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Developing psychological treatments for psychosis Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-23 Daniel Freeman
Evidence shows that talking with patients about psychotic experiences can be beneficial. The key question is therefore: which psychological methods can help patients most? This editorial presents ten principles for the design and development of effective psychological treatments. These principles are perceptible characteristics of successful interventions.
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The role of psychosis and clozapine load in excessive checking in treatment-resistant schizophrenia: longitudinal observational study Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-23 Emilio Fernandez-Egea, Shanquan Chen, Estela Sangüesa, Patricia Gassó, Marjan Biria, James Plaistow, Isaac Jarratt-Barnham, Nuria Segarra, Sergi Mas, Maria-Pilar Ribate, Cristina B. García, Naomi A. Fineberg, Yulia Worbe, Rudolf N. Cardinal, Trevor W. Robbins
Background A significant proportion of people with clozapine-treated schizophrenia develop ‘checking’ compulsions, a phenomenon yet to be understood.Aims To use habit formation models developed in cognitive neuroscience to investigate the dynamic interplay between psychosis, clozapine dose and obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCS).Method Using the anonymised electronic records of a cohort of clozapine-treated
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Ethnic density and first episode psychosis in the British Pakistani population: findings from the East Lancashire Early Intervention Service Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Robert Qi, Masood Qureshi, Nadeem Gire, Imran B. Chaudhry, Victoria Vass, Jason C. McIntyre, Kaylee Barlow, Richard P. Bentall, Ross G. White, Nusrat Husain
Background Elevated risk of psychosis for ethnic minority groups has generally been shown to be mitigated by high ethnic density. However, past survey studies examining UK Pakistani populations have shown an absence of protective ethnic density effects, which is not observed in other South Asian groups.Aims To assess the ethnic density effect at a local neighbourhood level, in the UK Pakistani population
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Dissonance in the face of Alzheimer's disease breakthroughs: clinician and lay stakeholder acceptance, concerns and willingness to pay for emerging disease-modifying therapies Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-17 Irina Kinchin, Sharon Walsh, Rachel Dinh, Margaret Kapuwa, Sean P. Kennelly, Ann-Marie Miller, Ann Nolan, Sean O'Dowd, Laura O'Philbin, Suzanne Timmons, Iracema Leroi
Background Introducing new disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for Alzheimer's disease demands a fundamental shift in diagnosis and care for most health systems around the world. Understanding the views of health professionals, potential patients, care partners and taxpayers is crucial for service planning and expectation management about these new therapies.Aims To investigate the public's and professionals’
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Dosage effects of psychodynamic and schema therapy in people with comorbid depression and personality disorder: four-arm pragmatic randomised controlled trial Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-11 Marit Kool, Henricus Van, Arnoud Arntz, Anna Bartak, Jaap Peen, Linda Dil, Katinka de Boer, Jack Dekker
Background Higher intensity of psychotherapy might improve treatment outcome in depression, especially in those with comorbid personality disorder.Aims To compare the effects of 25 individual sessions (weekly) of two forms of psychotherapy – short-term psychoanalytic supportive psychotherapy (SPSP) and schema therapy – with the same treatments given for 50 sessions (twice weekly) in people with depression
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Impaired topology and connectivity of grey matter structural networks in major depressive disorder: evidence from a multi-site neuroimaging data-set Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-11 Jing-Yi Long, Kun Qin, Nanfang Pan, Wen-Liang Fan, Yi Li
Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) has been increasingly understood as a disruption of brain connectome. Investigating grey matter structural networks with a large sample size can provide valuable insights into the structural basis of network-level neuropathological underpinnings of MDD.Aims Using a multisite MRI data-set including nearly 2000 individuals, this study aimed to identify robust
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Associations between multimorbidity and neuropathology in dementia: consideration of functional cognitive disorders, psychiatric illness and dementia mimics Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-08 Calum A. Hamilton, Fiona E. Matthews, Johannes Attems, Paul C. Donaghy, Daniel Erskine, John-Paul Taylor, Alan J. Thomas
Background Multimorbidity, the presence of two or more health conditions, has been identified as a possible risk factor for clinical dementia. It is unclear whether this is due to worsening brain health and underlying neuropathology, or other factors. In some cases, conditions may reflect the same disease process as dementia (e.g. Parkinson's disease, vascular disease), in others, conditions may reflect
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Towards precision in the diagnostic profiling of patients: leveraging symptom dynamics as a clinical characterisation dimension in the assessment of major depressive disorder Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-08 Omid V. Ebrahimi, Denny Borsboom, Ria H. A. Hoekstra, Sacha Epskamp, Edoardo G. Ostinelli, Jojanneke A. Bastiaansen, Andrea Cipriani
Background International guidelines present overall symptom severity as the key dimension for clinical characterisation of major depressive disorder (MDD). However, differences may reside within severity levels related to how symptoms interact in an individual patient, called symptom dynamics.Aims To investigate these individual differences by estimating the proportion of patients that display differences
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Mental health at work: societal, economic and health imperatives align; it's time to act Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Darren Minshall, Derek K. Tracy, Mark Tarn, Neil Greenberg
The enormous impact of mental illness on work and productivity is a global challenge, with immense costs to wider society. Now is the time for action, with new international guidelines and an emergent consensus on occupational mental healthcare. Alongside governments, organisations and employers, psychiatrists have a leading role to play.
