Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders Research Articles

Annual research review: Child and adolescent mental health interventions: a review of progress in economic studies across different disorders.

BackgroundResources for supporting children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders continue to be scarce. Economics research can identify current patterns of expenditure, and help inform allocation of treatment and support resources between competing needs or uses.Scope and methodsThe aim was to identify the costs of supporting children and adolescents, the economic impacts of childhood psychiatric disorders in adulthood and any new evidence on the cost-effectiveness of interventions. An electronic search of databases (including PubMed, Medline and Psychinfo) identified peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2005 and 2012.FindingsSixty-seven papers provided data on support and treatment costs now or in the future, or cost-effectiveness analyses of services. Half the articles came from the United States. Most articles focussed on autism spectrum disorder (ASD; 23 articles), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 15), conduct disorder (CD; n = 7), and anxiety or depression (n = 8).ConclusionOnly 14 studies used a cost perspective wider than health care; most included education costs (n = 11), but only five included costs to the justice system. The number of studies estimating costs to the family has increased, particularly for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the United Kingdom, support costs for children and adolescents with conduct disorder (CD) appear to be lower than for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although for the United States, the opposite may be true. Support costs for children and adolescents with ASD may be higher than both CD and ADHD. However, there were many differences between the samples and the methods employed making comparisons between studies difficult. Outcomes in adulthood include negative impacts on (mental) health, quality of life, public sector services, employment status and income. The evidence base is improving for child and adolescent psychiatric disorders, although only one full cost-effectiveness analysis was identified since the previous review published in 2012. However, we still do not know enough about the economic implications of support and treatment for specific disorders.

Book review of Pharmacotherapy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders

Book review of Pharmacotherapy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders

Assessing eating disorder symptoms in adolescence: Is there a role for multiple informants?

Studies of adolescent psychiatric disorders often collect information from adolescents and parents, yet most eating disorder epidemiologic studies only rely on adolescent report. We studied the eating disorder symptom reports, from questionnaires sent at participants' ages 14 and 16 years, provided by 7,968 adolescents from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), and their parents. Adolescents and parents were asked questions about the adolescent's eating disorder symptoms (binge eating, vomiting, laxative use, fasting, and thinness). We assessed cross-sectional concordance and prevalence using kappa coefficients and generalized estimating equations. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess prospective associations between symptom reports and adolescent weight outcomes measured at a face-to-face assessment at 17.5 years. Parents and adolescents were largely discordant on symptom reports cross-sectionally (kappas < 0.3), with the parent generally less likely to report bulimic symptoms than the adolescent but more likely to report thinness. Female adolescents were more likely to report bulimic symptoms than males (e.g., two to four times more likely to report binge eating), while prevalence estimates according to parent reports of female vs. male adolescents were similar. Both informants' symptom reports were predictive of body mass and composition measures at 17.5 years; compared to adolescent report, parentally reported binge eating was more strongly predictive of body mass index. Parent report of eating disorder symptoms seemed to measure different, but potentially important, aspects of these symptoms during adolescence. Epidemiologic eating disorder studies should consider the potential value added from incorporating parental reports, particularly in studies of males.

Intimate relationship involvement, intimate relationship quality, and psychiatric disorders in adolescents.

Prior research has shown that poor relationship quality in marriage and other intimate relationships demonstrates cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with a variety of psychiatric disorders in adults. In comparison, there has been less research on the covariation between relationship quality and psychiatric disorders in adolescents, a developmental period that is associated with elevated risk of incidence of several disorders and that is important for the acquisition and maintenance of intimate relationships. The present study was conducted to examine the associations between intimate relationship involvement, intimate relationship quality, and psychiatric disorders in a population-based sample of adolescents. The associations between relationship involvement, positive and negative relationship quality, and 12-month prevalence of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders were evaluated in adolescents from the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Supplement. Participants completed an interview-based assessment of psychiatric disorders and a self-report measure of relationship quality. Results indicated that the prevalence of broad categories of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders, and several specific disorders were significantly associated with (a) being married, cohabiting, or involved in a serious relationship; and (b) reporting more negative (but not less positive) relationship quality. For several disorders, the association between the disorder and relationship involvement was moderated by age, wherein the strength of the association decreased in magnitude with increasing age. Findings suggest that being in an intimate relationship and reporting higher levels of negative relationship quality are associated with the prevalence of several common psychiatric disorders in adolescents.

