Understanding Wellbeing Profiles According to White Matter Structural Connectivity Sub-types in Early Adolescents: The First Hundred Brains Cohort from the Longitudinal Adolescent Brain Study.

Wellbeing is protective against the emergence of psychopathology. Neurobiological markers associated with mental wellbeing during adolescence are important to understand. Limited research has examined neural networks (white matter tracts) and mental wellbeing in early adolescence specifically. A cross-sectional diffusion tensor imaging analysis approach was conducted, from the Longitudinal Adolescent Brain study, First Hundred Brains cohort (N = 99; 46.5% female; Mage = 13.01, SD = 0.55). Participants completed self-report measures including wellbeing, quality-of-life, and psychological distress. Potential neurobiological profiles using fractional anisotropy, axial, and radial diffusivity were determined via a whole brain voxel-wise approach, and hierarchical cluster analysis of fractional anisotropy values, obtained from 21 major white matter tracts. Three cluster groups with significantly different neurobiological profiles were distinguished. No significant differences were found between the three cluster groups and measures of wellbeing, but two left lateralized significant associations between white matter tracts and wellbeing measures were found. These results provide preliminary evidence for potential neurobiological markers of mental health and wellbeing in early adolescence and should be tracked longitudinally to provide more detailed and robust findings.

A short-interval longitudinal study of associations between psychological distress and hippocampal grey matter in early adolescence.

This study of Australian adolescents (N = 88, 12-13-years-old) investigated the relationship between hippocampal grey matter volume (GMV) and self-reported psychological distress (K10) at four timepoints, across 12 months. Participants were divided into two groups; those who had K10 scores between 10 and 15 for all four timepoints were categorised as "low distress" (i.e., control group; n = 38), while participants who had K10 scores of 16 or higher at least once over the year were categorised as "moderate-high distress" (n = 50). Associations were tested by GEE fitting of GMV and K10 measures at the same time point, and in the preceding and subsequent timepoints. Analyses revealed smaller preceding left GMV and larger preceding right GMV were associated with higher subsequent K10 scores in the "moderate-high distress" group. This was not observed in the control group. In contrast, the control group showed significant co-occurring associations (i.e., at the same TP) between GMV and K10 scores. The "moderate-high distress" group experienced greater variability in distress. These results suggest that GMV development in early adolescence is differently associated with psychological distress for those who experience "moderate-high distress" at some point over the year, compared to controls. These findings offer a novel way to utilise short-interval, multiple time-point longitudinal data to explore changes in volume and experience of psychological distress in early adolescents. The results suggest hippocampal volume in early adolescence may be linked to fluctuations in psychological distress.

Longitudinal associations between resting-state, interregional theta-beta phase-amplitude coupling, psychological distress, and wellbeing in 12-15-year-old adolescents.

Cross-frequency coupling between the phase of slower oscillatory activity and the amplitude of faster oscillatory activity in the brain (phase-amplitude coupling; PAC), is a promising new biological marker for mental health. Prior research has demonstrated that PAC is associated with mental health. However, most research has focused on within-region theta-gamma PAC in adults. Our recent preliminary study found increased theta-beta PAC was associated with increased psychological distress in 12 year olds. It is important to investigate how PAC biomarkers relate to mental health and wellbeing in youth. Thus, in this study, we investigated longitudinal associations between interregional (posterior-anterior cortex) resting-state theta-beta PAC (Modulation Index [MI]), psychological distress and wellbeing in N = 99 adolescents (aged 12-15 years). In the right hemisphere, there was a significant relationship, whereby increased psychological distress was associated with decreased theta-beta PAC and psychological distress increased with increased age. In the left hemisphere, there was a significant relationship, whereby decreased wellbeing was associated with decreased theta-beta PAC and wellbeing scores decreased with increased age. This study presents novel findings demonstrating longitudinal relationships between interregional, resting-state theta-beta PAC and mental health and wellbeing in early adolescents. This EEG marker may facilitate improved early identification of emerging psychopathology.

