Post-event rumination and social anxiety: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Post-event rumination, the extent to which one engages in persistent, detailed, and negative thinking following social situations, serves as a risk process in the pathophysiology of social anxiety. Although a substantial body of research has assessed post-event rumination and social anxiety, this literature has produced inconsistent results. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine whether the magnitude of the association between post-event rumination and social anxiety varied as a function of questionnaire and/or task utilized. We included all studies reporting a correlation between post-event rumination and social anxiety symptomatology. Fisher's z correlation coefficients were calculated through random-effect meta-analyses. Results indicated a moderate association between post-event rumination and social anxiety symptomatology (r = 0.45, p < 0.001, 95%CI [0.40-0.50]). Subgroup meta-analyses indicated that the type of questionnaire used to assess post-event rumination (Q = 44.36, df = 3, p < 0.001) and social anxiety (Q = 26.44, df = 8, p < 0.001), as well as the task conducted prior to assessing post-event rumination (Q = 14.31, df = 2, p < 0.001), influenced the effect size. This study demonstrates a moderate relation between post-event rumination and social anxiety across the anxiety spectrum, illustrating the importance of treatments specifically targeting post-event rumination. Moreover, we highlight the importance of taking care when designing studies to explore relations between post-event rumination and social anxiety.

An evaluation of treatment response and remission definitions in adult obsessive-compulsive disorder: A systematic review and individual-patient data meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Expert consensus operationalized treatment response and remission in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as a Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) reduction ≥35% and score ≤12 with ≤2 on Clinical Global Impressions Improvement (CGI-I) and Severity (CGI-S) scales, respectively. However, there has been scant empirical evidence supporting these definitions.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and an individual participant data meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) in adults with OCD to determine optimal Y-BOCS thresholds for response and remission. We estimated pooled sensitivity/specificity for each percent reduction threshold (response) or posttreatment score (remission) to determine response and remission defined by a CGI-I and CGI-S ≤ 2, respectively.

RESULTS

Individual participant data from 25 of 94 eligible RCTs (1235 participants) were included. The optimal threshold for response was ≥30% Y-BOCS reduction and for remission was ≤15 posttreatment Y-BOCS. However, differences in sensitivity and specificity between the optimal and nearby thresholds for response and remission were small with some uncertainty demonstrated by the confidence ellipses.

CONCLUSION

While the empirically derived Y-BOCS thresholds in our meta-analysis differ from expert consensus, given the predominance of data from more recent trials of OCD, which involved more refractory participants and novel treatment modalities as opposed to first-line therapies, we recommend the continued use of the consensus definitions.

The effects of Shaoma Zhijing granules and its main components on Tourette syndrome

BACKGROUND

Tourette syndrome (TS) represents a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by an uncertain etiology and influencing factors. Frequently, it co-occurs with conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and sleep disturbances, which have garnered substantial attention from the research community in recent years. Clinical trials have demonstrated that Shaoma Zhijing Granules (SMZJG, 5-ling granule, also known as TSupport or T92 under U.S. development), a traditional Chinese medicine compound, is an effective treatment for TS.

PURPOSE

To conduct scientometric analysis on developing trends, research countries and institutions, current status, hot spots of TS and discuss the underlying mechanisms of SMZJG and its main components on TS. The aim is to provide valuable reference for ongoing clinical and basic research on TS and SMZJG.

STUDY DESIGN & METHODS

Using Tourette syndrome, SMZJG and its main components along with their synonyms as keywords, we conducted a comprehensive search across major scientific databases including the Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. A total of 5952 references and 99 patents were obtained. Among these, 5039 articles and reviews, as well as 54 patents were analyzed by Citespace and VOSviewer software.

RESULTS

The available evidence indicates that the SMZJG's components likely exert their mechanisms in treating TS by regulating the dopaminergic pathway system, neurotransmitter imbalances, reducing neuroinflammation, promoting the repair of nerve damage and improving sleep disorders.

CONCLUSION

This comprehensive analysis lays the foundation for an extensive exploration of the feasibility and clinical applications of SMZJG in TS treatment.

Genome-wide association study identifies 30 obsessive-compulsive disorder associated loci

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects ~1% of the population and exhibits a high SNP-heritability, yet previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have provided limited information on the genetic etiology and underlying biological mechanisms of the disorder. We conducted a GWAS meta-analysis combining 53,660 OCD cases and 2,044,417 controls from 28 European-ancestry cohorts revealing 30 independent genome-wide significant SNPs and a SNP-based heritability of 6.7%. Separate GWAS for clinical, biobank, comorbid, and self-report sub-groups found no evidence of sample ascertainment impacting our results. Functional and positional QTL gene-based approaches identified 249 significant candidate risk genes for OCD, of which 25 were identified as putatively causal, highlighting WDR6, DALRD3, CTNND1 and genes in the MHC region. Tissue and single-cell enrichment analyses highlighted hippocampal and cortical excitatory neurons, along with D1- and D2-type dopamine receptor-containing medium spiny neurons, as playing a role in OCD risk. OCD displayed significant genetic correlations with 65 out of 112 examined phenotypes. Notably, it showed positive genetic correlations with all included psychiatric phenotypes, in particular anxiety, depression, anorexia nervosa, and Tourette syndrome, and negative correlations with a subset of the included autoimmune disorders, educational attainment, and body mass index.. This study marks a significant step toward unraveling its genetic landscape and advances understanding of OCD genetics, providing a foundation for future interventions to address this debilitating disorder.

Exploring Predictors of Ketamine Response in Adolescent Treatment-Resistant Depression

Objective: Ketamine has proved effective as a rapid-acting antidepressant agent, but treatment is not effective for everyone (approximately a quarter to a half of patients). Some adult studies have begun to investigate predictors of ketamine's antidepressant response, but no studies have examined this in adolescents with depression. Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of adolescents who participated in a randomized, single-dose, midazolam-controlled crossover trial of ketamine for adolescents with treatment-resistant depression. We examined the relationship between 19 exploratory demographic and clinical variables and depression symptom improvement (using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale [MADRS]) at 1 and 7 days postinfusion. Results: Subjects who had fewer medication trials of both antidepressant medications and augmentation treatments were more likely to experience depression symptom improvement with ketamine. Subjects with shorter duration of their current depressive episode were more likely to experience depression symptom improvement with ketamine. Subjects currently being treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications, and not being treated with serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor medications, also experienced greater symptom improvement with ketamine. When receiving the midazolam control, less severe depressive symptoms, as measured by the Children's Depression Rating Scale (CDRS) (but not MADRS), and a comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis were associated with increased response. Conclusions: Findings should be viewed as preliminary and exploratory given the small sample size and multiple secondary analyses. Identifying meaningful predictors of ketamine response is important to inform future therapeutic use of this compound, however, considerably more research is warranted before such clinical guidance is established. The trial was registered in clinicaltrials.gov with the identifier NCT02579928.

Sexual Orientation and Racial Bias in Relation to Medical Specialty

Physician explicit and implicit biases involving race and sexual orientation (SO) affect patient and provider experiences in healthcare settings. An anonymous survey was disseminated nationally to graduating medical students, residents, and practicing physicians to evaluate SO and racial biases across medical specialties. SO explicit and implicit bias were measured with the Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale, short form (ATLG-S) and Gay-Straight Implicit Association Test (IAT). Racial explicit and implicit bias were measured with the Quick Discrimination Index (QDI) and the Black-White IAT. Medical specialty was associated with racial explicit bias and specialty prestige with Black-White IAT score. Medical specialty and specialty prestige were not associated with SO bias. Female sex, sexual and gender minority (SGM) identity, and decreased religiosity were associated with reduced SO and racial bias. Provider race was associated with racial implicit and explicit bias.

Treatment Outcomes With Licensed and Unlicensed Stimulant Doses for Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Importance

Stimulants (methylphenidate and amphetamines) are often prescribed at unlicensed doses for adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Whether dose escalation beyond US Food and Drug Administration recommendations is associated with positive risk benefits is unclear.

