While psychotherapy is established as an overall effective treatment of depression, a significant part of patients does not achieve adequate response. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying psychotherapeutic change may inform intervention optimization. This study examined changes in neural processing of personally relevant affective memory in individuals with depression following psychodynamic psychotherapy.

Twenty-five individuals with depression and 28 healthy controls underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning at baseline and after six months. Depressed participants received weekly psychodynamic psychotherapy. During fMRI, participants recalled idiosyncratically meaningful affective memories cued by pictorial cues. Region-of-interest analyses examined therapy-related changes in neural activation across areas involved in emotion and memory processing, and social cognition. Seed-to-voxel analyses assessed changes in functional connectivity between those areas.

Following six months of psychodynamic psychotherapy, depressed individuals showed significantly increased activation in the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) when recalling personally relevant affective memories compared to controls. Functional connectivity analyses revealed decreased coupling between bilateral amygdala and bilateral TPJ in the depressed group post-treatment.

Psychodynamic psychotherapy may increase neural processing in regions supporting mentalizing and the evaluation of personally relevant relational memories. Decreased amygdala-TPJ connectivity suggests reduced automatic affective response during affective memory processing. Findings need to be interpreted in light of the absence of a clinical control group and require replication.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) features widespread cognitive impairments, some pre-existing before onset. However, the causal associations between MDD and multidimensional cognitive impairments, and the structural and functional neural underpinnings mediating these relationships, remain to be elucidated.

We integrated summary-level data from large-scale genome-wide association studies of MDD, cognitive impairments, and neuroimaging phenotypes. Bidirectional mendelian randomization (MR) explored causal associations between MDD and cognitive impairments, with two-step MR assessing neuroimaging phenotypes as mediators.

MR analyses revealed bidirectional causal relationships between MDD and cognitive impairments. Specifically, MDD exerted causal effects on Trail Making Test Part B performance, assessed by the duration to complete the alphanumeric path (β = 0.25, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.45, P = 0.016), and Pairs Matching task performance, assessed by the number of incorrect matches in round (β = 0.11, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.16, P = 2.17 × 10^-5). These associations were partially mediated by brain structural and functional measures, including aparc-DKTatlas_lh_area_medialorbitofrontal (16.00%), IDP_T1_FAST_ROIs_R_mid_front_gyrus (18.18%), and rfMRI connectivity (ICA100 edge 645) (27.27%). Conversely, the duration to complete the alphanumeric path (OR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.40, P = 2.48 × 10^-4) and the number of incorrect matches in round (OR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.43 to 3.07, P = 1.48 × 10^-4) also causally influenced MDD. However, no significant mediation through macro-scale brain imaging phenotypes was observed.

This study provides evidence for potential bidirectional causal relationships between MDD and impairments in executive function and visual memory. The effect of MDD on these cognitive domains may be partially mediated by specific neuroimaging phenotypes.

Bulimia nervosa (BN) is a clinically heterogeneous eating disorder. Variability in clinical presentation and treatment response suggests differences in underlying neurobiology. Neuroimaging studies have reported inconsistent findings of widespread brain structural alterations in BN, which may reflect unrecognized neuroanatomical subtypes. Identifying such subtypes could inform targeted treatment approaches.

81 treatment-naïve female Han Chinese patients with BN and 72 healthy controls from a single center underwent T1-weighted MRI. Computational Anatomy Toolbox 12 was used to quantify regional gray matter volumes (GMVs). The heterogeneity through discriminative analysis (HYDRA) algorithm was applied to identify neuroanatomical subtypes. Neuroanatomical characteristics of the subtypes were compared, and clinical characteristics were compared in 55 patients with available clinical assessments.

Two distinct BN subtypes with divergent GMV aberrations and clinical characteristics were identified. Subtype 1 exhibited widespread GMV reductions mainly involving the cerebellum, prefrontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital cortices, insula, and limbic regions. It was characterized by higher depressive symptoms, younger age, and lower estimated total intracranial volume (eTIV), with eTIV negatively correlated with eating disorder psychopathology, particularly weight and shape concerns. Subtype 2 showed relatively preserved GMV, with alterations restricted to the right cerebellum. In this subtype, emotion dysregulation showed a subtype-specific association with eating disorder psychopathology.

Two neuroanatomical subtypes of BN are characterized by distinct structural patterns and clinical profiles. Subtype 2 patients may benefit from emotion regulation-focused interventions, while those with Subtype 1 may benefit from more comprehensive treatment. These implications remain hypothetical and require validation in longitudinal interventional studies.

