• The construction and psychometric evaluation of the self-structure scale: a bidimensional model of self-structure.
    2 days ago
    Although psychoanalytic and personality theories have consistently highlighted the central role of self-structure, existing psychometric tools predominantly measure isolated personality traits or narcissistic subtypes, with scarce instruments dedicated to evaluating the organizational mechanisms governing self-related functioning. This study puts forward a bidimensional theoretical framework of self-structure and constructs the Scale of Self-Structure (SOSS), aiming to empirically verify the measurable manifestation of the proposed theoretical dimensions.

    Two sequential empirical studies were performed to construct and psychometrically validate the SOSS. Study 1 covered item pool development, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), internal consistency testing, and test-retest reliability verification. A total of 1,954 participants were recruited for initial scale refinement, and an independent subsample of 128 respondents completed retest assessments to evaluate temporal stability. Study 2 recruited 3,805 participants split across two separate cohorts: Sample 3 (n = 2,570) and Sample 4 (n = 1,235). This sample was used for cross-sample structural validation and comprehensive psychometric examinations, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), internal reliability evaluation, multi-group measurement invariance tests, discriminant validity estimation, and person-centered latent profile clustering. Supplementary narcissism measurement data collected from Sample 4 further supported analyses of convergent and nomological validity.

    EFA yielded a 28-item SOSS encompassing four correlated first-order factors: Positive Self, Self-Center, Idealized Identification, and Vulnerable Self. In Study 2, competing measurement models were compared. The four-factor exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) solution exhibited the best fit to the data, implying that self-structural processes consist of interrelated yet partially overlapping components, rather than following a strictly hierarchical structure. The SOSS showed acceptable internal consistency and temporal stability, supported measurement invariance across gender, and displayed adequate discriminant validity together with theoretically consistent correlations with grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. Subsequent person-centered analyses tentatively revealed four distinct profile configurations within the two-dimensional structural space defined by the SOSS.

    This study provides preliminary empirical evidence supporting the SOSS as a multidimensional instrument for assessing individual differences in self-structural organization. Established based on psychodynamic self-organization theories and validated through systematic psychometric examinations, the SOSS may serve as a tentative framework for understanding self-investment, relational functioning, and self-cohesion beyond traditional trait-based indicators. Given the nonclinical and culturally homogeneous sample of the present study, future investigations incorporating longitudinal designs, demographically diverse cohorts, clinical populations, and cross-cultural validation are required to further elucidate the developmental implications, generalizability, and clinical applicability of the self-structural dimensions captured by the SOSS.
    Mental Health
    Care/Management
  • Student-led implementation of Mental Health First Aid training in undergraduate medical education.
    2 days ago
    Mental health literacy (MHL) is increasingly recognised as a core competency for medical students, yet medical curricula often lack structured teaching on how to recognise and respond to mental health challenges.

    This study was a student-led exploratory study of medical students' views on the content and delivery of MHFA training, and gathered their suggestions for how MHFA might fit into medical education.

    Using a student partnership design MHFA training was delivered to medical students at the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences (RCSI) across three cohorts between 2023 and 2025. Three post-training focus groups were conducted with 23 participants. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

    Students were highly receptive to the value of MHFA training and viewed mental health skills as essential to their future clinical practice. Three key themes emerged: (1) Mental health literacy as a core competency - students perceived MHFA as filling a crucial curricular gap; (2) MHFA provides a pedagogy of safety and authenticity- the interactive, supportive learning environment encouraged open discussion and reflection; and (3) Optimising MHFA for medical students - participants suggested inclusion of topics such as eating disorders needed to be addressed within mental health education.

