Omega-3 Supplements and Autism: A Closer Look at the Evidence
The Paper of the Month for March is ‘Impact of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on clinical manifestations in autism spectrum disorders: an umbrella review of meta-analyses“.…
Read more
Health Sciences
Muses at Three: Reflections by Dami Ajayi
It has been three years since Muses, the art blog of BJPsych International, was launched. Although time travels fast, reflection is an active process of slowing time down to take stock of what time has bequeathed us.
Read more
Cover Artwork: Sally Osborn
Sally Osborn is a ceramic artist who lives and works in Berlin and Glasgow. Her art is compelling in its abstract structure and which requires great skill to create. The roughness of the unglazed ceramic adds beauty to its sensuous shape.
Read more
Are you fooling yourself? Uncovering self-deception in betting and finance
The blog is written by authors Glenn Shafer and Valentin Dimitrov, both at Rutgers Business School, Newark, NJ, USA and is published in the journal, Judgment and Decision Making.…
Read more
Sweet Expectations: Can Artificial Sweetener Consumption during Pregnancy Impact Weight in the Next Generation?
Childhood overweight and obesity rates continue to rise globally, increasing the risk of chronic health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental health issues. There is therefore a continuing quest to generate realistic strategies to manage weight and promote health. Over the last decade, artificial sweeteners have become a common feature in many weight-loss diets.
Read more
Between Seen and Felt: The Paradox of Expression
It was a grey, overcast day, and the steady rain outside seemed to reflect my own sense of unease as I walked through the dimly lit corridor into the main hall of Glasgow's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Having recently relocated to this new country, every step felt like a mix of excitement and discomfort as I tried to adjust to the unfamiliar. I stopped beneath Sophie Cave's Expression installation
Read more
What We Learned About Burnout in Oman’s New Doctors, And Why Emotional Intelligence Matters (But Isn’t Everything)
In our study published in BJPsych International, we explored the prevalence and predictors of occupational burnout among first-year medical residents in Oman, with a particular focus on the role of trait emotional intelligence.
Read more
Public appetite for food policy reform: What are people really hungry for?
Unhealthy diets are a major contributor to poor health worldwide, driving rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. In response, many governments have introduced policies to improve the environments in which people make everyday food choices—such as regulating child-directed food marketing, taxing ultra-processed products, or enhancing the nutritional quality of school meals.
Read more
Introducing the New Editor-in-Chief of Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences: Professor Brian J. Hall
What is your background and how did your involvement with Epidemiology and Psychiatric Epidemiology start? I am a clinical psychologist and psychiatric epidemiologist, currently serving as Professor of Global Public Health at NYU Shanghai, Affiliated Professor in the Department of Global and Environmental Health at the NYU School of Global Public Health, and the Founding Director of the NYU Shanghai Center for Global Health Equity.…
Read more
Psychiatrists’ Appraisal: Associations between multimorbidity and neuropathology in dementia
In the February 2025 edition of Magnify – the Journal Club blog from BJPsych – Dr Angharad de Cates and Dr Merryn Anderson chair a journal club in collaboration with Cornwall Partnership Trust, discussing ‘Associations between multimorbidity and neuropathology in dementia: consideration of functional cognitive disorders, psychiatric illness and dementia mimics’. They are joined by a group of early career psychiatrists who presented an appraisal of the paper, and who have written a blog post discussing their reflections on the process. An expert panel, including the senior author of the paper, also joined the discussions.
Read more
Treating the Whole Family When Child Maltreatment and Intimate Partner Violence Occurs
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global health and mental health issue. When children are involved, their own mental health and safety may be at risk. Even very young children under the age of 5 may show signs of developmental regression in environments where IPV is present. Children’s Services in the UK, much like Child Protective Services (CPS) in the United States, have reported increases in IPV among the families they support, often resulting in children being placed in out-of-home care. Without treatment that addresses the entire family, resolving safety concerns and supporting healing for both adults and children may not occur.
