In response to the rise in suicidal behaviour and the strategies to address it, community actions represent a comprehensive approach to the factors influencing this situation. The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of mutual support on the recovery of individuals who experienced suicidal behaviour and attended community mental health groups.

A qualitative study was conducted in 2023. Focus groups were used as a data collection technique, followed by thematic analysis. Participants were selected based on convenience from mutual support groups registered with the Ministry of Health of Colombia.

Two main themes were identified in the thematic analysis. The first theme, "Own Reasons Through Others," was composed of categories such as "What Others See in Me" and "The Importance of Being in the Same Boat." The second theme was titled "The Community as a Space for Suicide Prevention," with categories including "Human Rights for Recovery" and "What We Can Achieve Together."

Pluralism, understood as the integration of diverse perspectives, is crucial for addressing complex phenomena such as mental health and community interventions. The study demonstrates how mutual aid groups and their members can generate collective and policy actions effective for managing suicidal behaviour.

Research on stress has demonstrated that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis contributes to major depressive disorder in youth. Hair glucocorticoids are key biological markers of chronic stress. We assessed group differences in hair cortisol and cortisone concentrations, and the cortisol/cortisone ratio between depressed adolescent women and a non-depressed comparison group. Further, within the depression group, we explored the contribution of symptom severity and clinical correlates of depression in relation to glucocorticoid concentrations. Hair samples of three centimeters for 74 adolescent women (41 in the depression group and 33 in the comparison group), aged between 12 and 19 years old, were analyzed. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Beck Youth Inventory II and clinical correlates of depression were measured using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form and the Borderline Personality Features Scale for Children. No significant differences emerged between the depression group and the comparison group on hair cortisol or hair cortisone concentrations. However, groups differed significantly on the cortisol/cortisone ratio, a proposed proxy of 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, with a higher ratio for the depression group. Within the depression group, neither symptom severity nor clinical correlates were associated with glucocorticoid concentrations. Although cross-sectional, our findings highlight the importance of future studies to test whether the group difference found in cortisol/cortisone ratio is the result of alterations in 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes (type 1 or 2) activity. Further research is thus needed to clarify the role of these enzymes in major depressive disorder in youth and to develop more targeted intervention strategies.

The hippocampus is central in the pathophysiology of depression. Subregions of the hippocampus (head, body, tail) have been implicated in adult depression, though research examining depression and hippocampal subregions in youth has been limited. This study aimed to examine associations between preadolescent hippocampal subregions and depression risk as well as their interactions with factors associated with depression risk, including biological sex and socioeconomic status (SES). Hippocampal subregions were extracted from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study baseline sample (N = 10,469, ages 9-10 years). Depression risk factors included maternal lifetime depression, child depressive symptoms, and child internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Maternal depression was measured through the Family History Questionnaire, and child symptoms were measured through the Child Behavioral Checklist. Results identified associations between hippocampal volumes and future increases in internalizing symptoms (N = 9738). Further, associations between hippocampal subregions and depression risk were moderated by biological sex and SES: males, but not females, with maternal depression exhibited lower hippocampal tail volumes (N = 9826), and for preadolescents with low, but not high, SES, greater hippocampal head volumes predicted increased internalizing symptoms at baseline (N = 10,294) and at the 24-month follow up (N = 7069-7086). Together, this study demonstrates the importance of hippocampal subregions within preadolescent depression risk and identifies subgroups, including preadolescent males and those with low SES, that may be at particular risk.

The phenomenology of depression is characterized by a wide array of emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms that significantly disrupt an individual's life. Societal changes, driven by technological advancements, economic pressures, environmental concerns including climate change, and shifting cultural norms, have influenced how depression manifests and is understood. These developments have led to the identification of new depression subtypes, highlighting the need for personalized treatment approaches based on individual symptoms and underlying causes.

The authors provide a comprehensive narrative review of the literature on managing novel depression subtypes, focusing on both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. Specifically, scenarios recorded were related to i) depression in adolescents and young adults; ii) depression and social disconnection; iii) depression and alcohol/substance use disorder; iv) depression and gender dysphoria; v) depression, stressful events, and other environmental factors.

In the novel depression subtypes discussed, individualized treatment approaches tailored to the individual's specific circumstances are necessary. While selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) remain the cornerstone of treatment for many forms of depression, atypical antidepressants such as trazodone, and emerging therapies like ketamine, neuromodulation techniques, and personalized psychotherapy offer hope for those with complex or treatment-resistant presentations.

This study aimed to develop a machine-learning-based predictive model to identify adolescents at high risk of depression using longitudinal analysis to determine changes in risk factors over time.

This longitudinal study used 4 years of data from the Korea Child and Youth Panel Survey (2018-2021). The classification of high-risk depression was the outcome variable, with predictors categorized into general characteristics and personal, family, and school factors. The machine learning algorithms used in the analysis included logistic regression, support vector machine, decision tree, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting.

Among the 1833 adolescents classified as having a low risk of depression during the initial survey year, 27.8 % were identified as being at a high risk of depression over the subsequent 3 years. The extreme gradient boosting algorithm yielded the best performance with an area under the curve of 0.9302. The key predictors identified included violent tendencies, self-esteem, sleep duration, gender, and coercive parenting style.

A machine-learning-based predictive model for identifying adolescents at high risk of depression was developed. These findings provide a foundation for early screening and the development of intervention programs and policies aimed at mitigating adolescent depression risk.

Early-onset major depressive disorder (EO-MDD) is characterized by its significant heterogeneity, hindering progress in research. Traditional case-control studies, like group-level structural covariance network, struggle to capture individual heterogeneity among EO-MDD patients.

In this study, T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging was obtained from 185 participants, including 103 EO-MDD patients and 82 healthy controls. A subject-level individual differential structural covariance network (IDSCN) was constructed for each patient based on the concept of normative model. Semi-supervised clustering algorithms were then employed to classify EO-MDD subtypes, followed by validation analyses to assess clustering stability.

Our study identified two neuroanatomical subtypes. The low-covariance subtype is characterized by significant neural maturation gaps across the whole brain and more pronounced anxiety somatization symptoms. Conversely, the high-covariance subtype demonstrates simultaneous mature of brain structures.