Objective

To investigate the impact, based on averages, of stimulant doses on treatment outcomes in adults with ADHD and to determine, based on averages, whether unlicensed doses are associated with positive risk benefits compared with licensed doses.

Data Sources

Twelve databases, including published (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Sciences) and unpublished (ClinicalTrials.gov) literature, up to February 22, 2023, without language restrictions.

Study Selection

Two researchers independently screened records to identify double-blinded randomized clinical trials of stimulants against placebo in adults (18 years and older) with ADHD.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Aggregate data were extracted and synthesized in random-effects dose-response meta-analyses and network meta-analyses.

Main Outcome Measures

Change in ADHD symptoms and discontinuations due to adverse events.

Results

A total of 47 randomized clinical trials (7714 participants; mean age, 35 (SD, 11) years; 4204 male [56%]) were included. For methylphenidate, dose-response curves indicated additional reductions of symptoms with increments in doses, but the gains were progressively smaller and accompanied by continued additional risk of adverse events dropouts. Network meta-analyses showed that unlicensed doses were associated with greater reductions of symptoms compared with licensed doses (standardized mean difference [SMD], -0.23; 95% CI, -0.44 to -0.02; very low certainty of evidence), but the additional gain was small and accompanied by increased risk of adverse event dropouts (odds ratio, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.19-3.43; moderate certainty of evidence). For amphetamines, the dose-response curve approached a plateau and increments in doses did not indicate additional reductions of symptoms, but there were continued increments in the risk of adverse event dropouts. Network meta-analysis did not identify differences between unlicensed and licensed doses for reductions of symptoms (SMD, -0.08; 95% CI, -0.24 to 0.08; very low certainty of evidence).

Conclusions and Relevance

Based on group averages, unlicensed doses of stimulants may not have positive risk benefits compared with licensed doses for adults with ADHD. In general, practitioners should consider unlicensed doses cautiously. Practitioners may trial unlicensed doses if needed and tolerated but should be aware that there may not be large gains in the response to the medication with those further increments in dose. However, the findings are averages and will not generalize to every patient.

Editorial: Developmental considerations in addressing the earlier age of severe eating disorder onset

The deleterious impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth mental health has garnered much attention (Newlove-Delgado et al., 2023). It has been a topic of interest in both research and academic writing, as well as in the public press (e.g., Tanner, 2023). Disorders and mental health concerns of focus have been wide-ranging, with some of the most severe presentations, such as suicidality, highlighted (Asarnow and Chung, 2021). Eating disorders are among the most life-threatening and prominent mental health concerns that have been exacerbated by the pandemic, and our current models of youth mental health care cannot keep up. Given this context, our team read and reviewed the manuscript, 'Shifting age of child eating disorder hospitalizations during the Covid-19 pandemic' (Auger et al., 2023), eagerly. While the increasing severity of eating disorder presentations and increase in pediatric hospitalization has been an area of research (Asch et al., 2021), including at our own institution (Shum et al., 2022), the impact of age of onset, and the consequential impact on current systems of care, requires much greater attention.

Prevalence and gender distribution of excoriation (skin-picking) disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Epidemiological studies of excoriation disorder have reported different prevalence estimates for this condition, limiting our understanding of its public health impact. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to collate epidemiological studies of excoriation disorder. We aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence and the female-to-male ratio of excoriation disorder in the general population. We searched Embase, PsycInfo, and PubMed up to May 2020 and updated the PubMed search in October 2021. Studies which reported the frequency of excoriation disorder in a sample from the general population were included in our meta-analyses. We made no restrictions regarding the definition or assessment of excoriation disorder. Data were pooled through random-effects meta-analyses. Of the 677 records identified through database searches, 19 studies involving 38,038 participants met our inclusion criteria. Meta-analyses demonstrated that excoriation disorder has an overall prevalence of 3.45% (95% CI 2.55, 4.65%) and impacts women more than men (female-to-male OR = 1.45; 95% CI 1.15, 1.81, p = 0.001). These findings underscore the public health impact of excoriation disorder, which will hopefully motivate future research focused on advancing our understanding and management of this condition.

Characteristics of trichotillomania and excoriation disorder across the lifespan

Trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder) and excoriation (skin-picking) disorder are body-focused repetitive behaviors, which often first present in adolescence and cause distress and impairment into adulthood. Few studies have examined the clinical characteristics of the co-occurrence of these conditions across the lifespan. We examined cross-sectional survey responses collected from April 2018-February 2020 to evaluate the relationship between trichotillomania, excoriation disorder, and their co-occurrence. Responses from individuals with trichotillomania (n = 50), excoriation disorder (n = 52), and both conditions (n = 50) ages 4-67 years old were compared for co-occurring conditions and current symptoms. Self-report measures of hair-pulling and skin-picking severity and subtypes were assessed. Gender, race, and co-occurring conditions were generally similarly distributed across the three groups with high rates of self-reported anxiety (63-82%), depression (34-50%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (16-29%), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (12-32%). Among individuals with both trichotillomania and excoriation disorder, significant positive correlations were observed between hair-pulling and skin-picking severity scores as well as hair-pulling and skin-picking subtypes. Hair-pulling and skin-picking severity peaked at the transition from adolescence to adulthood and hair-pulling/skin-picking styles appeared to shift across the lifespan. Our results support several similarities between trichotillomania and excoriation disorder, providing new insight into the clinical characteristics of these conditions.

Pharmacological and Somatic Treatment Effects on Suicide in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

Suicide is a public health crisis. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of psychopharmacologic and somatic therapies on suicide risk.

Methods

A systematic search of MEDLINE for studies evaluating the effects of pharmacologic (excluding antidepressants) or somatic interventions on suicide risk was conducted. Studies were included if they used a comparison group, reported on suicide death, assessed a psychopharmacological or somatic intervention, and included adults. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Fifty-seven studies were included from 2940 reviewed citations.

Results

In bipolar disorder, lithium was associated with a reduction in the odds of suicide compared to active controls (odds ratio [OR] = .58, p = .005; k = 12) and compared to placebo/no lithium (OR = .46, p = .009; k = 9). In mixed diagnostic samples, lithium was associated with a reduction in the odds of suicide compared to placebo/no lithium (OR = .27, p < .001; k = 12), but not compared to active controls (OR = .89, p = .468; k = 7). In psychotic disorders, clozapine was associated with a reduction in the odds of suicide (OR = .46, p = .007; k = 7). Associations between suicide death and electroconvulsive therapy (OR = .77, p = .053; k = 11), non-clozapine antipsychotics in bipolar disorder (OR = .73, p = .090; k = 6) and antipsychotics in psychotic disorders (OR = .39, p = .069; k = 6) were not significant. There was no consistent relationship between antiepileptic mood stabilizers and suicide. There were insufficient studies to meta-analyze associations of suicide risk with vagus nerve stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, magnetic seizure therapy, or transcranial direct current stimulation.

Conclusion

Lithium and clozapine have consistent data supporting protective effects against suicide in certain clinical contexts.Reprinted from Depress Anxiety 2022; 39:100-112, with permission from John Wiley and Sons. Copyright © 2022.

