Biomedical
Oropharyngeal microbiome composition as a possible diagnostic marker for true psychosis in a forensic psychiatric setting: A narrative literature review and an opinion
Mohsen Khosravi,
Mohsen Khosravi
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IRAN
Domenico De Berardis,
Sakineh Mazloom,
Sakineh Mazloom
Department of Nursing, Zahedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Zahedan, IRAN
Amir Adibi,
Amir Adibi
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, IRAN
Negin Javan,
Negin Javan
Department of Psychology, Yadegar-e-Imam Khomeini (RAH), Shahre Rey Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, IRAN
Zahra Ghiasi,
Zahra Ghiasi
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IRAN
Mohammad Nafeli,
Mohammad Nafeli
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IRAN
Negar Rahmanian
Negar Rahmanian
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, IRAN
Peer Reviewed
Abstract
The malingered psychosis has increasingly occurred over the past few years due to the tendency towards care in the community and the closures of long-stay psychiatric institutions. Thus, it is required to identify malingered psychosis to reach accurate forensic assessments and inhibit misuse of restricted healthcare resources and miscarriages of justice. Despite the fact that some practical psychometric tools and strategies have been proposed for diagnosing true psychosis over the past decades, the differentiation between true psychosis and malingered psychosis is still sometimes challenging. Accordingly, it seems crucial to identify innovative and reliable diagnostic alternatives. Hence, the present article summarizes a collection of evidence that can be used by researchers to improve future assessment of oropharyngeal microbiome composition as a feasible diagnostic marker for true psychosis in a forensic psychiatric setting.
Key Questions
What is the main focus of this study?
The study investigates whether the composition of the oropharyngeal microbiome can serve as a reliable marker to differentiate true psychosis from malingered (feigned) psychosis in forensic psychiatric settings.
Why is distinguishing between true and malingered psychosis important?
Accurate differentiation is crucial to prevent misuse of limited healthcare resources, ensure proper forensic assessments, and avoid miscarriages of justice.
What challenges exist in diagnosing true psychosis?
Despite existing psychometric tools and strategies, distinguishing between genuine and feigned psychosis remains challenging, necessitating innovative and reliable diagnostic alternatives.
How might the oropharyngeal microbiome aid in diagnosis?
The study suggests that analyzing the composition of the oropharyngeal microbiome could provide insights into an individual's mental health status, potentially serving as a diagnostic marker for true psychosis.
What are the implications of this research?
If validated, this approach could lead to more accurate diagnoses in forensic psychiatry, improving patient care and resource allocation.