    MHFA training was perceived as relevant, engaging, and valuable by medical students. Participants described MHFA as supporting their confidence in discussing mental health and increasing awareness of wellbeing-related issues. Findings suggest that embedding MHFA within medical education allow students to consider their own mental health literacy, discuss mental health topics with peers, and inquire into their own self-care practices.
    Mental Health
    Care/Management
  • The opioid flexion phenotype: postural flexion and nodding in the fentanyl era.
    2 days ago
    The fentanyl era has produced recurrent community observations of people remaining upright or semi-upright in sustained forward flexion of the head and trunk with intermittent nodding, colloquially referred to as the "fentanyl nod" or "fentanyl fold." Yet the motor state producing this appearance has never been measured directly. We conducted a structured narrative review spanning axial postural-control and reticulospinal neurophysiology, mu-opioid pharmacology, fentanyl-associated rigidity, alpha-2 adulterants, and observations from supervised consumption settings, and integrated these literatures into a testable framework. We introduce opioid flexion phenotype as a descriptive term for the observed configuration, deliberately holding it apart from any diagnostic or mechanistic claim. We advance disproportionate impairment of axial antigravity control as the primary hypothesis, set against three alternatives the evidence does not yet exclude: generalized sedation with loss of postural support; flexor-predominant rigidity or dystonia; and a mixed or fluctuating motor state. The hypothesis predicts that axial extensor activity will be reduced beyond that expected for the level of arousal at comparable ventilation, without increased flexor co-contraction or passive resistance. The rigidity literature prevents visual flexion from being equated with hypotonia, while alpha-2 agonists such as xylazine and medetomidine are better understood as state-dependent modifiers because they may deepen sedation, alter postural support or attenuate an established rigidity state. Persistent flexion after naloxone is non-specific and does not identify either co-exposure or motor mechanism. Discrimination among the accounts requires concurrent assessment of axial muscle activity, passive tone, arousal, ventilation, kinematics, toxicological exposure and longitudinal response. The immediate clinical and harm reduction implications are mechanism-independent: forward flexion should prompt assessment for toxicity rather than dismissal as sleep or voluntary posture; ventilation, not posture, governs urgency and naloxone titration in suspected opioid overdose; and neither appearance nor naloxone response identifies the underlying motor state. The flexed presentation has been read confidently as sedation, hypotonia and rigidity; none of these interpretations is yet warranted, and the instruments needed to adjudicate among them exist, while the observational protocol does not.
    Mental Health
    Care/Management
  • Frontal Lobe Metastasis from Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review.
    2 days ago
    Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common type of well-differentiated thyroid cancer and usually has a favorable prognosis with a low risk of metastasis. However, distant metastasis significantly worsens the prognosis. Brain metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma is very rare, and there is currently no standardized treatment protocol for this condition. Case Presentation: A 56-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital 7 years after undergoing total thyroidectomy for primary papillary thyroid carcinoma, presenting with neurological symptoms including decreased mental responsiveness, memory impairment, and motor aphasia. Brain MRI revealed an abnormal mass in the left frontal lobe with extensive surrounding edema. The patient underwent left fronto-temporal craniotomy with complete tumor resection. Postoperatively, the patient showed significant neurological improvement and was started on oral thyroxine replacement therapy. Innovation and Significance: This case provides several noteworthy contributions: (1) It is one of the few reported cases of a single frontal lobe metastatic lesion occurring more than 7 years after primary tumor treatment; (2) It establishes a standardized approach to comprehensive pre- and postoperative neurological assessments; (3) It challenges the traditional view that brain metastases in PTC are almost always associated with extensive systemic dissemination; (4) It provides detailed immunohistochemical characterization of both the primary tumor and the metastatic site. Conclusion: PTC is the most common type of thyroid cancer, typically slow-growing with generally favorable outcomes. Metastases most commonly involve regional lymph nodes, with occasional distant metastases to the lungs and bones. Brain metastases from PTC are extremely rare. In this paper, we present a case of pathologically confirmed PTC brain metastasis in the left frontal lobe and review the available literature on its clinical significance.
    Mental Health
    Care/Management
  • Reconceptualizing Schizophrenia through a Patient-Oriented Perspective: a Systematic Review and Qualitative Meta-Synthesis.
    2 days ago
    Schizophrenia spectrum disorders are typically described using positive and negative symptoms, yet standard diagnostic systems may not reflect the full range of how individuals experience the disorder. We hypothesized that synthesizing first-person accounts would yield a broader, clinically useful symptom framework that better represents lived experience.

    We performed a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis following Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD420251069446). PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched up to January 2026. Eligible studies used qualitative or mixed methods and reported first-person accounts from individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. We included 52 peer-reviewed studies (2856 participants). We conducted two thematic syntheses: (1) general illness experience and (2) symptom experience organized using the Manual for Assessment and Documentation of Psychopathology in Psychiatry framework.

    Across illness experience, five themes emerged: pervasive effects on physical, psychological, social, and relational life; stigma and isolation; interactions with medication, clinicians, and services; disruption and fragmentation of self, reality, and meaning; and coping strategies, including the protective role of social support. Across symptom experience, fear recurred across psychotic and non-psychotic domains, and participants often described psychosis as a transformed experience of reality rather than discrete symptoms. Accounts spanned disturbances in consciousness, perception, thinking, cognition, affect, and behavior.