Read more
Unveiling the Power of Engineering Metabolism: From Cells to Biotechnology
Metabolism, the intricate web of biochemical reactions that sustain life within cells, serves as the powerhouse driving essential cellular functions. At the heart of metabolism lies the provision of energy and building blocks crucial for the synthesis of macromolecules, vital for cellular structures, growth, and proliferation. This complex network comprises thousands of reactions catalysed by enzymes, involving an array of co-factors and metabolites.
Read more
Parasitology marks World Malaria Day
Parasitology mark World Malaria Day 2025 and take a moment to reflect upon a few key articles and conference activities that contribute to and support the cause.
Read more
The MHA versus DoLS Dilemma
This article was our attempt to ease an uneasy feeling that seems to stalk psychiatrists. It is the feeling of not being entirely sure where we stand legally. Or, perhaps better put, a feeling that there must bea clear legal answer, but it is just a little beyond us or out of sight. What are we missing here?
Read more
Moxidectin: A New alternative for Treating a Hidden Parasite: Strongyloides stercoralis
The microscopic parasite Strongyloides stercoralis infects millions of humans worldwide, often without symptoms. For years, the treatment of choice has been ivermectin, a drug that has been recognized for its use in combating diseases, such as river blindness. However, what is another option? Our recent study compared ivermectin to its lesser-known antiparasitic, moxidectin, and the results were promising.
Read more
Overcoming therapists’ worries around treating PTSD following rape: the creation of a ‘how to’ guide for therapists.
The April BABCP Article of the Month is from the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and is entitled “How to treat someone suffering with PTSD following rape in adulthood” by Kerry Young Sameena Akbar, Francesca Brady, Sophie Burrows, Zoe J.…
Read more
THE ILLUSION OF GREENER PASTURES by Ayeyemi Obabire
This month’s edition of Muses features a lucid review of Dr. Benji Waterhouse’s You Don't Have to Be Mad to Work Here, written by Nigerian psychiatrist, Ayeyemi Obabire. Waterhouse’s book is the portal for Obabire’s musings on becoming an International Medical Graduate (IMG) psychiatrist. Obabire’s passion for the mentally ill and disillusion with his natal country’s mental healthcare triggered his relocation to England’s NHS where he imagined better outcomes for the mentally ill.
Read more
Introducing a Psychological Formulation Model of Maladaptive Daydreaming
The March BABCP Article of the Month is from the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist and is entitled “Introducing a psychological formulation model of maladaptive daydreaming“ by Amy Lucas and Alexandra Bone Our journey began with Amy’s doctoral thesis, delving into the uncharted depths of Maladaptive Daydreaming (MD) and ‘dark fantasy’ (Lucas, 2021).…
Read more
Are we really measuring what matters? The hidden challenges of studying children across cultures
Cross-cultural research in the social sciences is expanding rapidly, helping us understand how different cultures shape human behaviour. But here’s the big question: Are the tools we use actually measuring what we think they are in diverse populations? This issue of construct validity—ensuring research instruments truly capture what they are meant to—becomes even more complicated when studying children in diverse cultural settings. Our recent paper, Construct Validity in Cross-Cultural, Developmental Research: Challenges and Strategies for Improvement, reveals why this matters and how researchers can (try to, at least!) get it right
Read more
Slashing the Sodium in Fast-foods: A Targeted Approach
Fast-food - it’s quick, convenient, and hyper-palatable. Part of its palatability comes from the generous amounts of added sodium [dietary salt]. For example, a hamburger with fries can easily provide more than a person’s daily upper limit for sodium of 2,000mg. Unfortunately, too much sodium is linked to high blood pressure which is associated with cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of preventable death in Aotearoa, New Zealand (NZ) and globally, and sales data shows our appetite for fast-food is increasing.
Read more
Fetal Dependency on Placental Fatty Acid Transport During Pregnancy
Optimal growth of the human fetus and the newborn infant is associated with better health and neurodevelopment in infancy and also the benefits of early growth persist into adult life and during aging.