Our findings provide valuable insights into the neuroanatomical heterogeneity of EO-MDD patients, highlighting the importance of considering individual symptom profiles in subtype classification. These findings have substantial clinical implications for personalized treatment and precision medicine, offering more effective treatment choices and accurate diagnoses.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may increase the risk of depression through various hypothesized mechanisms. Studies regarding this relationship with children are limited. This systematic review aims to assess the prevalence of depression in pediatric patients with OSA. Five electronic databases, grey literature, and reference lists of included studies were systematically searched. Studies reporting the prevalence of depression, as described by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), psychiatric evaluation or other validated screening measures, in children with OSA diagnosed by polysomnography (PSG), or at high risk for OSA based on positive scores on other validated measures were included. The risk of bias was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Checklist for cross-sectional studies. Six studies from three countries and over 2300 pediatric patients were included. This meta-analysis showed an overall 28 % prevalence of depression among children with OSA or at high risk for OSA, which is almost two-fold higher than among children without OSA (controls). Overall, this meta-analysis suggests that around one out of every four children with or at high risk for OSA could have depression, and one in 10 children if OSA has been confirmed by PSG. Screening of OSA in pediatric patients with symptoms of depression and vice versa, screening of depressive symptoms in children with suspected or confirmed OSA, may be valuable areas of focus for multidisciplinary preventative care to optimize psychiatric treatment.

Depression and anxiety are often comorbid among adolescents. Adolescent screen time changes over time. This study investigates the association between screen time trajectories and the comorbidity of depression and anxiety from a longitudinal perspective. The data were collected from an ongoing prospective puberty cohort which was established in 2014 from Chongqing, China. 838 participants (52.03 % female; wave 1 mean age = 8.62, SD = 1.15) were followed up from 2014 to 2020. Questions about screen time were administered every six months. Trajectories of screen time were identified using latent class growth analysis. Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) were used to measure depression and anxiety. Latent profile analysis was used to identify the subtypes of comorbidity of depression and anxiety. Logistic regression was used to explore the association between screen time trajectory and the comorbidity of depression and anxiety. Three distinct trajectories of screen time were identified: Group Low (68.26 %) had consistently low screen time, Group High (26.37 %) had high screen time and Group Increasing (5.37 %) was characterized by an increasing screen time. Four subtypes of the comorbidity of depression and anxiety were fitted ("High comorbidity", "Low comorbidity", "Low depression symptoms" and "No symptoms"). Group Increasing and Group High were associated with "Low comorbidity" and "Low depression symptoms". Group Increasing was more likely to be the "high comorbidity" both boys and girls. However, Group High was associated with "high comorbidity" only in girls. The results of this study may inform future research and provide possible intervention targets.

Social media use is often highlighted as an important cause of the recent rise in depression among adolescents. However, this perspective overlooks a crucial reverse causality, namely that levels of depression might also shape adolescents' social media use. In a diary study among 479 adolescents (Mage = 15.98; 16.9% clinically depressed), we assessed their level of depression and then monitored their social media activities and experiences daily for 100 subsequent days. Depressed adolescents did not differ from their non-depressed peers in the frequency of posting and the time spent scrolling. However, they reported feeling twice as insecure after scrolling, nearly twice as rejected during online communication with friends, and significantly more preoccupied with feedback. Our findings underscore the need for further research into the mechanisms of how depressive symptoms influence adolescents' social media experiences, to inform the development of effective digital tools and therapeutic approaches to support adolescent mental health.

The isotemporal substitution model can be used to explore the impact of the isotemporal substitution of different behaviors on human health. The association between sleep duration and mental health may be non-linear, but the relationship between the isotemporal substitution of movement behaviors and mental health in different sleep duration groups has not been explored. A questionnaire survey was conducted among Grade 1-3 students in 14 vocational schools in China, and 8149 valid questionnaires were obtained, of which 58.80% were in sleep-insufficient group, and 32.56% were detected with depression symptoms. The isotemporal substitution model was used for analysis. In the sleep-insufficient group, substituting 10 minutes/day of vigorous physical activity (β=-0.318, 95%I = -0.498~-0.138), walking (β=-0.254, 95%I = -0.381~-0.126) and sedentary behavior (β=-0.234, 95%I = -0.337~-0.130) with isotemporal moderate physical activity, or substituting vigorous physical activity (β=-0.465, 95%I = -0.577~-0.353), moderate physical activity (β=-0.147, 95%I = -0.263~-0.031), walking (β=-0.400,95%I = -0.476~-0.324) and sedentary behavior (β=-0.380,95%I = -0.434~-0.327) with isotemporal sleep, were negatively associated with depression; and substituting moderate physical activity (β = 0.318, 95%CI = 0.138 ~ 0.498) and sleep (β = 0.465, 95%CI = 0.353 ~ 0.577) with isotemporal vigorous physical activity was positively associated with depression. In the sleep-sufficient group, replacing sedentary behavior (β=-0.129, 95%I = -0.244~-0.013) with equivalent moderate physical activity was negatively associated with depression; replacing moderate physical activity (β = 0.219, 95%CI = 0.101 ~ 0.338), walking (β = 0.112, 95%CI = 0.040 ~ 0.185) and sedentary behavior (β = 0.091, 95%CI = 0.058 ~ 0.124) with equivalent sleep was positively associated with depression. For the sleep-insufficient group, substituting vigorous physical activity, walking, and sedentary behavior with isotemporal moderate physical activity and sleep had greater negative association with depression than the sleep-sufficient group. In conclusion, for the sleep-insufficient group, the substitution that was largest negatively associated with depression was sleep for other behaviors, and for sleep-sufficient group it was moderate physical activity for other behaviors. In future interventions, the sleep-insufficient group may achieve greater effects than the sleep-sufficient group if they use moderate physical activity and sleep instead of other behaviors.

Adolescent depression is a significant global health challenge, with many patients responding inadequately to antidepressant treatments. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3 PUFAs) have been proposed as a potential adjunctive treatment, but their precise mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the mechanisms through which ω3 PUFAs exert their antidepressant effects and to identify potential biomarkers for their therapeutic response. A comprehensive assessment of plasma metabolomic and erythrocyte membrane lipidomic was performed on 51 depressed adolescents who were randomly assigned to received either ω3 PUFAs plus paroxetine (n = 27) or paroxetine alone (n = 24) for 12 weeks. Following ω3 PUFA supplementation, phospholipid metabolism emerged as the most significantly altered pathway. ω3 PUFAs markedly influenced the composition of membrane fatty acids, significantly increasing the ω3 PUFA content, decreasing the ω6/ω3 PUFA ratio, and increasing membrane fluidity. Notably, ω3 PUFAs reduced lipid peroxidation in both plasma and cell membranes while enhancing antioxidant capacity in the membranes. Moreover, alterations in phospholipids and membrane function were significantly correlated with improvements in depressive symptoms and cognitive function. Importantly, ω3 PUFA supplementation resulted in greater improvement in clinical symptoms compared to the non-supplemented group exclusively in the subgroup with high baseline oxidative damage levels. This study suggests that ω3 PUFAs promoted phospholipid integration and alleviated oxidative stress, which may account for their antidepressant effects. Lipid oxidation biomarkers could help identify patients likely to benefit from ω3 PUFA supplementation. These findings advance our understanding of the mechanism and clinical application of ω3 PUFAs in treating adolescent depression.