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The experience of felt presence in a general population sample Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-12 Sanne G. Brederoo, Ben Alderson-Day, Janna N. de Boer, Mascha M. J. Linszen, Iris E. C. Sommer
Felt presence is a widely occurring experience, but remains under-recognised in clinical and research practice. To contribute to a wider recognition of the phenomenon, we aimed to assess the presentation of felt presence in a large population sample (n = 10 447) and explore its relation to key risk factors for psychosis. In our sample 1.6% reported experiencing felt presence in the past month. Felt
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Medical assistance in dying for mental illness: a complex intervention requiring a correspondingly complex evaluation approach Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-03-04 Hamer Bastidas-Bilbao, David Castle, Mona Gupta, Vicky Stergiopoulos, Lisa D. Hawke
Medical assistance in dying for mental illness as a sole underlying medical condition (MAiD MI-SUMC) is a controversial and complex policy in terms of psychosocial and ethical medical practice implications. We discuss the status of MAiD MI-SUMC in Canada and argue for the use of the UK Medical Research Council's framework on complex interventions in programme evaluations of MAiD MI-SUMC. It is imperative
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Participatory translational science of neurodivergence: model for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism research Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-02-16 Edmund J.S. Sonuga-Barke, Susie Chandler, Steve Lukito, Myrofora Kakoulidou, Graham Moore, Niki Cooper, Maciej Matejko, Isabel Jackson, Beta Balwani, Tiegan Boyens, Dorian Poulton, Luke Harvey-Nguyen, Sylvan Baker, Georgia Pavlopoulou
Background There are increasing calls for neurodivergent peoples’ involvement in research into neurodevelopmental conditions. So far, however, this has tended to be achieved only through membership of external patient and public involvement (PPI) panels. The Regulating Emotions – Strengthening Adolescent Resilience (RE-STAR) programme is building a new participatory model of translational research
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Protecting and promoting editorial independence Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-02-15 Kamaldeep Bhui, Aileen O'Brien, Rachel Upthegrove, Alexander C. Tsai, Mustafa Soomro, Giles Newton-Howes, Matthew R. Broome, Andrew Forrester, Patricia Casey, Anne M. Doherty, William Lee, Kenneth R. Kaufman
We argue that editorial independence, through robust practice of publication ethics and research integrity, promotes good science and prevents bad science. We elucidate the concept of research integrity, and then discuss the dimensions of editorial independence. Best practice guidelines exist, but compliance with these guidelines varies. Therefore, we make recommendations for protecting and strengthening
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The usability and reliability of a smartphone application for monitoring future dementia risk in ageing UK adults Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-02-15 Graham Reid, Philip Vassilev, Jessica Irving, Triin Ojakäär, Liron Jacobson, Erin G. Lawrence, Jenny Barnett, Malika Tapparel, Ivan Koychev
Background The rising number of dementia diagnoses and imminent adoption of disease-modifying treatments necessitate innovative approaches to identify individuals at risk, monitor disease course and intervene non-pharmacologically earlier in the disease course. Digital assessments of dementia risk and cognitive function have the potential to outperform traditional in-person assessments in terms of
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The impact of reduced routine community mental healthcare on people from minority ethnic groups during the COVID-19 pandemic: qualitative study of stakeholder perspectives Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-02-12 Catherine Winsper, Rahul Bhattacharya, Kamaldeep Bhui, Graeme Currie, Dawn Edge, David Ellard, Donna Franklin, Paramjit Gill, Steve Gilbert, Noreen Khan, Robin Miller, Zahra Motala, Vanessa Pinfold, Harbinder Sandhu, Swaran P. Singh, Scott Weich, Domenico Giacco
