Machine learning models for diagnosis and risk prediction in eating disorders, depression, and alcohol use disorder.

Background: Early diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses is hampered by the lack of reliable markers. This study used machine learning models to uncover diagnostic and risk prediction markers for eating disorders (EDs), major depressive disorder (MDD), and alcohol use disorder (AUD).

Methods: Case-control samples (aged 18-25 years), including participants with Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN), MDD, AUD, and matched controls, were used for diagnostic classification.

Internet-Based Prevention of Re-Victimization for Youth with Care Experience (EMPOWER-YOUTH): Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Traumatic experiences and maltreatment are highly prevalent among adolescents in foster or institutional care and have severe long-term effects on mental health. Childhood maltreatment increases the risk of revictimization. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the internet-based prevention program EMPOWER YOUTH in reducing victimization experiences among youth with care experience.

[Digital Beacons of Hope? The Challenges and Potentials of Digital Health Applications for Children and Adolescents with Mental Disorders in Germany].

Digital Beacons of Hope? The Challenges and Potentials of Digital Health Applications for Children and Adolescents with Mental Disorders in Germany With the Digital Healthcare Act, Germany has taken a decisive step toward promoting high-quality, evidence-based digital health applications (DiHAs). Presently, there is a significant gap in the provision of mental health services throughout Germany, particularly regarding children and adolescents and especially in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. DiHAs as low-threshold, location- and time-independent additional mental health services - may offer a way to address this situation.

Distinct personality profiles associated with disease risk and diagnostic status in eating disorders.

Background: Personality traits have been associated with eating disorders (EDs) and comorbidities. However, it is unclear which personality profiles are premorbid risk rather than diagnostic markers.

Methods: We explored associations between personality and ED-related mental health symptoms using canonical correlation analyses.

Impaired flexible reward learning in ADHD patients is associated with blunted reinforcement sensitivity and neural signals in ventral striatum and parietal cortex.

Reward-based learning and decision-making are prime candidates to understand symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, only limited evidence is available regarding the neurocomputational underpinnings of the alterations seen in ADHD. This concerns flexible behavioral adaption in dynamically changing environments, which is challenging for individuals with ADHD.

Differing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth mental health: combined population and clinical study.

Background: Identifying youths most at risk to COVID-19-related mental illness is essential for the development of effective targeted interventions.

Aims: To compare trajectories of mental health throughout the pandemic in youth with and without prior mental illness and identify those most at risk of COVID-19-related mental illness.

Method: Data were collected from individuals aged 18-26 years ( = 669) from two existing cohorts: IMAGEN, a population-based cohort; and ESTRA/STRATIFY, clinical cohorts of individuals with pre-existing diagnoses of mental disorders.

A shared neural basis underlying psychiatric comorbidity.

Recent studies proposed a general psychopathology factor underlying common comorbidities among psychiatric disorders. However, its neurobiological mechanisms and generalizability remain elusive. In this study, we used a large longitudinal neuroimaging cohort from adolescence to young adulthood (IMAGEN) to define a neuropsychopathological (NP) factor across externalizing and internalizing symptoms using multitask connectomes.

Chronotype, Longitudinal Volumetric Brain Variations Throughout Adolescence, and Depressive Symptom Development.

Objective: Adolescence is a critical period for circadian rhythm, with a strong shift toward eveningness around age 14. Also, eveningness in adolescence has been found to predict later onset of depressive symptoms. However, no previous study has investigated structural variations associated with chronotype in early adolescence and how this adds to the development of depressive symptoms.

Internet-Based Prevention Program of Victimization for Youth in Care and Care Leavers (EMPOWER YOUTH): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The global estimate of the number of children in institutional care is around 5 million, with around 1 million of these children living in Europe. In Germany, about 75,000 children and adolescents find themselves in the foster care system and about 93,000 additional children and adolescents are living in institutions. Traumatic experiences and neglect in childhood are highly prevalent among these youth in care and are related to severe long-term effects.

Executive functioning in adolescent anorexia nervosa: Neuropsychology versus self- and parental-report.

There is limited research concerning the relationship between neuropsychological assessment and self-report of executive functioning in adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN); available studies demonstrate only low to moderate correlations. Therefore, this study examines the association between neuropsychological test performance and self-report in AN. Forty adolescent inpatients with AN completed an extensive neuropsychological assessment, including set-shifting, central coherence, and questionnaires assessing executive functioning in daily life (BRIEF-SR).

A multicentre randomized controlled trial on trans-generational attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in mothers and children (AIMAC): an exploratory analysis of predictors and moderators of treatment outcome.

