Transdiagnostic considerations of the relationship between reward sensitivity and psychopathological symptoms - a cross-lagged panel analysis.

BACKGROUND: Reward sensitivity constitutes a potential key mechanism regarding the etiology and maintenance of mental disorders, especially depression. However, due to a lack of longitudinal studies, the temporal dynamics are not clear yet. Although some evidence indicates that reward processing could be a transdiagnostic mechanism of disorders, these observations could be also a product of comorbidity with depression. This study aimed at investigating the temporal dynamics of reward sensitivity and the course of psychopathological symptoms in a longitudinal investigation, while taking a possible mediating role of depression into account. METHODS: We conducted a three-wave longitudinal online survey with a 4-week interval. A total of N = 453 participants filled out all three questionnaires. Reward sensitivity was assessed with the Positive Valence System Scale-21 (PVSS-21), depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), eating disorder symptoms with the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire-8 (EDE-Q-8), social anxiety with the Mini-social phobia inventory (Mini-SPIN) and alcohol consumption with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C). Cross-lagged panels and mediation analyses were calculated using path analyses. RESULTS: Depressive and eating disorder symptoms predicted reward insensitivity at later points in time. Effects were larger from T2 to T3. A bidirectional relationship concerning social anxiety was found. Higher alcohol consumption predicted higher reward sensitivity. Depression at T2 fully mediated the association between psychopathological symptoms at T1 and reward sensitivity at T3 for social anxiety and eating disorder symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings imply that reduced reward sensitivity seems to be a consequence rather than an antecedent of psychopathological symptoms. Comorbid depression plays a crucial role in other mental disorders regarding observed hyposensitivity towards rewards. Therefore, our results do not support a transdiagnostic notion of reward sensitivity, but they indicate a potential role of reward sensitivity for symptom persistence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was preregistered at the Open Science Framework (OSF) ( https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-6n3s8-v1 ; registration DOI https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/6N3S8 ).

Cognitive dysfunction and psychopathology: a cohort study of adults with intellectual developmental disorder.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment of intellectual developmental disorders (IDD) is determined by several different combinations of specific cognitive alterations. People with IDD present a rate of mental health problems that is up to 4 times higher than that of the general population. Despite this, the relationship between specific cognitive dysfunctions and co-occurring mental disorders has not been adequately studied. The aim of the present paper is to investigate the association between specific cognitive dysfunctions and specific psychiatric symptoms and syndromes in people with IDD. METHODS: One hundred and twenty adults with mild to moderate IDD living in residential facilities underwent a clinical and instrumental assessment for specific cognitive and psychopathological features. RESULTS: Participants with IDD and ASD have significantly lower scores compared to those without respect to who has not the diagnosis on the Processing Speed Index (PSI) and Perceptual Reasoning Index (PRI) on the WAIS-IV and higher time scores on the TMT A. Moreover, there is a significant association between years of hospitalisation and TMT B and TMT B A time scores; the longer a participant with IDD was hospitalised, the worse their performance on the TMT. Although not statistically significant, many psychopathological clusters showed substantial cognitive profiles. CONCLUSIONS: Although further research is needed, neuropsychological and IQ tests scores seem to be differently associated to various psychopathological conditions co-occurring with IDD, and with ASD especially. Cognitive assessment seems to support diagnosis and treatment of psychopathological co-occurrences in persons with IDD, also in consideration of indirect implications including a better knowledge of the patient's characteristics beyond IQ deficit.

