Publications by authors named "Wolfgang Marx"
Background: The prenatal and early-life periods pose a crucial neurodevelopmental window whereby disruptions to the intestinal microbiota and the developing brain may have adverse impacts. As antibiotics affect the human intestinal microbiome, it follows that early-life antibiotic exposure may be associated with later-life psychiatric or neurocognitive outcomes.
Aims: To explore the association between early-life (in utero and early childhood (age 0-2 years)) antibiotic exposure and the subsequent risk of psychiatric and neurocognitive outcomes.
Research on nutraceutical and dietary interventions in psychiatry has grown substantially, but progress is hindered by methodological inconsistencies and limited reporting standards. To address this, the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research presents the first guidelines on clinical trial design, conduct, and reporting for future clinical trials in this area. Recommendations were developed using a Delphi process including eighteen researchers with considerable clinical trial expertise and experience in either methodology, nutraceutical, or dietary interventions in psychiatry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To identify the COVID-19 pandemic impact on well-being/mental health, coping strategies, and risk factors in adolescents worldwide.
Method: This study was based on an anonymous online multi-national/multi-language survey in the general population (representative/weighted non-representative samples, 14-17 years of age), measuring change in well-being (World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index [WHO-5]/range = 0-100) and psychopathology (validated composite P-score/range = 0-100), WHO-5 <50 and <29, pre- vs during COVID-19 pandemic (April 26, 2020-June 26, 2022). Coping strategies and 9 a priori- defined individual/cumulative risk factors were measured.
Background: Mood disorders, including unipolar and bipolar depression, contribute significantly to the global burden of disease. Psychological therapy is considered a gold standard non-pharmacological treatment for managing these conditions; however, a growing body of evidence also supports the use of lifestyle therapies for these conditions. Despite some clinical guidelines endorsing the application of lifestyle therapies as a first-line treatment for individuals with mood disorders, there is limited evidence that this recommendation has been widely adopted into routine practice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The COH-FIT study is a large, multi-country survey aimed at identifying factors affecting wellbeing and mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic, involving a representative sample of 121,066 adults.
- Researchers analyzed both modifiable (like coping strategies and pre-pandemic stress) and non-modifiable factors (such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status), finding significant negative effects on wellbeing and psychopathology scores during the pandemic.
- The study identified 15 modifiable and 9 non-modifiable risk factors, alongside 13 modifiable and 3 non-modifiable protective factors, emphasizing the importance of social support and coping strategies in mental health outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- There is a lack of comprehensive international studies examining multidimensional mental health and wellbeing before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly identifying at-risk groups and effective coping strategies.
- The COH-FIT survey, conducted from April 2020 to June 2022 in 30 languages, assessed changes in well-being and psychopathology among over 121,000 participants, revealing significant declines in mental health during the pandemic.
- Key findings indicated that certain demographics, such as young adults and people in low-income countries, were particularly affected, while coping strategies like exercise, internet use, and maintaining social contacts emerged as the most effective for managing stress.
Our aim was to conduct an umbrella review of evidence from meta-analyses of observational studies investigating the link between sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and human health outcomes. Using predefined evidence classification criteria, we evaluated evidence from 47 meta-analyses encompassing 22,055,269 individuals. Overall, 79% of these analyses indicated direct associations between greater sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and higher risks of adverse health outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSub-optimal response in schizophrenia is frequent, warranting augmentation strategies over treatment-as-usual (TAU). We assessed nutraceuticals/phytoceutical augmentation strategies via network meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials in schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder were identified via the following databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground & Aims: We aimed to analyze the prospective association between adherence to the ultra-processed dietary pattern and risk of depressive outcomes using original data from the NutriNet Brasil cohort and via a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies that have investigated the same association.
Methods: In our original research analysis, we used data from 15,960 adults (≥18 y) participating in the NutriNet Brasil cohort study, free of depression or depressive symptoms during the baseline (77.5% women, 45.
Introduction: Medicinal cannabis might have a role in supporting the mental health of people with cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis, compared with any control, as an intervention for depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in people living with cancer. A secondary aim was to examine the effect of low versus high Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) dose on these outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To evaluate the existing meta-analytic evidence of associations between exposure to ultra-processed foods, as defined by the Nova food classification system, and adverse health outcomes.
Design: Systematic umbrella review of existing meta-analyses.
Data Sources: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, as well as manual searches of reference lists from 2009 to June 2023.
The use of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics or fermented foods can modulate the gut-brain axis and constitute a potentially therapeutic intervention in psychiatric disorders. This systematic review aims to identify current evidence regarding these interventions in the treatment of patients with DSM/ICD psychiatric diagnoses. Forty-seven articles from 42 studies met the inclusion criteria.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Sub-optimal response in schizophrenia is frequent, warranting augmentation strategies over treatment-as-usual (TAU).
Methods: We assessed nutraceuticals/phytoceutical augmentation strategies via network meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials in schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder were identified via the following databases: PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, PsycINFO, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.
Context: Dietary fibers hold potential to influence depressive and anxiety outcomes by modulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis, which is increasingly recognized as an underlying factor in mental health maintenance.
Objective: Evidence for the effects of fibers on depressive and anxiety outcomes remains unclear. To this end, a systematic literature review and a meta-analysis were conducted that included observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Objectives: To synthesise the literature on the efficacy of primary motor cortex anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (M1-a-tDCS), as a standalone or priming technique, for pain reduction in people with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).
Methods: The systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase and CENTRAL according to PRISMA statement.
Results: Fourteen studies involving 740 people with KOA were included.
Article Synopsis
- People with physical diseases like cardiovascular issues, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders are at a higher risk for major depressive disorder (MDD), and those with MDD also face increased risks for various physical diseases, creating a cycle of health challenges.
- This comorbidity leads to worse health outcomes, higher treatment costs, and more complex clinical management due to overlapping symptoms and treatments, highlighting the need for integrated care approaches.
- The text explores shared genetic and biological factors, social influences, and effective treatment strategies for managing both MDD and common physical diseases, emphasizing the importance of lifestyle interventions and collaborative care models.
Background: There is substantial interest in the role of ginger as an adjuvant therapy for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). However, available evidence lacks robust methodology.
Objective: To assess the effect of adjuvant ginger compared with placebo on chemotherapy-induced nausea-related quality of life (QoL) and CINV-related outcomes.
Background: Despite compositional alterations in gastrointestinal microbiota being purported to underpin some of the therapeutic effects of ginger, the effect of a standardized ginger supplement on gut microbiota has not been tested in humans.
Objectives: To determine the effect of a standardized ginger (Zingiber officinale) root powder, compared to placebo, on gastrointestinal bacteria and associated outcomes in healthy adults.
Methods: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial allocated participants aged 18 to 30 y to ginger or microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) placebo.
Scientific evidence suggests a relation between dietary factors and sleep. Several studies show that higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with better sleep quality, but the relation with chronotype has been only recently explored. The aim of this study was to better understand the relation between chronotype and Mediterranean diet adherence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by persistent depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyable activities, recurrent thoughts of death, and physical and cognitive symptoms. People with MDD can have reduced quality of life owing to the disorder itself as well as related medical comorbidities, social factors, and impaired functional outcomes. MDD is a complex disorder that cannot be fully explained by any one single established biological or environmental pathway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Maternal dietary choline has a central role in foetal brain development and may be associated with later cognitive function. However, many countries are reporting lower than recommended intake of choline during pregnancy.
Methods: Dietary choline was estimated using food frequency questionnaires in pregnant women participating in population-derived birth cohort, the Barwon Infant Study (BIS).