Background Enduring ethnic inequalities exist in mental healthcare. The COVID-19 pandemic has widened these.Aims To explore stakeholder perspectives on how the COVID-19 pandemic has increased ethnic inequalities in mental healthcare.Method A qualitative interview study of four areas in England with 34 patients, 15 carers and 39 mental health professionals from National Health Service (NHS) and community
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Association of cognitive reserve with the risk of dementia in the UK Biobank: role of polygenic factors Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-02-08 Wenzhe Yang, Jiao Wang, Abigail Dove, Michelle M. Dunk, Xiuying Qi, David A. Bennett, Weili Xu
Background It remains unclear whether cognitive reserve can attenuate dementia risk among people with different genetic predispositions.Aims We aimed to examine the association between cognitive reserve and dementia, and further to explore whether and to what extent cognitive reserve may modify the risk effect of genetic factors on dementia.Method Within the UK Biobank, 210 631 dementia-free participants
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Predictors of primary care psychological therapy outcomes for depression and anxiety in people living with dementia: evidence from national healthcare records in England Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-02-08 Georgia Bell, Celine El Baou, Rob Saunders, Joshua E. J. Buckman, Georgina Charlesworth, Marcus Richards, Caroline Fearn, Barbara Brown, Shirley Nurock, Stuart Michael, Paul Ware, Natalie L. Marchant, Elisa Aguirre, Miguel Rio, Claudia Cooper, Stephen Pilling, Amber John, Joshua Stott
Background Psychological therapies can be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in people living with dementia (PLWD). However, factors associated with better therapy outcomes in PLWD are currently unknown.Aims To investigate whether dementia-specific and non-dementia-specific factors are associated with therapy outcomes in PLWD.Method National linked healthcare records were used
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Long-term efficacy of a continuity-of-care treatment model for patients with severe mental illness who transition from in-patient to out-patient services Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-02-05 Hagai Maoz, Rony Sabbag, Shlomo Mendlovic, Israel Krieger, Daphna Shefet, Ido Lurie
Background Despite its significance, ensuring continuity of care demands substantial resources, which might not be readily accessible in many public healthcare systems. Studies indicate that continuity of care remains uncertain in numerous healthcare systems.Aims This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a continuity-of-care model for patients with severe mental illness (SMI), providing seamless
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Assessment of perinatal anxiety: diagnostic accuracy of five measures Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-25 Susan Ayers, Rose Coates, Andrea Sinesi, Helen Cheyne, Margaret Maxwell, Catherine Best, Stacey McNicol, Louise R. Williams, Nazihah Uddin, Una Hutton, Grace Howard, Judy Shakespeare, James J. Walker, Fiona Alderdice, Julie Jomeen, the MAP Study Team
Background Anxiety in pregnancy and after giving birth (the perinatal period) is highly prevalent but under-recognised. Robust methods of assessing perinatal anxiety are essential for services to identify and treat women appropriately.Aims To determine which assessment measures are most psychometrically robust and effective at identifying women with perinatal anxiety (primary objective) and depression
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What impact could the legalisation of recreational cannabis have on the health of the UK? Lessons from the rest of the world Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-25 Emmert Roberts
Several jurisdictions across the globe have introduced legislation to legally permit the sale and consumption of recreational cannabis. This editorial considers current evidence from the rest of the world and asks how this might inform the possible consequences of ‘legalisation’ models in the UK.