Read more
Drinking for Two: Breastfeeding the Developing Baby’s Gut Microbiota
When a mother breastfeeds her baby, she supports both the development of her child and the microbes in the child’s gut. Breast milk contains unique carbohydrates called human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) that cannot be digested by the baby. Instead, these HMOs reach the gut to be used by the gut microbes. Bifidobacteria, among other gut microbes, help degrade HMOs and produce beneficial product in the baby’s gut.
Read more
Introducing John Offenbach
John Offenbach is a London based, award-winning and published photographer, who after a career in advertising returned to academia to pursue scholarly research alongside an artistic practice. After graduating with an MA in Photography from the Royal College of Art, London, in 2024, he is currently continuing there with a second masters in research. His degree show entitled ‘Palimpsest' received the Genesis Imaging bursary award.
Read more
Introducing the new Co-Editors-in-Chief of Development and Psychopathology
In 1989, Dr. Dante Cicchetti founded Development and Psychopathology, a journal that quickly came to reflect the best scholarship in the then nascent field of developmental psychopathology.…
Read more
World NTD Day – Progress, Challenges, and the Path to Elimination
On 30th January, we celebrate World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day. This annual celebration highlights the hard work and achievements of the many researchers, medical workers, NGOs and other committed individuals in this field, and acts as a convenient forum to demand and sustain the necessary concerted actions to #BeatNTDs.…
Read more
Early-career researchers sought for mentorship programme on prestigious mental health journal
Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health has launched a mentorship programme offering young people the chance to spend a year on the journal’s editorial board.…
Read more
This Toxic Love Affair by Ezinne Ogwumah
This edition of Muses features a moving and exceptionally vulnerable disclosure by Nigerian mental health advocate Ezinne Ogwumah, who reflects on her mental health journey and intermittent cannabis use. An addiction isn't exactly a thing one readily admits to. It is associated with shame, guilt and hard choices. I chose the shame of indulging in cannabis over the crushing stress of work, love, and life.
Read more
Who is generous and to whom? Generosity among Christians, Muslims, and atheists in the USA, Sweden, Egypt, and Lebanon
Today’s societies are increasingly multi-religious. Christians, atheists, Muslims, and people of other religions live side by side, interacting both with people from their religious ingroup and outgroups.…
Read more
Growing a Reputation for Quality: One Year in as Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Nutritional Science
“Professor Bernard Corfe’s strategy for JNS will be to continue to build on JNS’s reputation for quality, to publish work supporting scientific reproducibility (and to support research identifying irreproducibility), and to continue to emphasise the critical place of this mission in a changing world of scientific publishing.”…
Read more
Could Indoor Humidity Levels Help Control COVID-19 Spread?
A recent study published in QRB Discovery sheds light on the impact of humidity on the infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for COVID-19 transmission. The study found that there was a notable decrease in the infection rate as the surrounding air's relative humidity increased.
Read more
Handing Over in Neurosurgery: Practice, Practice and Practice
The clinical presentations in neurosurgery are often complex and due to this specialty being dominated by emergency referrals, staffed by registrars on sparsely populated rotas, a system to absorb at times highly disorganised and disparate patient histories and examinations and transform these into logical thought processes for consumption of registrar and consultant colleagues to enable implementation of clear plans is always required.
Read more
Should we focus more on mental imagery to improve adolescent mental health? Clues from anxiety and “flashforwards”
The December BABCP Article of the Month is from Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy and is entitled “‘Flashforward’ mental imagery in adolescents: exploring developmental differences and associations with mental health” by Alex Lau-Zhu, James Stacey, Daisy Gibson, Carmen Chan and Myra Cooper Current CBT interventions are often thought to rely on “verbal thinking” yet much of our mental lives is also shaped by mental images – imagining visual scenes, sounds, smells, etc.…
Read more
There is a Song for Every Emotion
The December 2024 edition of Muses – the arts blog from BJPsych International – features a moving piece by a psychiatrist, poet and pianist about loss and the healing quality of poetry and music.
Read more
What is that creature in the judicial robes thinking?
