Combining Stress and Dopamine Based Models of Addiction: Towards a Psycho-Neuro-Endocrinological Theory of Addiction.

The literature on the two main models of addiction (dopamine-based positive reinforcement and stress-based negative reinforcement models) have made many important contributions to understanding this brain disorder. However, rarely has there been a comprehensive critique of the limitations of both models. This article seeks to resolve theoretical issues inherent to each model, as well as propose a more comprehensive psycho-neuro-endocrinological theory of addiction which reconciles important elements of both.

Defining the Effect of the 16p11.2 Duplication on Cognition, Behavior, and Medical Comorbidities.

Importance: The 16p11.2 BP4-BP5 duplication is the copy number variant most frequently associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia, and comorbidities such as decreased body mass index (BMI).

Objectives: To characterize the effects of the 16p11.

The clinical presentation of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

Background: Although attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder in children with 22q11.2DS, it remains unclear whether its clinical presentation is similar to that in children with idiopathic ADHD. The aim of this study is to compare the ADHD phenotype in children with and without 22q11.

The Developmental Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence and Harmful Drinking in Emerging Adulthood: The Role of Peers and Parents.

Depressive symptoms have been linked to the development of harmful drinking in adolescence but it remains unclear to what extent this effect continues into emerging adulthood. Deviant peers represent a risk factor while parental monitoring is a protective factor for harmful drinking. The study explored the relationship between depressive symptoms and harmful drinking between early adolescence and emerging adulthood.

Psychopathology among young homeless people: longitudinal mental health outcomes for different subgroups.

Background: Homeless young people are recognized as a very vulnerable group in terms of mental health; however, few studies in the UK have examined this. Furthermore, homeless young people represent a heterogeneous group in terms of their mental health and greater characterization could improve intervention work.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to examine prevalence and subtypes of psychopathology among a British sample of young homeless people and to investigate potential associations between identified typologies and a priori specified current and past experiences.

The mediating role of deviant peers on the link between depressed mood and harmful drinking.

Purpose: One's peer group can have a strong impact on depressed mood and harmful drinking in adolescence. It remains unclear whether affiliation with deviant peers explains the link between these traits. Our study aims to (1) explore the developmental relationship between harmful drinking and depressed mood in adolescence and (2) establish to which extent affiliation with deviant peers explains this relationship.

Mental health problems in young people with experiences of homelessness and the relationship with health service use: a follow-up study.

Background: Homeless young people represent one of the most vulnerable and underserved populations.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of psychiatric disorder and comorbidity among a UK sample, and examine the longitudinal relationship between psychiatric conditions and different types of health service use.

Methods: 90 young people with experiences of homelessness were interviewed using a full psychiatric assessment.

Exploring the indirect effects of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) genotype on psychotic experiences through cognitive function and anxiety disorders in a large birth cohort of children.

Children reporting psychotic experiences (PEs) are at increased risk of developing psychosis in adulthood. Cognitive deficits and anxiety disorders often precede psychotic disorders and are associated with higher risk of PEs. While the high activity alleles of variants within COMT have been associated with cognitive deficits, and the low activity alleles with higher risk of anxiety disorders, no associations of COMT with PEs have been found.

Sexual orientation and alcohol problem use among U.K. adolescents: an indirect link through depressed mood.

Background And Aims: Sexual minority adolescents are more likely to engage in alcohol use than their heterosexual counterparts; however, the underlying reasons remain unclear and longitudinal research is limited. Owing to evidence that this group also experiences greater depressive symptoms than their peers, we aimed to (i) assess to what extent depressed mood explains the increased likelihood of engaging in alcohol use among sexual minority adolescents, and (ii) explore potential gender-specific patterns.

Design: Structural equation modelling was used to test the indirect relationship between sexual orientation and alcohol use through depressed mood, with heterosexuals as the reference group.

Further evidence for high rates of schizophrenia in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is associated with high rates of psychotic disorder, particularly schizophrenia.

Psychopathology and cognition in children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome.

Background: Children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) have been reported to have high rates of cognitive and psychiatric problems.

The internet is parents' main source of information about psychiatric manifestations of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS).

With advances in laboratory technology, an increasing number of potentially pathogenic CNVs is recognised. The phenotypic effects of some CNVs are well characterised, however, it remains unclear how much information reaches the parents of affected children and by what route. The 22q11.

Defective processing speed and nonclinical psychotic experiences in children: longitudinal analyses in a large birth cohort.

Objective: Psychotic experiences in children are associated with an elevated risk of developing psychosis. The authors investigated whether the pattern of cognitive deficits present in psychosis also exists in children with psychotic experiences within the general population.

Method: The authors examined the longitudinal relationships between key cognitive domains, selected a priori based on their association with schizophrenia, and onset of psychotic experiences in children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and whether these associations were independent of one another.

Psychopathology in young people experiencing homelessness: a systematic review.

