Tag: Mental health

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<![CDATA[Studies link compassion and wisdom to less loneliness and richer gut microbiome diversity, pointing to gut–brain targets for mental health interventions.]]>
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<![CDATA[Gut microbiome linked to loneliness, showing compassion-based wisdom may protect mental health over time.]]>
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Factors Influencing the Initiation and Continued Engagement of Digital Mental Health Tools Among Adults: Theory of Planned Behavior–Informed Systematic Review

Background: Digital mental health tools (DMHTs) offer scalable support, but engagement varies. Understanding the shapes of initiation and ongoing use is essential for effective design and implementation. Objective: This study aims to synthesize determinants of adults’ initiation and engagement with DMHTs, organized through two lenses: (1) psychological factors aligned with the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and (2) design and access features. Methods: A systematic search of 9 databases (June 2025) identified qualitative and mixed methods primary studies reporting end-users’ experiences with DMHTs. Studies were screened and reported in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Quality appraisal used quality assessment with diverse studies (QuADS). Data were synthesized using a framework-guided thematic approach, mapping findings to TPB constructs and complementary design and access domains. Results: A total of 22 studies met inclusion criteria. Findings clustered into 2 interdependent domains. TPB constructs explained how beliefs, social expectations, and perceived control shaped decisions to start and persist with DMHTs. Design and access features frequently acted through these same pathways, especially by altering perceived behavioral control (PBC), with cost, connectivity, device constraints, and time flexibility affecting feasibility, with content design and privacy shaping perceived value and trust. Perceived fit (goals, cultural or linguistic relevance, and routine alignment) consistently influenced both initiation and continuation. Several features operated bidirectionally; depending on context, the same feature could facilitate or hinder engagement. Conclusions: Engagement with DMHTs is jointly determined by users’ beliefs and the design and access conditions within which tools are offered. Implementation should pursue a dual strategy, strengthening willingness to seek support (addressing attitudes, norms, and perceived control) while engineering low-effort, trustworthy, and context-appropriate experiences. Priorities include equity-focused policies (data costs, devices, and connectivity), transparent data practices, co-design with diverse communities, and consistent, theory-informed outcome measures.
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Reducing Intrusive Trauma Memories Using a Brief Mental Imagery Competing Task Intervention: Case Series of Trauma-Exposed Women in Iceland

Background: There is a need for scalable and simple interventions for trauma-exposed people. In this case series, we built on our previous case study and case series findings and further explored the use and potential effectiveness of a brief novel intervention to reduce the number of past intrusive memories of trauma. The imagery competing task intervention consists of a memory reminder and the visuospatial task Tetris played with mental rotation, targeting 1 intrusive memory at a time. Here, we test remote delivery of the intervention, including guidance from researchers without specialist mental health training, in a sample of women in Iceland with current intrusive memories from trauma. Objective: In a case series of trauma-exposed women, we aimed to explore whether this brief novel intervention reduces the number of established intrusive memories (primary outcome) and improves general functioning and symptom reduction in posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety (secondary outcomes). The acceptability of the intervention along with adaptations, that is, delivery by psychology students without specialist mental health training and digital delivery, was explored. Methods: Participants (N=8) monitored the number of intrusive memories from an index trauma (occurring 3‐16 years previously) in a daily diary at baseline, during the intervention, and postintervention at 1-month and 3-month follow-ups. The intervention was delivered digitally with guidance from clinical psychologists or psychology students. A repeated AB design was used (“A”: preintervention baseline, “B”: intervention phase). Intrusions were targeted one by one, creating repetitions of an AB design (ie, length of baseline “A” and intervention “B” varied for each memory). Results: The number of intrusive memories reduced for all participants from the baseline phase compared with the intervention phase, although the reduction was minimal for 2 participants (6.3%‐93%). The number of intrusive memories continued to reduce for 6 out of 8 participants (58%‐100% reduction at 1-month follow-up; 72%‐100% reduction at 3-month follow-up). Symptoms of posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety were reduced for most participants postintervention and continued to decrease during the follow-up periods. Functioning was improved for 7 of the 8 participants from baseline to postintervention and continued to improve at the follow-up assessments for 3 participants. The intervention delivered digitally and partly by students was perceived to be an acceptable way to reduce the frequency of intrusive memories by all participants (mean rating 9.5 out of 10). Conclusions: Data from this case series of traumatized women provide preliminary evidence for the effectiveness of this novel brief intervention in reducing intrusive memories of trauma occurring several years ago and in improving functioning and reducing core symptom burden. This study will inform a randomized controlled trial of this novel intervention, which may have considerable implications for large-scale clinical management of traumatized populations. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04209283; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04209283 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/29873
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Large Language Models and Their Applications in Mental Health: Scoping Review