    Lived experience highlights marked heterogeneity that extends beyond traditional symptom dichotomies and is only partly captured by current diagnostic frameworks. Incorporating patient-reported perspectives may support more nuanced, person-centered assessment and evaluation of treatment response.
    Mental Health
    Care/Management
  • The Impact of Caring for a Child With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis on Caregiver Quality of Life.
    2 days ago
    Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) impacts children and their families, often increasing caregiver burden and diminishing quality of life. This study assessed the care-related quality of life of parent-caregivers of children with JIA using the Care-Related Quality of Life instrument (CarerQol), identified the most affected caregiving dimensions, and explored associations with sociodemographic and clinical factors.

    We analyzed baseline data from the Canada-Netherlands Personalized Medicine Network in Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases (UCAN CAN-DU) study. Clinical data including symptoms, disease activity, and caregiver-reported data were collected. Caregivers of children under 18 completed the CarerQol, a preference-weighted caregiver quality-of-life instrument from which a utility score (0-100, worst to better caregiving situation) can be calculated, as well as a well-being visual analog scale (VAS; 0-10, completely unhappy to happy). Stepwise linear regression examined associations between CarerQol utility and VAS; and sociodemographic and clinical variables, with model selection based on goodness of fit.

    Among 439 caregivers, 86% were mothers, the mean age was 41 years, and 44% of children had oligoarticular JIA. The mean CarerQol scores were utility of 81.5 (SD 10.8); VAS of 7.3 (SD 1.7). Most caregivers reported fulfillment and caregiving support. Over 40% reported problems in physical health, mental health, and combining caregiving with daily activities. Lower utilities were associated with receiving extra help, having physical health conditions, caring for children using injectable medication, and caring for male children. Higher utilities were associated with living with a partner, caring for children aged 10 to 15, and residing in the Netherlands (P < 0.05).

    Many caregivers experience substantial burden, particularly in physical and mental health, and managing caregiving alongside daily responsibilities. Child- and family-related factors are key variables associated with caregiving quality of life. Results emphasize the need for tailored interventions and support systems to improve JIA caregivers' well-being.
    Mental Health
    Care/Management
  • Treatment of Antithrombotic-Associated Intracranial Hemorrhage in Adults: A Focused Guideline Update from the Neurocritical Care Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.
    2 days ago
    Antithrombotic-associated intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a life-threatening condition, and rapid treatment in the setting of antithrombotic agents may limit hematoma expansion and improve outcomes. This focused update evaluated the available evidence after publication of the 2016 guidelines.

    The Neurocritical Care Society, in conjunction with the Society of Critical Care Medicine, generated five questions to guide a systematic review and meta-analysis. Three of these questions update prior recommendations, while two are newly introduced. Each question followed a Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome (PICO) framework and focused on the management of acute ICH including spontaneous intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH) and traumatic ICH. The topics addressed were: (1) andexanet alfa versus 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC) for treatment of oral factor Xa inhibitor effects; (2) platelet transfusion versus no transfusion for treatment in the setting of antiplatelet agent use; (3) desmopressin versus no desmopressin for treatment in the setting of antiplatelet agent use; (4) treatment of anticoagulant effects versus no treatment in the setting of small IPH; and (5) use of viscoelastic hemostatic assays (VHAs) to treat coagulopathy in traumatic ICH. Recommendations were developed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology.

    The panel generated eight recommendations. For patients with acute ICH, the panel issued the following conditional recommendations: use 4F-PCC rather than andexanet alfa for the treatment of the anticoagulant effects of factor Xa inhibitors, avoid platelet transfusion in non-neurosurgical patients with spontaneous IPH on antiplatelet agents, administer platelet transfusion in patients with spontaneous IPH on aspirin who are undergoing surgery, and use VHAs to guide treatment of coagulopathy in traumatic ICH. The panel was unable to issue recommendations regarding platelet transfusion for treatment of antiplatelet effects in traumatic ICH, use of desmopressin for treatment of antiplatelet effects, or treatment of anticoagulant effects in small IPH.