Transdiagnostic MRI markers of psychopathology following traumatic brain injury: a systematic review and network meta-analysis protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Psychopathology following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common and debilitating consequence that is often associated with reduced functional and psychosocial outcomes. There is a lack of evidence regarding the neural underpinnings of psychopathology following TBI, and whether there may be transdiagnostic neural markers that are shared across traditional psychiatric diagnoses. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to examine the association of MRI-derived markers of brain structure and function with both transdiagnostic and specific psychopathology following moderate-severe TBI. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic literature search of Embase (1974-2022), Ovid MEDLINE (1946-2022) and PsycINFO (1806-2022) will be conducted. Publications in English that investigate MRI correlates of psychopathology characterised by formal diagnoses or symptoms of psychopathology in closed moderate-severe TBI populations over 16 years of age will be included. Publications will be excluded that: (a) evaluate non-MRI neuroimaging techniques (CT, positron emission tomography, magnetoencephalography, electroencephalogram); (b) comprise primarily a paediatric cohort; (c) comprise primarily penetrating TBI. Eligible studies will be assessed against a modified Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Instrument and data will be extracted by two independent reviewers. A descriptive analysis of MRI findings will be provided based on qualitative synthesis of data extracted. Quantitative analyses will include a meta-analysis and a network meta-analysis where there are sufficient data available. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required for the present study as there will be no original data collected. We intend to disseminate the results through publication to a high-quality peer-reviewed journal and conference presentations on completion. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022358358.

[Features of the neurocognitive profile of patients with protracted and chronic endogenous manic and manic-delusional states]. / Osobennosti neirokognitivnogo profilya bol'nykh s zatyazhnymi i khronicheskimi endogennymi maniakal'nymi i maniakal'no-bredovymi sostoyaniyami.

OBJECTIVE: To study the neurocognitive profile of patients with protracted and chronic endogenous manic and manic-delusional states (EMDS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-two female patients, aged 18 to 55 years (mean age 36.2±10.2 years), with protracted and chronic EMDS were studied. Based on the clinical typology of EMDS, patients were divided into 4 groups of 8 patients each: group 1 - «acute¼ subtype, group 2 - «chronified¼ subtype, group 3 - «developing¼ subtype and group 4 - subtype «double mania¼. Neuropsychological, clinical-psychopathological and statistical methods were used. RESULTS: Disturbances of regulatory and executive functions and a decrease in neurodynamic indicators of mental activity in patients with EMDS are significantly more pronounced compared with the control group (p<0.05). The values of the index of severity of disturbances of regulatory and executive functions in patients with EMDS range from 0.95 points (group 1) to 1.14 points (group 4), without statistically significant differences between the groups. The highest severity of neurodynamic disorders is observed in group 1 (1.88 points), while in other groups the index values range from 0.88 points in group 2 to 1.09 in group 4 (p<0.05). Patients of group 1 have greater severity and wider spectrum of neurodynamic symptoms compared with group 2 (U=45.00; p<0.0021), group 3 (U=30.00; p<0.04), and group 4 (U=45.00; p<0.001). It should be noted that the cognitive impairments identified in patients with EMDS did not reach the level of dementia. CONCLUSION: The most characteristic of EMBS are cognitive impairments associated with a decrease in the parameters of the neurodynamics of mental activity related to the first functional block, as well as with deficiency of executive functions, impaired planning and organization of cognitive activity, due to the weakness of the structures of the third functional block.

Construct and criterion validity of the HiTOP spectra to predict dimensional and categorical somatization in a large non-western sample.

The Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology (HiTOP) is a phenotypic data-driven framework for the classification of psychopathology. We tested the construct and criterion validity of the HiTOP spectra measured by the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) using exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and hierarchical regressions both to predict somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRD) and a somatization factor. The case-control study used hierarchical logistic regressions to distinguish 257 cases with SSRD from 1007 healthy controls by both the maladaptive and the temperament factors. The extracted factors were also used in hierarchical linear regressions to predict the dimensional somatization factor. The seven temperament factors explained more variance above and beyond the five maladaptive factors when predicting SSRD (pseudo R2 = 0.169 to 0.266 versus 0.125 to 0.196; change in pseudo R2 = 0.055 to 0.087 versus 0.011 to 0.017). The temperament factors also explained more variance above and beyond the maladaptive factors when predicting the somatization factor (R2 = 0.392 versus 0.269; change in R2 = 0.146 versus 0.023). Although the HiTOP spectra measured by PID-5 are significant structures related to the categorical and dimensional measurements of somatoform, our findings highlight potential problems with both the construct and criterion validity of the HiTOP spectra.

