Positive associations between mean ambient temperature and involuntary admissions to psychiatric facilities.

Background: Temperature increases in the context of climate change affect numerous mental health outcomes. One such relevant outcome is involuntary admissions as these often relate to severe (life)threatening psychiatric conditions. Due to a shortage of studies into this topic, relationships between mean ambient temperature and involuntary admissions have remained largely elusive.

Independent and joint effects of genomic and exposomic loads for schizophrenia on distressing and persisting psychotic experiences in adolescence.

To assess the longitudinal associations of genomic and exposomic liabilities for schizophrenia, both independently and jointly, with distressing psychotic experiences (PEs) and their persistence in early adolescence. The Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study data from children with European ancestry were used (n=5,122). The primary outcome was past-month distressing PEs at 3-year follow-up.

The association between aberrant salience and psychotic experiences in general population twins, and genetic vulnerability as a modifier.

Background: Previous studies assessing the hypothesis that the construct of 'aberrant salience' is associated with psychosis and psychotic symptoms showed conflicting results. For this reason, the association between measures to index aberrant salience and subclinical psychotic symptoms in a general population sample was analysed. In addition, genetic vulnerability was added to the analysis as a modifier to test the hypothesis that modification by genetic vulnerability may explain variability in the results.

Young adults, particularly young women, account for an increasingly large share of Dutch mental healthcare expenditure over the period between 2015 and 2021.

Aims: There is increasing concern over the mental distress of youth in recent years, which may impact mental healthcare utilisation. Here we aim to examine temporal patterns of mental healthcare expenditures in the Netherlands by age and sex in the period between 2015 and 2021.

Methods: Comprehensive data from health insurers in the Netherlands at the 3-number postal code level were used for cluster weighted linear regressions to examine temporal patterns of mental healthcare expenditure by age group (18-34 vs 35-65).

Characterizing the dynamics, reactivity and controllability of moods in depression with a Kalman filter.

Background: Mood disorders involve a complex interplay between multifaceted internal emotional states, and complex external inputs. Dynamical systems theory suggests that this interplay between aspects of moods and environmental stimuli may hence determine key psychopathological features of mood disorders, including the stability of mood states, the response to external inputs, how controllable mood states are, and what interventions are most likely to be effective. However, a comprehensive computational approach to all these aspects has not yet been undertaken.

Associations Between Genetic Risk, Physical Activities, and Distressing Psychotic-like Experiences.

Background And Hypothesis: Persistent distressing psychotic-like experiences (PLE) are associated with impaired functioning and future psychopathology. Prior research suggests that physical activities may be protective against psychopathology. However, it is unclear whether physical activities may interact with genetics in the development of psychosis.

The European psychiatric association (EPA) - early career psychiatrists committee survey on trainees' and early-career psychiatrists' attitudes towards therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) use and utility during antipsychotic treatment.

Objectives: This survey assessed psychiatry residents'/early-career psychiatrists' attitudes towards the utility of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of antipsychotics.

Methods: A previously developed questionnaire on attitudes on TDM utility during antipsychotic treatment was cross-sectionally disseminated by national coordinators between 01/01/2022-31/12/2023. The frequency of using TDM for antipsychotics other than clozapine was the main outcome in a linear regression analysis, including sex, clinical setting, caseload, and factors generated by an exploratory factor analysis.

"It has to be better, otherwise we will get stuck." A Review of Novel Directions for Mental Health Reform and Introducing Pilot Work in the Netherlands.

Background: The current state of mental health care in the Netherlands faces challenges such as fragmentation, inequality, inaccessibility, and a narrow specialist focus on individual diagnosis and symptom reduction.

Methods: A review suggests that in order to address these challenges, an integrated public health approach to mental health care that encompasses the broader social, cultural, and existential context of mental distress is required.

Results: A Mental Health Ecosystem social trial seeks to pilot such an approach in the Netherlands, focusing on empowering patients and promoting collaboration among various healthcare providers, social care organizations, and peer-support community organizations, working together in a regional ecosystem of care and committed to a set of shared values.