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Estimating demand for potential disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's disease in the UK Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-18 Axel A. S. Laurell, Ashwin V. Venkataraman, Tatjana Schmidt, Marcella Montagnese, Christoph Mueller, Robert Stewart, Jonathan Lewis, Clare Mundell, Jeremy D. Isaacs, Mani S. Krishnan, Robert Barber, Timothy Rittman, Benjamin R. Underwood
Background Phase three trials of the monoclonal antibodies lecanemab and donanemab, which target brain amyloid, have reported statistically significant differences in clinical end-points in early Alzheimer's disease. These drugs are already in use in some countries and are going through the regulatory approval process for use in the UK. Concerns have been raised about the ability of healthcare systems
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Positive thinking about negative studies Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-04 Eva Petkova, Adam Ciarleglio, Patricia Casey, Norman Poole, Kenneth Kaufman, Stephen M. Lawrie, Gin Malhi, Najma Siddiqi, Kamaldeep Bhui, William Lee
The non-reporting of negative studies results in a scientific record that is incomplete, one-sided and misleading. The consequences of this range from inappropriate initiation of further studies that might put participants at unnecessary risk to treatment guidelines that may be in error, thus compromising day-to-day clinical practice.
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Sensitivity to light in bipolar disorder: implications for research and clinical practice Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2024-01-04 Amber Roguski, Philipp Ritter, Daniel J. Smith
Circadian dysfunction is a core feature of bipolar disorder and may be due, at least in part, to abnormalities of non-visual photoreception. We critically review the evidence for light hypersensitivity in bipolar disorder and discuss how this may shape future research and clinical innovation, with a focus on a possible novel mechanism of action for lithium.
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The BJPsych journals: open for business and faster than a speeding bullet in advancing psychiatry internationally Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-12-22 Gin S. Malhi
The Royal College of Psychiatry journals have an outstanding reputation for excellence, integrity and impact in psychiatry. Facilitated by Cambridge University Press, which is equally steeped in tradition, the family of College journals remains committed to enriching our understanding of mental science and exploring the clinical issues that matter.
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Features of immunometabolic depression as predictors of antidepressant treatment outcomes: pooled analysis of four clinical trials Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-12-22 Sarah R. Vreijling, Cherise R. Chin Fatt, Leanne M. Williams, Alan F. Schatzberg, Tim Usherwood, Charles B. Nemeroff, A. John Rush, Rudolf Uher, Katherine J. Aitchison, Ole Köhler-Forsberg, Marcella Rietschel, Madhukar H. Trivedi, Manish K. Jha, Brenda W. J. H. Penninx, Aartjan T. F. Beekman, Rick Jansen, Femke Lamers
Background Profiling patients on a proposed ‘immunometabolic depression’ (IMD) dimension, described as a cluster of atypical depressive symptoms related to energy regulation and immunometabolic dysregulations, may optimise personalised treatment.Aims To test the hypothesis that baseline IMD features predict poorer treatment outcomes with antidepressants.Method Data on 2551 individuals with depression
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Associations of an individual's need for cognition with structural brain damage and cognitive functioning/impairment: cross-sectional population-based study Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-12-18 Lotte S. Truin, Sebastian Köhler, Irene S. Heger, Martin P. J. van Boxtel, Miranda T. Schram, Walter H. Backes, Jacobus F. A. Jansen, Martien M. C. J. M. van Dongen, Nanne K. de Vries, Hein de Vries, Simone J. P. M. Eussen, Coen D. A. Stehouwer, Marjolein E. de Vugt, Kay Deckers
Background High cognitive activity possibly reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.Aims To investigate associations between an individual's need to engage in cognitively stimulating activities (need for cognition, NFC) and structural brain damage and cognitive functioning in the Dutch general population with and without existing cognitive impairment.Method Cross-sectional data were used
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Not niche: eating disorders as an example in the dangers of overspecialisation Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-12-15 Ann F. Haynos, Amy H. Egbert, Ellen E. Fitzsimmons-Craft, Cheri A. Levinson, Jessica L. Schleider
Labelling specific psychiatric concerns as ‘niche’ topics relegated to specialty journals obstructs high-quality research and clinical care for these issues. Despite their severity, eating disorders are under-represented in high-impact journals, underfunded, and under-addressed in psychiatric training. We provide recommendations to stimulate broad knowledge dissemination for under-acknowledged, yet
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Efficacy of a short message service brief contact intervention (SMS-SOS) in reducing repetition of hospital-treated self-harm: randomised controlled trial Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-12-12 Garry John Stevens, Sandro Sperandei, Gregory Leigh Carter, Sithum Munasinghe, Trent Ernest Hammond, Naren Gunja, Anabel de la Riva, Vlasios Brakoulias, Andrew Page
