What’s new in mental health research?

What’s new in mental health research?

Mental health is a vital aspect of our well-being, affecting how we think, feel, and act. However, many people struggle with mental health disorders, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and more. These conditions can cause significant distress and impairment in various aspects of life, such as work, school, relationships, and physical health.

Fortunately, mental health research is constantly advancing, providing new insights into the causes, mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health disorders. In this blog post, we will highlight some of the most recent and exciting findings from mental health research, and what they mean for people living with mental health challenges.

AI may aid in diagnosing adolescents with ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental health disorders in children and adolescents, affecting about 7% of them worldwide¹. ADHD is characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which can interfere with learning, socialization, and self-regulation.

However, diagnosing ADHD can be challenging, as it relies on subjective reports from parents, teachers, and clinicians, as well as behavioral observations and neuropsychological tests. Moreover, ADHD often co-occurs with other mental health disorders, such as anxiety, depression, and autism spectrum disorder, which can complicate the diagnosis.

A recent study used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze specialized brain MRI scans of adolescents with and without ADHD, and found significant differences in nine brain white matter tracts in individuals with ADHD. White matter is the part of the brain that connects different regions and facilitates communication among them. The AI model was able to accurately classify adolescents with ADHD based on their brain scans, with an accuracy of 83%.

This finding suggests that AI could potentially be used as a complementary tool to assist clinicians in diagnosing ADHD in adolescents, by providing objective and quantitative information on brain structure. However, more research is needed to validate the AI model in larger and more diverse samples, and to compare its performance with other diagnostic methods.

Mindfulness-based intervention shows promise for PTSD in cardiac arrest survivors

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, such as a violent assault, a natural disaster, a serious accident, or a war. PTSD can cause recurrent and intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance of reminders, negative mood and thoughts, and hyperarousal³.

Cardiac arrest is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating, resulting in a loss of blood flow to the brain and other organs. Cardiac arrest survivors often face physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges, and may develop PTSD as a consequence of their near-death experience. In fact, up to 38% of cardiac arrest survivors suffer from PTSD.

A recent study tested the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based intervention for reducing PTSD symptoms in cardiac arrest survivors. Mindfulness is a practice of paying attention to the present moment, with an open and non-judgmental attitude. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to improve mental health outcomes in various populations, such as people with chronic pain, depression, anxiety, and cancer.

The study involved 46 cardiac arrest survivors who were randomly assigned to either receive a 6-week mindfulness-based intervention, or to a wait-list control group. The mindfulness-based intervention consisted of weekly group sessions, guided mindfulness exercises, psychoeducation, and homework assignments. The participants were assessed for PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety, quality of life, and mindfulness skills before and after the intervention, and at a 3-month follow-up.

The results showed that the mindfulness-based intervention significantly reduced PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety, and improved quality of life and mindfulness skills, compared to the control group. These effects were maintained at the 3-month follow-up. The mindfulness-based intervention was also well-received by the participants, who reported high satisfaction and engagement.