Few studies of the effects of postnatal depression on child development have considered the chronicity of depressive symptoms. We investigated whether early postnatal depressive symptoms (PNDS) predicted child developmental outcome independently of later maternal depressive symptoms.

In a prospective, longitudinal study, mothers and children were followed-up from birth to 2 years; repeated measures of PNDS were made using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS); child development was assessed using the Bayley Scales II. Multilevel modelling techniques were used to examine the association between 6 week PNDS, and child development, taking subsequent depressive symptoms into account.

Children of mothers with 6 week PNDS were significantly more likely than children of non-symptomatic mothers to have poor cognitive outcome; however, this association was reduced to trend level when adjusted for later maternal depressive symptoms.

Effects of early PNDS on infant development may be partly explained by subsequent depressive symptoms.

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Currently, associations between IGD in early adolescence and mental health are largely unexplained. In the present study, the relation of IGD with adolescent and parental mental health was investigated for the first time.

We surveyed 1095 family dyads (an adolescent aged 12–14 years and a related parent) with a standardized questionnaire for IGD as well as for adolescent and parental mental health. We conducted linear (dimensional approach) and logistic (categorical approach) regression analyses.

Both with dimensional and categorical approaches, we observed statistically significant associations between IGD and male gender, a higher degree of adolescent antisocial behavior, anger control problems, emotional distress, self-esteem problems, hyperactivity/inattention and parental anxiety (linear regression model: corrected R2 = 0.41, logistic regression model: Nagelkerke's R2 = 0.41).

IGD appears to be associated with internalizing and externalizing problems in adolescents. Moreover, the findings of the present study provide first evidence that not only adolescent but also parental mental health is relevant to IGD in early adolescence. Adolescent and parental mental health should be considered in prevention and intervention programs for IGD in adolescence.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia under antipsychotic therapy and to investigate the effect of various parameters on sexual dysfunction.

A total of 827 stabilized outpatients who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia, were recruited in the study. Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX) and the subscale on sexual function of the UKU Side Effects Rating Scale were applied at a single interview.

In total, 52.6% of the patients had sexual dysfunction, 54.2% reported a low sexual desire and 41.7% reported problems in having an orgasm. Erectile dysfunction and ejaculation problems were seen in 48.1% and 64.2% of the men, respectively; amenorrhea was seen in 24.9% of the women. ASEX score and severity of disease were found to be correlated (p = 0.02). Higher ASEX scores were observed in patients who smoked (p = 0.01). Men receiving atypical monotherapy had lower ASEX scores than those receiving a combination of atypical and conventional antipsychotics (p = 0.017). Patients on combination therapy had more ejaculation problems than the atypical group (p = 0.001). Low sexual desire was more prevalent among women using conventional drugs than those on atypical drugs (p = 0.004). In linear regression analyses, ASEX was affected significantly and independently by the severity of the disease only in men (p = 0.005).

Our results show that sexual dysfunction is widespread among patients with schizophrenia on antipsychotic medications.

Optic coherence tomography (OCT) is a new, contactless and fast neuroimaging method. Previous studies have observed thinning of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) in many neurodegenerative diseases, and researchers have suggested that correlations exist between the thinning of the RNFL and the neurodegeneration detected with other imaging methods or the severity of illness. More recently, OCT has been used in patients with schizophrenia. RNFL thinning has also been detected in these patients. With more sophisticated devices, segmentation of the retina and measurements of the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and internal plexiform layer (IPL) can be performed.

We measured the RNFL thickness and the GCL and IPL volumes in 40 treatment refractory patients with schizophrenia, 41 treatment responsive refractory patients and 41 controls using spectral-OCT, and we evaluated the correlations between the disease severity and OCT measurements.

The global RNFL thickness and GCL and IPL volumes were decreased in the patients with schizophrenia compared with the controls. In addition, the GCL and IPL volumes were lower in the treatment refractory patients with schizophrenia compared to the treatment responsive patients. Using parameters such as the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scores, the disease duration and number of hospitalizations, correlations between the GCL and IPL volumes and disease severity were stronger than the correlations between the RNFL and the disease parameters.