Adolescents with anorectal malformations (ARM) or Hirschsprung disease (HD) often experience physical and psychosocial challenges. It remains unclear to what extent PedsQL-Generic Core Scales (PedsQL-GCS) and symptom-specific quality of life (QoL) measures reflect psychiatric symptom burden. This study aimed to investigate differences in patient-reported QoL between adolescents with and without a psychiatric diagnosis and associations between psychiatric symptom burden and QoL in adolescents with ARM or HD.

Sixty-eight adolescents (31 ARM, 37 HD; median age 14 years; 45 males) were assessed using the Child Assessment Schedule (CAS), the PedsQL-GCS and the PedsQL Gastrointestinal Symptoms Module (PedsQL-GSM) questionnaires. Group differences and associations were examined.

Nineteen adolescents (28%) had a psychiatric diagnosis (11 ARM, 8 HD). Adolescents with a psychiatric diagnosis reported lower PedsQL-GCS total scores (median 85.0 vs 92.0; p <.01) and PedsQL-GCS psychosocial scores (median 83.0 vs 92.0; p < .01). PedsQL-GSM total score was also lower (median 78.0 vs 97.0; p < .01) in those with a psychiatric diagnosis. Higher CAS symptom scores were moderately associated with lower PedsQL-GCS scores (ρ= -0.51, p< .001), whereas the association with PedsQL-GSM scores was weaker (ρ= -0.33, p=0.021).

Both generic QoL and gastrointestinal symptom scores were lower in adolescents with ARM or HD and a psychiatric diagnosis. Regardless of psychiatric diagnosis, psychiatric symptom burden was moderately associated with reduced PedsQL-GCS, including psychosocial domains. Incorporating PedsQL-GCS alongside PedsQL-GSM into long-term follow-up may help identify adolescents with psychosocial difficulties who may benefit from further mental health assessment and follow-up.

To examine Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions (COPC) prevalence in Urologic Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (UCPPS) patients and assess the independent contributions of specific COPCs and pairwise COPC combinations to severity of UCPPS and non-urological symptoms, health-related quality of life (QOL), and psychological distress.

Cross-sectional baseline data were collected from 152 UCPPS patients (M_age 43 yrs; 83% female) enrolled in an NIH-funded clinical trial. Participants completed validated instruments assessing COPCs as well as severity of UCPPS symptoms; physical and mental QOL; nonurological symptoms; overall pain intensity, distribution, quality and interference in daily life; as well as psychological distress.

Patients reported a mean of 1.9 COPCs. Individual COPCs were most consistently associated with broader pain distribution, reduced physical functioning, and greater fatigue; endometriosis demonstrated the most extensive pattern of statistically significant relationships. In analyses of 36 possible COPC dyads, migraine-containing pairs were frequently represented among the top 10 combinations and were linked to greater pain intensity, fatigue, pain interference, and poorer physical functioning. Emotional distress, pain catastrophizing, and UCPPS symptom severity showed weak associations with COPC load across analyses.

COPCs load is substantially associated with greater illness burden in UCPPS, with the most pronounced effects on physical functioning, fatigue, pain distribution, and overall pain intensity. Migraine-containing dyads were associated with the highest illness burden. These findings warrant consideration of brief COPC screening in patients with centralized pain phenotype refractory to peripherally directed therapies.

Dry eye disease is a common condition associated with mental health. Daily simulated laughter for eight weeks has been shown to alleviate symptoms and signs of dry eye disease. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the immediate effects of laughter on tear film lipid layer thickness and tear meniscus height.

This was a single-center, self-controlled before-after trial. Participants aged 18 to 45 years with ocular surface disease index scores above 13 and non-invasive tear film break-up time below 8 s were included in the dry eye disease group. The healthy group comprised individuals with no history or current diagnosis of dry eye disease. Baseline tear film lipid layer thickness (LLT) and tear meniscus height (TMH) were first obtained with the participant's facial muscles relaxed. Participants subsequently performed a 20 s simulated laughter; LLT was measured during the laughter, and TMH was acquired immediately upon completion.

A total of 71 participants (mean age 28.5 ± 6.1 years; 55% [39/71] female) were enrolled, including 40 patients with dry eye disease and 31 healthy controls. A 20 s laughter increased the TMH (0.27 ± 0.11 mm vs. 0.23 ± 0.08 mm, P < 0.001) and improved the LLT-Min (56 ± 21 nm vs. 48 ± 18 nm, P < 0.001), LLT-Max (74 ± 20 nm vs. 66 ± 22 nm, P < 0.001), and LLT-Average (63 ± 21 nm vs. 55 ± 21 nm, P < 0.001).