Physical activity in adolescents with psychiatric disorders and in the general population

BackgroundAdults who suffer from psychiatric disorders report low levels of physical activity and the activity levels differ between disorders. Less is known regarding physical activity across psychiatric disorders in adolescence. We investigate the frequency and type of physical activity in adolescent psychiatric patients, compared with adolescents in the general population.MethodsA total of 566 adolescent psychiatric patients aged 13–18 years who participated in the CAP survey, Norway, were compared to 8173 adolescents aged 13–19 years who participated in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study, Young-HUNT 3, Norway. All adolescents completed a questionnaire, including questions about physical activity and participation in team and individual sports.ResultsApproximately 50% of adolescents with psychiatric disorders and 25% of the population sample reported low levels of physical activity. Within the clinical sample, those with mood disorders (62%) and autism spectrum disorders (56%) were the most inactive and those with eating disorders (36%) the most active. This pattern was the same in individual and team sports. After multivariable adjustment, adolescents with a psychiatric disorder had a three-fold increased risk of lower levels of physical activity, and a corresponding risk of not participating in team and individual sports compared with adolescents in the general population.ConclusionsLevels of physical activity were low in adolescent psychiatric patients compared with the general population, yet activity levels differed considerably between various disorders. The findings underscore the importance of assessing physical activity in adolescents with psychiatric disorders and providing early intervention to promote mental as well as physical health in this early stage of life.

Resting state FMRI research in child psychiatric disorders

Concurring with the shift from linking functions to specific brain areas towards studying network integration, resting state FMRI (R-FMRI) has become an important tool for delineating the functional network architecture of the brain. Fueled by straightforward data collection, R-FMRI analysis methods as well as studies reporting on R-FMRI have flourished, and already impact research on child- and adolescent psychiatric disorders. Here, we review R-FMRI analysis techniques and outline current methodological debates. Furthermore, we provide an overview of the main R-FMRI findings related to child- and adolescent psychiatric disorders. R-FMRI research has contributed significantly to our understanding of brain function in child and adolescent psychiatry: existing hypotheses based on task-based FMRI were confirmed and new insights into the brain's functional architecture of disorders were established. However, results were not always consistent. While resting state networks are robust and reproducible, neuroimaging research in psychiatric disorders is especially complicated by tremendous phenotypic heterogeneity. It is imperative that we overcome this heterogeneity when integrating neuroimaging into the diagnostic and treatment process. As R-FMRI allows investigating the richness of the human functional connectome and can be easily collected and aggregated into large-scale datasets, it is clear that R-FMRI can be a powerful tool in our quest to understand psychiatric pathology.

Annual research review: The neurobehavioral development of multiple memory systems--implications for childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders.

Extensive evidence indicates that mammalian memory is organized into multiple brains systems, including a 'cognitive' memory system that depends on the hippocampus and a stimulus-response 'habit' memory system that depends on the dorsolateral striatum. Dorsal striatal-dependent habit memory may in part influence the development and expression of some human psychopathologies, particularly those characterized by strong habit-like behavioral features. The present review considers this hypothesis as it pertains to psychopathologies that typically emerge during childhood and adolescence. These disorders include Tourette syndrome, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and autism spectrum disorders. Human and nonhuman animal research shows that the typical development of memory systems comprises the early maturation of striatal-dependent habit memory and the relatively late maturation of hippocampal-dependent cognitive memory. We speculate that the differing rates of development of these memory systems may in part contribute to the early emergence of habit-like symptoms in childhood and adolescence. In addition, abnormalities in hippocampal and striatal brain regions have been observed consistently in youth with these disorders, suggesting that the aberrant development of memory systems may also contribute to the emergence of habit-like symptoms as core pathological features of these illnesses. Considering these disorders within the context of multiple memory systems may help elucidate the pathogenesis of habit-like symptoms in childhood and adolescence, and lead to novel treatments that lessen the habit-like behavioral features of these disorders.