Puberty, particularly menarche, involves hormonal changes that may influence depressive symptoms. However, research on the association between age at menarche (AAM) and depression yields contradictory results, possibly due to sample differences and differences in socioeconomic status, parenting style, and cultural factors within each studied population. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the association between AAM and depression in a large cohort of the Northern Iranian population.

This cross-sectional study comprised 6103 female adults aged between 35 and 70 years from the Tabari cohort study. The association between depression and three different AAM subgroups (≤ 11 as early menarche, 12-13 as normal menarche, and ≥ 14 as late menarche) was compared using logestic regression models after adjusted sociodemographic factors.

The crude model showed that females with early AAM and normal AAM had higher odds of depression (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.96-1.69, P = 0.09, and OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.03-1.43, P = 0.024, respectively) compared to the late AAM group (P for trend = 0.042). However, in the fully adjusted model, there were no significant associations (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.73-1.29, P = 0.827 for early versus late AAM, and OR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.82-1.17, P = 0.830 for normative versus late AAM).

Our results indicated that, while no significant relationship was observed between different AAM subgroups and depression in the multivariable model, there was a notable trend suggesting an improvement in depression with later AAM.

Long wait times impede timely access to mental health treatment for anxiety and depression for adolescents. However, there is limited quantitative research on current wait times for the treatment of anxiety and depression for adolescents in Australia and the impact of wait times on adolescent help-seekers.

This study examined adolescents' experiences of wait times for the treatment of anxiety and depression in Australia, including the providers they were waiting to access, the self-reported duration and perceived acceptability of wait times, the association between these wait times and psychological distress and the support and coping behaviours used by adolescents during this time.

From April to June 2022, 375 adolescents aged 13-17 years who were living in Australia and currently waiting, or had previously waited in the past 12 months, for mental health treatment for anxiety and depression completed a cross-sectional online survey.

Most adolescents initiated care with psychologists and psychiatrists, with mean wait times of 100.1 days (SD: 77.25) and 127.5 days (SD: 78.80), respectively. The mean wait time across all treatment providers was 99.6 days (SD: 80.44). Most participants (85.2%) felt their wait times were 'too long'. Longer wait times were associated with increased psychological distress, and many adolescents perceived that their mental health worsened during the wait time. Most participants did not receive any support from their healthcare providers during the wait time and engaged in maladaptive and risky coping behaviours while waiting. However, self-reported treatment attendance remained high.

Adolescents in Australia face lengthy wait times when accessing mental health treatment, and this may exacerbate distress and maladaptive coping.

Exposure to psychosocial stress is one of the strongest risk factors for major depressive disorder (MDD) in youth, but underlying neurobiological mechanisms are poorly understood. Previous studies on the neuroendocrine stress response in youth with MDD are scarce, limited to cortisol, and rarely considered sex differences. Due to puberty-associated neuroendocrine transitions increasing the risk for MDD onset in adolescence, this study aimed to investigate sex-specific stress responses of stress and sex hormones as well as of neuropeptides.

In 103 pubertal youths with MDD and 72 healthy controls (HCs; 62% females, 12-18 years), psychological stress as well as salivary cortisol, testosterone, and oxytocin reactivity to a standardized psychosocial stress test (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) were assessed. Effects of group and sex, and their interactions were analyzed using hierarchical linear models, while controlling for potentially confounding factors (such as age and pubertal status).

Females and males with MDD showed a stronger psychological stress response than HCs. In contrast, both female and male youth with MDD showed blunted cortisol, testosterone, and oxytocin stress responses compared to HCs. In addition, baseline testosterone was elevated in MDD compared to HCs.

Results indicate a discrepant stress reactivity in youth with MDD, with increased psychological, but decreased neuroendocrine responses to psychosocial stress. Blunted neuroendocrine stress responses in youth with MDD were found across different neuroendocrine systems and in both females and males with MDD. These novel findings point to a fundamentally changed stress response in youth with MDD irrespective of sex, which may influence successful stress regulation in the affected adolescents.

Depressive disorders (DD) are significant mood disorders with a notable female preference, especially affecting the well-being of women of childbearing age (WCBA). This population with DD was notably associated with severe complications during the perinatal period, leading to unfavourable maternal mortality and morbidity.

This study extracted data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021. We analysed the number of cases, calculated the age-standardized prevalence rate, and performed the age-period-cohort (APC) model to estimate prevalence trends and age, period, and cohort effects from 1992 to 2021.

From 1992 to 2021, the global number of WCBA with DD surged by 59.46 %, reaching 121 million cases up to 2021. India, China, and the USA had over 40 million prevalence cases, accounting for 36.17 % of global prevalence. The global net drift of DD prevalence among WCBA was -0.13 % per year (95 % CI: -0.17 % to -0.09 %). Age effects demonstrated similar patterns that the prevalence risk rose with age. All SDI regions showed unfavourable prevalence risks surging in the period of 2017-2021. The cohort risk of prevalence increased globally in younger generations after the 1987-1996 cohort.

Although the overall temporal trend (net drift) presented a downward trend in DD prevalence among WCBA over the past three decades, the prevalence cases had continued to rise with unfavourable period and cohort effects. Since COVID-19 triggered a massive increase in the prevalence of depressive disorders worldwide, there is an urgent need for stakeholders and policy makers to strengthen mental health-care systems.

Depression is a prevalent mental disorder that affects numerous individuals, manifesting as persistent anhedonia, sadness, and hopelessness. Despite extensive research, the exact causes and optimal treatment approaches for depression remain unclear. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), which carry biological molecules such as proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and metabolites, have emerged as crucial players in both pathological and physiological processes. EVs derived from various sources exert distinct effects on depression. Specifically, EVs released by neurons, astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, immune cells, stem cells, and even bacteria contribute to the pathogenesis of depression. Moreover, there is growing interest in potential of EVs as diagnostic and therapeutic tools for depression. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent research on EVs from different sources, their roles in depression, and their potential clinical applications.

The prevalence of psychological symptoms among adolescents continues to increase. Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) duration are associated with psychological symptoms, respectively. However, few national studies have been conducted in developing countries, and there is a lack of research on the association between the combined effects of SSB consumption and MVPA duration and psychological symptoms in adolescents.

