Aetiology
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Genetic factors influence the relationship between the home environment and onset of depressive symptom
Clinical depression is prevalent in adolescence, but how depression emerges and the nature of the early risk factors is unknown. Insight has now come from a study performed by researchers at King’s College London.
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Accelerated cortical thinning correlates with early signs of depression
The brain undergoes structural changes as it develops over childhood, but whether abnormal structural changes are associated with emerging depressive symptoms in adolescence is unknown. Now, a longitudinal study that enrolled 205 participants aged 8-25 years without signs of depression has used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to monitor these brain changes over adolescence.
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Persistent picky eating predicts pervasive developmental disorders in children
Picky eating — characterized by food refusal, unwillingness to try new foods or eating a limited variety of foods — affects 14-50% preschool children and is often considered by clinicians as a normal phase of child development.
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Understanding eating disorder susceptibility requires an integrated sociological, biological and genetic approach
In 2015, Kristen Culbert, Sarah Racine and Kelly Klump compiled a Research Review on the underlying causes of eating disorders for the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
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Machine learning approach predicts suicide risk
A study has evaluated the performance of machine learning on routinely collected electronic health records, as a possible approach to accurately screen and detect adolescents at risk of making suicide attempts.
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Violent self-harm may predict subsequent suicide
Researchers in Sweden have found that violent methods of self-harm requiring hospitalization may indicate high risk of future suicide in adolescents and young women.
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Suicide risk in the young: what, how and who to study
Suicide is the second leading cause of death in children and adolescents and occurs at a higher rate in this population than in any other age group.
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The family environment mediates risk of self-harming
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) constitutes any deliberate physical injury to oneself that is not life-threatening. It is a behaviour that commonly starts during adolescence. Childhood family adversity (CFA) is associated with NSSI, but the risk pathways between CFA and NSSI are unclear.
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Addiction & Substance Use
Irrespective of the age group it is just as important to be aware of what we don’t know as what we can be more confident about. This is particularly true of young people and drug use, as most research investigating prevention and interventions has tended to focus on adult populations.
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ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disorder that affects how people perceive the world and interact with others. People on the autism spectrum may have difficulties with social communication, social interaction and restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests.
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