The Relationship Between Acute Dissociative Effects Induced by Ketamine and Treatment Response in Adolescent Patients with Treatment-Resistant Depression

Objective: Ketamine has proven effective as a rapid-acting antidepressant agent. Several adult studies have investigated the association between ketamine's acute dissociative effects and depression response, but no studies have examined the association in adolescents with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Methods: We conducted a secondary data analysis of 16 adolescent participants who participated in a randomized, single-dose, midazolam-controlled crossover trial of ketamine in adolescents with depression. We examined the association between the acute dissociative symptoms (measured at 60 minutes following start of infusion using the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale [CADSS], and its three subscales: depersonalization, derealization, amnesia) and response and depression symptom improvement at 1'day (using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale). Results: Within the ketamine group, there were no significant associations between dissociation symptoms or CADSS subscale scores and magnitude of depression symptom improvement or likelihood of ketamine response. When receiving midazolam, there was no significant association between overall dissociation symptoms and magnitude or likelihood of response of depressive symptoms. Higher levels of symptoms on the 'depersonalization' CADSS subscale when receiving midazolam were associated with less improvement in depression symptoms at 1 day following infusion. Conclusions: In contrast to some adult literature, the current data do not show a relationship between acute dissociative effects and antidepressant response to ketamine in pediatric patients with TRD. Interpretation may be limited by the small sample size, reducing the power to detect small or medium associations. Future research should utilize larger samples to more definitively measure the magnitude of association between acute dissociative symptoms and later antidepressant response to ketamine and to assess the relationship to trial design (e.g., crossover vs. parallel trial, comparison condition utilized and number of infusions) within both adult and pediatric populations. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02579928.

Comparative efficacy, tolerability, and acceptability of pharmacological interventions for the treatment of children, adolescents, and young adults with Tourette's syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In clinical practice guidelines there is no consensus about the medications that should be initially offered to children and young people with Tourette's syndrome. To provide a rigorous evidence base that could help guide decision making and guideline development, we aimed to compare the efficacy, tolerability, and acceptability of pharmacological interventions for Tourette's syndrome.

METHODS

For this systematic review and network meta-analysis, we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and ClinicalTrials.gov, for published and unpublished studies from database inception to Nov 19, 2021. We included double-blind randomised controlled trials of any medication administered as a monotherapy for at least 1 week against another medication or placebo in children and adolescents (aged ≥4 years and ≤18 years), adults (>18 years), or both, diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome according to standardised criteria. We excluded studies that exclusively recruited participants with comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder. The primary outcome was change in severity of tic symptoms (efficacy). Secondary outcomes were treatment discontinuations due to adverse events (tolerability) and for any reason (acceptability). Pharmacological interventions were examined considering medication categories and medications individually in separate analyses. Summary data were extracted and pooled with a random-effects network meta-analysis to calculate standardised mean differences for efficacy and odds ratios for tolerability and acceptability, with 95% CIs. The Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis (CINeMA) framework was used to assess the certainty of evidence. The protocol was pre-registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022296975).

FINDINGS

Of the 12 088 records identified through the database search, 88 records representing 39 randomised controlled trials were included in the network meta-analysis; these 39 randomised controlled trials comprised 4578 participants (mean age 11·8 [SD 4·5] years; 3676 [80·8%] male participants) and evaluated 23 individual medications distributed across six medication categories. When considering medication categories, first-generation (standardised mean difference [SMD] -0·65 [95% CI -0·79 to -0·51]; low certainty of evidence) and second-generation (-0·71 [-0·88 to -0·54]; moderate certainty of evidence) antipsychotic drugs, as well as α-2 agonists (-0·21 [-0·39 to -0·03]; moderate certainty of evidence), were more efficacious than placebo. First-generation and second-generation antipsychotic drugs did not differ from each other (SMD 0·06 [95% CI -0·14 to 0·25]; low certainty of evidence). However, both first-generation (SMD 0·44 [95% CI 0·21 to 0·66]) and second-generation (0·49 [0·25 to 0·74]) antipsychotic drugs outperformed α-2 agonists, with moderate certainty of evidence. Similar findings were observed when individual medications were considered: aripiprazole (SMD -0·60 [95% CI -0·83 to -0·38]), haloperidol (-0·51 [-0·88 to -0·14]), olanzapine (-0·83 [-1·49 to -0·18]), pimozide (-0·48 [-0·84 to -0·12]), risperidone (-0·66 [-0·98 to -0·34]), and clonidine (-0·20 [-0·37 to -0·02]) all outperformed placebo, with moderate certainty of evidence. Antipsychotic medications did not differ from each other, but there was low to very low certainty of evidence for these comparisons. However, aripiprazole (SMD -0·40 [95% CI -0·69 to -0·12]) and risperidone (-0·46 [-0·82 to -0·11]) outperformed clonidine, with moderate certainty of evidence. Heterogeneity or inconsistency only emerged for a few comparisons. In terms of tolerability and acceptability, there were no relevant findings for any of the efficacious medication categories or individual medications against each other or placebo, but there was low to very low certainty of evidence associated with these comparisons.

INTERPRETATION

Our analyses show that antipsychotic drugs are the most efficacious intervention for Tourette's syndrome, while α-2 agonists are also more efficacious than placebo and could be chosen by those who elect not to take antipsychotic drugs. Shared decision making about the degree of tic-related severity and distress or impairment, the trade-offs of efficacy and safety between antipsychotic drugs and α-2 agonists, and other highly relevant individual factors that could not be addressed in the present analysis, should guide the choice of medication for children and young people with Tourette's syndrome.

FUNDING

None.

Systematic review and meta-analysis: Season of birth and schizophrenia risk

OBJECTIVE

Winter birth has been hypothesized to be associated with increased schizophrenia risk for nearly a century. Major hypotheses regarding the potential etiological risk factors for schizophrenia such as vitamin D deficiency and virus exposure in utero are predicated based on the observation that risk of schizophrenia is higher in children born in winter months.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the association between season and month of birth and risk of schizophrenia. We further investigated this relationship stratified by hemisphere.

RESULTS

Forty-three studies spanning 30 countries and territories and 440,039 individuals with schizophrenia were included in this meta-analysis. Winter births were associated with a small but statistically significant increased risk of schizophrenia (OR 1.05, 95 % CI 1.03-1.07, p < 0.0001) and summer births were associated with a small but statistically significant decreased risk of schizophrenia (OR 0.96, 95 % CI 0.94-0.98, p = 0.0001). Stratified subgroup analysis demonstrated no significant difference between hemispheres in the risk of schizophrenia for either winter or summer births.

CONCLUSIONS

Analysis using birth month data demonstrated a clear seasonal trend towards increased risk of schizophrenia being associated with winter birth months and decreased risk of schizophrenia in summer-to-fall months in the Northern but not Southern Hemisphere. These data suggest a small-but-substantial increased risk of schizophrenia in winter birth month. Further research needs to examine potential etiologic causes for this association.

Prevalence and gender distribution of trichotillomania: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Epidemiological studies have provided varying prevalence estimates of trichotillomania (TTM) and other hair-pulling behaviors. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide data-driven prevalence estimates of TTM and hair-pulling. PubMed, PsycInfo and Embase were searched on June 2020 (updated in November 2021). Studies reporting the frequency of TTM defined by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) criteria or hair-pulling behaviors were included. Prevalence data was extracted for both genders, and female-to-male odds ratios (OR) were computed for TTM and any hair-pulling behaviors. Data were pooled through random-effects meta-analyses. Of the 713 records identified through database searches, 30 studies involving 38,526 participants were included. Meta-analyses indicated TTM had a prevalence of 1.14% (95% CI 0.66%, 1.96%), while any hair-pulling behavior had a prevalence of 8.84% (95% CI 6.33%, 12.20%). Meta-analyses demonstrated females were at an increased risk of any hair-pulling when noticeable hair loss was required (OR = 2.23, 95% CI 1.60, 3.10, p < 0.0001), but not of any hair-pulling when noticeable hair loss was not required (OR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.72, 1.64, p = 0.33). Meta-analyses did not indicate female preponderance in TTM (k = 10; N = 22,775; OR = 1.29; 95% CI 0.91, 1.83; I² = 28%, p = 0.15), although there was considerable heterogeneity across studies. This study demonstrates that TTM impacts ∼1% of the population, while general hair-pulling behaviors affects ∼8%, highlighting the significant public health impact of this understudied condition. Additional research should clarify the gender distribution of TTM in epidemiological samples.