In this study, 50,222 adolescents aged 12-18 years nationwide in China were assessed cross-sectionally for SSB consumption, MVPA duration, psychological symptoms, and basic participant characteristics using stratified whole-cluster random sampling in 2023. The associations of SSB consumption, MVPA duration, and psychological symptoms were analyzed using nonparametric tests, t-tests, logistic regression analyses, and ordered logistic regression analyses with generalized linear models.

The prevalence of psychological symptoms among Chinese adolescents is 20.1 %. The proportion of adolescents with SSB consumption >4 times/week was 14.8 %. The results of ordered logistic regression analysis showed that the adolescents in the group with SSB consumption <1 times/week and MVPA duration >60 min/day were used as the reference group， adolescents in the group with SSB consumption >4 times/week and MVPA duration <30 min/day had the highest risk (OR = 2.28, 95 % CI: 1.98-2.64) of the prevalence of psychological symptoms (P < 0.001). The same trend was observed in boys and girls.

SSB consumption, MVPA duration, and psychological symptoms were associated with each other in Chinese adolescents. Increasing SSB consumption and decreasing MVPA duration will lead to an increase in the prevalence of psychological symptoms in adolescents. In the future, SSB consumption and MVPA duration should be effectively controlled to reduce the prevalence of psychological symptoms and to promote the physical and mental health of Chinese adolescents.

Major depressive disorder (MDD), a psychiatric disorder characterized by functional brain deficits, poses considerable diagnostic and treatment challenges, especially in adolescents owing to varying clinical presentations. Biomarkers hold substantial clinical potential in the field of mental health, enabling objective assessments of physiological and pathological states, facilitating early diagnosis, and enhancing clinical decision-making and patient outcomes. Recent breakthroughs combine neuroimaging with machine learning (ML) to distinguish brain activity patterns between MDD patients and healthy controls, paving the way for diagnostic support and personalized treatment. However, the accuracy of the results depends on the selection of neuroimaging features and algorithms. Ensuring privacy protection, ML model accuracy, and fostering trust are essential steps prior to clinical implementation. Future research should prioritize the establishment of comprehensive legal frameworks and regulatory mechanisms for using ML in MDD diagnosis while safeguarding patient privacy and rights. By doing so, we can advance accuracy and personalized care for MDD.

Folate and vitamin B12 are associated with neurodevelopment and neurotransmitter synthesis and insufficiencies of these nutrients could be linked to psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. To assess serum levels of folate and B12 in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients and examine possible links between these levels and different psychiatric disorders. Child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients admitted in a general hospital during a 3-year period were included for analysis. Folate and B12 levels were measured when the subjects were admitted. Psychiatric diagnoses were made following DSM-5 criteria and grouped into categories. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the effects of socio-demographic variables as well as folate and B12 levels, insufficiencies and deficits as possible predictors of outcome (psychiatric diagnostic category). 729 inpatients (60.6% female, mean age: 15.1 ± 2 years) were included. A total of 42.9% presented insufficient folate levels and 19.4% insufficient B12 levels. Insufficient B12 levels were associated with depressive disorders in the multivariate model (OR = 0.82, p = 0.002) as was female sex (OR = 1.65, p = 0.007). Moreover, low vitamin B12 levels were linked to schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD, OR = 0.9982, p = 0.024). In contrast, higher folate (OR = 1.15, p < 0.001) and vitamin B12 levels (1.0024, p = 0.002) as well as female sex (OR = 7.86, p < 0.001) were associated with eating disorders. Insufficient or low B12 levels could help predict depressive and SSD respectively in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients. Further study could help us better understand the impact of this insufficiency during the neurodevelopmental period and the potential benefits of nutritional interventions.

Decreased physical activity and overnutrition among adolescents have become important public health problems shared by countries around the world. In addition, the prevalence of psychological symptoms among adolescents continues to increase, which negatively affects schooling and future quality of life. However, no studies have been found in the past on the association of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity(MVPA) and body roundness index(BRI) with psychological symptoms in Chinese adolescents. This study may provide theoretical support for the prevention and intervention of psychological symptoms among adolescents in mainland China.

From September to November 2023, MVPA, BRI, and psychological symptoms were assessed in 43,031 adolescents aged 12-17 years from different regions of mainland China. The chi-square test, t-test, logistic regression analysis, and ordered logistic regression were used to analyze the associations that existed between MVPA and BRI with psychological symptoms.

The prevalence of psychological symptoms among adolescents in mainland China was 20.3%. The proportions of adolescents with MVPA of < 30 min/day, 30-60 min/day, and > 60 min/day were 46.0%, 40.0%, and 14.0%, respectively. The adolescent BRI value was (2.02 ± 0.95); boys (2.12 ± 1.03) had a higher BRI value than girls (1.92 ± 0.86), and the difference was statistically significant (t = 22.111, P < 0.001). After adjusting for relevant covariates, ordered logistic regression analysis showed that, overall, adolescents in the group with MVPA > 60 min/day and BRI quartiles Q1 as the reference group, adolescents in the group with MVPA of 30-60 min/day and BRI quartiles Q2 (OR = 0.65, 95% CI:0.51 ∼ 0.82) had a lower risk of developing psychological symptoms (P < 0.001); adolescents in the MVPA < 30 min/day group and BRI quartiles Q4 group (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.30-2.02) had a higher risk of psychological symptoms (P < 0.001).

There is an association between MVPA and BRI and psychological symptoms among adolescents in mainland China. A decrease in MVPA and an increase in BRI were associated with an increase in the prevalence of psychological symptoms. In the future, we should effectively improve the MVPA level and maintain a reasonable BRI value in adolescents in mainland China to better promote adolescents' mental health development.

Not applicable.

Subclinical depressive symptoms and the associated risk of cognitive deficits have been overlooked. We aimed to investigate depressive symptom trajectories and the effect of depressive symptoms on cognitive performance among Chinese adolescents. The research population of our study was 1314 adolescents aged 10-15 years old from the China Family Panel Studies. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale was used to assess the depressive symptoms of adolescents. Vocabulary and mathematics tests were used to test fluid intelligence. Memory and number series tests were used to test crystal intelligence. The 6-year depressive symptom trajectories of adolescents were identified by the latent class mixed model. Linear regression models and Generalized Estimating Equation models were applied to test the associations between depressive symptom trajectories and cognitive performance. We identified three distinct trajectories of depressive symptoms: (a) low depressive symptom trajectory (88.51%), (b) remitting depressive symptom trajectory (5.86%), (c) decreasing depressive symptom trajectory (5.63%). We found that decreasing depressive symptom trajectory predicted worse fluid intelligence (β: -0.51, 95% CI: -0.88, -0.13) and crystal intelligence (β: -2.09, 95% CI: -3.78, -0.41) compared with low depressive symptom trajectory. Gender-stratified analysis showed that the negative association between depressive symptoms trajectory and crystal intelligence was only found in males. Depressive symptom episodes in early adolescence were associated with worse cognitive performance later. Performing mental health screenings, especially during the sensitive windows of cognitive development, is critical to reducing the negative impact of depressive symptoms.

