Discover mental health最新文献

Upwards of 50% of people do not respond to the primary treatment modalities for major depressive disorder (MDD), which has led to increased attention and use of alternative methods, including exercise and psychedelics. While interventions using either exercise or psychedelics have demonstrated largely positive results in isolation, their synergistic potential has yet to be explored. As such, this commentary provides an overview of exercise/psychedelics as a treatment for depression and their potential synergy and/or complementarity. From a biological perspective, psychedelics acutely enhance brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signalling, while exercise provides sustained BDNF elevation; psychedelics enhance neuroplasticity largely in the cortex (with only modest effects in the hippocampus), while exercise boosts hippocampal neurogenesis; psychedelics increase glutamate release via stimulation of 5-HT_2A receptors on pyramidal neurons, while exercise enhances glutamatergic transmission via the endocannabinoid system and reduction of systemic inflammation; both boost serotonin release; and psychedelics temporarily disrupt functional connectivity between the hippocampus and default mode network (DMN), while exercise normalizes this connectivity, which may sustain post-psychedelic gains. Through the lens of psychological and behaviour change, psychedelics appear to facilitate the adoption or maintenance of physical activity habits, increase psychological flexibility, and since exercise is associated with emotional resilience to acute stress, this may allow users to experience deeper immersion and exploration during their psychedelic experience, improving antidepressant outcomes. In summary, exercise and psychedelics have numerous potential complementary mechanisms, therefore, future research is warranted to explore the efficacy, tolerability, safety, and neurobiology of this combination.

Social network analysis (SNA) offers an innovative approach to understand youths' complex social support systems. Growing work highlights links between youths' social networks and mental health. We used SNA to examine associations between social network characteristics and psychological empowerment, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress among youth living in areas with concentrated disadvantage. We administered egocentric social network surveys in which youth (i.e., egos) enumerated individuals in their social network (i.e., alters), answered questions about each alter, and described how alters were connected. We measured psychological empowerment and mental health symptoms with validated instruments. There were 111 youth in the analytic sample (mean age: 14.6 years [SD: 1.5]; female: n = 63 [57%]; Black: n = 79 [71%]; multiracial/other: n = 23 [21%]). Among 477 alters, most were parents/guardians, siblings, or extended family. Higher betweenness centrality (i.e., a measure of connectivity) was associated with greater anxiety and post-traumatic stress after adjusting for other variables. Findings illustrate that network connectivity may exert varying influences on mental health symptoms. Ongoing work is needed to describe the dynamic nature of youth support systems and how these relationships can be leveraged to promote well-being.

Background: Anxiety disorders are common in children and adolescents worldwide and can seriously affect their functioning and well-being. They often continue into adulthood and are linked to other psychiatric problems. Although treatments have improved, significant challenges remain, especially in non-Western regions due to cultural and access barriers.

Objective: This systematic narrative review aimed to synthesize international and Persian literature (2005-2024) regarding the prevalence, outcomes, and effectiveness of interventions for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, with specific attention to the Iranian context.

Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, comprehensive searches were conducted across international (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Cochrane) and Persian (SID, MagIran) databases. Sixty-four studies were included based on predefined eligibility criteria. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers, and a narrative synthesis approach was employed due to heterogeneity across studies.

Results: Findings confirm high prevalence and chronicity of anxiety disorders in youth globally and in Iran. Untreated anxiety is consistently linked to academic impairment, social withdrawal, and increased risk for future psychopathology. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) emerged as the most effective intervention, with response rates of 55-65%, especially when combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which further increased success rates to approximately 75-80%. Family-based and school-based interventions also demonstrated efficacy, though cultural adaptation remains limited. Systemic barriers, including provider shortages and stigma, impede care in resource-limited settings such as Iran.

Conclusion: Anxiety disorders in youth constitute a major public health concern requiring culturally sensitive, evidence-based interventions. While CBT and combined treatments are effective, future research should focus on cultural adaptation, innovative delivery models, and system-level solutions to bridge the treatment gap in low- and middle-income countries.