slightly during the strict lockdown, but they reached a plateau during the relaxed lockdown. Results also showed that age and having a partner predicted higher PML and lower SML at baseline, whereas being male predicted higher scores on PML. PML and SML were negatively associated at baseline, higher SML at baseline was related to a steeper decreasing PML slope during the strict lockdown, and the PML and SML slopes in the relaxed lockdown period were negatively related. This study contributes to better understanding longitudinal fluctuations of meaning in life in situations of adversity.

Introduction: Interoceptive deficits are associated with difficulties in identifying and regulating emotions. However, research on interoception after acquired brain injury (ABI) is scarce, and its relationship with emotional difficulties in this population is unknown. This study aimed to (1) examine differences in self-reported alexithymia, performance-based emotional awareness, emotion regulation, depression, and interoceptive sensibility between ABI and control individuals; and (2) analyze the role of adaptive interoceptive dimensions in these emotional processes after ABI.Methods: Forty-three individuals with ABI and 42 matched control individuals completed the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness-2, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale, the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.Results: Compared to the control group, individuals with ABI showed reduced tendency to ignore unpleasant sensations increased severity of depressive symptoms, as well as tendencies to have greater difficulties in emotion regulation and lower emotional awareness. Additionally, interoceptive dimensions such as trusting, as well as not-distracting from and not-worrying about bodily sensations, played a relevant role in explaining lower alexithymia and difficulties in emotion regulation. Moreover, lower alexithymia and emotion dysregulation were related to less depressive symptoms. These relationships were invariant across ABI and control individuals.Discussion: Although individuals with ABI may have different levels of emotional abilities compared to non-ABI individuals, the relationship patterns between interoceptive and emotional processes appear to be similar between the two groups. This study suggests the potential benefit of addressing both interoceptive and emotional difficulties in treatments targeting such prevalent sequelae of ABI as depressive symptoms.

Introduction. Lafora disease is autosomal recessive progressive myoclonus epilepsy with late childhood-to teenage-onset caused by loss-of-function mutations in either EPM2A or EPM2B genes encoding laforin or malin, respectively. Development. The main symptoms of Lafora disease, which worsen progressively, are: myoclonus, occipital seizures, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, cognitive decline, neuropsychiatric syptoms and ataxia with a fatal outcome. Pathologically, Lafora disease is characterized by the presence of polyglucosans deposits (named Lafora bodies), in the brain, liver, muscle and sweat glands. Diagnosis of Lafora disease is made through clinical, electrophysiological, histological and genetic findings. Currently, there is no treatment to cure or prevent the development of the disease. Traditionally, antiepileptic drugs are used for the management of myoclonus and seizures. However, patients become drug-resistant after the initial stage. Conclusions. Lafora disease is a rare pathology that has serious consequences for patients and their caregivers despite its low prevalence. Therefore, continuing research in order to clarify the underlying mechanisms and hopefully developing new palliative and curative treatments for the disease is necessary.