I’ve heard many psychiatrists giving evidence. And, maybe hundreds of experts in multiple cases over a 45 year career as barrister and judge. Some experts are routine – the treating doctor in a road accident claim – while others are indispensable – the psychiatrist testifying that the murder accused did not know the nature and quality of their action.
Read more
From Ancient Latrines to the SDGs: The Undeniable Importance of ‘Safe Toilets’ in Parasitic Disease Control
Parasitology are Celebrating World Toilet Day 19th November 2024 Those that study parasitic diseases, particularly the soil-transmitted helminthiases and/or giardiasis, know that the enduring theme of the toilet and sanitation typically conjures up serious academic debate.…
Read more
Cover Artwork: “What Do You Feel”
Ahmed Emad Eldin is a digital artist, with a background in pharmacy and psychology, recognized globally for his work on Pink Floyd’s “The Endless River” album cover and listed in Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2023.
Read more
Sexual dimorphism in the context of nutrition and health
The way we respond to the various constituents of our diet may differ depending on whether we are males or females. Given that females have been largely underrepresented in such research to date, aspects of the diet we believe to be beneficial or deleterious may not hold true for half of the population. These so called ‘sex differences’ relating to diet are further complicated by the ageing process. For example, reproductive ageing in females leads to the menopausal transition, altering the hormone profile and key processes such as metabolism. As such it is important as nutritional researchers that we comprehend how components of our diet are influenced by sex across the lifespan.
Read more
Decolonising our Minds: What UK Psychiatry needs to (un)learn
Mental healthcare in the UK is in crisis. As many of us know and have experienced, psychiatry in the UK has formed a bias towards reductive, individualistic and superficial approaches to defining mental distress. All whilst failing to foster deep, long-term authentic, caring relationships, and defaulting to an overly biomedical approach to management.
Read more
My Climate Journey: One Cognitive-Behavioural Psychotherapist’s Account and a Commentary Linking to the Scientific and Practice Literature
The October BABCP Article of the Month is from the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist (tCBT) and is entitled ‘My climate journey: One cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist’s account and a commentary linking to the scientific and practice literature” by Claire Willsher and Mark Freeston.…
Read more
Can individuals with obesity be malnourished? Why it’s hard to identify
When we think of malnutrition, we often picture individuals who are underweight or experiencing hunger, struggling with inadequate levels of essential nutrients. However, malnutrition can also exist in individuals with obesity. Many people in this population may have a relatively low intake of essential nutrients, especially during illness, leading to physiological changes often overlooked in clinical assessments. Identifying protein-energy malnutrition in individuals with obesity is challenging due to distinctive physical and physiological characteristics, including increased body weight, adipose tissue dysfunction and metabolic dysregulation presented as systemic inflammation.
Read more
Amma’s Dance
When Fontane suggested an artistic collaboration portraying the struggles of identity in modern motherhood to Priya, Priya entered the words 'Bharatanatyam' and 'harp music' into an online search engine. The search result was unsatisfactory, hence the realisation of creating everything from scratch. A herculean task, it seemed. But isn't motherhood as well? From when a crying baby is placed in our hands, we fumble along the way, often uncertain of what we are doing.
Read more
Cover Artwork: “An aspect of Ikebana” by Ikuyo Munakata-Morrison
Ikebana, a floral art tradition dating back to the 7th century in Japan, literally translates as "making flowers alive" in Japanese. With 25 years of teaching experience, Ikuyo has played a vital role in promoting Ikebana in the U.K. In 2007, she founded and became the Founding Director of the Sogetsu London Branch, currently serving as the Honorary Advisor. She holds the “Riji" highest teaching grade.
Read more
No Mental Health Without Physical Health
Deaths from physical illnesses account for most of the scandalous toll of premature deaths in people with severe mental disorders that include psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder or severe depression. But it is not clear whether they die too soon because physical illnesses are more common in this group, or whether those illnesses are more likely to be fatal when they develop them.
Read more
Reducing children’s exposure to unhealthy food marketing: What policies are most effective?