Background Hospital-treated self-harm is common and costly, and is associated with repeated self-harm and suicide.Aims To investigate the effectiveness of a brief contact intervention delivered via short message service (SMS) text messages in reducing hospital-treated self-harm re-presentations in three hospitals in Sydney (2017–2019), Australia. Trial registration number: ACTRN12617000607370.Method
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Mapping the global, regional and national burden of bipolar disorder from 1990 to 2019: trend analysis on the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-12-11 Jianbo Lai, Shuting Li, Chen Wei, Jun Chen, Yiru Fang, Peige Song, Shaohua Hu
Background Data on trends in the epidemiological burden of bipolar disorder are scarce.Aims To provide an overview of trends in bipolar disorder burden from 1990 to 2019.Method Revisiting the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, we analysed the number of cases, calculated the age-standardised rate (per 100 000 population) and estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) of incidence, prevalence and years
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Treatment with psychostimulants and atomoxetine in people with psychotic disorders: reassessing the risk of clinical deterioration in a real-world setting Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-12-04 Olivier Corbeil, Sébastien Brodeur, Josiane Courteau, Laurent Béchard, Maxime Huot-Lavoie, Elaine Angelopoulos, Samanta Di Stefano, Erica Marrone, Alain Vanasse, Marie-Josée Fleury, Emmanuel Stip, Alain Lesage, Ridha Joober, Marie-France Demers, Marc-André Roy
Background Although attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often comorbid with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders (SZSPD), concerns about an increased risk of psychotic events have limited its treatment with either psychostimulants or atomoxetine.Aims To examine whether the risk of hospital admission for psychosis in people with SZSPD was increased during the year following
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General psychiatry, still in no-man's land after all these years Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-29 Martin Deahl
Mental health services have changed beyond recognition in my 38-year career. In this editorial I reflect on those changes and highlight the issues that undermine patient care and damage staff morale. In particular, modern mental health services have undermined the therapeutic relationship, the bedrock underpinning all psychiatric treatment.
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Association of hippocampal subfield volumes with prevalence, course and incidence of depressive symptoms: The Maastricht Study Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-23 Jennifer Monereo-Sánchez, Jacobus F. A. Jansen, Martin P. J. van Boxtel, Walter H. Backes, Sebastian Köhler, Coen D. A. Stehouwer, David E. J. Linden, Miranda T. Schram
Background Late-life depression has been associated with volume changes of the hippocampus. However, little is known about its association with specific hippocampal subfields over time.Aims We investigated whether hippocampal subfield volumes were associated with prevalence, course and incidence of depressive symptoms.Method We extracted 12 hippocampal subfield volumes per hemisphere with FreeSurfer
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How to classify antipsychotics: time to ditch dichotomies? Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Robert A. McCutcheon, Alistair Cannon, Sita Parmer, Oliver D. Howes
The dichotomies of ‘typical/atypical’ or ‘first/second generation’ have been employed for several decades to classify antipsychotics, but justification for their use is not clear. In the current analysis we argue that this classification is flawed from both clinical and pharmacological perspectives. We then consider what approach should ideally be employed in both clinical and research settings.
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Algorithmic fairness in precision psychiatry: analysis of prediction models in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-08 Derya Şahin, Lana Kambeitz-Ilankovic, Stephen Wood, Dominic Dwyer, Rachel Upthegrove, Raimo Salokangas, Stefan Borgwardt, Paolo Brambilla, Eva Meisenzahl, Stephan Ruhrmann, Frauke Schultze-Lutter, Rebekka Lencer, Alessandro Bertolino, Christos Pantelis, Nikolaos Koutsouleris, Joseph Kambeitz, for the PRONIA Study Group
Background Computational models offer promising potential for personalised treatment of psychiatric diseases. For their clinical deployment, fairness must be evaluated alongside accuracy. Fairness requires predictive models to not unfairly disadvantage specific demographic groups. Failure to assess model fairness prior to use risks perpetuating healthcare inequalities. Despite its importance, empirical
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The BJPsych: your journal, your voice, your research, your choice Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-01 Gin S. Malhi
There is a long tradition of excellence in research and clinical expertise in psychiatry across Britain. The BJPsych aims to reflect this wealth of mental science and practical experience alongside the very best of research and clinical practice from around the world using a variety of different kinds of articles.