Our findings suggest that OCT can be used to detect neurodegeneration in schizophrenia and that the GCL and IPL volumes can also be used to monitor the progression of neurodegeneration.

To compare the clinical management of typical scenarios by using three case vignettes in a substantial number of European countries.

Three case vignettes and an associated questionnaire, filled in and finalised by at least two experts from each country.

Legislation and clinical practice varies widely across the 16 included countries. No specific pattern emerged. Certain practices (intravenous medication, mechanical restraint, net beds and forensic transfers, respectively) only exist in few countries. Legislation for involuntary medication is most restrictive in the Netherlands.

There is little harmonisation and a lack of consistent standards within and across European countries regarding treatment and management of violent patients.

Cardiovascular disease is more prevalent in patients with severe mental illness (SMI) than in the general population.

Seven geographically diverse centres were assigned a nurse to monitor the physical health of SMI patients in secondary care over a 2-year period in the “Well-being Support Programme” (WSP). A physical health screen was performed and patients were given individual weight and lifestyle advice including smoking cessation to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Nine hundred and sixty-six outpatients with SMI >2 years were enrolled. The completion rate at 2 years was 80%. Significant improvements were observed in levels of physical activity (p < 0.0001), smoking (p < 0.05) and diet (p < 0.0001). There were no changes in mean BMI although 42% lost weight over 2 years. Self-esteem improved significantly. Low self-esteem decreased from 43% at baseline to 15% at 2 years (p < 0.0001). At the end of the programme significant cardiovascular risk factors remained, 46% of subjects smoked, 26% had hypertension and 81% had BMI >25.

Physical health problems are common in SMI subjects. Many patients completed 2 years follow up suggesting that this format of programme is an acceptable option for SMI patients. Cardiovascular risk factors were significantly improved. interventions such as the Well-being Support Programme should be made widely available to people with SMI.

Approximately 30% of patients with schizophrenia experience auditory hallucinations that are refractory to antipsychotic medications. Here, we evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) that we hypothesized would improve auditory hallucination symptoms by enhancing synchronization between the frontal and temporo-parietal areas of the left hemisphere.

22 participants were randomized to one of three arms and received twice daily, 20 min sessions of sham, 10 Hz 2 mA peak-to-peak tACS, or 2 mA tDCS over the course of 5 consecutive days. Symptom improvement was assessed using the Auditory Hallucination Rating Scale (AHRS) as the primary outcome measure. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) were secondary outcomes.

Primary and secondary behavioral outcomes were not significantly different between the three arms. However, effect size analyses show that tACS had the greatest effect based on the auditory hallucinations scale for the week of stimulation (1.31 for tACS; 1.06 and 0.17, for sham and tDCS, respectively). Effect size analysis for the secondary outcomes revealed heterogeneous results across measures and stimulation conditions.

To our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial of tACS for the treatment of symptoms of a psychiatric condition. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to better understand the effect of tACS on auditory hallucinations.

Few community-based studies have examined the impact of life events, life conditions and life changes on the course of depression. This paper examines associations of life events on depressive symptom onset, improvement, and stability.

Direct interview data from the Early Developmental Stages of Psychopathology Study (EDSP), a 4–5 year prospective-longitudinal design based on a representative community sample of adolescents and young adults, aged 14–24 years at baseline, are used. Life events were measured using the Munich Event-Questionnaire (MEL) consisting of 83 explicit items from various social role areas and subscales for the assessment of life event clusters categorized according to dimensions such as positive and negative and controllable and uncontrollable. Depressive disorders were assessed with the DSM-IV version of the Munich Composite Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI). Multiple logistic regression analyses examined the effects of 22 predictors on the course of depression (onset, improvement, stability).

Younger age, low social class, negative and stressful life events linked to the family were associated with increased risk of new onset of depression. Anxiety was a significant independent predictor of new onset of depression. Absence of stressful school and family events was related to improvement in depression. The weighted total number of life events predicted stable depression.