Pathways to Mental Health Care in a Defined Geographic Area of Athens.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the duration between the onset of psychopathology and the first contact either with a sectorized Community Mental Health Centre (CMHC) of Athens area or other mental health services, identify the pathways to the CMHC as well as possible sociodemographic and clinical factors affecting help-seeking behavior. The sample consisted of 355 individuals who visited the CMHC, but had sought help from another mental health care source prior to their visit to the Centre (group A), and was compared with 398 individuals who had no previous contact with any other psychiatric service (group B). The average duration of untreated mental disorders was found to be 19.85 (SD 23.113) for males of group A and 26.26 (SD 41.158) for males of group B. Among females the mean duration was found to be 18.11 (SD 27.293) for group A and 22.21 (SD 29.440) for group B, a statistically significant difference. In group A, the intervening services referred the clients at an earlier stage. The striking difference is that only eight individuals (2%) of group B (first timers) were diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia contrasting to the 61 (17.4%) counterparts of group A. Individuals in our study diagnosed with psychosis seemed to have sought help first from other mental health services and delay to visit a CMHC. People who face problems resulting from their interpersonal or professional relationships often choose to have a first contact with a CMHC. Reduction of the delay in treatment will require clearer understanding of the contributing factors. Liaison activities with public and mental health sector services and outreach interventions to increase awareness on the early recognition of psychopathologic symptoms and the need for early referral could reduce the duration of untreated mental disorders.

Translating Developmental Neuroscience to Understand Risk for Psychiatric Disorders.

The transition from childhood to adulthood represents the developmental time frame in which the majority of psychiatric disorders emerge. Recent efforts to identify risk factors mediating the susceptibility to psychopathology have led to a heightened focus on both typical and atypical trajectories of neural circuit maturation. Mounting evidence has highlighted the immense neural plasticity apparent in the developing brain. Although in many cases adaptive, the capacity for neural circuit alteration also induces a state of vulnerability to environmental perturbations, such that early-life experiences have long-lasting implications for cognitive and emotional functioning in adulthood. The authors outline preclinical and neuroimaging studies of normative human brain circuit development, as well as parallel efforts covered in this issue of the Journal, to identify brain circuit alterations in psychiatric disorders that frequently emerge in developing populations. Continued translational research into the interactive effects of neurobiological development and external factors will be crucial for identifying early-life risk factors that may contribute to the emergence of psychiatric illness and provide the key to optimizing treatments.

Therapeutic alliance and dropout in patients with borderline pathology receiving residential dialectical behavior therapy.

BACKGROUND: This study focused on the impact of therapeutic alliance on therapy dropout in a naturalistic sample of patients with borderline pathology receiving dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in a residential setting. We assumed that low therapeutic alliance shortly after admission would be associated with elevated dropout. METHODS: 44 participants with borderline pathology (≥ 3 DSM-5 borderline personality disorder criteria) in a residential DBT program completed a quality assurance questionnaire set assessing demographic information, pretreatment psychopathology and therapeutic alliance during the first seven days of their residential stay. Predictors of dropout were investigated using binary logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The dropout rate was 34.1% (n = 15). In binary logistic regression analyses with variables covering demographic and clinical characteristics, comorbidities and childhood trauma history, only the therapeutic alliance significantly predicted dropout (z = -2.371, p = .018). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the importance of therapy process variables, here the therapeutic alliance at the beginning of treatment, as predictors of therapy dropout in borderline pathology. If this finding is replicated, it shows the potential importance of monitoring the therapeutic relationship throughout the therapeutic process. CLINICALTRIALS: gov Identifier: NCT05289583, retrospectively registered on March 11, 2022.