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Catching the threads: caregiving in Alzheimer's disease Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-11-01 Elizabeth Kuipers
As someone who has researched the effects on carers living with people with severe psychiatric disorders, the author describes her own recent experience of being a carer. The article serves as a companion piece to her psychiatrist husband's account of his cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease.
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Artificial intelligence and increasing misinformation Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-10-26 Scott Monteith, Tasha Glenn, John R. Geddes, Peter C. Whybrow, Eric Achtyes, Michael Bauer
With the recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), patients are increasingly exposed to misleading medical information. Generative AI models, including large language models such as ChatGPT, create and modify text, images, audio and video information based on training data. Commercial use of generative AI is expanding rapidly and the public will routinely receive messages created by generative
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Severe mental illness, race/ethnicity, multimorbidity and mortality following COVID-19 infection: nationally representative cohort study Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-10-25 Jayati Das-Munshi, Ioannis Bakolis, Laia Bécares, Jacqueline Dyer, Matthew Hotopf, Josephine Ocloo, Robert Stewart, Ruth Stuart, Alex Dregan
Background The association of COVID-19 with death in people with severe mental illness (SMI), and associations with multimorbidity and ethnicity, are unclear.Aims To determine all-cause mortality in people with SMI following COVID-19 infection, and assess whether excess mortality is affected by multimorbidity or ethnicity.Method This was a retrospective cohort study using primary care data from the
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Psychological framework to understand interpersonal violence by forensic patients with psychosis Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-10-20 Sinéad Lambe, Kate Cooper, Seena Fazel, Daniel Freeman
Background Forensic patients with psychosis often engage in violent behaviour. There has been significant progress in understanding risk factors for violence, but identification of causal mechanisms of violence is limited.Aims To develop a testable psychological framework explaining violence in psychosis – grounded in patient experience – to guide targeted treatment development.Method We conducted
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Adverse childhood experiences and psychological functioning among women with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder: population-based study Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-10-18 Ole Köhler-Forsberg, Fenfen Ge, Arna Hauksdóttir, Edda Bjork Thordardottir, Kristjana Ásbjörnsdóttir, Harpa Rúnarsdóttir, Gunnar Tómasson, Jóhanna Jakobsdóttir, Berglind Guðmundsdóttir, Andri Steinþór Björnsson, Engilbert Sigurðsson, Thor Aspelund, Unnur A. Valdimarsdottir
Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are well-known risk factors for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.Aims The aim was to study the associations between specific ACEs and psychological functioning in women with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.Method Among 29 367 women (mean age 44 years) from the Icelandic Stress-And-Gene-Analysis (SAGA) study, 534 (1.8%, mean age 40) reported having
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From awareness to action: an urgent call to reduce mortality and improve outcomes in eating disorders Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-10-18 Agnes Ayton, Ali Ibrahim, James Downs, Suzanne Baker, Ashish Kumar, Hope Virgo, Gerome Breen
High mortality rates and poor outcomes from eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa, are largely preventable and require urgent action. A national strategy to address this should include prevention; early detection; timely access to integrated physical and psychological treatments; safe management of emergencies; suicide prevention; and investment in training, services and research.
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Measuring the impact of therapy on medication use: data-linkage study Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-10-18 Julie-Ann Jordan, Adam Elliott, David Mongan, Kevin F. W. Dyer
Background The psychological therapies service (PTS) in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, in Northern Ireland, provides therapies to adults with moderate or severe mental health difficulties. Psychometric outcomes data are routinely collected to assess if a patient demonstrates significant improvement in their main presenting problem area following therapy. The wider impact of therapy is not
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The BJPsych: from asylum to psychiatry by dint of mental science Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-10-17 Gin S. Malhi
After thanking his predecessors, the newly appointed College Editor and Editor-in-Chief of The British Journal of Psychiatry, Professor Gin Malhi, outlines both the historical and personal significance of the journal in this proemial editorial.
