Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders (OCRDs) represent a group of conditions in which lack of response to first-line treatments, such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) is common. Therefore, exploring alternative strategies is necessary. We conducted a systematic review of the use of lithium in OCRDs.

Depression severely affects the psychosocial functioning and quality of life of patients. Among first-line selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the incidence of neuropsychiatric side effects caused by paroxetine is 4-6 times higher than that caused by citalopram.

Emotion regulation (ER) is essential for psychological functioning and daily life. Deficits in ER are associated with various psychiatric disorders and are important targets for therapeutic interventions. Self-compassion, the practice of responding to one's own suffering with kindness, has been proposed to support adaptive ER. This study examined changes during a 6-week psychiatric inpatient rehabilitation program to evaluate the effects of a mindfulness- and self-compassion-based intervention on ER.

Among the possible risk factors for dyslexia and specific learning disabilities (SLD) in children, being exposed to heavy metals in the environment has been considered a significant one, serving as a biological marker. The precise mechanisms by which heavy metals affect cognitive functions were discussed. However, their shared affinity for NMDA receptors or the Na+/K+ ATPase pump can disrupt the balance between reactive oxygen species and antioxidants. Several studies have scrutinized the effect of heavy and toxic metals on dyslexia. Consequently, this research aimed to systematically assess the most recent evidence of the effects of heavy metals on SLD and dyslexia.

Insomnia is one of the most common symptoms of depression, estimated to occur in approximately 75% of adult patients with depression, and it may persist even after remission from depressive episodes. Our objectives were to evaluate the efficacy of mirtazapine in reducing insomnia and depression symptom severity, assess side effects, and compare quality of life (QoL) before and after intervention in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients with insomnia.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) represents a critical public health issue, impacting millions globally and significantly contributing to disability-adjusted life years. Major depressive episode (MDE) is a feature of MDD characterized by severe depressive symptoms. The role of glutamate, a primary excitatory neurotransmitter, in MDD has been extensively studied, and several drugs improving MDE/MDD impact the glutamate cascade; however, findings regarding blood glutamate levels in patients with a current MDE in a context of MDD remain inconsistent. This study aimed to compare blood glutamate levels between MDE/MDD patients and matched controls.

There has been an increasing focus on sex differences in bipolar disorder in recent years, yet much remains to be understood about their impact on clinical characteristics and treatment approaches. The aim of this study was to identify sex differences that could alter diagnosis and treatment strategies, potentially improving patient compliance and outcomes.

Anxiety has been described in the initial stages of schizophrenia and affective flattening in the chronic illness. The aetiology remains unknown. Ketamine, a non-competitive n-methyl-d-amino-aspartate acid receptor antagonist, is used in rats as a translational model of schizophrenia. A glutamate deficit within nucleus accumbens septi (NAS) afferent projections has been proposed to be involved in schizophrenia. The amygdala is related to memory, fear, and anxiety and is closely linked to the NAS. Here, we studied anxiety in male rats using the elevated plus maze (EPM) after receiving acute administration of different subanaesthetic doses of ketamine. The metabolic state of the amygdala was measured after ketamine treatment. The main aim of the present study was to compare the effect of different doses as emulating progressive stages of schizophrenia.

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) encompasses a range of physical, cognitive, and mental impairments frequently observed in individuals who have undergone intensive care unit treatment. This study aimed to investigate the potential of curcumin (CuC) in mitigating anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors associated with sepsis-induced PICS in mice.

Interindividual variations in antidepressant dosages required to achieve and maintain a therapeutic response are common. To mitigate the risk of recurrence, it is recommended that patients maintain treatment at a dose that effectively alleviates their acute depressive symptoms for at least 6 months. This study investigated the relationship between the antidepressant doses used for maintenance therapy and genetic polymorphisms that affect serotonin transporter activity.

Recent research suggests various app-based-programs to promote mental health, resilience, and stress management. Insights gained from studies with healthy participants could potentially offer training strategies that could also prove beneficial for people with mental disorders. The effectiveness of an app-based resilience training was evaluated.

The etiology of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) has not been fully understood, and oxidative stress may potentially contribute to its pathogenesis. However, there is no published evidence concerning the possible influence of oxidative stress on antidepressant treatment outcomes. This study investigated the ability of oxidative stress markers to predict treatment outcomes in GAD patients treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

As a late proinflammatory factor, the role of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB-1) in nervous system inflammation has been widely studied. The inflammatory response mediated by HMGB-1 plays an important role in the pathophysiological mechanism of depression. This study aimed to investigate the antidepressant effects of forced running on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) mice by examining the impact on hippocampal HMGB-1.

The relationship between vitamin D levels and cognition in young patients with schizophrenia remains incompletely understood. We explored the association between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D concentration and long-term memory (i.e., 30-min delayed recall in the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. The body mass index was measured due to the accumulation of vitamin D in fat.

Depression is a prevalent mental health disorder. miR-27a regulates neuronal development. This study aimed to investigate the association between the miR-27a rs895819 polymorphism and antidepressant treatment response in patients with depression.

Introduction: Although lithium has long been considered the gold standard for mood stabilization in the treatment of bipolar disorder, growing concerns about its adverse events have significantly undermined its once-trusted status. This study aims to conduct a pharmacovigilance analysis of lithium to provide a more comprehensive understanding of its safety profile.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe and complex eating disorder (ED), whose incidence has increased following the COVID-19 pandemic, straining specialized healthcare systems worldwide. Although patients often resort to compulsive exercise as a means of weight control, prolonged fasting intensifies the urge to move, leading to increased motor restlessness. Despite progress in understanding AN, interventions often overlook the crucial role that the urge to be physically active plays in reinforcing the ED itself. This case series tested the feasibility of a Virtual Reality-based Running Exposure (VR-RE) protocol to target the acute urge to be physically active in inpatients with severe AN undergoing rehabilitation.

It has been hypothesized that vitamin C may have antidepressant effect through its antioxidant property. However, evidence is still scarce to ascertain the effect of dietary vitamin C on depressive symptoms.

The present study investigated the electroencephalography (EEG) characteristics of gaming disorder (GD) and examined whether these EEG indices are associated with decision-making style and impulsivity in GD.

Lithium carbonate is a valuable and effective medication for treating and preventing mood disorders, especially bipolar disorder. Its narrow therapeutic window necessitates regular blood lithium monitoring. Existing literature does not conclusively support the reliability of salivary or erythrocyte lithium measurements. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive relationships between lithium concentrations in saliva, plasma, and erythrocytes at multiple time points during the day in patients receiving lithium carbonate treatment. The goal was to assess the temporal dynamics and relative utility of these biological matrices for therapeutic monitoring, while also considering the potential clinical advantages of noninvasive sampling methods.