Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

J Hazard Mater 2020 Jun 22;401:123263. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Biological Research Laboratory, Post-Graduation Program in Conservation of Cerrado Natural Resources, Goiano Federal Institute, Urutaí Campus, Urutaí, GO, Brazil. Electronic address:

In this study, the hypothesis that polyethylene microplastics (MPs) can accumulate in animals, reach the upper trophic level and trigger behavioral changes was tested. Physalaemus cuvieri tadpoles were exposed to MPs (for 7 days) and fed on tambatinga fish for the same period. Subsequently, these fish were given as food to Swiss mice. Read More

Genomics 2020 Jul 3. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

School of Data Sciences, Perdana University, Jalan MAEPS Perdana, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; The Davies Research Centre, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Adelaide, Roseworthy, SA 5371, Australia. Electronic address:

The role of microbiota in gut-brain communication has led to the development of probiotics promoting brain health. Here we report a genomic study of a Lactobacillus fermentum PS150 and its patented bioactive protein, elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu), which is associated with cognitive improvement in rats. The L. Read More

Can J Cardiol 2020 Jul 3. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Department of Psychiatry, Hospital for Sick Children Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.

This narrative review, emphasizing children and adolescents, addresses the link between five psychiatric disorders and cardiovascular risk: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, and bipolar disorders. The evidence regarding cardiovascular risk factors, non-invasive measures of early atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease prevalence and/or mortality is summarized. Whereas multiple studies have examined stimulant treatment of ADHD in relation to cardiovascular death, and autonomic-vagal function in autism spectrum disorders, little is known regarding atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in these conditions. Read More

J Med Internet Res 2020 Jul 6;22(7):e18723. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Lyra Health, Burlingame, CA, United States.

Background: The past few decades saw considerable advances in research and dissemination of evidence-based psychotherapies, yet available treatment resources are not able to meet the high need for care for individuals suffering from depression or anxiety. Blended care psychotherapy, which combines the strengths of therapist-led and internet interventions, can narrow this gap and be clinically effective and efficient, but has rarely been evaluated outside of controlled research settings.

Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a blended care intervention (video-based cognitive behavior therapy and internet intervention) under real-world conditions. Read More

J Med Internet Res 2020 Jul 6;22(7):e16228. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.

Background: The prevalence of mental health disorders continues to rise, with almost 4% of the world population having an anxiety disorder and almost 3.5% having depression in 2017. Despite the high prevalence, only one-third of people with depression or anxiety receive treatment. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020 Jul 5;7:CD012527. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research (LIR), Mainz, Germany.

Background: Resilience can be defined as the maintenance or quick recovery of mental health during or after periods of stressor exposure, which may result from a potentially traumatising event, challenging life circumstances, a critical life transition phase, or physical illness. Healthcare professionals, such as nurses, physicians, psychologists and social workers, are exposed to various work-related stressors (e.g. Read More

BJPsych Open 2020 Jul 6;6(4):e70. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Pôle Hospitalo-Universitaire de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Centre National d'Aide aux enfants et adolescents à Haut Potentiel, Centre Hospitalier Guillaume Régnier, Université de Rennes 1; and Laboratoire Psychologie de la Perception, UMR 8242, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France.

Background: Several studies have reported anxiety disorders in children with high intellectual potential (HIP). However, there are discrepant results possibly as a result of methodological biases (different/absent definitions of HIP, small sample sizes, non-validated/adapted/specific tools for assessing anxiety and a single observational source).

Aims: To examine more thoroughly the relationships between HIP and anxiety in large samples of children using clear definitions of HIP, different observational sources and specific assessments of anxiety. Read More

Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2020 Jul 5. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Graduate School of System Design, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Hachioji, Japan.

Aim: The present study aimed to examine whether heart rate variability (HRV) indices in depressed patients measured at return to work after sick leave are related to the outcome of reinstatement.

Methods: This study included 30 workers who took a leave of absence due to major depressive disorder. HRV was measured twice, once when participants left work and another when they returned to work. Read More

Depress Anxiety 2020 Jul 5. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Centre for Affective Disorders, The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.

Introduction: In this paper, we systematically review literature from 1940 to 2000 relating to the combined use of psychological therapies and psychedelic drugs in the treatment of ICD-10 anxiety disorders.

Methods: The databases Ovid MEDLINE(R), PsycINFO, and Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) were searched for case reports and trials involving humans in the treatment of ICD-10 anxiety and related disorders. Twenty-four studies are described; four describe anxiety symptoms in diverse patient groups, 14 studies describe historic diagnoses that usefully correspond with ICD-10 anxiety disorders, six studies pooled results or failed to detail results specific to contemporary ICD-10 anxiety disorders. Read More

Depress Anxiety 2020 Jul 5. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.

