The American journal of psychiatry
Audio Summaries

Age-Associated Cognitive Deviations in Early-Onset Psychosis Patients and Their Siblings

Sep 23, 2026

This study aimed to investigate cognitive impairments and age-associated cognitive deviations in children and adolescents with early-onset psychosis (EOP), their siblings, and nonpsychotic psychiatric controls. The findings revealed that nonaffective EOP probands exhibited impairments across all cognitive measures, while affective EOP probands showed impairments in most areas, with siblings demonstrating no impairments. The results suggest that targeted early interventions may help mitigate cognitive deviations, although longitudinal studies are necessary to validate these cross-sectional findings.

Sex-Moderated and Sex-Specific Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Neural Alcohol Cue Reactivity and Daily Craving in Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorder

Sep 9, 2026

The authors aimed to investigate how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) influence neural alcohol cue reactivity and daily craving in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD), with a focus on potential sex differences. Their findings revealed that females exhibited greater neural activation in response to alcohol cues linked to ACEs compared to males, which in turn predicted daily craving only in females. This suggests that sex-specific neural pathways may underlie the relationship between ACEs and craving vulnerability in AUD, highlighting the need for tailored intervention strategies.

The Longevity of Mental Health Apps: A Survival Analysis of the Largest Mental Health App Database

Sep 9, 2026

This study investigates the factors influencing the longevity of mental health apps, aiming to guide patients, clinicians, and developers in selecting and creating more durable applications. Analyzing data from the M-Health Index and Navigation Database, the authors found that over half of the 865 apps studied were removed within five years, with platform exclusivity being a significant predictor of attrition. The results highlight the importance of app characteristics in minimizing treatment attrition and inform the development of more stable mental health tools.

Comparison of Long-Acting Injectable and Oral Antipsychotics in Bipolar Disorder

Sep 9, 2026

The authors aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIAs) versus oral antipsychotics in individuals with bipolar disorder, specifically regarding health care utilization and illness relapse. The study found that LAIAs were associated with significantly lower rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for manic and mixed episodes, while not increasing the risk of nonpsychiatric hospitalizations. These results suggest that LAIAs may be a beneficial treatment option for bipolar disorder, although monitoring for extrapyramidal symptoms is recommended during the initial treatment phase.

New Horizons in the Development of Treatments for Substance Use Disorders

Sep 1, 2026

The authors investigate the urgent need for new treatment options for substance use disorders (SUDs), highlighting significant gaps in current therapies, particularly for cannabis, cocaine, and methamphetamine use disorders. They emphasize the limitations of existing behavioral treatments and advocate for innovative interventions, including new drug classes and delivery methods, to improve the effectiveness and accessibility of SUD treatments.

Hippocampal Dentate Gyrus Plasticity and Its Association With Dimensional Clinical Improvement Across Four Depression Treatment Interventions

Aug 26, 2026

This study investigates the longitudinal effects of four depression treatment interventions on the volume of the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) and its relationship with clinical and cognitive outcomes in patients with major depressive disorder. The findings indicate that while treatment generally increases DG volume, this change is particularly pronounced in patients receiving electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and correlates specifically with improvements in core depressive symptoms, suggesting that DG plasticity may reflect mechanisms unique to ECT rather than a common pathway across all treatments.

The RECOVER Trial of Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Markedly Treatment-Resistant Depression: Critical Findings, Lessons Learned, and Future Directions

Aug 26, 2026

The authors of the RECOVER trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of adjunctive active vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) compared to sham stimulation in adults with markedly treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. While the primary outcome did not show a significant difference between the groups, active VNS demonstrated superior benefits in various secondary measures related to symptoms, function, and quality of life, with over 80% of participants maintaining improvements over 18-24 months. The study highlights the potential for durable benefits from VNS in a population typically resistant to treatment.

Association Between Age-Dependent DNA Methylation Changes at <em>FKBP5</em> Enhancer Sites and Increased Cortical Gene Expression in Schizophrenia

Aug 26, 2026

The authors investigate the relationship between age-dependent DNA methylation changes at the FKBP5 enhancer sites and gene expression in the context of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. They find that lower DNA methylation levels in the FKBP5 proximal enhancer correlate with increased gene expression and are influenced by age and genetic factors, particularly in individuals with schizophrenia. This study highlights the potential epigenetic mechanisms linking FKBP5 expression to psychiatric conditions and aging.

Individualized Connectivity-Guided Versus Conventional Targeting of Accelerated Theta-Burst Stimulation in Depression: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Design Trial

Aug 12, 2026

This study aimed to determine whether individualized connectivity-guided intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) could enhance antidepressant outcomes compared to conventional 5-cm targeting in patients with major depressive disorder or bipolar II depression. The results indicated that structural connectivity-guided iTBS significantly reduced depression scores at week 2 and continued to show improvements at week 6 compared to the 5-cm method, suggesting the potential benefits of sgACC-based precision neuromodulation in treating depression.

Youth Autistic Traits and Brain Activation States During Socioemotional Processing

Aug 12, 2026

This study investigates how autistic traits in youths influence brain activation states during socioemotional processing, with a focus on age and co-occurring mental health symptoms like ADHD and anxiety. The authors found that younger children with more autistic traits exhibited increased activation in somatomotor and visual networks, while older children showed greater activation in the default mode and ventral attention networks. These findings suggest that autistic traits are linked to distinct patterns of brain activation that evolve with age, potentially impacting the developmental trajectory of social-emotional processing.