Novel ketamine and zinc treatment for anorexia nervosa and the potential beneficial interactions with the gut microbiome.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe illness with diverse aetiological and maintaining contributors including neurobiological, metabolic, psychological, and social determining factors. In addition to nutritional recovery, multiple psychological and pharmacological therapies and brain-based stimulations have been explored; however, existing treatments have limited efficacy. This paper outlines a neurobiological model of glutamatergic and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic dysfunction, exacerbated by chronic gut microbiome dysbiosis and zinc depletion at a brain and gut level. The gut microbiome is established early in development, and early exposure to stress and adversity contribute to gut microbial disturbance in AN, early dysregulation to glutamatergic and GABAergic networks, interoceptive impairment, and inhibited caloric harvest from food (e.g., zinc malabsorption, competition for zinc ions between gut bacteria and host). Zinc is a key part of glutamatergic and GABAergic networks, and also affects leptin and gut microbial function; systems dysregulated in AN. Low doses of ketamine in conjunction with zinc, could provide an efficacious combination to act on NMDA receptors and normalise glutamatergic, GABAergic and gut function in AN.

Structural connectivity and its association with social connectedness in early adolescence.

Adolescence is a critical period of social and neural development. Brain regions which process social information develop throughout adolescence as young people learn to navigate social environments. Studies investigating brain structural connectivity (indexed by white matter (WM) integrity), and social connectedness in adolescents have been limited until recently, with literature stemming mostly from adult samples, broad age ranges within adolescence or based on social network characteristics as opposed to social connectedness. This cross-sectional study of 12-year-olds (N = 73) explored the relationship between social connectedness (SCS) and structural connectivity in early adolescence, to gauge how this snapshot of WM development is associated with social behaviour. Whole brain voxel-wise diffusion tensor imaging was undertaken to determine correlations between SCS and fractional anisotropy (FA), radial (RD) and axial (AD) diffusivity of clusters within WM tracts. Significant negative relationships between FA and SCS scores were found in clusters within 11 WM tracts, with significant positive correlations between SCS and both RD and AD across clusters within 13 and 8 clusters, respectively. Clusters within the genu of the corpus callosum (CCgn) showed strong correlations for all three metrics, and regression models that included gender, age, and psychological distress, revealed SCS to be the only significant predictor of CCgn FA, RD and AD values. Overall, these findings suggest that those with lower social connectedness had a WM profile suggestive of reduced axonal density and/or coherence. Longitudinal research is needed to track such WM profiles during adolescent development and determine the associations with mental health and well-being outcomes.

Gender differences in brain activity when exposed to cyberbullying: Associations between wellbeing and cyberbullying experience using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

The role of gender and the associated brain activation when witnessing cyberbullying requires investigation. The current study aimed to determine whether brain responses to cyberbullying differ according to gender and level of wellbeing. We hypothesised that females and males would activate different regions of the brain when witnessing cyberbullying, and that this would be influenced by wellbeing levels and prior cyberbullying experiences. Blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) responses were examined in participants (N = 32, aged 18-25 years; 66% female) whilst observing cyberbullying versus neutral stimuli during a functional MRI. Results revealed significant correlations between BOLD signal and achievement scores among males, but not females, with previous experiences of cyberbullying, in regions including the cerebellum, the superior and inferior frontal gyrus, and the precuneus. Furthermore, males who previously cyberbullied others, with higher scores in achievement (a wellbeing sub-category), activated brain regions associated with executive function, social cognition, and self-evaluation, when viewing the cyberbullying stimuli. In addition, despite gender, BOLD signal in the cingulate gyrus was negatively correlated with cyberbullying scores, and BOLD signal in the left dorsal caudate and the cerebellum was independently and positively correlated with achievement scores. Taken together, these findings provide insights into brain responses to cyberbullying scenarios and emphasize that there are some significant variations according to gender. The overall finding that males activated brain regions linked to varying aspects of cognition, whereas females more often activated regions linked to emotion processing and empathy is important for future research in this area.

Dataset of brain functional connectome and its maturation in adolescents.