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Neurocognitive skills and vulnerability for psychosis in depression and across the psychotic spectrum: findings from the PRONIA Consortium Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-10-17 Carolina Bonivento, Lana Kambeitz-Ilankovic, Eleonora Maggioni, Stefan Borgwardt, Rebekka Lencer, Eva Meisenzahl, Joseph Kambeitz, Stephan Ruhrmann, Raimo K. R. Salokangas, Alessandro Bertolino, Alexandra Stainton, Julian Wenzel, Christos Pantelis, Stephen J. Wood, Rachel Upthegrove, Nikolaos Koutsouleris, Paolo Brambilla, the PRONIA Consortium
Background Neurocognitive deficits are a core feature of psychosis and depression. Despite commonalities in cognitive alterations, it remains unclear if and how the cognitive deficits in patients at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR) and those with recent-onset psychosis (ROP) are distinct from those seen in recent-onset depression (ROD).Aims This study was carried out within the European project
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Latent profiles identified from psychological test data for people convicted of sexual offences in the UK Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-10-11 Steven M. Gillespie, Ian A. Elliott
Background One size does not fit all in assessment and intervention for people with convictions for sexual offences. Crime scene indicators and risk-related variables have been used to identify distinct clusters of people with convictions for sexual offences, but there is a need for more robust typologies that identify clusters based on psychologically meaningful risk factors that can be targeted in
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Decoding anxiety–impulsivity subtypes in preadolescent internalising disorders: findings from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-09-21 Huaxin Fan, Zhaowen Liu, Xinran Wu, Gechang Yu, Xinrui Gu, Nanyu Kuang, Kai Zhang, Yu Liu, Tianye Jia, Barbara J. Sahakian, Trevor W. Robbins, Gunter Schumann, Wei Cheng, Jianfeng Feng, Benjamin Becker, Jie Zhang
Background Internalising disorders are highly prevalent emotional dysregulations during preadolescence but clinical decision-making is hampered by high heterogeneity. During this period impulsivity represents a major risk factor for psychopathological trajectories and may act on this heterogeneity given the controversial anxiety–impulsivity relationships. However, how impulsivity contributes to the
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Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on self-harm and self-harm/suicide ideation: population-wide data linkage study and time series analysis Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-09-21 Euan Neil Paterson, Lisa Kent, Dermot O'Reilly, Denise O'Hagan, Siobhan M. O'Neill, Aideen Maguire
Background The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns were predicted to have a major impact on suicidal behaviour, including self-harm. However, current studies have produced contradictory findings with limited trend data.Aims Nine years of linked individual-level administrative data were utilised to examine changes in hospital-presenting self-harm and ideation (thoughts of self-harm or suicide)
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Drug-related deaths among housed and homeless individuals in the UK and the USA: comparative retrospective cohort study Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-09-04 Emmert Roberts, Caroline Copeland, Keith Humphreys, Chelsea L. Shover
Background The UK and USA currently report their highest number of drug-related deaths since records began, with higher rates among individuals experiencing homelessness.Aims Given that overdose prevention in homeless populations may require unique strategies, we evaluated whether substances implicated in death differed between (a) housed decedents and those experiencing homelessness and (b) between
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Telepsychiatry versus face-to-face treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-09-01 Katsuhiko Hagi, Shunya Kurokawa, Akihiro Takamiya, Mayu Fujikawa, Shotaro Kinoshita, Mari Iizuka, Shota Furukawa, Yoko Eguchi, Taishiro Kishimoto
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed healthcare significantly and telepsychiatry is now the primary means of treatment in some countries.Aims To compare the efficacy of telepsychiatry and face-to-face treatment.Method A comprehensive meta-analysis comparing telepsychiatry with face-to-face treatment for psychiatric disorders. The primary outcome was the mean change in the standard symptom
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L'imagination (1833) by Honoré-Victorin Daumier (1808-1879) - Psychiatry in art. Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-09-01 Alexander Smith,Michael Liebrenz
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New guidance for self-harm: an opportunity not to be missed Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-08-29 Faraz Mughal, Fiona M. Burton, Harriet Fletcher, Karen Lascelles, Rory C. O'Connor, Sarah Rae, Alex B. Thomson, Nav Kapur
In this editorial we, as members of the 2022 NICE Guideline Committee, highlight and discuss what, in our view, are the key guideline recommendations (generated through evidence synthesis and consensus) for mental health professionals when caring for people after self-harm, and we consider some of the implementation challenges.