The effects of maternal eating disorders on offspring childhood and early adolescent psychiatric disorders

There is evidence that parental psychiatric disorders are associated with offspring psychiatric disorder. Very few small studies have investigated the effect of maternal eating disorders on offspring psychopathology throughout childhood and early adolescence. We aimed to investigate psychiatric disorders at age 7, 10, and 13 years in offspring of women with eating disorders prior to pregnancy and investigate the relative contribution of other psychiatric disorders. Women (N = 12,035) from a large population-based longitudinal cohort: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). A brief prepregnancy psychiatric history was obtained at enrollment to determine exposure. Offspring psychiatric disorder was measured using the developmental and well-being assessment at ages 7, 10, and 13. Maternal eating disorders were associated with a psychiatric diagnosis in the offspring at age 7 and 10, particularly emotional disorders (Odds ratio = 1.9, 95%CI: 1.1-2.8). Maternal psychiatric disorders other than eating disorders predicted psychiatric diagnoses across ages, and acted in an additive fashion with maternal eating disorders. Maternal eating disorders together with comorbid psychopathology increase risk for psychiatric disorders in childhood and early adolescence, in particular for emotional disorders. This has important implications for prevention and future research.

Functional integrity of the habenula is necessary for social play behaviour in rats

During post-weaning development, a marked increase in peer-peer interactions is observed in mammals, including humans, which is signified by the abundance of social play behaviour. Social play is highly rewarding, and known to be modulated through monoaminergic neurotransmission. Recently, the habenula has received widespread attention because of its role in the regulation of monoaminergic neurotransmission as well as in a variety of emotional and cognitive functions. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the involvement of the habenula in social play behaviour. Using the neuronal activity maker c-fos, we showed that the habenula was activated after 24 h of social isolation in adolescent rats, and that a subsequent social play interaction reduced c-fos activity in the medial part of the lateral habenula. This suggested that habenula activity modulated the aversive properties of social isolation, which was alleviated by the positive effects of social play. Furthermore, after functional inactivation of the habenula, using a mixture of the GABA receptor agonists baclofen and muscimol, social play behaviour was markedly reduced, whereby responsiveness to play solicitation was more sensitive to habenula inactivation than play solicitation itself. Together, our data indicate an important role for the habenula in the processing of positive (i.e., social play behaviour) and negative (i.e., social isolation) social information in adolescent rats. Altered habenula function might therefore be related to the social impairments in childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders such as autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and early-onset schizophrenia.

A 5-Year Hospital Prevalence of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders from Central India

To examine the 5-year hospital prevalence of child and adolescent mental disorders from Central India. Using systemic random sampling method, of the 4410 families screened, 4278 children (607 aged 0 to 3 y and 3671 between 4 to 16 y) attending outpatient services of department of pediatrics at the tertiary rural hospital from June 2006 through December 2010 were evaluated. Standardized appropriate psychometric tools were used for both groups. Diagnostic interviews were administered and DSM-IV diagnoses were determined by consensus between two psychiatrists. A comprehensive hospital registration system provided the denominator. Of the 4410 families screened, 4278 (97 %) of the subjects completed interviews. The overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders was found to be 20.8 %. Most common psychiatric disorders in group A were mental retardation (5.6 %) followed by epilepsy (2 %) whereas in group B, depressive disorder (3.73 %) were followed by non-organic enuresis (2.18 %) and ADHD (1.7 %). Eighty one percent of the parents from group A and 83 % of parents from group B of the children affected with psychiatric disorders and neurobehavioral problems had reported that they have had never thought of taking psychiatric consultation for their children. The results of the study have helped in bridging and supporting the propositions in child epidemiology in India and also have implications for clinical training and practice.

