A large-scale Korean cohort study has found that chronic dizziness is closely linked to stress and depression, challenging conventional approaches that focus primarily on physical causes.
The research, led by Professor Park Hye-youn from the Department of Psychiatry at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH), analyzed data from over 4,000 adults and was published in BMC Psychiatry last year.
The findings suggest that effective treatment must extend beyond the vestibular system and incorporate mental health care.
Professor Park Hye-youn of psychiatry at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) led a nationwide study investigating the link between chronic dizziness, stress, and depression. (Courtesy of SNUBH)
Dizziness is often dismissed as a minor symptom or temporary issue rather than a condition requiring comprehensive care, yet it affects one in three adults in Korea and can persist for months, significantly impairing quality of life.
While previous research has primarily linked dizziness to aging, underlying conditions, and gender—being more prevalent in women—the new findings reveal a deeper connection to psychological health.
The study analyzed 4,147 adults aged 40 and older using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Of these, 1,102 individuals reported experiencing dizziness, and 210 suffered from chronic dizziness lasting over three months.
According to the study’s multiple logistic regression analysis, high stress levels, depression, and short sleep duration were strongly associated with chronic dizziness.
These findings challenge the traditional framework of dizziness treatment, which has focused primarily on vestibular disorders, neurological conditions, and cardiovascular factors. The researchers argue that chronic dizziness cannot be fully understood without considering psychological health.
A network analysis compares the strength of depressive symptom associations in individuals with episodic dizziness (solid line) and chronic dizziness (dashed line). (Source: BMC Psychiatry)
Traditionally, dizziness has been attributed to conditions such as vestibular disorders, neurological diseases, or cardiovascular problems. However, the study found that dizziness in women was linked to arthritis, smoking, and psychological distress, while in men, factors such as age, education level, alcohol consumption, and stress played a role.
Chronic dizziness was further associated with tympanic abnormalities, diabetes, and short sleep duration—less than five hours per night.
Network analysis of depressive symptoms presented a sharp distinction between general dizziness and chronic dizziness. While general dizziness was associated with low mood, chronic dizziness patients exhibited severe psychomotor disturbances, including slowed movement and restlessness.
The study suggested that chronic dizziness may involve more than low mood, potentially affecting psychomotor functions and overall physical well-being.
Professor Park and her team emphasized the need for a fundamental shift in how dizziness is treated. They added that addressing stress, depression, and sleep disturbances should be integral to treatment strategies.
"Our findings highlight gender-specific differences in dizziness risk factors and distinct depressive symptom patterns in chronic dizziness, which could serve as a foundation for developing personalized treatment strategies,” Park said. “Given the complex interplay of factors in dizziness, a multidisciplinary treatment approach involving otolaryngology, neurology, and psychiatry is essential.”
Source: https://www.koreabiomed.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=26510