Interaction between high interleukin-2 and high cortisol levels is associated with psychopathology in patients with chronic schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Both cortisol and interleukins appear at abnormal levels in schizophrenia. Our previous study has shown that cortisol and interleukins are associated with psychopathology and response to antipsychotic medications in a relatively small sample size of patients with schizophrenia. The current study was designed to investigate how cortisol, interleukins (ILs) and their interactions would correlate with clinical presentation in a relatively large sample size of patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: We compared serum cortisol, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-8 levels in 162 medicated schizophrenia patients (including 27 patients in remission) and 62 healthy controls. Serum levels of cortisol and interleukins were measured by radioimmunoassay and quantitative ELISA, respectively. Clinical symptoms were assessed according to the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). RESULTS: Patients with schizophrenia had significantly higher levels of cortisol and IL-2 compared to controls. Patients in remission had higher levels of IL-6 than non-remitting patients. PANSS positive symptoms, general psychopathology, cortisol and IL-2 were the most central nodes in the cortisol-IL-symptom network. The interaction between cortisol and IL-2 was associated with PANSS positive symptoms, general psychopathology and depressive factor. For patients with cortisol level above the median, IL-2 was negatively associated with PANSS positive symptoms and general psychopathology. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that the interaction between cytokines and cortisol may be associated with the pathophysiology of some symptoms in chronic schizophrenia. In particular, the interaction between cortisol and IL-2 is associated with the clinical phenotypes of schizophrenia.

Prevalencia de síntomas mentales entre los refugiados saharauis en Tinduf, Argelia, utilizando el Cuestionario de Salud General Goldberg 28 / Prevalence of mental symptoms in the Sahrawi refugees in Tindouf camps, Algeria, determined using the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire 28

Objetivo: Estimar la prevalencia de síntomas psicopatológicos entre los refugiados saharauis y la influencia de factores sociodemográficos en la expresión fenotípica de los trastornos mentales. Diseño: Estudio descriptivo transversal. Emplazamiento: Atención primaria y hospitalaria de salud. Participantes: Trescientos ochenta y tres (383) participantes mayores de 18 años, 59,8% mujeres y 40,2% hombres, con una media de edad del 37,2 (DE = 13,0), del campamento del Aaiún y del Hospital Nacional de Rabuni. Método: Se llevó a cabo un estudio descriptivo transversal y analítico entre enero y agosto de 2017. Los participantes se seleccionaron por muestreo consecutivo. La variable principal fue la presencia de síntomas mentales, medida con el Cuestionario General de Salud de Goldberg-28. Se hizo un análisis descriptivo de cada variable sociodemográfica (edad, sexo, nivel de estudios, ocupación) y su asociación con la variable principal mediante regresión logística. Resultados: El 43,3%, IC 95% (38,4-48,3) obtuvo puntuación que sugiere la presencia de síntomas mentales. Las mujeres presentaron una puntuación media superior a los hombres, en las subescalas A (síntomas somáticos) y en la subescala B (ansiedad). Se asociaron con mayor probabilidad de tener síntomas mentales la edad mayor de 50 años y no tener nivel de estudios. Conclusiones: El estudio pone de manifiesto que la prevalencia de síntomas mentales entre los refugiados saharauis es alta, y refuerza la necesidad de más investigaciones científicas en el campo de la salud mental para poner la prevención de los trastornos mentales y la promoción de la salud mental en el foco de las políticas sanitarias.(AU)

Objective: To assess the prevalence of psychopathological symptoms among Saharawi refugees and the influence of sociodemographic factors on the phenotypic expression of mental disorders.Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study. Location: Primary and hospital health care. Participants: 383 participants over 18 years of age, 59.8% women and 40.2% men, with a mean age of 37.2 (SD = 13.0), from the Laayoune camp, and from the Rabuni National Hospital. Methodology: A descriptive, cross-sectional and analytical study was carried out between January and August 2017. Participants were selected by consecutive sampling. The main variable was the presence of mental symptoms, measured with the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire - 28. A descriptive analysis of each sociodemographic variable (age, sex, educational level, occupation) and its association with the main variable was carried out using Logistic regression. Results: 43.3%, 95%CI (38.4-48.3) obtained a score that suggests the presence of mental symptoms. Women presented a mean score higher than men, in subscales A (somatic symptoms) and in subscale B (anxiety). Age over 50 years and having no educational level were associated with a higher probability of having mental symptoms. Conclusions: The study shows that the prevalence of mental symptoms among Saharawi refugees is high, and reinforces the need for more scientific research in the field of mental health to put the prevention of mental disorders and the promotion of mental health in the focus of health policy.(AU)

Multigenerational adversity impacts on human gut microbiome composition and socioemotional functioning in early childhood.