Previous research studies have demonstrated cognitive deficits in adolescents with depression; however, the neuroelectrophysiological mechanisms underlying these deficits remain poorly understood. Utilizing electroencephalography (EEG) data collected during cognitive tasks, this study applies time-frequency analysis and functional connectivity (FC) techniques to explore the neuroelectrophysiological alterations associated with cognitive deficits in adolescents with depression.

A total of 173 adolescents with depression and 126 healthy controls (HC) participated in the study, undergoing EEG while performing a visual oddball task. Delta, theta, and alpha power spectra, along with FC, were calculated and analyzed.

Adolescents with depression exhibited significantly reduced delta, theta, and alpha power at the Fz, Cz, C5, C6, Pz, P5, and P6 electrodes compared to the HC group. Notably, theta power at the F5 electrode and alpha power at the F5 and F6 electrodes were significantly lower in the depression group than in the HC group. Additionally, cortical FC in the frontal and central regions was markedly decreased in adolescents with depression compared to HC.

During cognitive tasks, adolescents with depression display distinct abnormalities in both high- and low-frequency brain oscillations, as well as reduced functional connectivity in the frontal, central, and parietal regions compared to HC. These findings offer valuable neuroelectrophysiological insights into the cognitive deficits associated with adolescent depression.

Depression, one of the most prevalent mental disorders, constitutes a pressing threat to global population health. In recent years, an increasing number of observational studies have explored the association between health literacy (HL) and depression risk; however, their results are inconsistent. Furthermore, no study has yet systematically synthesized this association based on findings from observational studies.

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

A systematic literature search was performed to identify eligible studies from five databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library). The overall odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to evaluate the role of HL in the development and progression of depression using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the potential sources of heterogeneity.

Eleven observational studies, including nine cross-sectional and two longitudinal studies, were included in the current review. Meta-analysis revealed that higher levels of HL were associated with lower risk of depression (OR = 0.90, 95 % CI: 0.86-0.94). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that studies of adolescent individuals using the Chinese Adolescent Interactive Health Literacy Questionnaire (CAIHLQ) to quantify HL exhibited stronger associations (OR = 0.43, 95 % CI: 0.34-0.54).

Our meta-analysis demonstrated a statistically significant negative association between adequate levels of HL and the likelihood of depression, especially among adolescents. More longitudinal studies with rigorous design are needed to further explore the causal relationship and long-term associations.

Background/Objectives: Alexithymia, emotion regulation, and impulsivity are key factors in youths with mood disorders. However, gender differences within these dimensions remain insufficiently studied in this population. This study seeks to explore these dimensions in a sample of adolescents and young adults with mood disorders, aiming to identify gender-specific characteristics with important clinical implications. Methods: We assessed 115 outpatients aged 13 to 25 years with a DSM-5 diagnosis of mood disorder. The evaluation included the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale. The associations with suicidal ideation were tested using two different multivariate models. Results were controlled for age and intelligence measures. Results: The first model (Wilks' Lambda = 0.720, p < 0.001) revealed significantly higher scores in women than men for TAS-20 (p < 0.001), DERS (p < 0.001), and the UPPS-P subscales "Lack of Premeditation" (p = 0.004) and "Lack of Perseverance" (p = 0.001). Regression analyses confirmed gender as a significant predictor of these variables, also controlling for age and intelligence. Furthermore, intelligence measure influenced Lack of Premeditation and age influenced Lack of Perseverance. Conclusions: Women with mood disorders exhibit greater alexithymia, emotional dysregulation, and impulsivity, particularly in difficulties with planning and task persistence. These findings highlight the need for gender-sensitive interventions that address emotional awareness and impulse control to improve clinical outcomes.

Secure attachment has been associated with a lower incidence of depressive symptoms in adolescents. Adolescence is an important period for attachment development as it shapes future attachment patterns. This study adopts a social support perspective to explore the transition from parental attachment to peer attachment, and its impact on reducing depression.

A sample of 7792 students from China, aged 11 to 19 years (mean = 15.19, SD = 2.564), completed three questionnaires: the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment, the Social Support Scale, and the Self-Depression Scale. SEM was used to analyze the mediating and moderating role of social support and peer attachment in the relationship between parental attachment and depression with gender as covariates.

Peer attachment partially mediated the relationship between parental attachment and depression among Chinese adolescents (β = -0.17, p < 0.001). Social support moderated the association between parental attachment and depression, indicating that higher levels of social support mitigate the negative influence of insecure parental attachment on adolescent depression (β = -0.02, p < 0.05). Furthermore, social support mediated the relationship between peer attachment and parental attachment, suggesting that secure peer attachment and good social support jointly buffer against depressive symptoms in adolescents (β = -0.077, p < 0.001).

The findings highlight important implications for developing targeted interventions to reduce adolescent depression. By recognizing the power of social support, we hope to provide valuable insights into practical strategies for addressing and alleviating adolescent depression.

The aim was to assess the clinical and radiographic peri-implant status among type-2 diabetic and non-diabetic individuals with major depressive disorders (MDD). Participants were divided into four groups; Group-1: patients with type-2 diabetes; Group-2: patients with MDD; Group-3: patients with type-2 diabetes and MDD; Group-4: healthy controls. Demographic data was collected, and medical history including most recent hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were retrieved from healthcare records. Peri-implant modified plaque and gingival indices (MPI and mGI) and peri-implant probing depth (PPD) were recorded; and crestal bone loss (CBL) was measured. Sample-size was estimated using data from a pilot investigation. Statistical analysis was performed using one way-analysis of variance and Bonferroni Post-hoc adjustment tests. P-vales below 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Thirty, 30, 30 and 30 individuals were included in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4. Mean HbA1c levels were higher in groups 1, 2 and 3 compared with Group-4 (P < 0.05). Thirty-seven, 40, 43 and 36 implants were present in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. In groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, the implants were in function for a mean duration of 4.7 ± 2.4, 4.9 ± 1.8, 5.05 ± 1.7 and 10.6 ± 2.2 years, respectively. The mPI, mGI, PPD and CBL were significantly higher in groups 1, 2 and 3 than individuals in Group-4 (P < 0.05). There was significant correlation between peri-implant PD and HbA1c levels among individuals in Group-1 (P < 0.05). Peri-implant soft tissue and osseous statuses are compromised among patients with type-2 DM, and MDD regardless of whether these conditions occur individually or in combination. Clinical relevance: Peri-implant soft tissue and osseous statuses are compromised among patients with type-2 DM, and MDD regardless of whether these conditions occur individually or in combination.