Editorial: Schools on the frontline of suicide prevention

The world has experienced an unprecedented mental health crisis associated with the COVID-19 pandemic (Liu et al., 2020). After more than two years navigating the associated uncertainty and distress, the impact on youth mental health continues to be a pressing concern. Those in the mental health field, as well as the children and families plagued by its impact, are inundated with seeing firsthand the impact on youth's functioning. This includes increases in depression and suicide (Asarnow & Chung, 2021; Manzar et al., 2021), and having to navigate siloes in care and often even an inability when in crisis to access a continuum of services (Zhai, 2021). This has highlighted the significant issues with accessibility of mental health care and inequitable access to care for youth mental health both in the United States and globally. We continue to experience daily the impact of insufficient resources for youth behavioral health. For those in the field who prioritize the need for more robust intervention approaches, the child mental health crisis associated with the pandemic has highlighted the need for us to develop more novel and innovative interventions.

Editorial: We Can Do Better: Meta-analysis Demonstrates Inequities in Psychotherapy Efficacy for Black Children

We read with great interest and admiration, "Meta-analysis: Are Psychotherapies Less Effective for Black Youth in Communities With Higher Levels of Anti-Black Racism?" in this issue of JAACAP.² Price et al. conduct a meta-analysis examining the association between anti-Black racism and mental health outcomes across 194 psychotherapy studies based on the racial composition of the study sample Majority-Black vs Majority-White sample. The authors demonstrated that the measured benefits of psychotherapeutic interventions were associated with the measured level of anti-Black racism among Majority-Black samples but not the Majority-White Samples. Higher levels of anti-racism were associated with less measured benefit of psychotherapy interventions among Majority-Black samples but not Majority-White samples. This finding is disturbing to us, but not surprising. We choose to highlight a few of the important findings from this impactful work.

Parental age and the risk of bipolar disorder in the offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Whether parental age, i.e., paternal or maternal, at childbirth is associated with the risk of bipolar disorder (BD) in offspring remains unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of observational studies to address this gap.

METHODS

PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and Web of Science were searched up to June 2021. Studies investigating the associations between parental age at childbirth (exposure) and the risk of BD in offspring (outcome) were eligible for inclusion in our study. Paternal and maternal age were examined separately. Odds ratio (OR) was used as the effect size index. Data were pooled through random-effects meta-analyses.

RESULTS

Seven studies involving 3,183,539 participants and 23,253 individuals with BD were included in our meta-analyses. Meta-analyses indicated an increased risk of BD in the offspring of the older paternal age groups (35-44 years old [k = 5; OR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.05, 1.14; p < 0.0001] and ≥45 years old [k = 5; OR = 1.44; 95% CI 1.19, 1.14; p = 0.0001]) in comparison with the reference category (25-34 years old). Meta-analysis also indicated an increased risk of BD in the offspring of the older maternal age group (≥40 years old [k = 3; OR = 1.20; 95% CI 1.10, 1.31; p < 0.0001]) in comparison with the reference category (20-29 years old).

CONCLUSIONS

Advanced paternal and maternal age were both associated with an increased risk of BD in offspring. Further studies are needed to investigate the mechanisms behind this association.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: An Empirical Approach to Defining Treatment Response and Remission in Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

OBJECTIVE

A lack of universal definitions for response and remission in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has hampered the comparability of results across trials. To address this problem, we conducted an individual participant data diagnostic test accuracy meta-analysis to evaluate the discriminative ability of the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) in determining response and remission. We also aimed to generate empirically derived cutoffs on the CY-BOCS for these outcomes.

METHOD

A systematic review of PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase and CENTRAL identified 5,401 references; 42 randomized controlled clinical trials were considered eligible, and 21 provided data for inclusion (N = 1,234). Scores of ≤2 in the Clinical Global Impressions Improvement and Severity scales were chosen to define response and remission, respectively. A 2-stage, random-effects meta-analysis model was established. The area under the curve (AUC) and the Youden Index were computed to indicate the discriminative ability of the CY-BOCS and to guide for the optimal cutoff, respectively.

RESULTS

The CY-BOCS had sufficient discriminative ability to determine response (AUC = 0.89) and remission (AUC = 0.92). The optimal cutoff for response was a ≥35% reduction from baseline to posttreatment (sensitivity = 83.9, 95% CI = 83.7-84.1; specificity = 81.7, 95% CI = 81.5-81.9). The optimal cutoff for remission was a posttreatment raw score of ≤12 (sensitivity = 82.0, 95% CI = 81.8-82.2; specificity = 84.6, 95% CI = 84.4-84.8).

CONCLUSION

Meta-analysis identified empirically optimal cutoffs on the CY-BOCS to determine response and remission in pediatric OCD randomized controlled clinical trials. Systematic adoption of standardized operational definitions for response and remission will improve comparability across trials for pediatric OCD.

Efficacy of Intravenous Ketamine in Adolescent Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Midazolam-Controlled Trial

Objective

Adolescent depression is prevalent and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although intravenous ketamine has shown efficacy in adult treatment-resistant depression, its efficacy in pediatric populations is unknown. The authors conducted an active-placebo-controlled study of ketamine's safety and efficacy in adolescents.

Methods

In this proof-of-concept randomized, double-blind, single-dose crossover clinical trial, 17 adolescents (ages 13-17) with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder received a single intravenous infusion of either ketamine (0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes) or midazolam (0.045 mg/kg over 40 minutes), and the alternate compound 2 weeks later. All participants had previously tried at least one antidepressant medication and met the severity criterion of a score >40 on the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised. The primary outcome measure was score on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) 24 hours after treatment.

Results

A single ketamine infusion significantly reduced depressive symptoms 24 hours after infusion compared with midazolam (MADRS score: midazolam, mean=24.13, SD=12.08, 95% CI=18.21, 30.04; ketamine, mean=15.44, SD=10.07, 95% CI=10.51, 20.37; mean difference=-8.69, SD=15.08, 95% CI=-16.72, -0.65, df=15; effect size=0.78). In secondary analyses, the treatment gains associated with ketamine appeared to remain 14 days after treatment, the latest time point assessed, as measured by the MADRS (but not as measured by the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised). A significantly greater proportion of participants experienced a response to ketamine during the first 3 days following infusion as compared with midazolam (76% and 35%, respectively). Ketamine was associated with transient, self-limited dissociative symptoms that affected participant blinding, but there were no serious adverse events.

Conclusions

In this first randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of intravenous ketamine in adolescents with depression, the findings suggest that it is well tolerated acutely and has significant short-term (2-week) efficacy in reducing depressive symptoms compared with an active placebo.Reprinted from Am J Psychiatry 2021; 178:352-362 with permission from American Psychiatric Association Publishing.

Meta-Analysis: Efficacy and Tolerability of Vesicular Monoamine Transporter Type 2 Inhibitors in the Treatment of Tic Disorders

Vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT2) inhibitors may be an effective therapy for chronic tic disorders (CTD), including Tourette syndrome (TS), but there has not been a meta-analysis compiling available evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy, acceptability, and tolerability of VMAT2 inhibitors for CTD/TS. PubMed, CENTRAL, and Embase were searched for double-blinded RCTs of VMAT2 inhibitors versus placebo for the treatment of CTD/TS. Change in tic severity measured by the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (efficacy) and rates of discontinuation attributed to adverse effects (tolerability) or all causes (acceptability) were extracted closest to 12 weeks. Mean difference (MD) and odds ratio (OR) were the effect size indexes for efficacy and acceptability/tolerability, respectively. Data were pooled through random-effects meta-analysis weighted by inverse variance. Five RCTs involving eight comparisons were included. Meta-analysis found a nonsignificant effect on efficacy (k = 8; N = 583; MD = -0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.93 to 0.50; P = 0.24), and there was certainty that the true effect is nonclinically meaningful (high quality of evidence). Meta-analysis found decreased tolerability (k = 7; N = 626; OR = 2.67; 95% CI, 1.21-5.92; P = 0.01) and decreased acceptability (k = 8; N = 626; OR = 1.90; 95% CI, 1.14-3.18; P = 0.01), although those comparisons were limited because of the relatively small number of events across trials. Meta-analyses did not support the efficacy of VMAT2 inhibitors in the short-term treatment of tic disorders and suggested no clinically meaningful effect of these agents on tic symptoms. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Pharmacological and somatic treatment effects on suicide in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a public health crisis. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of psychopharmacologic and somatic therapies on suicide risk.