Adversity exposures in the prenatal and postnatal period are associated with an increased risk for psychopathology, which can be perpetuated across generations. Nonhuman animal research highlights the gut microbiome as a putative biological mechanism underlying such generational risks. In a sample of 450 mother-child dyads living in Singapore, we examined associations between three distinct adversity exposures experienced across two generations-maternal childhood maltreatment, maternal prenatal anxiety, and second-generation children's exposure to stressful life events-and the gut microbiome composition of second-generation children at 2 y of age. We found distinct differences in gut microbiome profiles linked to each adversity exposure, as well as some nonaffected microbiome features (e.g., beta diversity). Remarkably, some of the microbial taxa associated with concurrent and prospective child socioemotional functioning shared overlapping putative functions with those affected by adversity, suggesting that the intergenerational transmission of adversity may have a lasting impact on children's mental health via alterations to gut microbiome functions. Our findings open up a new avenue of research into the underlying mechanisms of intergenerational transmission of mental health risks and the potential of the gut microbiome as a target for intervention.

Potential role between inflammatory cytokines and Tie-2 receptor levels and clinical symptoms in patients with first-episode schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Schizophrenia (SCZ) is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, which may be involved in the underlying pathological mechanism of the disease and may influence patient prognosis. We evaluated the differences in serum cytokine and Tie-2 receptor levels between patients with first-episode SCZ and healthy controls and explored the correlation thereof with clinical symptoms. METHODS: Seventy-six participants were recruited for the present study, including 40 patients with first-episode SCZ and 36 healthy controls. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores, demographic data, and blood samples were collected at baseline. A hypersensitive Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) electrochemiluminescence assay system was used to measure cytokine and Tie-2 receptor levels. Spearman's correlation and stepwise linear regression were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Serum interleukin-1ß and -4 levels were significantly increased, and Tie-2 levels were significantly decreased, in first-episode SCZ patients as compared to healthy controls. IL-1ß levels were positively correlated with total BPRS scores, resistance subscores, and PANSS positive subscores. Furthermore, IL-1ß levels were negatively correlated with Tie-2 receptor expression levels. Stepwise linear regression analysis demonstrated that IL-1ß levels correlated positively with PANSS positive subscores and BPRS total scores. PANSS negative subscores, general psychopathology subscores, and PANSS total scores had positive effects on the Tie-2 receptor. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that IL-1ß and Tie-2 were highly sensitive and specific for predicting first-episode SCZ symptoms and achieving an area under the ROC curve of 0.8361 and 0.6462, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that patients with first-episode SCZ have low-grade inflammation. IL-1ß and Tie-2 receptors may be important mediators between inflammation and vascular dysfunction in patients with SCZ and may underlie the increased cardiovascular disease in this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The clinical trial registration date was 06/11/2018, registration number was chiCTR1800019343.

SYMPTOM SEVERITY IN SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS WITH NPAS3, DYSBINDIN-1 AND/OR TRIOBP PROTEIN PATHOLOGY IN THEIR BLOOD SERUM: A PANSS-BASED FOLLOW UP STUDY.

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that aggregation of specific proteins in the brain may be a pathological element in schizophrenia and other chronic disorders. Multiple such aggregating proteins have now been implicated through post mortem investigation, including NPAS3 (Neuronal PAS domain protein 3), dysbindin-1 (encoded by the DTNBP1, Dystrobrevin Binding Protein 1, gene) and TRIOBP (Trio-Binding Protein, multiple isoforms). While the presence of protein aggregates in the brain is interesting in terms of understanding pathology, it is impractical as a biomarker. These proteins were therefore investigated recently in blood serum of schizophrenia patients and controls, showing patients to have higher levels of NPAS3 in their serum generally. TRIOBP-1 and dysbindin-1 were also found in an insoluble state, implying aggregation, but did not clearly corresponding to disease state. SUBJECT AND METHODS: We revisit 47 of the originally recruited 50 patients with schizophrenia, all of whom are Croatian and aged between 18 and 72. We assessed their symptom specificity and severity using PANSS (the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale), comparing those with NPAS3, insoluble dysbindin-1 and/or insoluble TRIOBP-1 in their blood serum to those lacking any such protein dysregulation. RESULTS: The frequency of each individual potential protein pathology among these patients was too low for meaningful statistical analysis, however the 11 patients that displayed one or more of these pathologies (NPAS3, dysbindin-1, TRIOBP-1 and/or TRIOBP-5/6) showed a subtle but significant increase in total PANSS scores compared to the 36 patients displaying none of the pathologies (p = 0.031), seemingly driven principally by increased scores on the general psychopathology scale. CONCLUSION: While the numbers of patients involved do not allow firm conclusions to be drawn at this time, this provides the first indication that disturbed proteostasis in blood serum, of proteins that aggregate in the brains of schizophrenia patients, may correlate with the severity of schizophrenia symptoms.