Background: Perinatal depression carries adverse effects on maternal health and child development, but genetic underpinnings remain unclear. We investigated the polygenic risk of perinatal depressive symptoms.

Methods: About 742 women from the prospective Prediction and Prevention of Pre-eclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction cohort were genotyped and completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale 14 times during the prenatal period and twice up to 12 months postpartum. Read More

Mov Disord Clin Pract 2020 Jul 21;7(5):531-542. Epub 2020 May 21.

University College London, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London London United Kingdom.

Background: Late-stage parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease (PD) are insufficiently studied population. Although neuropsychiatric symptoms (eg, psychosis, depression, anxiety, behavioral problems) are frequently present, their prevalence and clinical predictors remain unknown.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and predictors of neuropsychiatric symptoms in late-stage PD. Read More

Front Psychol 2020 18;11:1077. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

School of Psychology, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China.

Background: Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most common mental disorders among children and adolescents, and it may seriously affect their growth, daily life, and learning. Self-report scales have been used for diagnosis, which require lengthy testing and personnel.

Methods: A total of 1,241 adolescents were recruited from 16 junior- and senior-high schools in China. Read More

Front Psychiatry 2020 18;11:570. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Purpose: A substantial proportion of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) does not respond or cannot tolerate to currently available treatments. This study was to assess the safety and tolerability of Remote Limb Ischemic Preconditioning (RLIPC) as an adjunctive therapy in patients with MDD.

Patients And Methods: Enrolled patients underwent RLIPC, five cycles of simultaneous bilateral arm ischemia, 5 min and followed by reperfusion of each cycle, and once daily for eight consecutive weeks. Read More

Front Psychiatry 2020 18;11:562. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Institute of Sports Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.

Background: Major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders are associated with less productivity, earlier retirement, and more sick-days at the workplace. These associations also exist for patients with metabolic syndrome. For both, exercise is a generally recommended part of multimodal treatments. Read More

Med Lav 2020 Jun 26;111(3):232-240. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Department of Traslational Research and New Technology in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.

Introduction: The management of workers with mental disability is a current topic of great interest. The aim of the article is to report the experience of managing cases of employees with mental disabilities in an Italian university hospital and to describe the preventive measures adopted and the therapeutic programs carried out.

Methods: A group of 100 workers suffering from psychiatric disorders has been included in a medical surveillance program lasting at least 6 months. Read More

Psychol Med 2020 Jul 6:1-11. Epub 2020 Jul 6.

Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit, Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: In research and clinical practice, familial risk for depression and anxiety is often constructed as a simple Yes/No dichotomous family history (FH) indicator. However, this measure may not fully capture the liability to these conditions. This study investigated whether a continuous familial loading score (FLS), incorporating family- and disorder-specific characteristics (e. Read More

Paediatr Anaesth 2020 Jul 4. Epub 2020 Jul 4.

Department of Anesthesia, McGovern Medical School, Houston, United States of America.

Background: Spinal muscular atrophy are a group of autosomal recessive inherited neurological disorders secondary to a genetic mutation that leads to progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. Recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, Nusinersen is the first treatment specifically for spinal muscular atrophy. This drug must be administered intrathecally, as it does not cross the blood brain barrier. Read More

J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2020 Jul 5. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.

Background: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is highlighted as a condition for further study in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Some studies indicate that IGD appears comorbid with other psychiatric disorders. We examine concurrent and prospective links between symptoms of IGD and symptoms of common psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence to determine whether observed comorbidity is a result of (a) reciprocal relations or (b) common underlying causes. Read More

Fortschr Neurol Psychiatr 2020 Jul 5. Epub 2020 Jul 5.

Parkinson patients suffering from disease progression become increasingly dependent on personal care, which is mostly provided by female family members. Burden of care correlates with severity of motor impairment, neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms, behavioral abnormalities, autonomic nervous system disorders, impairment of micturition, sleep, and dependence. Caregiver burden also results from restrictions in time for personal matters, family, leisure and social activities, occupational limits, costs, lack of social support and impairment of sleep, depression, and emotional and other health problems of the carer (such as depression and anxiety). Read More

Chin J Integr Med 2020 Jul 4. Epub 2020 Jul 4.

Persian Traditional Medicine, Faculty of Persian Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, 9177899191, Iran.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of administration of the formulated Persian herbal syrup on improving the symptoms of patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C).