METHODS

A systematic search of MEDLINE for studies evaluating the effects of pharmacologic (excluding antidepressants) or somatic interventions on suicide risk was conducted. Studies were included if they used a comparison group, reported on suicide death, assessed a psychopharmacological or somatic intervention, and included adults. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Fifty-seven studies were included from 2940 reviewed citations.

RESULTS

In bipolar disorder, lithium was associated with a reduction in the odds of suicide compared to active controls (odds ratio [OR] = .58, p = .005; k = 12) and compared to placebo/no lithium (OR = .46, p = .009; k = 9). In mixed diagnostic samples, lithium was associated with a reduction in the odds of suicide compared to placebo/no lithium (OR = .27, p < .001; k = 12), but not compared to active controls (OR = .89, p = .468; k = 7). In psychotic disorders, clozapine was associated with a reduction in the odds of suicide (OR = .46, p = .007; k = 7). Associations between suicide death and electroconvulsive therapy (OR = .77, p = .053; k = 11), non-clozapine antipsychotics in bipolar disorder (OR = .73, p = .090; k = 6) and antipsychotics in psychotic disorders (OR = .39, p = .069; k = 6) were not significant. There was no consistent relationship between antiepileptic mood stabilizers and suicide. There were insufficient studies to meta-analyze associations of suicide risk with vagus nerve stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, magnetic seizure therapy, or transcranial direct current stimulation.

CONCLUSION

Lithium and clozapine have consistent data supporting protective effects against suicide in certain clinical contexts.

Meta-Analysis: Pediatric Placebo Response in Depression Trials Does Not Replicate in Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Trials

Background: Placebo response has been identified as an important factor influencing the success of adult antidepressant trials, yet little research of placebo response has been conducted in pediatric populations. Understanding disorder-specific and transdiagnostic predictors of pediatric placebo response is important in designing successful child psychopharmacological trials. Methods: A PubMed search was conducted for all pediatric antidepressant randomized controlled trials treating depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). A random-effects model was utilized to examine the magnitude of placebo symptom improvement using standardized mean difference (SMD) and placebo response rates. Stratified subgroup analysis was performed by diagnostic indication. Meta-regression was utilized to search possible correlates of placebo symptom improvement and placebo response rate. Results: Thirty antidepressant trials involving 2911 participants receiving placebo were included in this meta-analysis. Magnitude of placebo improvement and placebo response rates varied significantly across disorders; being greater in depression (SMD = 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18 to 1.71) than anxiety disorders (SMD = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.77 to 1.41) and the lowest in OCD (SMD = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.32 to 1.12). Different predictors were associated with placebo response in different indications. Conclusions: Both the magnitude and predictors of placebo response in pediatric depression trials do not replicate across anxiety and OCD. Based on our results, across disorders, minimizing the number of sites might significantly reduce placebo improvement. In addition to these, we could potentially decrease the placebo response in depression trials by increasing the number of subjects enrolled per study site, minimizing the number of study visits and conducting the studies in the United States. Further research is needed into the predictors of placebo response in pediatric anxiety and OCD.

A Phase-2 Pilot Study of a Therapeutic Combination of Δ9-Tetrahydracannabinol and Palmitoylethanolamide for Adults With Tourette's Syndrome

OBJECTIVE

There are few effective pharmacological treatments for Tourette's syndrome. Many patients with Tourette's syndrome experience impairing tic symptoms despite use of available evidence-based treatments. The investigators conducted a small, uncontrolled trial to examine the safety, tolerability, and dosing of THX-110, a combination of Δ⁹-tetrahydracannabinol (Δ⁹-THC) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), in Tourette's syndrome.

METHODS

A 12-week uncontrolled trial of THX-110 (maximum daily Δ⁹-THC dose, 10 mg, and a constant 800-mg dose of PEA) in 16 adults with Tourette's syndrome was conducted. The primary outcome was improvement on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) total tic score. Secondary outcomes included measures of comorbid conditions and the number of participants who elected to continue treatment in the 24-week extension phase.

RESULTS

Tic symptoms significantly improved over time with THX-110 treatment. Improvement in tic symptoms was statistically significant within 1 week of starting treatment compared with baseline. THX-110 treatment led to an average improvement in tic symptoms of more than 20%, or a 7-point decrease in the YGTSS score. Twelve of the 16 participants elected to continue to the extension phase, and only two participants dropped out early. Side effects were common but were generally managed by decreasing Δ⁹-THC dosing, slowing the dosing titration, and shifting dosing to nighttime.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the initial data from this trial in adults with refractory Tourette's syndrome are promising, future randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials are necessary to demonstrate efficacy of THX-110 treatment. The challenges raised by the difficulty in blinding trials due to the psychoactive properties of many cannabis-derived compounds need to be further appreciated in these trial designs.

Editorial: Money cannot buy happiness - but can it prevent depression? A commentary on Su et al

In this issue, we read with interest Research Review: Developmental origins of depression - a systematic review and meta-analysis (Su et al., 2021). Su et al. (2021) conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis examining prenatal, perinatal and postnatal exposures and their association with depression in offspring. Su et al. (2021) evaluated twenty-eight potential exposures and determined that 12 were associated with increased risk of depression in the offspring. These risk factors included low birth weight, premature birth, being small gestational age, maternal education, socioeconomic status, parental age, parental smoking, maternal stress, maternal anxiety and prenatal depression (Su et al., 2021). Strikingly, each of these developmental risk factors for depression in the offspring is known to be associated with poverty.

Commentary: Identifying individualized predictions of response in ADHD pharmacotherapy - a commentary on Rodrigues et al. (2020)

In this issue, Rodrigues et al. (2020) present a systematic review with meta-analyses that reports the efficacy of five treatments for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in the context of autism spectrum disorder - (a) methylphenidate; (b) atomoxetine; (c) guanfacine; (d) aripiprazole; and (e) risperidone. In this commentary, we highlight the contrast between the scarce evidence base of treatment for ADHD in the context of autism and other subpopulations, such as tic disorders and intellectual disability, and the extensive evidence base of treatment for ADHD in general. The commentary weighs about the conundrum clinicians face of whether to rely on the limited evidence base of treatment for ADHD in subpopulation, or to derive conclusions from the larger body of evidence of treatment for ADHD in general. The commentary also discusses potential avenues for future research to address this clinical problem.

Efficacy of Intravenous Ketamine in Adolescent Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Randomized Midazolam-Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

Adolescent depression is prevalent and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Although intravenous ketamine has shown efficacy in adult treatment-resistant depression, its efficacy in pediatric populations is unknown. The authors conducted an active-placebo-controlled study of ketamine's safety and efficacy in adolescents.

METHODS

In this proof-of-concept randomized, double-blind, single-dose crossover clinical trial, 17 adolescents (ages 13-17) with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder received a single intravenous infusion of either ketamine (0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes) or midazolam (0.045 mg/kg over 40 minutes), and the alternate compound 2 weeks later. All participants had previously tried at least one antidepressant medication and met the severity criterion of a score >40 on the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised. The primary outcome measure was score on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) 24 hours after treatment.

