Objects : The purpose of this study was to examine chief somatic complaints and their correlation to laterality in the body, and severity of anxiety and depression.
Methods : The sixty-one patients were examined. The diagnostic criteria used was DSM-Ⅲ-R. The severity of depression and anxiety was assessed with Hamilton's depression scale and Hamilton's anxiety scale, respectively. The demographic data of the subjects were also analyzed.
Results : The chief psychogenic somatic symptoms that were complained by patients occurred significantly more on the left side than on the right side(Left : Right : Both=62.3% : 19.7% : 18.0%). Headache was the most common somatic symptoms and headache and other symptoms were significantly more on the left. The demographic data did not make a difference between the left and right-sided groups. The diagnosis did not make a difference between the left and right-sided groups. The score of anxiety or depression were higher in the left-sided group than the right-sided group, but not statistically significant.
conclusions : These results suggest that the laterality of psychogenic somatic symptoms seems to be more related with left hemisphere.