Childhood obesity is a growing concern and is driven in part by widespread exposure to unhealthy food marketing. Various policies could help to reduce this exposure, targeting specific products, settings and marketing mediums, such as TV and outdoor signs.
Read more
To Be Bipolar
In the September edition of Muses – the arts blog from BJPsych International – Dr Dami Ajayi reviews Nigerian writer Tukura John Daniel’s memoir about his lived experience with Bipolar Affective Disorder, How to Spell Bipolar.
Read more
Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities: mental health services need to do better
There has been a rightful focus on equity in healthcare systems, and drives to co-produce services in a culturally informed manner with those who use them. In my experience, this has not been equal in approach, and a group, or groups of people, who remain particularly excluded are Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller (GRT) communities.
Read more
Why do we devalue the suffering of informal caregivers?
A study conducted at the Centre for Psychological Research and Social Intervention (CIS-Iscte) revealed that the dehumanization of informal caregivers and individuals’ perceptions of justice can contribute to the devaluation of informal caregivers’ suffering.
Read more
Encouraging the consumption of pulses with cooking suggestions and recipes
Pulses, including dry beans, chickpeas and lentils, are healthy, sustainable, and low cost. Pulses, however, are not currently consumed as frequently or by as many people as is currently recommended for health benefits or for planetary gain. We sought to understand why this was, what could be done to encourage pulse consumption, and whether cooking suggestions and recipes can help.
Read more
Creating More Pathways to Wellness: Harnessing EMDR Therapy
My journey into EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) therapy was sparked by a poignant experience during my core psychiatry training in Ireland. A colleague, calling from England, shared a compelling case with me one evening. A patient on his ward faced the daunting task of testifying in court against her assailant. Gripped by fear, she was hesitant until her Consultant Psychiatrist suggested EMDR therapy and conducted it with her. The patient not only mustered the courage to attend court but also secured a conviction, marking a profound turning point in her recovery and resilience.
Read more
Motives Matter: The Driving Forces Behind Gaming Behavior
Motives are fundamental to our daily functioning, representing the desirable or undesirable goals that initiate and guide our behaviors. There are very few actions that cannot be linked to a personal motive. An example of this is innate reflexes, such as sucking and swallowing, which are automatic, involuntary behaviors essential for survival and not influenced by personal motives or learned experiences. In contrast, most human behaviors are driven by motives of varying nature.
Read more
A Digital Approach to Dementia Risk Monitoring and Prevention
Dementia remains the number one modern day public health challenge and it is becoming clear that therapies targeting neurodegeneration pathology once people already have significant symptoms is unlikely to allow us to address it comprehensively. Digital technologies may offer a solution by allowing identification of and intervention in personal risk factors for dementia in later life. In our recent paper in the BJPsych we demonstrate the high usability and reliability of an app designed to address this challenge.
Read more
Composition of weight gain during infancy catch-up growth in term low birth weight infants: Fat or lean mass?
Catch-up growth, i.e., accelerated gain in weight and length to attain a size in accordance with genetic potential is a common phenomenon in infants who are born at full term with low birth weight (mostly as a consequence of intrauterine growth restriction). Previous studies have indicated that rapid growth during infancy may be associated with greater adiposity and adverse metabolic consequences in later life.
Read more
Embrace Yourself: Nurture the Inner Sufferer
This edition of Muses celebrates the artwork of visual artist and psychiatrist Lakshmi Sravanti’s Embrace Yourself: Nurture the Inner Sufferer. It is the second in her ongoing series contemplating the human condition as it pertains to mental illness.
Read more
Is human handedness the handiwork of kin selection?
Most humans have a preference for—or display a better performance when—using their right hand. This bias has probably existed for around seven million years.
Read more
Why does the dog still have proglottids in faeces? Apparent anthelmintic resistance of Dipylidium caninum in ‘Fuego’.