Understanding mental health issues faced by young homeless persons is instrumental to the development of successful targeted interventions. No systematic review of recent published literature on psychopathology in this group has been completed. We conducted a systematic review of published research examining the prevalence of psychiatric problems among young homeless people.

A systematic review of the relationships between family functioning, pubertal timing and adolescent substance use.

Aims: Experiences linked to poor family functioning and pubertal timing have each been associated with increased risk of substance misuse in adolescence. However, it remains unclear to what extent family functioning and pubertal timing combine to put adolescents at particular risk.

Method: A systematic review was planned, undertaken and reported according to the 27 items of the PRISMA statement.

Association of the CHRNA5-A3-B4 gene cluster with heaviness of smoking: a meta-analysis.

Introduction: Variation in the CHRNA5-A3-B4 gene cluster is a promising candidate region for smoking behavior and has been linked to multiple smoking-related phenotypes (e.g., nicotine dependence) and diseases (e.

The relationship between childhood depressive symptoms and problem alcohol use in early adolescence: findings from a large longitudinal population-based study.

Aims: Depressive symptomatology can increase risk of development of alcohol problems in young people. Tension reduction and family interactional theories may explain the relationship between depression and problematic alcohol use in youth. This study addresses the nature of the longitudinal relationship between these two behaviours.

The Moderating Effects of Pubertal Timing on the Longitudinal Associations Between Parent-Child Relationship Quality and Adolescent Substance Use.

This prospective, longitudinal study investigated the moderating role of pubertal timing on reciprocal links between adolescent appraisals of parent-child relationship quality and girls' (N=1335) and boys' (N=1203) cigarette and alcohol use across a twelve-month period. Reciprocal effects were found between parent-child relations and on-time maturing boys and girls' cigarette and alcohol use, after estimating stability in these constructs across time. Parent-child relationship quality was associated with increased alcohol use twelve months later for early maturing girls.

The moderating role of close friends in the relationship between conduct problems and adolescent substance use.

Purpose: Conduct problems and peer effects are among the strongest risk factors for adolescent substance use and problem use. However, it is unclear to what extent the effects of conduct problems and peer behavior interact, and whether adolescents' capacity to refuse the offer of substances may moderate such links. This study was conducted to examine relationships between conduct problems, close friends' substance use, and refusal assertiveness with adolescents' alcohol use problems, tobacco, and marijuana use.

A longitudinal population-based study of factors in adolescence predicting homelessness in young adulthood.

Purpose: Almost everything known about risk factors for homelessness is based on cross-sectional studies of non-random samples. Furthermore, most studies have focused on a small number of risk factors and have not evaluated their relative importance. Our aim was to examine which factors, in a population-based sample of adolescents, independently predict homelessness in young adults.

Psychopathy trait scores in adolescents with childhood ADHD: the contribution of genotypes affecting MAOA, 5HTT and COMT activity.

Objectives: Psychopathy-related traits, especially those tapping the 'emotional dysfunction' aspect of psychopathy that is characterized by lack of emotional responsiveness, are thought to be of genetic origin, but molecular genetic studies are yet to be undertaken. Gene variants that affect COMT, MAOA and 5HTT activity have previously been linked to antisocial behaviour. The aims of this study were to test whether these gene variants are linked to psychopathy traits in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Genetic and non-genetic influences on the development of co-occurring alcohol problem use and internalizing symptomatology in adolescence: a review.

Aims: Alcohol problem use during adolescence has been linked to a variety of adverse consequences, including cigarette and illicit drug use, delinquency, adverse effects on pubertal brain development and increased risk of morbidity and mortality. In addition, heavy alcohol-drinking adolescents are at increased risk of comorbid psychopathology, including internalizing symptomatology (especially depression and anxiety). A range of genetic and non-genetic factors have been implicated in both alcohol problem use as well as internalizing symptomatology.

Psychopathy traits in adolescents with childhood attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Background: Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are thought to be at higher risk of psychopathy. Early biological and social adversity may contribute to this risk.

Aims: To examine psychopathy traits in ADHD.

Molecular genetic contribution to the developmental course of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Objective: The developmental trajectory of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is variable. Utilizing a longitudinally assessed sample, we investigated the contribution of susceptibility gene variants, previously implicated through pooled or meta-analyses, to the developmental course of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder over time.

Methods: 151 children (aged 6-12) who met diagnostic criteria for ADHD were assessed using research diagnostic interviews during childhood and 5 years later in adolescence.

Cis- and trans- loci influence expression of the schizophrenia susceptibility gene DTNBP1.

Susceptibility to complex disease appears to be partly mediated by heritable differences in gene expression. Where cis-acting effects on a gene's expression influence disease susceptibility, other genes containing polymorphism with a trans-acting effect on expression of that gene may also be expected to modulate risk. Use of the expression of an identified disease gene as an endophenotype for quantitative linkage analysis may therefore provide a powerful method for mapping loci that modulate disease susceptibility.