Methods: This study was conducted in 70 patients with IBS-C, who were recruited from 3 medical centers in Mashhad, Iran, from November 2017 to August 2018. Seventy patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups including treatment and placebo groups by block randomization, 35 cases in each group. Read More

J Abnorm Child Psychol 2020 Jul 4. Epub 2020 Jul 4.

Child Study Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.

Specific phobias are among the most prevalent anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Although brief and intensive treatments are evidence-based interventions (Davis III et al. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 15, 233-256, 2019), up to one-third of youth do not show significant change in their symptoms following these interventions. Read More

Work 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway.

Background: Common mental disorders (CMD) are leading causes of sickness absence. Treatments for CMD that both reduce symptoms and support work participation urgently need to be developed.

Objective: Determine the potential effects of work-focused therapy combining work interventions with either meta cognitive therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy (W-MCT/CBT) for patients with CMD on sick leave. Read More

J Psychosom Res 2020 Jun 29;136:110173. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

Objective: Mental health and cognitive difficulties are highly prevalent across neurological disorders and significantly contribute to poorer patient outcomes. Unfortunately, access to effective psychological services for these comorbidities are limited. To determine whether a novel transdiagnostic internet-delivered psychological intervention, the Wellbeing Neuro Course, was feasible, acceptable and efficacious a single-group feasibility open trial was employed. Read More

Explore (NY) 2020 Jun 25. Epub 2020 Jun 25.

Research Institute, Modum Bad Psychiatric Center, Vikersund, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address:

Background: Mass violence, atrocities, and political upheavals have affected the prosperity and psychological health of the people of Iraq. Those living in the Garmian region of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq are among those most affected. While there is an urgent need for mental health interventions in this region, mental health resources are scarce, and only a small percentage of the population in need receive mental health care. Read More

Psychiatry Res 2020 Jun 29;291:113264. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Greater Paris University Hospital, University Hospital Cochin, Maison des Adolescents - Youth Department, F-75014 Paris, France; University of Paris, PCPP, F-92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France; University Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, Inserm, CESP, Team DevPsy, F-94807, Villejuif, France.

The aim of this paper was to review the literature on adolescent psychiatric disorders related to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown. Stressful life events, extended home confinement, brutal grief, intrafamilial violence, overuse of the Internet and social media are factors that could influence the mental health of adolescents during this period. The COVID-19 pandemic could result in increased psychiatric disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress, Depressive, and Anxiety Disorders, as well as grief-related symptoms. Read More

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020 Jul 1. Epub 2020 Jul 1.

Institute of Criminology and Legal Policy, University of Helsinki, Finland; Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Objective: The pathways from internalizing psychopathology to substance misuse remain largely unclear. We estimated associations between childhood internalizing problems and subsequent substance misuse in two family-based samples. We also investigated sex differences and the role of externalizing comorbidity. Read More

Addiction 2020 Jul 4. Epub 2020 Jul 4.

Addiction Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 23, CH-1011, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Background And Aims: Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is frequent in adolescence and often goes into remission towards adulthood. This study aimed to estimate trajectories of CUD severity (CUDS) in Swiss men from 20 to 25 years old and to identify prospective predictors of these trajectories.

Design: Latent class growth analysis of self-reported CUDS in a cohort study with three data collection waves. Read More

East Mediterr Health J 2020 Jun 24;26(6):668-679. Epub 2020 Jun 24.

Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah Private University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.

Background: Excessive health anxiety can lead to significant disorders such as hypochondriasis. In children, assessment of the severity of health anxiety has been performed using the Childhood Illness Attitudes Scales (CIAS); however, no validated Arabic version of this tool exists.

Aims: This study developed and validated an Arabic version of the CIAS questionnaire in Jordan in 2017 to provide a tool to measure the severity of health anxiety in the Arabic-speaking world. Read More

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2020 ;120(5):165-170

Scientific Research Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia.

Anxiety and related disorders are the most common type of mental disorders in both the general population and the neurological clinic. A current typology of anxiety disorders includes panic disorder, agoraphobia, simple (specific) phobias, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders often accompany diseases of the nervous system, worsen their course and impede treatment, and the degree of anxiety usually corresponds to the severity of neurological symptoms. Read More

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova 2020 ;120(5):146-152

Bekhterev National Research Medical Center for Psychiatry and Neurology, St. Petersburg, Russia.

The article considers the main triggers of adjustment and anxiety disorders in the time of pandemic that brings significant changes in all life dimensions with the high uncertainty level. The article highlights a role of coronavirus infodemic in the development of anxiety disorders. The main targets for cognitive, emotional and behavioral interventions are suggested. Read More

Psychiatr Q 2020 Jul 3. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Institut du Savoir Montfort, 745a chemin Montréal, Ottawa, Ontario, K1K 0T2, Canada.