Psychotropic medications are commonly used for neurodivergent children, but their effectiveness varies, making prescribing challenging and potentially exposing individuals to multiple medication trials. We developed artificial intelligence (AI) models to predict medication success for stimulants, anti-depressants, and anti-psychotics. We first demonstrate feasibility using cross-sectional data from three research cohorts, then use a cohort of patients from a pharmacology clinic to predict medication choice by class, longitudinally, from electronic medical records (EMRs).

Models were built to predict cross-sectional medication usage from the Child Behaviour Checklist. Data from the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental (POND) network (N=598) trained and tested the models, while data from the Healthy Brain Network (HBN; N=1,764) and Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD; N=2,396) studies were used for external validation. For the EMR cohort, data from the Psychopharmacology Program (PPP; N=312) at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital were used to predict longitudinal success. Stacked ensemble models were built separately for each medication class, and area under the receiving operating characteristic curve (AU-ROC) evaluated performance.

The research cohorts demonstrated feasibility, with internal testing (POND) achieving an AU-ROC (mean [95% CI]) of 0.72 [0.71,0.74] for stimulants, 0.83 [0.80,0.85] for anti-depressants, and 0.79 [0.76,0.82] for anti-psychotics. Performance in external testing sets (HBN and ABCD) confirmed generalizability. In the EMR cohort (PPP), AU-ROC were high: 0.90 [0.88,0.91] for anti-psychotics, 0.82 [0.92,0.83] for stimulants and 0.82 [0.80,0.84] for anti-depressants.

This study demonstrates the feasibility of using AI to enhance medication management for neurodivergent children, with expert clinician decisions learned with high accuracy. These findings support the potential for AI decision aids in community settings, promoting faster access to personalized care while highlighting the complexity of clinical and sociodemographic factors influencing medication decisions.

The activation of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)/nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway contributes to enhance anti-inflammatory M2 microglia polarization and inhibit proinflammatory M1 microglia polarization, which is essential to resist neuroinflammation and thus resist depression. The prevalence of depression is high in adolescents, who are hypersensitive to chronic stress. Traditional pediatric massage (TPM) can effectively relieve depression. In this study, we investigated the action mechanism of TPM on preventing depression-like behaviors in adolescent rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). In this investigation, we employed several behavioral tests and detections, including western blotting, immunofluorescence staining and RT-qPCR. The findings of this study demonstrated that TPM had an effectively antidepressant effect, maintained microglia polarization homeostasis and resisted neuroinflammation in the hippocampus in CUMS-exposed adolescent rats. With the treatment of picropodophyllin, the inhibitor of IGF-1 receptor, the antidepressant effect of TPM was blocked, along with inhibited IGF-1/Nrf2 pathway which were closely related with anti-inflammatory and anti-ferroptosis actions. The results suggest that TPM enhanced the resilience of adolescent rats to CUMS and exerted an antidepressant effect partially via activating IGF-1/Nrf2 pathway.

The current study aimed to test symptom-level associations underlying the concordance of depressive symptoms in father-mother-child triads. We used network analysis to examine central and bridge symptoms in the contemporaneous depressive network of triads and additionally assessed prospective relationships in temporal depressive networks.

We included 881 father-mother-child triads with children aged 10 to 14 years from the China Family Panel Studies. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the short version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD) across three different time points from 2012 to 2018. Contemporaneous and temporal networks (2012 → 2016 and 2016 → 2018) were estimated to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between symptoms.

Within the contemporaneous network, "feeling depressed" was the most central symptom. Parental "could not get going" was identified as the bridge symptom across almost all cross-sectional networks. In the temporal network (2012 → 2016), fathers' symptoms were likely to influence mothers' symptoms. Over time (2016 → 2018), offspring symptoms (such as "could not get going") began to affect their parents. Certain symptoms were more influential than others: for instance, fathers' "could not get going" significantly predicted mothers' "bad life" and feeling that "everything was an effort" in 2016. Fathers' "could not get going" in 2016 significantly predicted children's "bad life" and "lack of happiness" in 2018.

A self-reported scale other than clinical diagnosis was used to assess depressive symptoms.

The current study demonstrates that family members mutually influence each other in specific depressive symptoms. Therefore, family-based treatments that combat depression in youth should also involve both parents and target core depressive symptoms to disrupt the cycle of depression within the family context.

To explore the prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) and suicidal attempt (SA) in inpatients with childhood and adolescent depressive disorders and the relationship between triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C), total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL-C) ratios and SI, SA.

A study was conducted involving 515 pediatric patients diagnosed with depressive disorders at the Third People's Hospital of Fuyang. This research primarily focused on gathering basic demographic and clinical data. Through employing methods such as correlation analysis and logistic regression, the study aimed to identify factors linked to SI and SA among these individuals.

The prevalence of SI and SA was 20.0% (103/515) and 9.1% (47/515). Binary logistic regression highlighted several independent predictors for SI. A notable increase in the likelihood of SI was observed with an increase in the number of hospitalizations (Odds Ratio [OR]=1.65, P=0.025), a heightened TC/HDL-C ratio (OR=1.72, P=0.002), an escalated antidepressant dosage (OR=1.02, P=0.029), and elevated HAMD scores (OR=1.04, P=0.003). For SA, critical independent associated factors identified were an increased number of hospitalizations (OR=2.71, P<0.001), a higher TC/HDL-C ratio (OR=1.69, P=0.002), and greater HAMD scores (OR=1.06, P=0.003), particularly in children and adolescents diagnosed with depressive disorders.

These findings suggest that monitoring lipid profiles, particularly the TC/HDL-C ratio, alongside careful management of antidepressant dosages and close observation of depressive symptoms, could be crucial in mitigating suicidal risks among this vulnerable population.

Rumination is a common feature of depression in adolescents and adults and it is implicated in the maintenance of depression symptoms. In adults, the maladaptive consequences of rumination have been attributed to the abstract processing mode that characterises this thinking style. The question of whether the same is true in adolescents remains unanswered. Here we describe two experimental studies in which adolescents were trained to think in a mode either characteristic of or inconsistent with the abstract processing style observed in depressive rumination, and the effect on social problem-solving and negative future thinking was examined. The two experiments employed a similar design. 11-14 year olds scoring in the upper and lower quartile on a measure of depression were trained to engage in an abstract or concrete processing style and then carry out a social problem-solving (Study 1) or future thinking (Study 2) task. Adolescents were worse at social problem-solving and had more negative (but not fewer positive) future thoughts when engaging in abstract processing compared to concrete processing, regardless of their current level of depressive symptoms. The finding remained when controlling for state mood. Our findings suggest there may be value in targeting abstract ruminative processing as an early treatment for depression.