Brain structural and functional changes in adolescents with psychiatric disorders

During adolescence, hormonal and neurodevelopmental changes geared to ensuring reproduction and achieving independence are very likely mediated by the growth of neural processes, remodeling of synaptic connections, increased myelination in prefrontal areas and maturation of connecting subcortical areas. These processes, greatly accelerated in adolescence, follow an asynchronous pattern in different brain areas. Neuroimaging research using functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging has produced most of the insights regarding brain structural and functional neuropathology in adolescent psychiatric disorders. In schizophrenia, first episodes during adolescence are linked to greater-than-normal losses in gray matter density and white matter integrity and show a divergence of maturational trajectories from normative neural development in a progression similar to that of adult-onset schizophrenia. Anxiety and mood disorders in adolescence have been linked to abnormally increased activity in the amygdala and ventral prefrontal cortical areas, although some data suggest that neural abnormalities in the amygdala and anxiety maybe particularly more frequent in adolescents than in adults. Alcohol misuse in adolescence results in reduced integrity in the white matter and reduced gray matter density that, given the high intensity of adolescent synaptic and myelin remodeling, may result in persistent and profound changes in circuits supporting memory and emotional and appetitive control. The interaction of persistent changes due to prenatal exposure with the contemporaneous expression of genetic factors and disturbing environmental exposure may be an important factor in the appearance of psychiatric disorders in adolescence. Further progress in understanding adolescent psychopathology will require postmortem research of molecular and cellular determinants in the adolescent brain.

The Influence of Adolescent Psychiatric Disorder on Young Adult Recidivism

This study examined the influence of adolescent psychiatric disorder on young adult recidivism and compared findings with earlier studies of juvenile recidivism. Logistic regression analysis examined subsequent adulthood recidivism (through age 23 years) by disorder profile, adjusting for prior offense severity and background variables, in 340 Alabama juveniles referred to juvenile justice agencies (probation and detention). Youths with comorbid internalizing and disruptive behavior disorder had a sixfold increased risk for young adult recidivism compared with nondisordered counterparts. Comorbid internalizing disorder likely is a marker for the severity of a youth’s disruptive behavior disorder; similarly, offending that continues into adulthood likely betokens a more serious course of offending behavior. The severity underlying disorder and offending behavior is probably the common link between them. To prevent reoffending into adulthood, the mental health needs of juvenile justice youths’ internalizing and externalizing problems should be addressed.

Electroconvulsive Therapy in Adolescents

There are minimal data on the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in adolescents from India. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical profile and effectiveness of ECT in adolescents (aged 13-18 years). A retrospective chart review was carried out to identify adolescents (aged 13-18 years) who had received ECT during the period 1999-2011. During the study period, 39 such patients received ECT; complete records of 25 patients were available. Details regarding their sociodemographic, clinical, and treatment data were extracted from these records for the present study. During the study period, 658 patients received ECT, of which 39 were aged 18 or younger (5.9%). Schizophrenia (n = 14; 56%) was the commonest diagnosis for which ECT was used in adolescents, followed by depression (n = 3; 12%). Catatonic symptoms (n = 17; 68%) were the most common symptoms among these subjects. Electroconvulsive therapy was considered as a treatment of choice taking the clinical picture account in about three fourths of the patients (n = 19; 76%). The mean (SD) numbers of ECTs administered per patient were 10.1 (4.87) (range, 2-21). The mean (SD) response rate to ECT was 76% (23.3%) (range, 31%-100%). Response rates according to diagnosis were the following: 76.3% for schizophrenia, 87.2% for depression, 81.8% for psychosis (not otherwise specified), and 77.7% for acute and transient psychosis. Response rate in patients with catatonia was 91.6%. Prolonged seizures, nausea and vomiting, and headache were reported in 2 cases each. Electroconvulsive therapy is used less frequently in children and adolescents compared to the older patients. This study shows that ECT is effective in the treatment of severe psychiatric disorders in adolescents and is associated with the same frequency of adverse effects as the adults.

ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER IN ADOLESCENCE PREDICTS ONSET OF MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER THROUGH EARLY ADULTHOOD