We provided the dataset of brain connectome matrices, their similarities measures to self and others longitudinally, and Kessler's psychological distress scales (K10) including the response to each question. The dataset can be used to replicate the results of the manuscript titled "A longitudinal study of functional connectome uniqueness and its association with psychological distress in adolescence". The functional connectome (whole-brain and 13 networks) matrices were calculated from the resting-state functional MRIs (rs-fMRIs). We collected rs-fMRI and Kessler's psychological distress scale (K10) in 77 adolescents longitudinally up to 9 times from 12 years of age every four months. After removal of data with excessive motion, 262 functional connectome matrices were provided with this paper. The 300 regions of interest (ROIs) were defined using the Greene lab brain atlas. The functional connectome matrices were calculated as correlations between time series from any pair of ROIs extracted from pre-processed fMRIs. This dataset could be potentially used to1.Understand developmental changes in the functional brain connectivity,2.As a normal control database of functional connectome matrices,3.Develop and validate connectome and network-related analysing methods.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists: Highlighting their potential for transdiagnostic therapeutics.

The so-called "psychedelic renaissance" has stimulated expanded interest in several classes of drugs that appear to possess transdiagnostic effects in the treatment of mental health disorders, specifically. N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists are one such class with diverse therapeutic potential. NMDARs mediate excitatory postsynaptic signalling in the central nervous system (CNS) and are integral to normal neurobiological processes including neuronal development, synaptic transmission, and plasticity, and thus involved in learning and memory. However, NMDAR hyper-function is also implicated in acute CNS trauma, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, as well as chronic pain. The complex structure of NMDARs permits several locations for therapeutic inhibition, making these receptors a potential target for multiple drugs which modulate them in different ways. NMDAR antagonists, which may be competitive, non-competitive, or uncompetitive, either block glutamate from binding the receptor or modulate the response to glutamate binding. Despite longstanding concerns about side effects of NMDAR antagonists, recent research suggests that, when appropriately used, these agents have favourable safety profiles. Furthermore, their fast-acting mechanism of action, resulting in rapid effects compared to other therapeutic agents, makes them a promising class of drugs that may yield effective therapeutics for multiple CNS disorders.

A longitudinal study of functional connectome uniqueness and its association with psychological distress in adolescence.

Each human brain has a unique functional synchronisation pattern (functional connectome) analogous to a fingerprint that underpins brain functions and related behaviours. Here we examine functional connectome (whole-brain and 13 networks) maturation by measuring its uniqueness in adolescents who underwent brain scans longitudinally from 12 years of age every four months. The uniqueness of a functional connectome is defined as its ratio of self-similarity (from the same subject at a different time point) to the maximal similarity-to-others (from a given subject and any others at a different time point). We found that the unique whole brain connectome exists in 12 years old adolescents, with 92% individuals having a whole brain uniqueness value greater than one. The cingulo-opercular network (CON; a long-acting 'brain control network' configuring information processing) demonstrated marginal uniqueness in early adolescence with 56% of individuals showing uniqueness greater than one (i.e., more similar to her/his own CON four months later than those from any other subjects) and this increased longitudinally. Notably, the low uniqueness of the CON correlates (ß = -18.6, FDR-Q < < 0.001) with K10 levels at the subsequent time point. This association suggests that the individualisation of CON network is related to psychological distress levels. Our findings highlight the potential of longitudinal neuroimaging to capture mental health problems in young people who are undergoing profound neuroplasticity and environment sensitivity period.

Physiotherapists' views, perceived knowledge, and reported use of psychosocial strategies in practice.

Background: Research has addressed the usefulness of psychosocial strategies within physiotherapy, as part of a biopsychosocial model. A lack of current research in Australia concerning the views of physiotherapists, from a range of practice areas, regarding a variety of strategies, suggests the need for broader exploration. Methods: This research employed a cross-sectional survey asking Australian physiotherapists (n = 251) to rate their perceived importance and perceived benefits of psychosocial strategies; perceived positive effects on rehabilitation outcomes and adherence; confidence in applying strategies, and perceived benefits of further training. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Crosstabs with Chi-Squared Tests of Contingencies and Spearman's Rank-Order Correlations. Results: Physiotherapists reported that having knowledge of such strategies was important and considered them beneficial for practice. Respondents rated highly their perceived knowledge about goal setting and positive reinforcement, both of which were reported as most used in practice. Approximately one quarter of physiotherapists reported using cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing. Physiotherapists communicated a lack of confidence to apply psychosocial strategies in their practice, and desired further training. Conclusion: Physiotherapists could benefit from tailored instruction regarding psychosocial strategies at a level appropriate to, and within their scope of practice. This could enhance their practice from a biopsychosocial perspective, subsequently improving outcomes for their patients.