RESULTS

A single ketamine infusion significantly reduced depressive symptoms 24 hours after infusion compared with midazolam (MADRS score: midazolam, mean=24.13, SD=12.08, 95% CI=18.21, 30.04; ketamine, mean=15.44, SD=10.07, 95% CI=10.51, 20.37; mean difference=-8.69, SD=15.08, 95% CI=-16.72, -0.65, df=15; effect size=0.78). In secondary analyses, the treatment gains associated with ketamine appeared to remain 14 days after treatment, the latest time point assessed, as measured by the MADRS (but not as measured by the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised). A significantly greater proportion of participants experienced a response to ketamine during the first 3 days following infusion as compared with midazolam (76% and 35%, respectively). Ketamine was associated with transient, self-limited dissociative symptoms that affected participant blinding, but there were no serious adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

In this first randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of intravenous ketamine in adolescents with depression, the findings suggest that it is well tolerated acutely and has significant short-term (2-week) efficacy in reducing depressive symptoms compared with an active placebo.

Meta-Analysis: Hemodynamic Responses to Sub-anesthetic Doses of Ketamine in Patients With Psychiatric Disorders

Ketamine, a medication traditionally used as an anesthetic, has increasingly been recognized as an effective treatment for psychiatric disorders. At sub-anesthetic doses (defined here as ≤ 0.5 mg/kg), ketamine treatment has been studied in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social anxiety disorder (SAD). Transient increases in hemodynamic activity have been reported during and after ketamine treatment, which may be desirable properties in some anesthesia settings, but are generally undesirable in psychiatric settings. While ketamine doses used in psychiatry are lower than those used in anesthesia, there are published instances of early termination of psychiatric ketamine infusions due to elevations in blood pressure and heart rate. No unifying study has been conducted to examine the impact of sub-anesthetic ketamine doses on hemodynamic parameters [systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR)] in psychiatric populations and to evaluate these changes across adult age groups. Here, data from 15 articles comprising a total N = 2,252 ketamine or esketamine treatments in adult participants were used to conduct a meta-analysis of treatment-induced hemodynamic changes. Ketamine/esketamine produced modest but significant increases in the variables of interest with an average SBP increase of 12.61 mm Hg (95% CI 10.40-14.82 mm Hg, z = 11.18, p < 0.0001), average DBP increase of 8.49 mm Hg (95% CI 6.89-10.09 mmHg, z = 10.41, p < 0.0001), and average heart rate increase of 4.09 beats per minute (95% CI 0.55-7.63 BPM), z = 2.27, p = 0.0235). Stratified subgroup analysis indicated no significant differences between ketamine and esketamine effects on blood pressure. Further analysis indicated that there was no significant effect of age on ketamine-induced changes in SBP, DBP, and HR. Taken together these data show that sub-anesthetic ketamine and esketamine induce small but significant increases in hemodynamic parameters that are transient in nature in adult psychiatric populations. While these data are reassuring, it is important for each treatment case to fully explore potential cardiovascular risks prior to initiating treatment.

Time to Clinical Response in the Treatment of Early Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Study

Objectives: We investigated the time course of clinical response in the Treatment of Early Onset Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Study (TEOSS). Methods: TEOSS randomized 119 predominantly outpatient youth ages 8-19 years with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder to 8 weeks of treatment with molindone, risperidone, or olanzapine. We used proportional hazards regression to determine whether these three antipsychotics differed in the time until clinical response, defined as the time from treatment initiation to the point of achieving a Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I) scale score of 1 ("very much improved") or 2 ("much improved") that was maintained until week 8. Results: Of the 116 youth who initiated treatment, 56 (48%) achieved clinical response. Among clinical responders, the median (±interquartile range) time until clinical response was 4.0 (±4.0) weeks for olanzapine, 4.5 (±4.0) weeks for risperidone, and 6.0 (±4.0) weeks for molindone. There were no significant differences in time course for clinical response between medications (p = 0.84). Youth without symptom improvement (CGI-I ≥ 4) after 3 weeks were more likely to be clinical nonresponders at week 8 (relative risk ratio = 1.98, 95% confidence interval 1.29-3.05), compared with youth with at-least-minimal symptom improvement after 3 weeks when looking at all antipsychotics combined. Conclusion: To our knowledge, our study is the first to investigate medication differences in treatment response timing in early onset schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Clinical response times for molindone, risperidone, and olanzapine were not significantly different. Furthermore, while lack of early improvement predicted clinical nonresponse, whether or not to continue antipsychotic treatment after 3 or more weeks without symptom improvement should be based on clinical judgment after weighing potential risks, benefits, and alternatives. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00053703.

Racial Implicit Associations in Psychiatric Diagnosis, Treatment, and Compliance Expectations

OBJECTIVE

Racial and ethnic disparities are well documented in psychiatry, yet suboptimal understanding of underlying mechanisms of these disparities undermines diversity, inclusion, and education efforts. Prior research suggests that implicit associations can affect human behavior, which may ultimately influence healthcare disparities. This study investigated whether racial implicit associations exist among medical students and psychiatric physicians and whether race/ethnicity, training level, age, and gender predicted racial implicit associations.

METHODS

Participants completed online demographic questions and 3 race Implicit Association Tests (IATs) related to psychiatric diagnosis (psychosis vs. mood disorders), patient compliance (compliance vs. non-compliance), and psychiatric medications (antipsychotics vs. antidepressants). Linear and logistic regression models were used to identify demographic predictors of racial implicit associations.

RESULTS

The authors analyzed data from 294 medical students and psychiatric physicians. Participants were more likely to pair faces of Black individuals with words related to psychotic disorders (as opposed to mood disorders), non-compliance (as opposed to compliance), and antipsychotic medications (as opposed to antidepressant medications). Among participants, self-reported White race and higher level of training were the strongest predictors of associating faces of Black individuals with psychotic disorders, even after adjusting for participant's age.

CONCLUSIONS

Racial implicit associations were measurable among medical students and psychiatric physicians. Future research should examine (1) the relationship between implicit associations and clinician behavior and (2) the ability of interventions to reduce racial implicit associations in mental healthcare.

Meta-analysis: Pharmacologic Treatment of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorders

OBJECTIVE

To examine the efficacy of pharmacological treatments for restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB) in autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

METHOD

We searched PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL to identify all double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials that examined the efficacy of pharmacological agents in the treatment of ASD and measured RRB as an outcome. Our primary outcome was the standardized mean difference in rating scales of RRB.

RESULTS

We identified 64 randomized, placebo-controlled trials involving 3,499 participants with ASD. Antipsychotics significantly improved RRB outcomes compared to placebo (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.28, 95% CIs = 0.08-0.49), z = 2.77, p = .01) demonstrating a small effect size. Larger significant positive effects on RRB in ASD were seen in individual studies with fluvoxamine, buspirone, bumetanide, divalproex, guanfacine, and folinic acid that have not been replicated. Other frequently studied pharmacological treatments in ASD including oxytocin, omega-3 fatty acids, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), and methylphenidate did not demonstrate significant benefit in reducing RRB compared to placebo (oxytocin: SMD = 0.23, 95% CI = -0.01 to 0.47, z = 1.85, p = .06; omega-3 fatty acids: SMD = 0.19, 95% CI = -0.05 to 0.43, z = 1.54, p = .12; SSRI: SMD = 0.09, 95% CI = -0.21 to 0.39, z = 0.60, p = .56; methylphenidate: SMD = 0.18, 95% CI = -0.11 to 0.46, z = 1.23, p = .22).

CONCLUSION

The results of the present meta-analysis suggest that currently available pharmacological agents have at best only a modest benefit for the treatment of RRB in ASD, with the most evidence supporting antipsychotic medications. Additional randomized controlled trials with standardized study designs and consistent and specific assessment tools for RRB are needed to further understand how we can best help ameliorate these behaviors in individuals with ASD.

Refractory Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome-Many Pieces That Define the Puzzle

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a childhood onset neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by the presence of motor and vocal tics. The clinical spectrum of GTS is heterogeneous and varies from mild cases that do not require any medical attention to cases that are refractory to standard treatments. One of the unresolved issues is the definition of what constitutes treatment-refractory GTS. While for some other neuropsychiatric disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a clear definition has been established, there is still no consensus with regard to GTS. One important issue is that many individuals with GTS also meet criteria for one or more other neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. In many individuals, the severity of these comorbid conditions contributes to the degree to which GTS is treatment refractory. The scope of this paper is to present the current state-of-the-art regarding refractory GTS and indicate possible approaches to define it. In closing, we discuss promising approaches to the treatment of individuals with refractory GTS.