The association between life events and the course of depression appears to vary according to the outcome being examined, with different clusters of life events differentially predicting onset, improvement, and stability.

The present open study investigates the feasibility of Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in groups solely composed of bipolar patients of various subtypes. MBCT has been mostly evaluated with remitted unipolar depressed patients and little is known about this treatment in bipolar disorder.

Bipolar outpatients (type I, II and NOS) were included and evaluated for depressive and hypomanic symptoms, as well as mindfulness skills before and after MBCT. Patients’ expectations before the program, perceived benefit after completion and frequency of mindfulness practice were also recorded.

Of 23 included patients, 15 attended at least four MBCT sessions. Most participants reported having durably, moderately to very much benefited from the program, although mindfulness practice decreased over time. Whereas no significant increase of mindfulness skills was detected during the trial, change of mindfulness skills was significantly associated with change of depressive symptoms between pre- and post-MBCT assessments.

MBCT is feasible and well perceived among bipolar patients. Larger and randomized controlled studies are required to further evaluate its efficacy, in particular regarding depressive and (hypo)manic relapse prevention. The mediating role of mindfulness on clinical outcome needs further examination and efforts should be provided to enhance the persistence of meditation practice with time.

The DASS is a self administered questionnaire which principally measures anxiety stress and depression as a feature of the general population with 42 items.

To create an easy to use and valid measurement, for primary care and during treatment assessment in patients with anxiety or depression disorders.

Translation was performed using the multiple forward and backward translation protocol. STAI state and trait along with BDI were also administered to check construct validity of DASS.

537 adults participated, 178 (33.6%) male, 349 (64.6%) female. The total scale of the DASS-42 had a coefficient alpha of .968. Subscale coefficient alphas also were high (αdepression = ,941; αanxiety = ,906 ; αstress = ,942). Mean score for stress was 12,46 (SD = 9,82), for anxiety 7,19 (SD = 7,7) and for depression 8,05 (SD 9,6). Both subscales and total score were significantly correlated with STAI and BDI (r = .60 to.73, p < .01).Principal Components Analysis revealed the presence of 3 factors explaining 56% of the total variance. 14 items loaded in the stress subscale, 14 in the depression factor, but only 12 in the anxiety factor. ANOVAs found significant differences in all subscales between healthy adults and psychiatric outpatients. (p < ,001).

The results of the current validation study suggest that the Greek translation of the DASS is both reliable and valid, with psychometric properties close to those reported in the international literature.

Abnormal sensory sensitivity is a feature of autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), but is also reported in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In many cases, ADHD and ASD are comorbid. This study investigated the prevalence of sensory hyper- and hyposensitivity among adults with ADHD, controlling for autistic symptoms.

One hundred and sixteen adults diagnosed with ADHD completed the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile-NL (AASP-NL) and the Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) questionnaires. Prevalences of hyper- and hyposensitivity and autism-spectrum symptoms were compared to norm values. Multivariate binary logistic regressions were used to determine the association of autistic symptoms, age, gender, ADHD subtype, self-reported severity of ADHD symptoms, comorbid disorders, and use of medication on the sensory hypo- and hypersensitivity in adults with ADHD.

Adults with ADHD had more autistic symptoms, and they had both more hyper- and hyposensitivity compared to norm groups. This was especially apparent in the Activity level and Auditory sensory modalities. Sensory hypo- and hypersensitivity were both related to an increased ADHD score, even showing a dose-response relationship, but not to any autistic symptom or comorbid disorder. As much as 43% of the females with ADHD reported sensory hypo- and/or hypersensitivity, compared to 22% of the men.

Sensory hypo- and hypersensitivity may be viewed as key features of adult ADHD, especially in females, regardless of any autistic symptoms. Future research should be directed at the implications of this sensory dysregulation for the understanding of the pathophysiology of (female) ADHD, and on the usefulness of assessment of atypical sensory profiles in the diagnostic procedure of ADHD in adults.