Adolescent psychosocial symptoms continue to rise, negatively affecting academic performance and future achievement, and have become an important public health issue of common concern worldwide. However, few studies have been conducted on the association between body roundness index (BRI) and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and psychological symptoms in Chinese adolescents. The present study may provide implications for the intervention and prevention of psychological symptoms in Chinese adolescents.

In this study, 47,520 adolescents aged 12-18 years from six geographic regions of China were assessed cross-sectionally for BRI, SSB consumption, and psychological symptoms in 2023. Independent samples t-tests, chi-square tests, logistic regression analyses, and ordered logistic regression analyses were used to compare and analyze the associations that existed between BRI and SSB consumption and psychological symptoms among Chinese adolescents.

The BRI of Chinese adolescents aged 12-18 years was (2.03 ± 0.94). The proportions of adolescents with SSB consumption ≤1 times/week, 2-3 times/week, and ≥ 4 times/week were 33.2, 52.0, and 14.7%, respectively, and the differences were statistically significant in comparison (X 2 value of 597.860, p < 0.001). The prevalence of psychological symptoms among Chinese adolescents was 19.2%. The prevalence rates of emotional problems, behavioral problems, and social adjustment difficulties were 26.1, 25.2, and 16.1%, respectively. After adjusting for relevant covariates, ordered logistic regression analysis showed that with BRI quartiles Q1 and SSB consumption ≤1 times/week as the reference group, the adolescents in the group with BRI quartiles of Q4 and SSB consumption ≥4 times/week (OR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.77-2.30) had the highest risk of developing psychological symptoms (p < 0.001).

There is an association between BRI and SSB consumption with psychological symptoms in Chinese adolescents. Chinese adolescents with higher BRI and SSB consumption were at higher risk of developing psychological symptoms. In the future, the increase in BRI and SSB consumption should be effectively controlled to prevent or reduce the occurrence of psychological symptoms.

Depression is prevalent among individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and those undergoing dialysis, with significant impacts on morbidity and mortality. This systematic review and meta-analysis was done to evaluate the efficacy of psychosocial interventions in managing depressive symptoms in patients with CKD.

This systematic review and meta-analysis adhered to PRISMA guidelines. A literature search was conducted across PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library databases from January 2007 to July 2024. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating psychosocial interventions in CKD patients (Stage 4 or 5 or on hemodialysis) were included. The primary outcome was the change in depressive symptoms, measured by standardized clinical tools. Quality of life was a secondary outcome. Data extraction and bias assessment were conducted using ROB-2 and GRADEpro GDT tools.

Twelve studies with a total of 792 participants (420 in the intervention group and 372 in the control group) were included. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) was the most common intervention. Psychosocial interventions significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to routine care (mean difference [MD]: -4.22; 95% CI: -6.67, -1.76; P = 0.0008). High heterogeneity (I2 = 89%) was noted. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the results. The impact on quality of life was not statistically significant (MD: 0.94; 95% CI: -0.61, 2.49; P = 0.24).

Moderate-quality evidence suggests that psychosocial interventions effectively reduce depressive symptoms in CKD patients. While no significant improvement in quality of life was observed, these interventions provide an alternative to pharmacological treatments, potentially minimizing drug-related side effects.

Depression is a global mental health issue, particularly affecting adolescents and young adults. While the role of gut microbiota in depression has been extensively studied, the influence of the oral microbiome remains underexplored. Recent studies suggest that the oral microbiome may affect systemic and brain health through the oral-brain axis. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between oral microbiome diversity and depression using data from 6212 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2012.

Oral microbiome diversity was assessed through oral rinse samples using 16S rRNA sequencing, focusing on α-diversity metrics (observed ASVs and Faith's phylogenetic diversity) and β-diversity measures. Depressive symptoms were evaluated with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Weighted logistic regression models were employed to assess associations between α-diversity and depression, while linear regression was used to examine the relationship between α-diversity and PHQ-9 scores. β-diversity differences were analyzed via permutational analysis of variance (PERMANOVA).

10.03% of the participants were diagnosed with depression. Higher α-diversity in the oral microbiome was negatively correlated with depression: observed ASVs (OR: 0.713 [CI: 0.508-0.999], P = 0.050) and Faith's phylogenetic diversity (OR: 0.584 [CI: 0.367-0.931], P = 0.025). Linear regression indicated that greater α-diversity was associated with lower PHQ-9 scores, reflecting fewer depressive symptoms. Furthermore, β-diversity analysis revealed significant differences in the microbiome composition between depressed and non-depressed individuals.

Reduced oral microbiome diversity is associated with an increased risk and severity of depression. The study underscores the importance of exploring the oral-brain axis and highlights the need for further research into the mechanisms and therapeutic strategies targeting this relationship.

Liver-qi stagnation-type depression, marked by irritability and emotional imbalance, often responds inadequately to medication alone. This study explored the efficacy of combining acupuncture at the 13 ghost points with cognitive therapy for this condition. Conducted at our hospital from January 2022 to January 2023, the study involved 76 patients with liver-qi stagnation-type depression, divided into an observation group (acupuncture + cognitive therapy) and a control group (fluoxetine tablets), with 38 patients in each group. We assessed clinical efficacy, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores, Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) scores, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome scores, liver-qi stagnation syndrome main symptom scores, and serum levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) before and after treatment. The observation group achieved a total effective rate of 81.58%, significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05). Both groups showed significant reductions in HAMD and SDS scores, TCM syndrome scores, and liver-qi stagnation syndrome principal symptom scores posttreatment, with the observation group demonstrating superior improvements (P < 0.05). Serum levels of 5-HT, VIP, and CREB also increased significantly in both groups, with greater changes in the observation group (P < 0.05). The results suggest that the combination of acupuncture and cognitive therapy is more effective than fluoxetine alone in treating liver-qi stagnation-type depression, improving both clinical symptoms and physiological indicators.