The relationship between childhood trauma, psychotic symptoms, and cognitive schemas in patients with schizophrenia, their siblings, and healthy controls: results from the EU-GEI study.

Background: The relationship between childhood trauma (CT) and psychotic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ), and subthreshold psychotic experiences in non-clinical populations is well-established. However, little is known about the relationship between subtypes of trauma and specific symptoms in patients, their siblings, and controls. It is also not clear which variables mediate the relationship between trauma and psychotic symptoms.

On the proportion of patients who experience a prodrome prior to psychosis onset: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Preventing or delaying the onset of psychosis requires identification of those at risk for developing psychosis. For predictive purposes, the prodrome - a constellation of symptoms which may occur before the onset of psychosis - has been increasingly recognized as having utility. However, it is unclear what proportion of patients experience a prodrome or how this varies based on the multiple definitions used.

Gene-environment interaction study on the polygenic risk score for neuroticism, childhood adversity, and parental bonding.

The present study examines whether neuroticism is predicted by genetic vulnerability, summarized as polygenic risk score for neuroticism (PRS), in interaction with bullying, parental bonding, and childhood adversity. Data were derived from a general population adolescent and young adult twin cohort. The final sample consisted of 202 monozygotic and 436 dizygotic twins and 319 twin pairs.

Comprehensive dissection of prevalence rates, sex differences, and blood level-dependencies of clozapine-associated adverse drug reactions.

Clozapine is often underused due to concerns about adverse drug reactions (ADRs) but studies into their prevalences are inconclusive. We therefore comprehensively examined prevalences of clozapine-associated ADRs in individuals with schizophrenia and demographic and clinical factors associated with their occurrence. Data from a multi-center study (n = 698 participants) were collected.

Clustering Schizophrenia Genes by Their Temporal Expression Patterns Aids Functional Interpretation.

Background: Schizophrenia is a highly heritable brain disorder with a typical symptom onset in early adulthood. The 2-hit hypothesis posits that schizophrenia results from differential early neurodevelopment, predisposing an individual, followed by a disruption of later brain maturational processes that trigger the onset of symptoms.

Study Design: We applied hierarchical clustering to transcription levels of 345 genes previously linked to schizophrenia, derived from cortical tissue samples from 56 donors across the lifespan.

The effect of duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) on the risk for hospitalization after admission to a first episode service.

Engagement with a first episode-psychosis service (FES) reduces the risk of psychiatric hospitalization. However, the role of the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) in impacting this outcome is disputed. This study aimed to examine whether DUP was an effect modifier of the post-FES reduction of risk of hospitalization, and to explore associations between patients' characteristics and hospitalization post-FES.

Gender differences in the associations between childhood adversity and psychopathology in the general population.

Purpose: To explore gender differences of the associations between childhood adversity (CA) subtypes and psychiatric symptoms in the general population.

Methods: Data of 791 participants were retrieved from a general population twin cohort. The Symptom Checklist-90 Revised (SCL-90) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire were used to assess overall psychopathology with nine symptom domains scores and total CA with exposure to five CA subtypes, respectively.

International perspective on physician knowledge, attitude and practices related to medical cannabis.

Background: The trends of recreational use of cannabis and use of cannabis for medical indications (i.e. "medical cannabis") have grown in recent years.

The association between polygenic risk scores for mental disorders and social cognition: A scoping review.

People with mental disorders, such as psychosis or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), often present impairments in social cognition (SC), which may cause significant difficulties in real-world functioning. SC deficits are seen also in unaffected relatives, indicating a genetic substratum. The present review evaluated the evidence on the association between SC and the polygenic risk score (PRS), a single metric of the molecular genetic risk to develop a specific disorder.

Associations Between Childhood Area-Level Social Fragmentation, Maladaptation to School, and Social Functioning Among Healthy Youth and Those at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis.

Background And Hypothesis: Although studies have identified social fragmentation as an important risk factor for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, it is unknown whether it may impact social functioning. This study investigates whether social fragmentation during childhood predicts maladaptation to school as well as social functioning during childhood and adulthood.

Study Design: Data were collected from the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study.