Background: Large language models (LLMs) are poised to transform mental health care, offering advanced capabilities in diagnosis, prognosis, and decision support. Since their inception, numerous mental health-focused LLMs have emerged in the scientific literature, reflecting the growing interest in leveraging these models across various clinical applications. With a broad range of models available, diverse optimization strategies, and multiple use cases, reviewing the current landscape is critical to understanding where future impact lies. Objective: This study aimed to conduct a scoping review investigating the use of LLMs in mental health across diagnostic, prognostic, and decision support tasks. Methods: We screened 3121 papers from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies published between January 2023 and October 2025, using terms related to LLM and mental health. After removing duplicates, 2 reviewers (MCL and WWBG) independently screened the studies, with a third (JJK) to resolve conflicting opinions. We extracted and synthesized information on the models, use cases, datasets, and adaptation methods from selected papers. Results: In total, 41 papers were selected. Many studies included evaluations on OpenAI’s GPT series applications: GPT-4 (24 studies, 58.5%) and GPT-3.5 (16 studies, 39%). Others included Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers-derived models (9 studies, 22%), LLaMA (8 studies, 19.5%), and RoBERTa-derived models (6 studies, 14.6%). While all studies initially applied out-of-the-box LLMs, several adapted them through few-shot learning or fine-tuning to better align with specific research goals. The most common use case was in diagnostics (31 studies, 75.6%), while the most common target condition was depression (11 studies, 26.8%). While many studies reported superior performance of LLMs, only a minority of studies (13 studies, 31.7%) validated LLM performance against clinician assessments using real patient data, with the majority relying on proxy outcomes such as clinical vignettes, examination questions, or social media posts. Conclusions: Despite rapid growth and diversity of LLM applications in mental health, the field remains nascent and exploratory. Future developments must emphasize consistent model adaptation procedures to ensure safety and clinical workflow alignment. Models must also be evaluated on robust evaluation criteria by using standardized protocols and real clinical outcome measures.
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Exosome-based therapy for epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical studies

ObjectiveThis study aims to quantitatively assess the efficacy of exosome therapy for epilepsy through a systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical animal experiments. We seek to clarify its overall effects on seizure reduction, cognitive function preservation, and neuroinflammation suppression.MethodsA systematic search was conducted across four English-language and four Chinese databases to include epilepsy animal studies. Continuous outcomes were synthesized using standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), with fixed or random effects models selected based on heterogeneity.ResultsA total of eight preclinical studies were included. The overall meta-analysis revealed that exosome treatment significantly reduced the duration of seizures (SMD = −2.30, 95% CI −4.24 to −0.36), decreased the frequency of spontaneous recurrent seizures (SMD = −1.38, 95% CI −2.17 to −0.58), and prolonged the seizure latency (SMD = 1.49, 95% CI 0.08–2.90). In terms of cognitive function, exosomes significantly shortened the escape latency in the Morris water maze (SMD = −1.38, 95% CI −2.17 to −0.58), increased the percentage of time spent in the target quadrant (SMD = 3.69, 95% CI 0.30–7.08), and enhanced the number of platform crossings (SMD = 1.41, 95% CI 0.60–2.21), with no significant changes in swimming speed. Neuropathological analysis indicated that exosome treatment significantly increased the number of hippocampal neurons (SMD = 4.48, 95% CI 1.46–7.49) and markedly reduced levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) (SMD = −3.61, 95% CI −7.08 to −0.14), ionized calcium-binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA-1) (SMD = −10.27, 95% CI −20.29 to −0.25), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (SMD = −2.95, 95% CI −4.21 to −1.69), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) (SMD = −7.39, 95% CI −14.64 to −0.13). Although some outcomes exhibited heterogeneity and publication bias, the corrected primary effects remained statistically significant. The source of exosomes, administration route, and dosage may be critical variables influencing their efficacy.ConclusionExosome therapy improves seizure phenotypes and protects cognitive function in epilepsy models by suppressing neuroinflammation to promote neuronal survival, providing evidence for further mechanistic and clinical translation studies.
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Protracted encephalopathy and subacute combined degeneration associated with chronic nitrous oxide use: a case report