Psychosocial strategies for physiotherapy: A qualitative examination of physiotherapists' reported training preferences.

Physiotherapists report using a range of psychosocial strategies in their practice, yet, barriers to implementation include lack of time, limited knowledge, and minimal training. This research aimed to establish what training physiotherapists have had with regards to psychosocial strategies, why they think they would benefit from more training, what training they want, and delivery preferences. Content analysis of answers to four open-ended, online survey questions collected from Australian physiotherapists (N = 208) was conducted. Physiotherapists reported having minimal training specific to psychosocial strategies. Physiotherapists reported wanting training in assessment and management of psychosocial issues, and practical application of specific psychosocial strategies. Didactic and interactive training delivered by experts who understand the psychosocial needs of their patients, and the constraints of physiotherapy practice was preferred. These findings suggest that training in psychosocial strategies at the undergraduate level and continued professional development are necessary. Specifically, training in the assessment and management of psychosocial factors, and in referral processes is warranted, and should be applicable and appropriate for rehabilitation settings. Training should be both didactic and interactive as outlined in the proposed framework.

Public relations and customer service: Employer perspectives of social media proficiency.

Social media has enhanced integration between marketing and public relations. As such, public relations professionals have had to adapt and grow their knowledge and skillsets to stay relevant and current throughout the evolution of the digital landscape (Gesualdi, 2019). One of the growing areas of focus for public relations professionals has been customer service skills online. This specialization, often referred to as social care or social customer service, has been promoted and discussed heavily in industry circles and publications, but not in academic research. This study focuses on the survey results from 396 employers exploring the social media skills they most prefer university graduates to possess when entering the workforce. The results indicate that public relations and customer service are the social media skills most sought after by employers of university graduates ahead of proficiency in areas such as social media content production, strategy development and analytics. The potential implications of these findings to the public relations profession are examined and future research is also discussed.

An exploration of physiotherapists' perceived benefits and barriers towards using psychosocial strategies in their practice.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine what physiotherapists perceive are the benefits of using psychosocial strategies in their own practice, and whether perceived barriers extend beyond practitioner and contextual barriers. METHODS: Content analysis of two open-ended questions was conducted. Australian physiotherapists (n = 206) provided written comments. RESULTS: Three key categories of benefits emerged: patient benefits, shared patient and physiotherapist benefits, and physiotherapist benefits. Patient benefits included improved rehabilitation experience, improved patient wellbeing and improvement of psychosocial responses. Specifically, increased patient enjoyment, improved self-management and improved understanding of the links between their physical and psychological health. Therapeutic alliance appeared as a shared patient and physiotherapist benefit, with specific reference to enhanced partnerships and improved patient-centred practice. Physiotherapist benefits comprised of improved needs assessment and occupational benefits such as reduced load. Three key categories of physiotherapist barriers, contextual barriers, and patient barriers emerged. Time, knowledge, confidence, lack of expertise, and limited formal training, were the main barriers, specifically a lack of practical training, and for more complex strategies. Physiotherapists acknowledged patient barriers such as patient resistance, lack of understanding, and complex mental health needs. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute novel information with regard to the benefits and barriers of psychosocial approaches from a physiotherapist perspective. Physiotherapists may benefit from further support in their use of psychosocial approaches, to emphasize the benefits for their own practice. Furthermore, to potentially reduce patient barriers and improve outcomes, patient education concerning a biopsychosocial model of care could be valuable.

Occupational therapists' perceptions of psychosocial strategies for clients with Parkinson's disease.