[Grief: from the physiological reaction to the psychopathology.] / Lutto: dalla reazione fisiologica al disturbo da lutto prolungato.

The death of a loved one is a universal experience, and marker of the human condition. Grief, the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses to bereavement, is both a ubiquitous and a unique psychological process. Thus, health providers often find themselves in a dilemma, caught between the need to alleviate an individual's distress and impairment, and the danger of overly "pathologizing" their grief reaction. This chapter reviews how acute grief reactions generally evolve over time, the clinical presentation of complicated grief, and finally, other psychiatric disorders that might develop or be precipitated in the aftermath of the death of a loved one, particularly prolonged grief disorder.

Unveiling common psychological characteristics of proneness to aggression and general psychopathology in a large community youth cohort.

Elevated aggression in individuals with psychiatric disorders is frequently reported yet aggressive acts among people with mental illness are often intertwined with proneness to aggression and other risk factors. Evidence has suggested that both general psychopathology and proneness to aggression may share common psychological characteristics. This study aims to investigate the complex relationship between general psychopathology, proneness to aggression, and their contributing factors in community youth. Here, we first examined the association between proneness to aggression and the level of general psychopathology in 2184 community youths (male: 41.2%). To identify common characteristics, we trained machine learning models using LASSO based on 230 features covering sociodemographic, cognitive functions, lifestyle, well-being, and psychological characteristics to predict levels of general psychopathology and proneness to aggression. A subsequent Gaussian Graph Model (GGM) was fitted to understand the relationships between the general psychopathology, proneness to aggression, and selected features. We showed that proneness to aggression was associated with a higher level of general psychopathology (discovery: r = 0.56, 95% CI: [0.52-0.59]; holdout: r = 0.60, 95% CI: [0.54-0.65]). The LASSO model trained on the discovery dataset for general psychopathology was able to predict proneness to aggression in the holdout dataset with a moderate correlation coefficient of 0.606. Similarly, the model trained on the proneness to aggression in the discovery dataset was able to predict general psychopathology in the holdout dataset with a correlation coefficient of 0.717. These results suggest that there is substantial shared information between the two outcomes. The GGM model revealed that isolation and impulsivity factors were directly associated with both general psychopathology and proneness to aggression. These results revealed shared psychological characteristics of general psychopathology and proneness to aggression in a community sample of youths.

Prevalence of externalising disorder comorbidities in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Externalising disorders are some of the most prevalent problems in childhood and particularly during adolescence that can change into more severe psychopathology in adulthood if left unattended. In the research literature, these disorders include attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional/defiant disorder, conduct disorder and substance use disorders. The comorbidity prevalence of these disorders is significant and cannot be considered a random factor. The dimensional structure of psychopathology has always been studied by researchers to address disorder comorbidities and aetiology. There has always been controversy over the number of spectra and the lower levels. Currently, the new top-down, Hierarchical Taxonomy of Psychopathology model conceptualising psychopathology is being used, which is a dimensional classification system for the different spectra of psychopathology based on a combination of conceptual modelling and factor analysis of symptoms. This systematic review investigates the comorbidity prevalence of spectra of externalising disorders to provide valuable information and feedback on this model. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This systematic review will include all the studies conducted from 1/1/1990 to 1/12/2020 to examine the prevalence and comorbidity of each of the externalising disorders in the general population, schools and outpatients using any instrument (questionnaires or interviews). There will be no language restrictions in selecting the studies. The studies are age restricted and must be conducted on adolescents only, but there are no restrictions on the gender and nationality of the participants. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This systematic review is based on previously published articles and therefore will not require ethical approval. The results of the systematic review will be disseminated as publication in a peer-reviewed journal and conference presentation. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022327629.