The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is First report of apparent praziquantel resistance in Dipylidium caninum in Europe and is freely available for one month. …
Read more
What We Stay Alive For
Writing was refreshing to me because I was communicating again. However, I didn’t fully understand the extent until I watched Dead Poets Society, where the late Robin Williams delivered this moving monologue. He said, “We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
Read more
Avenues to better treatment: vivid imagery in chronic pain
The June BABCP Article of the Month is from the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist (tCBT) and is entitled “‘Knees being set on fire’: A qualitative study exploring the impact of intrusive mental imagery on chronic pain patients” by Rita DeNicola, Simon Blackwell, Edward Hirata and Jo Daniels.…
Read more
Malaria in non-human primates: importance for conservation and as an analogue of human malaria
The latest Paper of the Month for Parasitology is ‘Naturally acquired immunity to Plasmodium pitheci in Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus)‘ and is freely available for one month. …
Read more
Can mechanistic research in nutrition contribute to a better understanding of relationships between diet and non-communicable diseases (NCD)?
Most of the evidence linking diet with complex diseases such as heart disease and cancer (non-communicable diseases (NCD)) is based on findings from epidemiological cohort studies which follow large populations of people to determine whether groups of people who have been diagnosed with or died from the disease, have diets that differ from those who are free from the disease. A limiting factor in these studies is their observational nature which limits the certainty about causal relationships between the exposure (diet) and the outcome (NCDs). Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), where a dietary factor is fed under carefully controlled circumstances, have a greater ability to prove the dietary factor is causing the disease and provide confidence for policymaking.
Read more
Supporting autistic children and their families in South Asia
It is widely known that autistic children are frequently anxious. However, while a number of interventions exist in high-income countries, they remain scarce in South Asia. The inspiration for this work began at an international meeting of the North East England South Asia Mental Health Alliance (NEESAMA.org) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2019. During the meeting participants identified an unmet need for an intervention to support autistic children experiencing anxiety in South Asia.
Read more
Cover Artwork: Henrietta Graham
In the May 24 edition of Muses – the arts blog from BJPsych International – Dr Tim McInerny, Pictures Editor, BJPsych International introduces Henrietta Graham, the artist whose work is on the cover of the May 2023 Issue latest edition of BJPsych International.
Read more
“Things that shouldn’t be”: Understanding the meaning of violation in OCD and trauma
The April BABCP Article of the Month is from Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy (BCP) and is entitled “’Things that shouldn’t be’: a qualitative investigation of violation-related appraisals in individuals with OCD and/or trauma histories” by Sandra Krause and Adam Radomsky.…
Read more
Muses at 2: Reflections by Dami Ajayi
When the editorial board of BJPsych International acceded to the launch of a web-based monthly arts blog, I volunteered as the commissioning editor. I did this partly because I already straddled the worlds of psychiatry and the creative arts. But also because it was an opportunity to be a part of something new.
Read more
Recent evidence on selenoneine highlights the need to consider selenium speciation in research and dietary guidelines
There are numerous essential vitamins and minerals that play crucial roles in maintaining our health and wellbeing. Among these, selenium stands out as a lesser known yet exceedingly important micronutrient.
Read more
Humility
The Royal College of Psychiatrists’ values and behaviours, Courage, Innovation, Respect, Collaboration, Learning and Excellence combine into the CIRCLE acronym. In the list under Excellence, a link takes you to core values for psychiatrists. One of those is humility.
Read more
Mortality in the year after discharge from psychiatric hospital
In the March 2024 edition of Magnify – the Journal Club blog from BJPsych – Dr Angharad de Cates and Dr Merryn Anderson chair a journal club in collaboration with Cornwall Partnership Trust, discussing ‘Suicide and other causes of death among working-age and older adults in the year after discharge from in-patient mental healthcare in England: matched cohort study’. They are joined by a group of early career psychiatrists who presented an appraisal of the paper, and who have written a blog post discussing their reflections on the process. An expert panel, including the senior author of the paper, also joined the discussions.
Read more
Can health-related food taxes green our diets?
