Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) commonly co-occurs with psychological distress, including depression and anxiety, but the temporal and bidirectional nature of this relationship remains unclear. Dysregulation of the gut–brain–microbiota axis has been proposed as a shared mechanism.

We conducted two retrospective, population-based cohort studies using Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database (2000–2015). Cohort 1 assessed the risk of incident IBS among patients with newly diagnosed depression or anxiety, while Cohort 2 evaluated the risk of subsequent depression or anxiety among patients with newly diagnosed IBS. Propensity score matching, multivariable Cox regression, and Fine–Gray competing risk models were applied.

IBS was associated with increased risks of depression (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.55) and anxiety (aHR = 1.68). Conversely, depression and anxiety were associated with higher risks of developing IBS (aHR = 1.45 and 1.51, respectively). Associations were stronger among females and younger adults aged 18–39 years. Sleep disorders (SDs) showed the strongest modifying effect in both directions (sub-distribution HR ≈ 1.60). Results were consistent across sensitivity analyses.

This nationwide longitudinal study demonstrates a robust bidirectional association between IBS and psychological distress, supporting integrated screening and multidisciplinary care approaches targeting gut–brain interactions.

Depression affects over 280 million people worldwide. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may relate to depression, but observational evidence is inconsistent.

To examine the association between dietary long-chain omega-3 intake and depression severity in US adults.

Cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2021–2023. Participants: Adults ≥18 years with complete dietary, PHQ-9, and covariate data (n=3,608). Main outcome: PHQ-9 severity categories (0–4 to 20–27). Exposure: Total omega-3 (ALA, EPA, DPA, DHA) from 24-hour recalls (FNDDS 2021–2023); supplements excluded. Supplement use was a binary covariate.

Survey-weighted ordinal logistic regression (svyolr); all continuous variables centred/scaled (ORs per 1 SD). Covariates: age, sex, race/ethnicity (collapsed for sparse cells), income-to-poverty ratio, BMI, smoking, alcohol, physical activity, omega-3 supplement use. Results: Higher total omega-3 intake was inversely associated with depression severity (OR 0.865 per 1 SD, 95% CI 0.761–0.983, p=0.026). EPA showed a significant inverse association (OR 0.907, 95% CI 0.824–0.998, p=0.045); ALA, DPA, and DHA were not significant. No interaction by sex (p=0.656) or race/ethnicity (p=0.155). Sensitivity analyses: excluding supplement users (n=3,093) OR 0.872 (95% CI 0.773–0.984, p=0.026); two recalls only (n=3,229) OR 0.847 (95% CI 0.751–0.955, p=0.007).

Dietary omega-3 intake, particularly EPA, was modestly and inversely associated with depression severity. Residual confounding and reverse causation remain possible; longitudinal studies with biomarkers are needed.

Suicidal ideation following trauma exposure is frequently associated with depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms; however, the interactive effects of depression and distinct PTSD symptom clusters on suicidal ideation remain poorly understood.

To examine whether specific PTSD symptom clusters – namely intrusion, avoidance and hyperarousal – moderate the association between depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, and whether these effects vary across different trauma types.

Medical records of 127 psychiatric out-patients with a history of at least one traumatic event were analysed. All participants had completed the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and the suicidal ideation item of the Beck Depression Inventory II. Trauma types were categorised into early versus late, single versus multiple, and interpersonal versus non-interpersonal.

Hierarchical regression analyses identified a significant moderating effect of avoidance symptoms on the relationship between depression and suicidal ideation (β = 0.19, P = 0.012), whereas intrusion and hyperarousal symptoms did not show such effects. Specifically, higher levels of avoidance were associated with a stronger positive relationship between depression and suicidal ideation. This moderating effect was observed only among individuals with late (β = 0.28, P = 0.002), single (β = 0.29, P = 0.002) or non-interpersonal trauma (β = 0.34, P = 0.018); it was not evident among those with early, multiple or interpersonal trauma.

These findings underscore the relevance of targeting avoidance symptoms to mitigate suicidal ideation, particularly in individuals with late-onset, single-incident or non-interpersonal trauma exposure. Exposure-based therapeutic interventions may offer particular benefit for reducing suicidal ideation among trauma-exposed individuals with depressive symptoms.

Depression is a common comorbidity in neuropsychiatric disorders, affecting a significant proportion of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Traditional antidepressants show limited efficacy, particularly in cases involving comorbid depressive symptoms, highlighting the need for alternative treatments.

Here we provide the first data on possible benefits of add-on therapy with transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS). Based on the largest patient sample in the emerging field of focused ultrasound (FUS) neuromodulation to date, a retrospective analysis was conducted on 88 patients with various neuropsychiatric diagnoses to evaluate the impact of TPS on depressive symptoms, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II).