Objective: We examined predictors and moderators of treatment outcome in mothers and children diagnosed with ADHD in a large multicentre RCT.

Method: In total, 144 mother-child dyads with ADHD were randomly assigned to either a maternal ADHD treatment (group psychotherapy and open methylphenidate medication, TG) or to a control treatment (individual counselling without psycho- or pharmacotherapy, CG). After maternal ADHD treatment, parent-child training (PCT) for all mother-child dyads was added.

Clinical characteristics of early onset anorexia nervosa.

The aim of the current paper is to evaluate clinical characteristics of 30 children with early onset anorexia nervosa (EO-AN; age = 12.2 ± 1.6 years) compared with 30 patients with adolescent onset AN (AO-AN; age = 15.

Differences in set-shifting and central coherence across anorexia nervosa subtypes in children and adolescents.

Objective: Regarding executive functioning in anorexia nervosa (AN), little is known about differences between the restricting (AN-R) and binge eating/purging (AN-BP) subtypes. Especially for adolescents, there is sparse data. Hence, the current aim is to investigate differences in set-shifting, central coherence, and self-reported executive functioning across adolescent AN subtypes.

Cognitive Flexibility in Juvenile Anorexia Nervosain Relation to Comorbid Symptoms of Depression, Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms and Duration of Illness.

Objective: Whereas the evidence in adolescents is inconsistent, anorexia nervosa (AN) in adults is characterized by weak cognitive flexibility. This study investigates cognitive flexibility in adolescents with AN and its potential associations with symptoms of depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and duration of illness.

Methods: 69 patients and 63 age-matched healthy controls (HC) from 9 till 19 years of age were assessed using the Trail-Making Test (TMT) and self-report questionnaires.

Cognitive performance in children with acute early-onset anorexia nervosa.

When anorexia nervosa (AN) occurs in children below the age of 14 years, it is referred to as early-onset AN (EO-AN). Over the last years, there has been an increased focus on the role of cognitive functioning in the development and maintenance of AN. Adults with AN show inefficiencies in cognitive functions such as flexibility and central coherence.

Similarities and Differences of Neuropsychological Profiles in Children and Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa and Healthy Controls Using Cluster and Discriminant Function Analyses.

Objective: This study aimed to identify discrete neuropsychological profiles and their relationship to clinical symptoms in 253 female children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) and 170 healthy controls (HCs) using a standardised neuropsychological assessment battery.

Method: Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify the optimum number of clusters, and participants were assigned using K-means cluster analysis. Confirmatory discriminant function analysis determined which combination of neuropsychological variables best distinguished the clusters.

[Feedback on Cognitive Remediation Therapy from Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa - A Qualitative Study].

Background: Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) is a relatively new therapy for patients with anorexia nervosa (AN). There is an increased demand to include the patient view during the evaluation of treatment programs. So far, there is no structured evaluation of the subjective view of adolescents with AN on CRT available.

Cognitive Remediation Therapy for Children with Anorexia Nervosa.

Objective: Evidence-based treatment programs for children with anorexia nervosa (AN) are scarce, while their prognosis is negative and the incidence rate rises. A new therapeutic approach recently received positive attention: cognitive remediation therapy (CRT). This intervention targets inflexibility and the inability to perceive the bigger picture in persons with AN.

Neuropsychological and Behavioural Short-Term Effects of Cognitive Remediation Therapy in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa: A Pilot Study.

Objective: Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT) aims to strengthen weak cognitive flexibility and central coherence in adult and adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN). Currently, there are no studies in adolescents with AN that control for learning effects because of re-testing while evaluating CRT.

Method: Twenty in- and outpatients with AN aged 12 to 18 years received CRT.

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis presenting as atypical anorexia nervosa: an adolescent case report.

Since 2007, more than 600 patients have been diagnosed with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis, with almost 40 % of those affected being children or adolescents. In early phases of the illness, this life-threatening disease is characterized by psychiatric symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, obsessions, hallucinations or delusions. Consequently, a high percentage of patients receive psychiatric diagnoses at first, hindering the crucial early diagnosis and treatment of the anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.

[An international neuropsychological assessment tool for children, adolescents, and adults with anorexia nervosa – the German adaptation of the Ravello Profile].

Objective: Adults with anorexia nervosa (AN) show weaknesses in several cognitive functions before and after weight restoration. There is a great demand for standardized examinations of executive functioning in the field of child and adolescent AN. Previous studies exhibited methodological inconsistencies regarding test selection and operationalization of cognitive functions, making the interpretation of their findings difficult.