The aim of this study was to examine the prospective relationship between a history of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessed in mid-adolescence and the onset of major depressive disorder (MDD) through early adulthood in a large school-based sample. A secondary aim was to examine whether this relationship was robust after accounting for comorbid psychopathology and psychosocial impairment. One thousand five hundred seven participants from the Oregon Adolescent Depression Project completed rating scales in adolescence and structured diagnostic interviews up to four times from adolescence to age 30. Adolescents with a lifetime history of ADHD were at significantly higher risk of MDD through early adulthood relative to those with no history of ADHD. ADHD remained a significant predictor of MDD after controlling for gender, lifetime history of other psychiatric disorders in adolescence, social and academic impairment in adolescence, stress and coping in adolescence, and new onset of other psychiatric disorders through early adulthood (hazard ratio, 1.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.04, 3.06). Additional significant, robust predictors of MDD included female gender, a lifetime history of an anxiety disorder, and poor coping skills in mid-adolescence, as well as the onset of anxiety, oppositional defiant disorder, and substance-use disorder after mid-adolescence. A history of ADHD in adolescence was associated with elevated risk of MDD through early adulthood and this relationship remained significant after controlling for psychosocial impairment in adolescence and co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Additional work is needed to identify the mechanisms of risk and to inform depression prevention programs for adolescents with ADHD.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Not Many Compliments but Lots of Alternatives

Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Not Many Compliments but Lots of Alternatives

542 – Stigmatization, personality disorders and adolescence

The presence of comorbid personality pathology with other psychiatric disorders, imposes a worse prognosis in the development of therapeutic intervention. Additionally, this construct is usually related to stigma effect in clinical settings. Information about this effect, associated with psychiatric disorders in adolescence, is limited and little recognized. Hypothesis The clinical diagnosis of personality disorder in adolescence tends to be conservative and unspecific. Objective To examine the prevalence of personality disorder, and the involvement of stigma effect in adolescents with Axis I psychiatric disorders. Method A sample of 100 patients with psychiatric disorders (M = 15.8, SD = 0.9 years, range 15-17, 70% women), were assessed and diagnosed for personality disorders in a mental health public centre. Results The prevalence of PD identified by clinicians (12%), differs from the prevalence identified by the semi-structured interview (34–37%) showing a greater number (p Conclusions In clinical settings, a considerable proportion of adolescents with psychopathology meet features for PD, although few of them have a confirmed clinical diagnosis. Considerations about impact of the stigma are discussed.

1526 – Attenuation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as a consequence of childhood adversity - a possible mechanism of sex-specific vulnerability for psychiatric disorders in adolescence?

Introduction Alterations of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPAA) may be related to the development of psychiatric disorders, especially in the context of childhood adversity. The “attenuation hypothesis” postulates that chronic childhood adversity leads to initial hyperactivation of the HPAA, which subsequently may turn into hypoactivation during adolescence, and support the development of emotional and behavioural problems. However, studies investigating this hypothesis during the course of adolescence are rare. Methods The sample comprised 49 adolescents (f/m 19/30), subsampled from a larger longitudinal study on adolescent development. Assessments were performed at three points in time (T1-T3). Pituitary Gland Volume (PGV) as an estimate of chronic HPAA activity was measured by MRI at T1 (mean age 12.5) and T3 (mean age 16.5). HPAA functioning was assessed via multiple salivary cortisol measures at T2 (mean age 15.5). The Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR) was calculated as a measure of HPAA activity. Additionally, childhood adversity was assessed at T2 using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Results There was a significant sex-specific association of PGV at T1 and HPAA activity at T2. While PGV was positively predicting HPAA activity in boys, girls showed a reverse pattern (attenuation of the HPAA). A blunted CAR in girls was significantly related to their report of childhood adversity. Conclusions The results show that girls may have a higher tendency of attenuation of the HPAA in the context of childhood adversity and initial hyperactivation of the HPAA. This may contribute to their higher risk for diverse psychiatric disorders during adolescence.

Yapısal aile sistemleri kuramı bağlamında ergenlik döneminde aile yapısı ve ergenlik dönemi sorunları

In this study, changes in family structure during adolescence and adolescent psychological problems were reviewed in the context of structural family systems theory. Initially, the main characteristics of general systems theory and the fundamental assumptions of structural family systems theory were mentioned. Changes in famiconcepts of structural family systems theory and related research findings. Finally, some psychological problems and psychiatric disorders in adolescence were evaluated in terms of family cohesion, hierarchy, and alliances.ly structure during adolescence were examined based on the main.

Introduction to the supplement

Introduction to the supplement

S.20.04 Impaired set-shifting as an endophenotype of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders

S.20.04 Impaired set-shifting as an endophenotype of child and adolescent psychiatric disorders