Laughter immediately increases TMH and tear film LLT in both dry eye disease patients and healthy individuals, suggesting that mechanical eyelid compression and other physical effects may contribute to the beneficial effects of simulated laughter in dry eye disease.

Despite growing recognition of fathers' involvement in caregiving, paternal mental health during the perinatal period remains insufficiently explored. Recent evidence indicates that fathers may experience perinatal affective symptoms through externalizing behaviors, somatization, and addictive tendencies, which can negatively affect father-infant interactions and partner relationships. This study aims to validate the Perinatal Assessment of Paternal Affectivity (PAPA), previously validated in the prenatal period, in a sample of Italian fathers postnatally. Data from 221 fathers (mean age = 36.02 years, SD = 5.66, range 22-63 years) with children aged 1 to 15 months (mean age = 7.55 months, SD = 4.60) were collected through an online survey administered via Qualtrics. The survey included different validated self-reports, comprising the PAPA, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Brief Coparenting Relationship Scale, and the Infant Behavior Questionnaire. Confirmatory analyses supported the one-factor structure of PAPA with good internal consistency. The instrument showed evidence of validity based on relations to other variables, with associations in the expected direction with criterion measures. Overall, findings support the PAPA as a reliable and valid instrument for assessing postnatal paternal affective symptoms, with potential clinical utility in identifying fathers at risk.

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a complex psychiatric disorder involving disruptions in neural signaling and neurovascular function that are incompletely characterized by single-modality imaging. This systematic review evaluates how concurrent electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can advance understanding of brain dynamics underlying SCZ, focusing on neurovascular coupling and large-scale network abnormalities. A systematic search of three online databases identified 16 English-language studies of individuals with SCZ or related psychosis spectrum conditions using simultaneous EEG-fMRI. Inclusion criteria covered original research reporting relationships between electrophysiological (Event-Related Potentials, oscillatory) events and fMRI-derived Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent signals, with clinical or cognitive endpoints. EEG findings implicate impaired sensory gating and cognitive processing, including abnormal P50 suppression, reduced P300 amplitudes, and dysregulated gamma and beta oscillations. fMRI results demonstrate reduced activity and altered network connectivity, notably within the default mode network. Recent studies suggest altered fMRI responses to EEG events, raising the hypothesis of neurovascular decoupling. However, methodological heterogeneity limits interpretation, and findings should be regarded as hypothesis-generating rather than conclusive. In summary, concurrent EEG-fMRI provides valuable insights into neural and neurovascular disruptions in SCZ. Advancing this field will require standardization and large-scale, reproducible studies to translate multimodal findings into clinical biomarkers and novel therapies.

The Brief Psychosomatic Symptom Scale (BPSS) has shown promising psychometric properties in adults, but its performance in adolescents remains under-examined. This study evaluated the BPSS in Chinese adolescents, estimated an empirical screening cutoff, and examined psychosocial factors associated with elevated psychosomatic symptom burden.

The BPSS was administered to 4665 school-based Chinese adolescents. Internal consistency evidence, associations with the 26-item Psychosomatic Symptoms Scale (PSSS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and construct validity via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were examined. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to estimate a BPSS cutoff relative to a study-defined high somatic-symptom-burden criterion based on a modified PHQ-15. Multivariable logistic regression examined psychosocial correlates of BPSS-defined elevated symptom burden.

The BPSS showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.885) and strong positive associations with the PSSS, PHQ-15, and GAD-7 (all p < 0.001) providing convergent evidence while requiring caution because of scale derivation and symptom-content overlap. The correlated two-factor CFA showed excellent global fit (CFI = 0.998, RMSEA = 0.037), but the factor correlation was very high (r = 0.95), indicating limited empirical separation between the factors. A cutoff of ≥8 was selected in the total sample and in both male and female subsamples. Depression, poor family functioning, bullying, personal distress, and loneliness were significantly associated with elevated BPSS scores.

The BPSS showed promising internal-consistency and screening performance in this school-based sample. A score of 8 may be useful as an empirical screening threshold relative to the study-defined criterion, but it should not be interpreted as a diagnostic cutoff. The psychosocial findings represent cross-sectional associations rather than causal risk factors, and further validation in independent and more diverse samples is needed.