    The guideline writing panel provided new conditional recommendations for the treatment of antithrombotic-associated acute ICH. These recommendations are intended for consideration along with the patient's clinical status and patient-specific factors.
    Mental Health
    Care/Management
  • Catatonic Features That May Be Mistaken for Worsening Autism Show Treatment-Associated Improvement: Implications for Later Regression.
    2 days ago
    Catatonia in autistic individuals may resemble worsening autism yet represent a potentially treatable departure from baseline functioning. We compared item-level catatonic signs in autistic and non-autistic patients and evaluated treatment-associated change during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This single-center observational cohort included patients with catatonia who received ECT from May 2022 through April 2026. The 23-item Bush-Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS) was assessed longitudinally. Pretreatment BFCRS data were available for 104 patients, including 41 autistic and 63 non-autistic patients, with 993 near-complete repeated assessments available. Pretreatment item presence was modeled using a three-level clinical-group variable with adjustment for age, biologic sex, and calendar year. Compared with non-autistic patients, patients with autism and intellectual disability had higher adjusted odds of eight activated, repetitive, or behaviorally dysregulated signs and lower odds of immobility/stupor. Among 96 patients with paired first and last eligible BFCRS assessments, multiple items improved in both cohorts. Generalized estimating equations demonstrated longitudinal declines in total BFCRS scores and multiple psychomotor-domain scores, with no clinical-group-by-time interaction surviving false-discovery rate correction in unrestricted or 30-, 60-, 90-, and 180-day models. Autism-specific Kanner analyses identified significant fixed-endpoint improvement in seven severity items after false-discovery rate correction, six of which were reproduced longitudinally. Catatonia in autistic patients with intellectual disability was characterized by a phenotype that may resemble worsening autism during later regression, and many constituent signs demonstrated treatment-associated improvement during ECT.
    Mental Health
    Care/Management
  • MA-5 attenuates disease-associated transcriptomic aging and pathological microglial states in Gaucher disease.
    2 days ago
    Chronic inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction are hallmarks of neurodegeneration and aging, yet how mitochondrial damage contributes to inflammatory and aging-like cellular programs remains poorly understood. Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by GBA1 mutations, which also represent a major genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease. In a GD mouse model, we identified marked mitochondrial cristae disorganization accompanied by mitochondrial DNA release, activation of the cGAS-STING and NLRP3 inflammasome pathways, and subsequent inflammatory microglial activation. Circulating galectin-3 was also elevated in both model mice and patients with GD, supporting its potential relevance as a systemic marker of disease-associated inflammation. Mitochonic acid-5 (MA-5) is a mitochondria-targeting compound that interacts with mitofilin/MIC60 in the mitochondrial inner membrane and enhances ATP production. In a GD mouse model and patient-derived iPSC microglia, MA-5 increased ATP levels, preserved mitochondrial cristae integrity, limited mtDNA release, and suppressed cGAS-STING and NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, thereby attenuating microglial innate immune activation and galectin-3 expression. MA-5 also prolonged survival and reversed accelerated transcriptomic aging across multiple brain cell types, with particularly prominent effects in microglia. In the liver, GD was similarly associated with inflammatory, stress-related, and aging-associated transcriptional changes, whereas MA-5 improved liver function, restored mitochondrial morphology, suppressed inflammatory and stress responses, restored metabolic programs, and reduced transcriptomic age. Overall, MA-5 suppresses neuroinflammation and reverses accelerated transcriptomic aging, supporting its potential as a therapeutic strategy for GD and other lysosomal storage disorders, as well as for diseases characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and pathological accumulation.
    Mental Health
    Care/Management
    Policy
  • Rumination and Nomophobia Among University Students in Jilin Province: Indirect and Moderating Associations.
    2 days ago
    Nomophobia (fear of being without a mobile phone) has emerged as a growing psychological concern in the digital era, negatively affecting the mental well-being and academic functioning of university students. Drawing on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) and Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) frameworks, this study examined the relationship between rumination and nomophobia, tested the sequential mediating roles of emotion dysregulation and interaction anxiousness, and explored the moderating effects of health literacy (HL) and digital health literacy (DHL).

    A cross-sectional survey using multistage stratified cluster sampling recruited 22,582 participants from five higher education institutions in Jilin Province, China, between June and December 2025. Participants completed the Ruminative Responses Scale (RRS), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-16), Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS), Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q), and measures of HL and DHL. An observed-variable path model and separate regression-based moderation analyses were used to examine the hypothesized associations.

    Rumination was positively associated with nomophobia (β = 0.133, p < 0.001). Emotion dysregulation and interaction anxiousness showed statistically significant independent and sequential indirect associations. HL moderated the association between rumination and interaction anxiousness, and DHL moderated the association between emotion dysregulation and nomophobia; however, the interactions explained only 0.05% and 0.23% additional variance, respectively.

    The findings identify cross-sectional direct, indirect, and conditional associations consistent with the proposed theoretical framework. The small moderation effects should not be interpreted as evidence of substantial practical importance, and longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate temporal ordering and causality.
    Mental Health
    Policy