mental health

A study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, which analysed the prevalence of anorexia and bulimia in 204 countries from 1990 to 2023 by age and sex, has found that the number of cases has risen by 71 per cent. In 2023, an estimated 18.1 million people worldwide were suffering from one of these two eating disorders, of whom 41.2 per cent were young people aged between 10 and 24, and 70 per cent were women. This figure is estimated to rise to 21.8 million by 2050.

There are inequalities in the mental health of LGBTQIA+ people, supported by highly credible scientific evidence, particularly with regard to depression, suicidal behaviour and symptoms related to eating disorders. These are the main findings of a study led by IDIBAPS and published in the journal World Psychiatry, in which the researchers reviewed 22 systematic reviews with meta-analyses — comprising 398 studies on this topic — and analysed the 162 associations relating to mental health.

Using clinical and genetic data from more than 10,000 Australians with depression, an international team has found that nearly 25 per cent suffered from what they have termed ‘circadian depression’ – a subtype previously proposed by the scientific community that is characterised by disrupted sleep-wake cycles, reduced daytime activity and low energy levels. In the study, those identified as having this form of depression reported an earlier age of onset, more severe clinical features and weight gain during depressive episodes. The authors, whose study is published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, state that these findings “support the apparent validity and potential clinical utility of a circadian subtype of depression as a clinical profile”.

A global review, which analysed 23 meta-analyses containing data on nearly three million children across 64 countries, identified associations between screen use and various aspects of children’s mental health and development. According to the authors, these findings may help to inform and refine guidelines and policies on screen use. The results are published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

A pilot trial assessed the feasibility and acceptability of reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods in the diets of patients with major depressive disorder. The study, which involved twenty participants from the United States, has been published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry and shows that scores for depression and anxiety were lower during the period of reduced consumption of ultra-processed foods than during the period of their usual diet. According to the authors, this is an exploratory study – in the form of a Research Letter – and, “at best, it generates hypotheses”.

A meta-analysis has examined the relationship between four environmental exposures – air, noise, light and water pollution – and the risk of death by suicide, suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts. The research shows an association between these three events and exposure to various air pollutants. Specifically, the study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, links these three events to short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) and long-term exposure to PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide. The research encompassed 45 studies, 29 of which were included in the meta-analysis and 16 in a systematic review. In the review, the authors found possible associations between suicide and other air pollutants (including sulphur dioxide and ozone) as well as noise pollution. By contrast, no significant associations were found with either light pollution or water pollution.

A study published in the journal JAMA Network Open assessed the attitudes of Australian teenagers in the context of the implementation of minimum age restrictions on social media use in their country. The research team found that the majority of respondents expressed their intention to continue using social media after the regulations came into force, despite the fact that, in this sample, symptoms of anxiety and depression were associated with a history of social media use and with a younger age at the time of first use.

A new study reveals that the proportion of adults with dementia has risen significantly in Mexico, Peru and Puerto Rico over the last two decades, rising from one in ten older adults to almost one in six; a trend that runs counter to that seen in the US and other wealthy countries. Rates remained stable in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. The authors urge investment in prevention, dementia screening and care infrastructure. The study is published in JAMA Neurology.

A team of researchers analyzed data on mental health consultations among people aged 10 to 46 in Norway’s primary care system from 2010 to 2024. They observed significant increases in consultations for symptoms of anxiety and depression, particularly among young people and especially among women. However, the proportion of consultations coded as disorders increased only slightly or remained stable. The authors suggest that this discrepancy may be due to changes in help-seeking behavior when experiencing psychological distress and in diagnostic practices, rather than an increase in mental health problems. Furthermore, they note that the growing volume of consultations for symptoms poses a challenge for primary care physicians, one that could be addressed through psychoeducation or digital interventions. The article is published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, part of the BMJ Group.

Six state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs) based on artificial intelligence (AI) can simulate human emotions such as fear, sadness, and anxiety, according to a study published in the journal The Lancet Digital Health. The authors clarify that these are metaphorical reactions on the part of the algorithms, but suggest that this could open new avenues for developing and testing conversational therapy techniques aimed at treating mental health disorders.