Machine learning-based prediction of illness course in major depression: The relevance of risk factors.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) comes along with an increased risk of recurrence and poor course of illness. Machine learning has recently shown promise in the prediction of mental illness, yet models aiming to predict MDD course are still rare and do not quantify the predictive value of established MDD recurrence risk factors.

Methods: We analyzed N = 571 MDD patients from the Marburg-Münster Affective Disorder Cohort Study (MACS).

Influences of sex and gender on the associations between risk and protective factors, brain, and behavior.

Risk and protective factors for psychiatric illnesses are linked to distinct structural and functional changes in the brain. Further, the prevalence of these factors varies across sexes and genders, yet the distinct and joint effects of sex and gender in this context have not been extensively characterized. This suggests that risk and protective factors may map onto the brain and uniquely influence individuals across sexes and genders.

Neurobiological correlates of comorbidity in disorders across the affective disorders-psychosis spectrum.

Disorders across the affective disorders-psychosis spectrum such as major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), schizoaffective disorder (SCA), and schizophrenia (SCZ), have overlapping symptomatology and high comorbidity rates with other mental disorders. So far, however, it is largely unclear why some of the patients develop comorbidities. In particular, the specific genetic architecture of comorbidity and its relationship with brain structure remain poorly understood.

White matter microstructure in obesity and bipolar disorders: an ENIGMA bipolar disorder working group study in 2186 individuals.

Although specific risk factors for brain alterations in bipolar disorders (BD) are currently unknown, obesity impacts the brain and is highly prevalent in BD. Gray matter correlates of obesity in BD have been well documented, but we know much less about brain white matter abnormalities in people who have both obesity and BD. We obtained body mass index (BMI) and diffusion tensor imaging derived fractional anisotropy (FA) from 22 white matter tracts in 899 individuals with BD, and 1287 control individuals from 20 cohorts in the ENIGMA-BD working group.