In a world increasingly concerned with both health and environmental sustainability, the way we eat plays a critical role. However, in our search for solutions for better health and a sustainable planet, we often find ourselves at a crossroads where the decisions we make can have significant trade-offs. This delicate balance between promoting human health and minimizing environmental impact is a central challenge of our time, one that requires careful consideration and informed choices. In our research we investigated whether policies such as food taxes can help the consumer make more healthy and sustainable food choices.
Read more
The mourning process and its importance in mental illness: a psychoanalytic understanding of psychiatric diagnosis and classification
Have you ever wondered what underlies psychiatric illness? Why can two people experiencing similar life events react so differently, with one navigating through relatively unscathed and the other developing a psychiatric disorder?
Read more
Remarks on amelioration
The March edition of Muses – the arts blog from BJPsych International – features Nigerian poet Pamilerin Jacob who writes about being diagnosed with mental illness, his recourse to poetry, poetics and poetic language for therapy, meaning and vocation. He also pays a moving tribute to a friend who was instrumental to his survival.
Read more
Breaking Down Barriers: Providing Equitable Access to Evidence-Based Treatment for Eating Disorders
The March BABCP Article of the Month is from the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist (tCBT) and is entitled “Equitable access to evidence-based treatment for eating disorders for patients with low-income: identifying barriers and exploring solutions” by Suzanne Bailey-Straebler, Deborah R.…
Read more
Navigating nutrition evidence for individualised care
Diet is key to the maintenance of health and crucial in the prevention and management of many diseases. Modified nutrient intake is sometimes essential to prevent deficiency, optimise development and health, or manage symptoms and disease progression. A new Position Paper (Hickson et al 2024) from the Academy of Nutrition Sciences (ANS) provides a state-of-the-art summary of how evidence-based practice, with a particular emphasis on research evaluation, is used to inform nutrition interventions for individuals.
Read more
From a small seed to a giant Iroko tree: A postgraduate training programme in Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has the youngest population of any region in the world with 70% under the age of 30 years. This youthful demographic profile can be both a blessing and a challenge. While the youth have the potential to drive economic development, meeting their educational, social, and health needs can over-stretch already limited human and material resources.
Read more
Cover Artwork: Terrestrial by Alison Wilding
Alison Wilding has always been fascinated by deadly, beautiful things, either found in nature or when manufactured, and specifically in regard to the latter, the realm of the military machine.
Read more
Mapping evidence-based interventions to the care of unaccompanied minor refugees using a group formulation approach
The January BABCP Article of the Month is from Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy (BCP) and is entitled Mapping evidence-based interventions to the care of unaccompanied minor refugees using a group formulation approach by Veronika Dobler, Judith Nestler, Maren Konzelmann and Helen Kennerley ‘Stop the boats’ slogans dominate current headlines.…
Read more
Introducing a new series, Elements in Emergency Neurosurgery
We are delighted to announce the release of “Elements in Emergency Neurosurgery” which is an exciting new publication intended for trainees and practitioners all over the world working in Neurosurgery, Neurology, Emergency Medicine, and Critical Care.…
Read more
Is it really true that the older and thinner you are, the better? Older people need to be alert to sarcopenia
There is a Chinese proverb that says, "It's hard to buy old people being thin with money." We previously thought that for older people, thinness is a sign of health. However, scientific research shows that this view is incorrect.
Read more
We Were In The Pits, But At Least There Was Company
In March 2017, a medical doctor ordered his driver to stop on the Third Mainland Bridge, came down from his car and jumped into the Lagos Lagoon. Traditional media platforms and social media buzzed with this tragic news. It was not the usual fare: that cocktail of pernicious poverty, drug use, and wanton criminality; this was a gentleman. It unveiled a severe concern about that taboo subject, mental health.