Prior studies have found an association between reduced P3 brain responses-a neural marker of task engagement-and increased depressive symptoms during adolescence. However, it is unclear whether P3 correlates with depression globally, or with certain facets. Existing depression studies have also typically quantified P3 as a cross-trial average, neglecting possible trial-by-trial effects. Among 72 adolescents (44% female), the current study evaluated relations of distinct depression symptom facets-anhedonia and negative mood-with P3s from a three-stimulus go/no-go task, quantified both in average- and trial-level terms. Although no relationship was evident between overall depressive symptoms and average P3 amplitudes, opposing relations were found for each symptom facet with P3 to frequent and infrequent 'go' stimuli: higher anhedonia predicted smaller P3, whereas increased negative mood predicted larger P3. Single-trial, multilevel modeling analyses clarified these effects by showing reduced P3 across stimuli types at task outset, along with greater trial-to-trial attenuation of P3 to infrequent-go stimuli, for adolescents experiencing greater anhedonia. Conversely, increased negative mood was distinctly related to larger P3 at task onset but was unrelated to amplitude change across trials. Results demonstrate differential relations for anhedonic and negative mood symptoms with P3-indicative of task disengagement versus heightened vigilance, respectively-that may be obscured in analyses focusing on overall depressive symptoms. The divergent associations for anhedonia and negative mood with P3 underscore the need to consider these distinct symptom facets in research aimed at clarifying the nature of neural-circuitry dysfunction in depression.

Epigenetics plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression during adolescent brain maturation. In adolescents with depression, microglia-mediated chronic neuroinflammation may contribute to the activation of cellular signaling cascades and cause central synapse loss. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the epigenetic regulation of neuroinflammation leading to adolescent depression remain unclear. In this study, we found that the expression of polycomb group 1 (PCGF1), an important epigenetic regulator, was decreased both in the plasma of adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and in the microglia of adolescent mice in a mouse model of depression. We demonstrated that PCGF1 alleviates neuroinflammation mediated by microglia in vivo and in vitro, reducing neuronal damage and improving depression-like behavior in adolescent mice. Mechanistically, PCGF1 inhibits the transcription of MMP10 by upregulating RING1B/H2AK119ub and EZH2/H3K27me3 in the MMP10 promoter region, specifically inhibiting microglia-mediated neuroinflammation. These results provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of adolescent depression, highlighting potential links between histone modifications, neuroinflammation and nerve damage. Potential mechanisms of microglial PCGF1 regulates depression-like behavior in adolescent mice. Microglial PCGF1 inhibits NF-κB/MAPK pathway activation through regulation of RING1B/H2AK119ub and EZH2/H3K27me3 in the MMP10 promoter region, which attenuates neuroinflammation and ameliorates depression-like behaviors in adolescent mice.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most common mental health problem worldwide. Increased levels of inflammation are associated with MDD, though this relationship has been suggested to be bidirectional. The first incidence of a depressive episode usually occurs during adolescence. Hence, examining depressed, drug-naïve adolescents is important to understand the role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of MDD. Cytokines might play a crucial role in inflammation associated with MDD. Therefore, this article aims to investigate the changes in the levels of peripheral blood cytokines in adolescents with MDD.

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the changes in peripheral blood cytokines in drug-naïve adolescents (10-18 years) with MDD. A comprehensive search across four databases was performed to identify original research articles. Studies in which the diagnosis of MDD was set by semi-structured interview were included.

Of 2291 articles, 12 met the inclusion criteria for the review, with seven suitable for meta-analysis & including up to five studies per cytokine. The meta-analysis revealed significant associations between tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (n = 222, Hedge's g = 0.51, p <0.01) and MDD in adolescents compared to healthy individuals. However, other blood cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, and interferon (IFN)-γ, did not significantly correlate with MDD in adolescents.

TNF-α was significantly elevated in drug-naïve adolescents with MDD. To further understand the role of TNF-α in MDD, a thorough investigation is required, taking into account the diversity, subtypes, chronicity, and severity of MDD.

Depression is one of the most disabling psychiatric disorders, whose pathophysiology has not been fully understood. Increasing numbers of preclinical studies have highlighted that metformin, as the first-line hypoglycaemic agent, has a potential pleiotropic effect on depression. Moreover, there is emerging evidence that metformin shows antidepressant activity and improves depressive symptoms in rodent models of depression. However, the exact role and underlying mechanism of metformin in depression remain unclear and still need to be investigated. Recent studies suggest that metformin not only improves neuronal damage and structural plasticity in the hippocampus but also enhances the antidepressant effect of antidepressants. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the existing evidence for the use of metformin as a psychopharmaceutical and elaborate on the underlying mechanisms of metformin in mitigating the onset and progression of depression, as well as the associated biochemical signaling pathways and targets involved in the pathogenesis of depression. After reviewing several studies, we conclude that metformin helps reduce depressive symptoms by targeting multiple pathways, including the regulation of neurotransmitters, enhanced neurogenesis, anti-inflammatory effects, and changes in gut microbiota. We aim to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanism of action of metformin and provide new insights into its clinical value in the prevention and therapy of depression.

This paper explores the decline in adolescent mental health and the weakening of traditional moral frameworks, positing education in the virtues as protective of mental health due to the intrinsic link between moral/existential wellbeing and psychological health. By integrating character education into school curricula, a continuous "dosage" of moral guidance may be an optimal way to ensure a gradual and ever-clearer articulation of a life worth living and how to live well. The paper critiques popular clinical and positive psychological approaches to promoting wellbeing, which often miss the existential and moral dimensions of adolescent growth. The conclusion emphasizes the need for integrating moral education into mental health interventions to address the comprehensive existential and moral dimensions of adolescent development. This paper advocates for a proactive character developmental model that nurtures moral and existential growth, recognizing challenges with virtue and meta-virtue development as integral to personal and moral evolution, and enhancing the moral and psychological fortitude of adolescents.

Evidence suggests heightened prevalence and severity of mental disorders among sexual minority (SM) and gender minority (GM) young people. Several risk factors have been associated with these disparities. A systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analysis was conducted to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature and to determine the field's current position. MEDLINE, PsycInfo, Scopus and Web of Science were searched in March 2022 and updated January 2024. Eligibility criteria were systematic reviews or meta-analyses assessing contemporaneous prevalence, severity and/or risk factors of mental disorders among SM or GM young people aged 25 and under. 42 reviews were included, all of which were low quality. The prevalence of depression among SM was 26% (95% CI 21-32%), and among GM was 46% (95% CI 36-56%). Greater depression severity was found among SM compared to heterosexual young people, with a significant albeit small effect size (Hedges' g = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.25 to 0.50); effect sizes were similar when separating by gender. GM also reported greater symptom severity compared to cisgender young people. Other mental disorders were more prevalent compared to those reported in the general population, and of greater severity compared to heterosexual/cisgender young people. Several proximal and distal risk factors were focused upon within the systematic reviews identified. Past systematic reviews consistently indicate a heightened risk of mental disorders among SM and GM young people. Services need to be aware of these disparities and adapt their care accordingly.