Pharmacological and behavioral treatment for trichotillomania: An updated systematic review with meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Trichotillomania (TTM) is a difficult-to-treat psychiatric condition with no first-line medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Individuals with TTM often feel that clinicians know little about this disorder. Here, we present an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining treatments for TTM.

METHODS

Pubmed, PsychINFO, Embase, and CENTRAL were searched with the terms "Trichotillomania OR Hair Pulling Disorder" to identify randomized controlled clinical trials evaluating treatments for TTM.

RESULTS

Twenty-four trials involving 26 comparisons and 857 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Behavioral therapy with habit-reversal training components (BT-HRT) demonstrated a large benefit compared to control conditions (standardized mean difference [SMD] [95% CI] = -1.22 [-1.71, -0.73], p < .0001) for improving TTM symptoms. Clomipramine (SMD [95% CI] = -0.71 [-1.38, -0.05], p = .036), N-acetylcysteine (SMD [95% CI] = -0.75 [-1.36, -0.13], p = .017) and olanzapine (SMD [95% CI] = -0.94 [-1.77, -0.12], p = .025) demonstrated significant benefits compared to placebo in RCTs.

CONCLUSIONS

BT-HRT has demonstrated the largest treatment effects and has the strongest evidence base for reducing TTM symptoms. In contrast, several pharmacological agents have demonstrated efficacy in single randomized clinical trials that would benefit from replication. Additional trials are needed to identify other effective medications for TTM and determine the relative efficacy of available agents.

Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial of Real-Time Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Neurofeedback for Tics in Adolescents With Tourette Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Activity in the supplementary motor area (SMA) has been associated with tics in Tourette syndrome (TS). The aim of this study was to test a novel intervention-real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback from the SMA-for reduction of tics in adolescents with TS.

METHODS

Twenty-one adolescents with TS were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled, crossover study involving two sessions of neurofeedback from their SMA. The primary outcome measure of tic severity was the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale administered by an independent evaluator before and after each arm. The secondary outcome was control over the SMA assessed in neuroimaging scans, in which subjects were cued to increase/decrease activity in SMA without receiving feedback.

RESULTS

All 21 subjects completed both arms of the study and all assessments. Participants had significantly greater reduction of tics on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale after real neurofeedback as compared with the sham control (p < .05). Mean Yale Global Tic Severity Scale Total Tic score decreased from 25.2 ± 4.6 at baseline to 19.9 ± 5.7 at end point in the neurofeedback condition and from 24.8 ± 8.1 to 23.3 ± 8.5 in the sham control condition. The 3.8-point difference is clinically meaningful and corresponds to an effect size of 0.59. However, there were no differences in changes on the secondary measure of control over the SMA.

CONCLUSIONS

This first randomized controlled trial of real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging neurofeedback in adolescents with TS suggests that this neurofeedback intervention may be helpful for improving tic symptoms. However, no effects were found in terms of change in control over the SMA, the hypothesized mechanism of action.

Measuring Treatment Response in Pediatric Trichotillomania: A Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials

Objectives: In clinical trials of pediatric trichotillomania (TTM), three instruments are typically employed to rate TTM severity: (1) the Massachusetts General Hospital Hair Pulling Scale (MGH-HPS), (2) the National Institute of Mental Health Trichotillomania Severity Scale (NIMH-TSS), and (3) the Trichotillomania Scale for Children (TSC). These instruments lack standardized definitions of treatment response, which lead researchers to determine their own definitions of response post hoc and potentially inflate results. We performed a meta-analysis to provide empirically determined accuracy measures for percentage reduction cut points in these three instruments. Methods: MEDLINE was searched for TTM clinical trials. A total of 67 studies were initially identified, but only 5 were clinical trials focused on TTM in pediatric populations and therefore were included in this meta-analysis (n = 180). A Clinical Global Impressions Improvement score ≤2 was used to define clinical response. Receiver operating characteristic principles were employed to determine accuracy measures for percentage reduction cut points on each one of the instruments. Meta-DiSc software was employed to provide pooled accuracy measures for each cut point for each instrument. The Youden Index and the distance to corner methods were used to determine the optimal cut point. Results: The optimal cut points to determine treatment response were a 45% reduction on the MGH-HPS (Youden Index 0.40, distance to corner 0.20), a 35% reduction on the NIMH-TSS (Youden Index 0.42, distance to corner 0.17), a 25% reduction on the TSC child version (TSC-C; Youden Index 0.40, distance to corner 0.18), and a 45% (distance to corner 0.30) or 50% reduction (Youden Index 0.33) on the TSC parent version (TSC-P). The TSC-C had less discriminative ability at determining response in younger children in comparison to older children; no age-related differences were observed on the TSC-P. Conclusions: This study provides empirically determined cut points of treatment response on three instruments that rate TTM severity. These data-driven cut points will benefit future research on pediatric TTM.

Pharmacologic Treatment of Tardive Dyskinesia: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

To examine the efficacy of pharmacologic treatments for tardive dyskinesia (TD).

DATA SOURCES

PubMed was searched on December 12, 2017, for randomized, placebo-controlled trials examining the treatment of TD using the search terms (drug-induced dyskinesia OR tardive dyskinesia) AND (psychotic disorders OR schizophrenia).

STUDY SELECTION

Studies were included if they examined tardive dyskinesia treatment as the primary outcome and were randomized and placebo-controlled trials.

DATA EXTRACTION

The effect size (standard mean difference) of improvement (compared to placebo) stratified by medication class is reported for each of the trials included in this systematic review. A meta-analysis was conducted utilizing a fixed-effects model.

RESULTS

Vitamin E was associated with significantly greater reduction in TD symptoms compared to placebo (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.31 ± 0.08; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.46; z = 4.1; P < .001). There was significant evidence of publication bias in vitamin E studies (Egger test: P = .02). Shorter duration of treatment and lower dose of vitamin E were significantly associated with greater measured treatment benefit. Vitamin B₆ was associated with significantly greater reduction in TD symptoms compared to placebo (SMD = 1.41 ± 0.22; 95% CI, 0.98 to 1.85; z = 6.4; P < .001) in 2 trials conducted by the same research group. Vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitors demonstrated significant benefit on tardive dyskinesia symptoms compared to placebo (SMD = 0.63 ± 0.11; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.85; z = 5.58; P < .005). Amantadine was associated with significantly greater score reduction compared to placebo (SMD = 0.46 ± 0.21; 95% CI, 0.05 to 0.87; z = 2.20; P < .05). Calcium channel blockers were not associated with significantly greater score reduction compared to placebo (SMD = 0.31 ± 0.33; 95% CI, -0.34 to 0.96; z = 0.93; P = .35).

CONCLUSIONS

Data from multiple trials suggests that VMAT2 inhibitors, vitamin E, vitamin B₆, and amantadine may be effective for the treatment of TD. Evidence of publication bias and a significant negative association of dose and duration of treatment with measured efficacy suggest that the benefits of vitamin E in TD may be overstated. Head-to-head trials are needed to compare the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of pharmacologic agents for TD.

Integrating clinical and research training in child psychiatry: fifteen-year outcomes of a federally supported program

BACKGROUND

The Albert J. Solnit Integrated Training Program (AJSP) is an educational initiative designed to prepare physician-scientists for independent careers in the investigation and treatment of childhood psychiatric disorders.