Psychological strategies are a promising adjunct to pharmacological treatment for symptoms, including depression and anxiety associated with Parkinson's disease. In this study, we investigated perceptions and reported behaviors of occupational therapists regarding the use of psychosocial strategies during their practice with clients with Parkinson's disease. The results of a cross-sectional online survey (n = 115 occupational therapists) demonstrated that the majority of participants (83%) reported using psychosocial strategies with their clients living with Parkinson's disease, with goal setting the most frequent. Almost all occupational therapists (99.1%) reported that it was moderately to extremely important to have knowledge about psychosocial strategies for practice with clients living with Parkinson's disease, and 96.5% rated it important to be able to offer these strategies in practice with their clients living with Parkinson's disease. The majority (91.3%) felt incorporating psychosocial strategies into their practice was moderately to extremely beneficial, and 93.9% reported that psychosocial strategies have a moderate-to-extremely positive effect on Parkinson's disease management outcomes. These findings have important implications for the education and training of occupational therapists working with clients living with Parkinson's disease to help ensure the best possible outcomes for people with Parkinson's disease.

Exploring physiotherapists' considerations regarding the use of psychosocial strategies in practice.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate what factors physiotherapists consider when deciding whether to use psychosocial strategies with their patients and what factors they consider when choosing a specific approach. METHODS: Content analysis of two open-ended questions contained within a cross-sectional survey was conducted. Australian physiotherapists (N = 201) provided written comments. RESULTS: Textual data were subjected to content analysis. Two key categories emerged: practitioner considerations and patient considerations. Subcategories included physiotherapist factors, practice environment, patient biological factors, patient psychological factors, and patient social factors. When contemplating the use of psychosocial strategies, physiotherapists' responses aligned with a biopsychosocial perspective. The most common consideration overall was patient attitudes. Physiotherapists reflected on which specific psychosocial strategies they perceived were beneficial for a particular patient based on their presentation. Scope of practice was a minor factor in their decision-making process, as physiotherapists considered their knowledge, confidence, and skill base more frequently. CONCLUSION: Physiotherapists incorporate a biopsychosocial framework in their assessment of patients with regard to potential use of psychosocial strategies. Physiotherapists displayed language that reflected a developed understanding of psychological and social issues with respect to their patients' presentation. Nonetheless, selection of psychosocial strategies was predominantly based on experience, success with an approach, perceived knowledge, skill, and confidence, as opposed to evidence-based efficacy of such strategies. These findings have implications for the training of physiotherapists. Desired outcomes are enhancing management of patients based on a biopsychosocial approach and ensuring inclusion of appropriate, relevant, and evidence-based psychosocial strategies within their accepted scope of practice.

Knowledge, behaviors, attitudes and beliefs of physiotherapists towards the use of psychological interventions in physiotherapy practice: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: To systematically review and analyze the literature exploring the knowledge, behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs of physiotherapists towards the use of psychological interventions in their practice. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted, of articles published between January 1996 and February 2016, using selected electronic databases followed by crosschecking of reference and citation lists. Articles were selected on the basis of the research reported relating to knowledge, behaviors, attitudes or beliefs of physiotherapists towards using a number of different psychological interventions. Quality assessment was conducted by three reviewers independently, and thematic analysis of the included studies was performed. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included in the analysis. Results indicate that physiotherapists are aware of psychological interventions, are using a variety within practice, and have positive attitudes and beliefs towards their use. However, there are barriers to the incorporation of psychological interventions into their practice, including lack of knowledge, time constraints, and role clarity. The desire for further training was also evident. CONCLUSION: Notwithstanding the reported awareness and use of psychological interventions in physiotherapy practice, barriers to implementation exist indicating that further research is necessary to address how to effectively equip physiotherapists, to employ such techniques within their scope of practice. Implications for rehabilitation Physiotherapists use and have positive attitudes and beliefs towards a variety of psychological interventions including goal setting, positive, and motivational talk, cognitive behavioral therapy strategies and offering social support. Barriers preventing the incorporation of psychological interventions in practice include, lack of knowledge, time constraints, and role clarity. Despite the use of such interventions, physiotherapists identify the need for further training, to be better equipped to confidently utilize these in practice. These results justify the incorporation of training in psychological interventions in physiotherapist qualifying studies, but also as continued professional development opportunities for physiotherapists currently working in the field.