The study revealed significant improvements in BDI-II scores posttreatment (N = 88), with the most substantial effects observed in more severely impacted patients: individuals with minimal to severe depression (BDI-II ≥9; N = 32) experienced an average reduction of 5.22 points (29.46%), while those with mild to severe depression (BDI-II ≥14; N = 15) showed an even greater mean improvement of 10.40 points (40.51%). These results surpassed established thresholds for clinical relevance and substantially exceeded placebo effect sizes observed in relevant brain stimulation studies. Moreover, depression score improvement was independent of diagnostic group (dementia, movement disorders, or other), improvement of the primary diagnosis, antidepressant medication, and baseline cognitive status, highlighting the potential of TPS as an effective therapeutic add-on intervention for patients receiving state-of-the-art treatments.

The study’s findings indicate that TPS enhances depression outcomes in neuropsychiatric patients, particularly in those with more severe depressive symptoms.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with high mortality and imposes substantial symptom and psychological burdens; however, the impact of different treatment modalities on quality of life (QoL) and mental health remains underexplored. This study aimed to examine the associations among symptom distress, depression, and QoL across various HCC treatments.

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 101 inpatients at a regional hospital in Taiwan (October 2020–December 2021). Patients received hepatic resection (HR), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC), or immunotherapy (IT). Data were collected using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS).

RFA patients reported better functional scores (96.13 ± 7.55) and lower HADS scores (18.31 ± 4.92) than those treated with TACE, HAIC, or IT (function: 87.77 ± 17.77; HADS: 23.26 ± 7.66). These differences may reflect earlier disease stage and better baseline health in RFA recipients. Older age and advanced stage were associated with poorer global health (p < 0.05), while female gender (β = − 7.38, p = 0.014) and disease recurrence (β = − 6.48, p = 0.019) were associated with lower functional status.

Treatment type, disease stage, and demographics significantly shape QoL and mental health in HCC patients. Minimally invasive therapies like RFA may preserve QoL in early-stage disease, while invasive or palliative treatments necessitate greater psychosocial support.

Dignity is a crucial value in caring for nursing home residents. These residents are extremely vulnerable due to, among others, their physical, social, and mental health risks. These risk factors can undermine their sense of dignity and induce feelings of inferiority and even depression.

Dignity Therapy is a short, individualized psychotherapy aimed at decreasing the existential distress of patients with a terminal illness. It appeared to be successful in patients with incurable cancer and could be a valuable addition to the treatment of loss of dignity in nursing homes. We evaluated the feasibility of implementing Dignity Therapy in Dutch nursing homes and explored its potential effects on residents’ dignity, depression, and self-esteem.

A pre–post feasibility study was conducted in 2 nursing homes. Psychologists were trained to recruit residents and deliver Dignity Therapy. Standardized questionnaires were administered at baseline and follow-up to assess dignity, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem.

Psychologists were able to recruit and deliver the intervention to 36 residents. Participants generally evaluated the experience as pleasant and meaningful. No significant differences were found between pre- and post-measurements for dignity, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem. Regarding depressive symptoms, men and non-religious residents showed higher levels of depressive symptoms after the 8-week follow-up.

Dignity Therapy is feasible and acceptable for residents in Dutch nursing homes. Although no significant effects on dignity, depression, or self-esteem were detected, further research with larger samples and optimized implementation strategies is needed to understand the potential impact of Dignity Therapy in this setting.

Menopausal transition is a period of psychological vulnerability, yet suicidality remains underassessed. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may influence mood symptoms, but its mental health effects – particularly regarding suicidality – are poorly understood.

To evaluate changes in depressive symptoms, menopause-related distress and suicidality among menopausal women attending a specialist clinic, and explore whether outcomes differed across HRT regimens and baseline risk factors.

We analysed routinely collected data from 957 women attending a UK menopause clinic. All participants received some form of treatment following their initial consultation. Participants completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Menopause Depression Rating Scale (MENO-D) at baseline and follow-up (2–6 months later). Mixed-design analyses of variance assessed changes over time, including interaction effects for HRT type and baseline risk factors (body mass index (BMI), smoking, suicidality, antidepressant use).

Depressive symptoms and menopause-related psychological distress significantly declined over time (around 46% reduction on average). The largest improvements were observed among women receiving oestrogen–progesterone–testosterone combinations, although similar gains were also seen in oestrogen–progesterone and oestrogen–testosterone groups. Suicidality (PHQ-9 item 9) decreased by 92% among those with baseline ideation, but this was not moderated by HRT type. Self-worth (MENO-D item 4) also improved, but similarly showed no significant moderation by HRT regimen. Higher BMI was associated with worse baseline mental health, but did not moderate treatment outcomes.