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ICD-11 and bipolar II disorder: so much ado and yet nothing new Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Gin S. Malhi, Erica Bell, Kamaldeep Bhui
The long-awaited 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) makes important advances but simultaneously compromises on some aspects, which may have a negative impact on clinical practice. This editorial illustrates the double-edged nature of some of the changes in ICD-11, focusing on mood disorders and specifically the subtyping of bipolar disorder.
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Cost-effectiveness analysis of physical activity interventions for people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder: systematic review Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Huajie Jin, Oluwafunso Kolawole, Zhengwei Wang
Background Clinical guidelines recommend providing physical activity interventions (PAIs) to people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder for weight management. However, the cost-effectiveness of PAIs is unknown.Aims To evaluate the availability and methodological quality of economic evaluations of PAIs for people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.Method Four databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo
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Crichton Royal Hospital, Dumfries, 1939-2013 - Psychiatry in pictures. Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 R H S Mindham
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Apropos suicide verdicts: Lord Clifford strangled himself with his cravat in 1673? Beyond reasonable doubt versus the balance of probabilities - Psychiatry in the arts. Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Greg Wilkinson
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Jackson Pollock's psychoanalytic drawings - Psychiatry in the arts. Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Karrish Devan,Yasamine Farahani Englefield
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Theodor Meynert (1833-1892) - controversies, contributions and cytoarchitectonics - Psychiatry in history. Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Madhusudan Dalvi
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Association of cannabis, cannabidiol and synthetic cannabinoid use with mental health in UK adolescents Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-07-24 James Hotham, Rebecca Cannings-John, Laurence Moore, Jemma Hawkins, Chris Bonell, Matthew Hickman, Stanley Zammit, Lindsey A. Hines, Linda Adara, Julia Townson, James White
Background Cannabis has been associated with poorer mental health, but little is known of the effect of synthetic cannabinoids or cannabidiol (often referred to as CBD).Aims To investigate associations of cannabis, synthetic cannabinoids and cannabidiol with mental health in adolescence.Method We conducted a cross-sectional analysis with 13- to 14-year-old adolescents across England and Wales in 2019–2020
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Efficacy and safety of a 4-week course of repeated subcutaneous ketamine injections for treatment-resistant depression (KADS study): randomised double-blind active-controlled trial Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-07-14 Colleen Loo, Nick Glozier, David Barton, Bernhard T. Baune, Natalie T. Mills, Paul Fitzgerald, Paul Glue, Shanthi Sarma, Veronica Galvez-Ortiz, Dusan Hadzi-Pavlovic, Angelo Alonzo, Vanessa Dong, Donel Martin, Stevan Nikolin, Philip B. Mitchell, Michael Berk, Gregory Carter, Maree Hackett, John Leyden, Sean Hood, Andrew A. Somogyi, Kyle Lapidus, Elizabeth Stratton, Kirsten Gainsford, Deepak Garg, Nicollette
Background Prior trials suggest that intravenous racemic ketamine is a highly effective for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but phase 3 trials of racemic ketamine are needed.Aims To assess the acute efficacy and safety of a 4-week course of subcutaneous racemic ketamine in participants with TRD. Trial registration: ACTRN12616001096448 at www.anzctr.org.au.Method This phase 3, double-blind, randomised
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A new era for the negative symptoms of schizophrenia Br. J. Psychiatry (IF 10.5) Pub Date : 2023-07-10 Emilio Fernandez-Egea, Armida Mucci, Jimmy Lee, Brian Kirkpatrick
Negative symptoms remain one of the major unmet needs for people with schizophrenia, and the past decade has witnessed a surge in interest in negative symptoms. In this themed issue, we present new concepts of negative symptoms and recent findings on their epidemiology and pathophysiology and on therapeutic options for their management.