Nitrous oxide is a dissociative hallucinogen that is increasingly used recreationally, in part due to its widespread availability. Its use is known to cause subacute combined degeneration via inactivation of vitamin B12; it may also result in acute delirium and chronic progressive encephalopathy. Though current practice guidelines call for treatment of neurological sequelae of nitrous oxide use with vitamin B12 supplementation, a paucity of long-term outcome data limits our ability to guide extended courses of treatment. In this report, we discuss a case of protracted encephalopathy associated with nitrous oxide use. We track the response to vitamin B12 supplementation in the hospital setting using the Mini-Mental Status Exam to assess the severity and improvement of cognitive impairment. We also review the patient’s comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions, which complicate diagnosis and treatment planning in this patient population.
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Applications Open for the SNF Global Center Communicator Fellowship

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute launches its next two-year fellowship for professionals pursuing evidence-based approaches across diverse, underserved global communities

New York, NY—Applications are now open for the 2026 Communicator Fellowship at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute. The fellowship is designed to support a new generation of communicators working to shape child and adolescent mental health care in low- and middle-income countries, in addition to the SNF Global Center’s core country offices in Brazil, Greece, and South Africa. Up to three professionals working in public communications, including journalists, broadcasters, and podcasters, will be selected for the two-year program.

The Communicator Fellowship is part of the SNF Global Center’s broader mission to reduce gaps in data and care, catalyze system-level advancements, and transform child and adolescent mental health care by turning evidence into action, scaling culturally appropriate solutions, and building a global network of experts so young people everywhere can access support when they need it.

The application deadline is June 15, 2026. Fellows will be selected and announced by early August 2026. In addition to financial support of up to $100,000 USD, fellows will receive training, mentorship, and networking opportunities.

At a time when one in five young people are experiencing mental health or learning challenges, with most cases beginning by age 14, effective and accurate communication is urgently needed.

At the Child Mind Institute, we believe that translating research into accessible knowledge that empowers young people, families, and communities is integral to advancing mental health care. The Communicator Fellowship builds on this commitment by supporting professionals who can bring evidence-based mental health information to the public in clear, engaging, and culturally relevant ways.

Vinicius Gaby Vieira Rego, MD, of Brazil, a current Communicator Fellow with the support of the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of São Paulo, exemplifies this mission. Working with youth, Dr. Rego is co-creating a multi-platform literacy hub designed to combat harmful misinformation by empowering Brazil’s young leaders.

“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to join the SNF Global Center’s network of fellows to support adolescent mental health in Brazil through communication,” said Dr. Rego. “This fellowship will enable a multi-channel communication project aimed at strengthening mental health literacy and peer-support capacity — with young people and for young people — across the country.”

As a fellow, Dr. Rego’s work directly addresses complex mental health challenges faced by young people in Brazil, while contributing to broader global efforts to improve communication about mental health care.

“In the current digital environment, where adolescents are exposed to a high volume of mental health content, the need for evidence-based information that resonates with young people has never been greater,” said Guilherme Polanczyk, MD, PhD, associate professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of São Paulo. “We are proud to endorse a project committed to supporting how young people and their communities understand and reflect on their mental health.”

Other current fellows are leading high-impact projects dispelling misinformation, reducing stigma, and increasing youth engagement — all while bringing critical attention to links among mental health, climate change, and human rights. Through partnerships, these efforts are transforming the future of youth mental health across the globe.

“Vinicius’s project is ambitious, and with the support of the Institute of Psychiatry at the University of São Paulo, we know it will provide young people in Brazil with much-needed resources to support their mental health,” said Peter Raucci, Director of Global Fellowship Strategy of the SNF Global Center at the Child Mind Institute. “What we’re seeing through the Communicator Fellowship is how quickly ideas can move from concept to culturally relevant, real-world impact.”

SNF Global Center Communicator Fellowship Timeline

Application deadline: June 15, 2026

Fellows announced: August 2026

Program Resources

About the SNF Global Center at the Child Mind Institute
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute brings together the Child Mind Institute’s expertise as a leading independent nonprofit in children’s mental health and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation’s deep commitment to supporting collaborative projects to improve access to quality health care worldwide. The center is building partnerships to drive advances in under-researched areas of children and adolescents’ mental health, and expand access to culturally appropriate training, resources, and treatment in low- and middle-income countries. This work is conducted by the Child Mind Institute with support from SNF through its Global Health Initiative (GHI).

About the Child Mind Institute
The Child Mind Institute is dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders by giving them the help they need. We’ve become the leading independent nonprofit in children’s mental health by providing gold-standard, evidence-based care, delivering educational resources to millions of families each year, training educators in underserved communities, and developing tomorrow’s breakthrough treatments.

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