Combined HRT, including formulations with testosterone, was associated with substantial improvements in mental health outcomes. Suicidality was a distinct symptom profile, often underdetected by general depression scores. However, findings are exploratory and should be interpreted cautiously because of the lack of a control group, observational design and small sample sizes in some subgroups. These results highlight the need for menopause-sensitive mental health assessments and integration of psychological screening into routine menopausal care.

Major depression (MDD) is linked to neuro-immune, metabolic, and oxidative stress (NIMETOX) pathways. The gut microbiome may contribute to these pathways via leaky gut and immune-metabolic processes.

To identify gut microbial alterations in MDD and to quantify functional pathways and enzyme gene families and integrate these with the clinical phenome and immune–metabolic biomarkers of MDD.

Shotgun metagenomics with taxonomic profiling was performed in MDD versus controls using MetaPhlAn v4.0.6, and functional profiling was conducted using HUMAnN v3.9, aligning microbial reads to species-specific pangenomes (Bowtie2 v2.5.4) followed by alignment to the UniRef90 v201901 protein database (DIAMOND v2.1.9).

Gut microbiome diversity, both species richness and evenness, is quite similar between MDD and controls. The top enriched taxa in the multivariate discriminant profile of MDD reflect gut dysbiosis associated with leaky gut and NIMETOX mechanisms, i.e., Ruminococcus gnavus, Veillonella rogosaem and Anaerobutyricum hallii. The top four protective taxa enriched in controls indicate an anti-inflammatory ecosystem and microbiome resilience, i.e., Vescimonas coprocola, Coprococcus, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Faecalibacterium parasitized. Pathway analysis indicates loss of barrier protection, antioxidants and short-chain fatty acids, and activation of NIMETOX pathways. The differential abundance of gene families suggests that there are metabolic distinctions between both groups, indicating aberrations in purine, sugar, and protein metabolism. The gene and pathway scores explain a larger part of the variance in suicidal ideation, recurrence of illness, neurocognitive impairments, immune functions, and atherogenicity.

The gut microbiome changes might contribute to activated peripheral NIMETOX pathways in MDD.

Large biobanks offer unprecedented data for psychiatric genomic research, but concerns exist about representativeness and generalizability. This study examined depression prevalence and polygenic risk score (PRS) associations in the All of Us data to assess potential impacts of nonrepresentative sampling.

Depression prevalence and correlates were analyzed in two subsamples: those with self-reported personal medical history (PMH) data (N = 185,232 overall; N = 114,739 with genetic data) and those with electronic health record (EHR) data (N = 287,015 overall; N = 206,175 with genetic data). PRS weights were estimated across ancestry groups. Associations of PRS with depression were examined by state and ancestry.

Depression prevalence varied across states in both PMH (16.7–35.9%) and EHR (0.2–45.8%) data. Concordance between PMH and EHR diagnoses was low (kappa: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.30–0.30). Overall, one standard deviation increase in depression PRS was associated with lifetime depression based on PMH (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–1.07) and EHR (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.04–1.07). Results were generally consistent by ancestry, with the strongest signal for European ancestry (PMH: OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.08–1.12; EHR: OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.05–1.10). Associations between PRS and lifetime depression were largely consistent and significant associations varied minimally (ORs = 1.06–1.45) by state of residence in both subsamples.

Recorded depression prevalence by state in All of Us demonstrates a wide range, likely reflecting recruitment differences, EHR data completeness, and true geographic variation; yet PRS associations remained relatively stable. As studies like All of Us expand, accounting for sample composition and measurement approaches will be crucial for generating actionable findings.

Investigating the relationship between behavioral addictions and mental health is essential due to their impact on well-being and the significant barriers they create to achieving lasting recovery. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of food addiction, problematic internet use, and internet gaming disorder among 866 high school students (grades 9–12) in Turkey, Bingöl and their associated with impulsivity, emotional regulation, depression, anxiety, and stress.

The sample was selected using a convenience sampling approach. Data were collected via online questionnaires using validated scales and analysed with SPSS package programme.

The prevalence of food addiction was 6.9%, problematic internet use 14.3%, and internet gaming disorder 0.9%. Problematic internet use relatively high prevalence likely reflects adolescents' increased exposure to digital devices. Mental health factors were found to be significantly related to behavioral addictions: depression, anxiety, and stress predicted food addiction; depression and stress predicted problematic internet use, and anxiety was linked to internet gaming disorder.

This study contributes to the literature by examining multiple behavioural addictions and their common risk factors simultaneously and provides a comprehensive perspective. It is also one of the rare studies examining food addiction with other behavioural addictions. More research is needed to develop better intervention programmes and policies in the issue.