The relationship between body and mind is increasingly recognized in the occurrence and prognosis of cardiac disease. Based on reports detailing the potential (and the influence of certain risk factors) of developing depression and anxiety following cardiovascular disease, or a cardiac event, most notably acute coronary syndrome (ACS), we investigated whether such symptoms also existed in patient cases found at the cardiac rehabilitation unit of an academic hospital of Eastern Ontario. We examined data from charts during a 6-year period (2012-2017). Read More

Sci Rep 2020 Jul 3;10(1):11015. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Behavioral Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of brain-gut interactions. Differential brain responses to rectal distention between IBS and healthy controls (HCs) have been demonstrated, particularly in the pain matrix and the default mode network. This study aims to compare resting-state functional properties of these networks between IBS patients and HCs using graph analysis in two independent cohorts. Read More

Sci Rep 2020 Jul 3;10(1):10981. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Department of Physiology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD), when progress to a chronic state, might contribute to psychosocial or psychological distress. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of stabilization splint (SS) therapy on pain, pain-related disability and psychological traits of chronic TMD patients, as well as to assess selected oxidative stress (OS) biomarkers during 6-month treatment and associate them with the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Thirty-four participants were randomly assigned into two treatment groups [SS and placebo splint (PS)]. Read More

Transl Psychiatry 2020 Jul 3;10(1):212. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Departments of Psychiatry and Anatomy & Neurobiology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, 00936, USA.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by compulsive behaviors that often resemble avoidance of perceived danger. OCD can be treated with exposure-with-response prevention (ERP) therapy in which patients are exposed to triggers but are encouraged to refrain from compulsions, to extinguish compulsive responses. The compulsions of OCD are strengthened by many repeated exposures to triggers, but little is known about the effects of extended repetition of avoidance behaviors on extinction. Read More

BMC Psychiatry 2020 Jul 3;20(1):349. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Department of Child Neurology, National Center Hospital of Neurology and Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, 187-8551, Japan.

Background: Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts (MLC), or Van der Knaap disease, is a rare spongiform leukodystrophy that is characterized by macrocephaly, progressive motor dysfunction, and mild mental retardation. It is very rare for mental illness such as psychotic disorders, affective disorders and anxiety disorders to occur in MLC.

Case Presentation: A 17-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital after he developed symptoms of depressive state with catatonia after being diagnosed as having MLC with confirmed MLC1 mutation. Read More

Environ Int 2020 Jun 30;143:105906. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Aim: To determine the associations between outdoor air pollution and hospital outpatient visits for mental disorders in China.

Methods: We obtained data of 111,842 hospital outpatient visits for mental disorders from the largest hospitals of 13 cities, China, between January 01, 2013 and December 31, 2015. We collected air pollutant data including particulate matter ≤2. Read More

Addict Behav 2020 Jun 23;110:106517. Epub 2020 Jun 23.

School of Public Health & Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada. Electronic address:

This study estimated prevalence of substance use disorder in youth with chronic physical illness; quantified magnitudes of association between different chronic physical illnesses with substance use disorder; and, tested whether mental disorder moderates these associations. Data come from 6,377 individuals aged 15-30 years in the Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health. Alcohol, cannabis, or other drug use disorder measured using the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3. Read More

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2020 Jun 30. Epub 2020 Jun 30.

School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Queensland, Australia; and the Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia; Health Services Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.

Objective: This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and estimated the economic costs attributable to child and adolescent bullying victimization in Australia.

Method: The costs of bullying victimization were measured from a societal perspective which accounts for costs associated with healthcare, education resources and productivity losses. A prevalence-based approach was used to estimate the annual costs for Australians who experienced bullying victimization in childhood and adolescence. Read More

Diabet Med 2020 Jul 3. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Aim: To understand the psychosocial experience of children and identify their primary support needs following a type 1 diabetes diagnosis.

Methods: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of the literature in this area was conducted.

Results: A total of 32 studies were included in the review. Read More

J Nerv Ment Dis 2020 Jun 29. Epub 2020 Jun 29.

Université de Paris, NeuroDiderot, Inserm.

Bipolar spectrum disorders encompass heterogeneous clinical manifestations and comorbidities. A latent class analysis (LCA) was performed in 1846 subjects who experienced an episode of abnormally elevated or irritable mood to identify homogeneous groups of subjects, based on the distribution of 11 manic and 7 psychotic symptoms. LCA identified five classes: 1) two classes with irritability and with low and high level of psychosis (respectively "irritable," 29. Read More

JMIR Form Res 2020 Jul 3;4(7):e17722. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Rose: Smarter Mental Health, Washington, DC, United States.