METHODS

We compared fifteen cohorts (each representing a consecutive year of matriculation) of AJSP trainees and graduates (n = 30) to peers who were comparably ranked in our original match lists but ultimately pursued residency programs elsewhere (n = 60). Outcomes of interest between the two groups included professional affiliation, as measured by: (1) membership in the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP); and (2) certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), as well as three domains of research productivity: (1) Competitive awards received from AACAP; (2) Publication-related metrics derived from the National Library of Medicine (NLM); and (3) Federal grant funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

RESULTS

AJSP participants were more commonly affiliated with AACAP and board certified in CAP. AJSP graduates and trainees outperformed their control group peers in several research outcomes: (1) Receipt of AACAP awards and number of awards per recipient were higher, and time to first award shorter in the AJSP than in the control group; (2) AJSP participants had more publications in PubMed, more first-authored publications, a higher h-index, and a shorter time to first publication than participants in the control group; and (3) NIH K- or R-series funding success rate was higher among AJSP participants (p < 0.05 for all comparisons).

CONCLUSIONS

A program designed to support the development of clinician-scientists specifically dedicated to childhood mental health needs has been successful in fostering scientific creativity, productivity and independence. The expansion and replication of similar training initiatives will be an in important step forward to address the high level of morbidity and mortality associated with child and adolescent psychiatric disorders.

Annual Research Review: Defining and treating pediatric treatment-resistant depression

BACKGROUND

Adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) is a significant health problem, associated with substantial morbidity, cost, and mortality. Depression is a significant risk factor for suicide, which is now the second leading cause of death in young people. Up to twenty per cent of adolescents will experience MDD before adulthood, and while a substantial proportion will improve with standard-of-care treatments (psychotherapy and medication), roughly one third will not.

METHODS

Here, we have reviewed the literature in order to discuss the concept of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in adolescence, examine risk factors, diagnostic difficulties, and challenges in evaluating symptom improvement, and providing guidance on how to define adequate medication and psychotherapy treatment trials.

RESULTS

We propose a staging model for adolescent TRD and review the treatment literature. The evidence base for first- and second-line treatments primarily derives from four large pediatric clinical trials (TADS, TORDIA, ADAPT, and IMPACT). After two medications and a trial of evidence-based psychotherapy have failed to alleviate depressive symptoms, the evidence becomes quite thin for subsequent treatments. Here, we review the evidence for the effectiveness of medication switches, medication augmentation, psychotherapy augmentation, and interventional treatments (i.e., transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, and ketamine) for adolescent TRD. Comparisons are drawn to the adult TRD literature, and areas for future pediatric depression research are highlighted.

CONCLUSIONS

As evidence is limited for treatments in this population, a careful consideration of the known risks and side effects of escalated treatments (e.g., mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotics) is warranted and weighed against potential, but often untested, benefits.

N-Acetylcysteine for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Small Pilot Study

Background: Many children and adults with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) fail to respond to first-line pharmacological and behavioral treatments. Glutamate dysfunction may contribute to the development of OCD. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a glutamate modulating drug, has shown to be a promising agent in adults with OCD. Methods: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial from July 2012 to January 2017. Children ages 8 to 17 years with OCD were assigned to receive NAC (up to 2700 mg/day) or the matching placebo for a period of 12 weeks. Children were required to be on stable psychiatric treatment (both medication and therapy) but were not required to be treatment-refractory. The primary outcome was OCD symptom severity as measured by the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS). We used linear mixed models to analyze the effect of NAC compared to placebo. Results: Due to poor recruitment and eventual expiration of the study medication, enrollment was stopped at 11 children out of a planned sample size of 40. Nonetheless, NAC was associated with significant reduction in CY-BOCS total score compared to placebo (Satterthwaite's test: t (37) = 2.36, p = 0.024) with effects separating from placebo beginning at week 8. Mean CY-BOCS total score decreased in the NAC group from 21.4 ± 4.65 at baseline to 14.4 ± 5.55 at week 12. In the placebo group, mean CY-BOCS total score remained unchanged (21.3 ± 4.65). In the NAC group, 1 out of 5 participants achieved >35% improvement in CY-BOCS total score, while none of the six patients in placebo group reached this improvement level. NAC and placebo were well tolerated. One mild adverse event was reported in each group. Conclusions: Our trial suggests that there may be some initial improvement in OCD symptom severity with NAC treatment. NAC was well tolerated in the study population. Future trials should employ multiple sites and have a larger study population to further confirm any benefits of NAC.

Glutamate Systems in DSM-5 Anxiety Disorders: Their Role and a Review of Glutamate and GABA Psychopharmacology

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors and benzodiazepines are evidence-based pharmacological treatments for Anxiety Disorders targeting serotonin and GABAergic systems, respectively. Although clearly effective, these medications fail to improve anxiety symptoms in a significant proportion of patients. New insights into the glutamate system have directed attention toward drugs that modulate glutamate as potential alternative treatments for anxiety disorders. Here we summarize the current understanding of the potential role of glutamate neurotransmission in anxiety disorders and highlight specific glutamate receptors that are potential targets for novel anxiety disorder treatments. We also review clinical trials of medications targeting the glutamate system in DSM-5 anxiety disorders. Understanding the role of the glutamate system in the pathophysiology of anxiety disorder may aid in developing novel pharmacological agents that are effective in treating anxiety disorders.

Meta-analysis: Adulthood prevalence of Tourette syndrome

BACKGROUND

Tourette syndrome (TS) is estimated to have a prevalence of 0.30-0.77% in school aged children. Longitudinal studies suggest that roughly half-to-two-thirds of children with TS experience a substantial improvement in tic symptoms during adolescence. By contrast, few studies have examined adulthood prevalence of TS. Accurate prevalence estimates across the lifespan are needed to support regulatory and public health decisions.

METHODS

We searched PubMED and EMBASE for studies that examined the prevalence of TS in adults. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis of logit event rates to estimate prevalence of TS across studies. Too few studies are available to conduct moderator analysis or examine publication bias. We also examined the risk ratio of TS prevalence in adults for males compared to females.

RESULTS

Three studies involving 2,356,485 participants were included. There were significant differences in TS adulthood prevalence estimates between studies ranging from 49 to 657 cases of TS per million adults. Overall prevalence of TS in adulthood was estimated to be 118 cases of TS per million adults (95%CI: 19-751 cases per million adults). There was a large amount of heterogeneity between studies (I² = 99%) that was likely related to differences in their methods of identification of TS cases. By contrast, the male:female ratio of risk of adulthood TS was similar between studies with a Risk Ratio = 2.33 (95% CI: 1.72-3.16).

CONCLUSION

Estimates of adulthood prevalence of TS are sparse and likely highly affected by differences in method of case identification. Diagnosis and diagnostic estimates of TS could be aided by including a requirement for impairment as well as potential remission criteria similar to other psychiatric conditions.

Trim the fat: the role of omega-3 fatty acids in psychopharmacology

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) currently recommends the use of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation for depressive disorders, impulse-control disorders, and psychotic disorders in treatment guidelines. This review examines the evidence for efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids in depressive disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychosis. Meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials of omega-3 fatty acids for depression are inconclusive, with strong evidence of publication bias, sizable heterogeneity between included studies, and substantial methodological shortcomings in included trials. The large amount of heterogeneity in findings of RCTs of omega-3 fatty acids for unipolar depression is likely attributable to highly heterogeneous sample populations that are given different omega-3 supplements [which differ widely in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content, ratio, and dosage] as either adjunctive or monotherapy of other existing treatments, and then measure several different outcomes of depression symptomatology with likely incomplete blinding. Evidence of efficacy of omega-3 supplementation in treating psychosis, PTSD, anxiety, and bipolar mania is minimal. The current guidelines recommending the use of omega-3 fatty acids in adulthood psychiatric conditions should be revisited, especially given several recent negative studies examining the effects of omega-3 fatty acids for cardiovascular disease. Recommending likely ineffective treatment to patients, no matter how benign the side-effect profile, has opportunity cost (e.g. other more effective medications or therapies not being utilized) and likely affects patient compliance with other evidence-based treatments.