[Linking mental healthcare- and Statistics Netherlands microdata to assess the effectiveness of care]. / Koppelen van ggz- en CBS-microdata om zorgeffectiviteit te meten.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of mental health care is currently monitored through routine quantitative symptom-driven measurements in most clinical settings. These measurements seem inadequate, especially for target groups with complex, multi-faceted problems. There is as yet no alternative method. AIM: 1. To describe why quantitative symptom-driven measurements are inadequate for measuring healthcare effectiveness; and 2. to introduce a new data platform that adjusts for socioeconomic and environmental factors to monitor the effectiveness of healthcare. METHOD: Overview of developments based on literature and introduction of a unique data platform. RESULTS: In the case of complex, multi-faced problems, such as in children with mild intellectual disability and comorbid psychopathology, mental health problems cannot be quantified, isolated, and individualized, i.e., decontextualized. To evaluate care for external benchmarking and scientific research, a shift is advised from measuring clinical symptoms within the treatment period to measuring longer-term group-level social functioning across multiple life domains, with a focus on socio-demographic differences. The Extramuraal LUMC Academisch Netwerk Gezond & Gelukkig Den Haag (ELAN-GGDH ; in English: Extramural LUMC Academic Network Healthy & Happy The Hague) data platform accomplishes this by combining mental health data with Statistics Netherlands microdata. CONCLUSION: The data platform could add value to external benchmarking and scientific research at group level.

Helpful activities during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perceived benefits and actual association with psychiatric symptoms and psychological wellbeing.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have rigorously examined the effectiveness of commonly reported coping activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was designed to assess perceived helpful activities during the pandemic and to investigate the extent to which these activities were associated with psychological outcomes. METHOD: Adults living in the US (N = 204), who were part of a longitudinal family study of depression responded to an online survey. They reported on their perceived helpful activities during the pandemic. General linear regression models (GLM) were used to evaluate the association between perceived helpful activities and current psychiatric symptoms, controlling for demographic factors, and pre-pandemic psychiatric history and symptoms. RESULTS: The top perceived helpful activity during COVID-19 was communicating with friends/family via telephone text or video (75.5 %). However, of the top five activities endorsed, cooking/baking was associated with the most clinical outcomes, including lower anxiety/depression and greater psychological wellbeing (all ps < 0.05). These relationships were most prominent among younger individuals < age 40 years, females, and those with recent psychiatric history, although they extended to younger males, and individuals at high or low depression risk. LIMITATIONS: Close ended items limited variability in coping activities reported. The study lacked data on substance use. The sample was racially and ethnically homogenous. CONCLUSIONS: These findings move beyond anecdotal evidence that cooking/baking as a coping activity yields protection against psychopathology. Its ready accessibility and ability to confer benefits across a range of individual characteristics, make it a useful adjunct in therapeutic interventions for people confined to their homes.

Specificity of associations between parental psychopathology and offspring brain structure.

Multiple forms of parental psychopathology have been associated with differences in subcortical brain volume. However, few studies have considered the role of comorbidity. Here, we examine if alterations in child subcortical brain structure are specific to parental depression, anxiety, mania, or alcohol/substance use parental psychopathology, common across these disorders, or altered by a history of multiple disorders. We examined 6581 children aged 9 to 10 years old from the ABCD study with no history of mental disorders. We found several significant interactions such that the effects of a parental history of depression, anxiety, and substance use problems on amygdala and striatal volumes were moderated by comorbid parental history of another disorder. Interactions tended to suggest smaller volumes in the presence of a comorbid disorder. However, effect sizes were small, and no associations remained significant after correcting for multiple comparisons. Results suggest that associations between familial risk for psychopathology and offspring brain structure in 9-10-year-olds are modest, and relationships that do exist tend to implicate the amygdala and striatal regions and are moderated by a comorbid parental psychopathology history. Several methodological factors, including controlling for intracranial volume and other forms of parental psychopathology and excluding child psychopathology, likely contribute to inconsistencies in the literature.