Background: Even though 1 in 5 Americans experience some form of mental illness each year, 80% have been shown to discontinue psychotherapy prematurely. The traditional psychotherapy service delivery model, consisting of isolated clinical sessions, lacks the ability to keep patients engaged outside clinical sessions. Newer digital mental health platforms can address the clinical need for a robust tool that tracks mental well-being and improves engagement in patients with depressive symptoms. Read More

J Dual Diagn 2020 Jul 3:1-11. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Body Image Assessment and Intervention Unit, Department of Clinical Health and Psychology, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

This cross-sectional study explored personality traits of individuals receiving treatment in a private clinic for an eating disorder (ED) compared to those receiving treatment for a dual diagnosis (DD; defined as an addiction to illegal drugs and/or alcohol along with a mental illness, in this case an ED). The aims of this study were to: (a) assess the personality profiles and differentiating traits between the ED and DD groups, (b) analyze differences in personality traits of restrictive ED versus bingeing ED profiles, and lastly (c) compare the individuals Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R) results to their personality clusters as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - 5 edition (DSM-). The TCI-R is a self-report questionnaire consisting of seven scales, each with their own subscales, which provide a fuller understanding of each temperament and character trait evaluated. Read More

Hum Brain Mapp 2020 Jul 3. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.

Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and disabling but seem particularly tractable to investigation with translational neuroscience methodologies. Neuroimaging has informed our understanding of the neurobiology of anxiety disorders, but research has been limited by small sample sizes and low statistical power, as well as heterogenous imaging methodology. The ENIGMA-Anxiety Working Group has brought together researchers from around the world, in a harmonized and coordinated effort to address these challenges and generate more robust and reproducible findings. Read More

Infect Chemother 2020 Jun;52(2):234-244

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, National Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

The first human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection was reported in Korea in 1985. The number of HIV-infected persons domestically increased in the 1990s showing epidemic indigenousization. Since then, the number of new infections gradually increased every year, and recently more than 1,000 newly infected cases were reported per year. Read More

J Abnorm Child Psychol 2020 Jul 2. Epub 2020 Jul 2.

The Autism Center, Department of Pediatrics, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 70300, Zerifin, Israel.

Anxiety is one of the most common comorbidities in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The current study's aims were: To examine the frequency of elevated anxiety symptoms in adolescents diagnosed with ASD in toddlerhood; To explore the impact of comorbid anxiety in adolescents on clinical presentation; To evaluate variables in toddlerhood that associate with anxiety symptom severity in adolescence. The study included 61 adolescents (mean age = 13:8y) diagnosed with ASD in toddlerhood (T1). Read More

Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2020 26;16:1583-1593. Epub 2020 Jun 26.

Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga - Dr. Soetomo General Academic Hospital, Surabaya, Indonesia.

Introduction: Mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and ineffective family coping, in children with lupus nephritis (LN) can increase the severity and affect the management of the disease, thus affecting the quality of life (QoL) of patients.

Objective: Analyzing the association between levels of depression, anxiety, coping, disease activity on the QoL of pediatric patients with LN.

Patients And Methods: There were 62 pediatric LN participants (16 participants in the induction phase and 46 participants in the maintenance phase). Read More

Adv Pharmacol 2020 19;89:261-286. Epub 2020 Jun 19.

Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States; Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States.

A serious lack of effective pharmacotherapeutic interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) raises the urgent need for the development of novel treatments. Ketamine-a noncompetitive glutamate N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist in use for decades as an anesthetic and analgesic agent-has more recently been demonstrated to have rapid-onset antidepressant effects in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). In the present review of ketamine as an emerging novel pharmacotherapeutic intervention for chronic PTSD, we discuss findings from the first proof-of-concept, randomized clinical trial (RCT) of single-dose intravenous ketamine in patients with chronic PTSD, as well as open-label studies and current practice. Read More

Adv Pharmacol 2020 18;89:195-235. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Section on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders, Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.

As a field, psychiatry is undergoing an exciting paradigm shift toward early identification and intervention that will likely minimize both the burden associated with severe mental illnesses as well as their duration. In this context, the rapid-acting antidepressant ketamine has revolutionized our understanding of antidepressant response and greatly expanded the pharmacologic armamentarium for treatment-resistant depression. Efforts to characterize biomarkers of ketamine response support a growing emphasis on early identification, which would allow clinicians to identify biologically enriched subgroups with treatment-resistant depression who are more likely to benefit from ketamine therapy. Read More