Read more
From nightmares to sweet dreams
Daniel Kay, Editor in Chief of Research Directions: Sleep Psychology, reveals how a bad dream experience in childhood led to a fascinating career in sleep science “When I was a child,” recalls Daniel Kay, “I had a recurring nightmare that proved to be one of the most impactful experiences of my life.…
Read more
The commonality of being a researcher
A year after the launch of the Cambridge Prisms series, Publisher Jessica Jones reflects on the journals’ shared values of community, collaboration and equity When we initially discussed the concept of the Cambridge Prisms, and what we hoped they would achieve, we fell into the trap of trying to compare different groups of researchers with diverse expertise and focuses.…
Read more
Not the Emotion, but its Regulation: A Study on Depression and Anxiety in Public Healthcare System
The paper ‘Variables Associated with Emotional Symptom Severity in Primary Care Patients: The Usefulness of a Logistic Regression Equation to Help Clinical Assessment and Treatment Decisions’ by Ángel Aguilera-Martín, Mario Gálvez-Lara, Roger Muñoz-Navarro, César González-Blanch, Paloma Ruiz-Rodríguez, Antonio Cano-Videl and Juan Antonio Moriana, published in The Spanish Journal of Psychology, has been chosen as the Editor’s Choice Article for December 2023.…
Read more
Should all psychiatrists have ECG interpretation training?
Electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation is not classically the psychiatrists’ natural habitat; yet, psychiatrists are required to obtain and interpret ECGs in certain clinical scenarios.
Read more
Why should we offer free meals to all children at school?
The importance of healthy dietary habits, especially in early life, is crucial for overall nutrition, health, and development in children. School Food Programs (SFP) have gained significant attention as drivers of healthy eating and academic performance
Read more
Optimising DBT for LGBTQ+ Young People; Learning from the Wisdom of our Clients.
The December BABCP Article of the Month is from the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist (tCBT)and is entitled Gender- and Sexuality-Minoritised Adolescents in DBT: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Minority-Specific Treatment Targets and Experience by Jake Camp, Andre Morris, Helen Wilde, Patrick Smith and Katharine Rimes.
Read more
Coprococcus in your gut: the secret of happiness?
Today it is well established that our physical wellbeing partially depends on the trillions of microbes in our gut, the intestinal microbiome. At same time, there is emerging evidence that these unicellular lifeforms can also influence our mental status and cognitive performance.
Read more
Capitalising on multi-disciplinary insights into depression
Following the launch of Research Directions: Depression by Cambridge University Press, Editor-in-Chief Ian Hickie explains why a question-led and global approach will reveal new insights into mood disorders The launch of Research Directions: Depression represents ‘a chance to co-ordinate a real global effort in the field’, according to Editor-in-Chief Ian Hickie.…
Read more
The Things We Don’t Know How to Say About Challenging Behaviour
I sat on a Zoom call with a psychologist from Edinburgh. My mental state, not my autistic son's, was in question.
Read more
Meet Bernard Corfe: Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Nutritional Science
I was always interested in core biological processes, from school years, genetics was the area of biology I found most inspiring and through my BSc and PhD in molecular microbiology, I was fascinated by the relationship between what is coded and how life unravels and uses that code.
Read more
Help for hoarding?
The November BABCP Article of the Month is from Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy and is entitled ”A more human approach … I haven’t found that really’: experiences of hoarding difficulties and seeking help” by Megan McGrath, Amy M.…
Read more
Cover Artwork: The Philae Settlements by Sue Morgan
Sue Morgan completed a doctorate in German philosophy and worked in the city as a corporate tax lawyer before being forced to retire in 1998 because of a diagnosis of schizo-affective disorder.
Read more
Always tired? Read how nutrition can influence fatigue
Fatigue is a symptom resulting from the weakening or depletion of one's physical and/or mental resources, ranging from a general state of lethargy to a specific, work-induced burning sensation within one's muscles. It is a highly prevalent feeling but still remains an often-neglected unmet clinical need.
Read more
An Evolutionary Look at Allomaternal Stress-Buffering During Pregnancy
Grandmothers often help the mother-child dyad, but when does this help start? In our lives, we may see many people increase helping behaviors towards a close friend or family member when she has a child to offset her increasing needs. From an evolutionary perspective, these kin and non-kin helpers (or ‘allomothers’) buffer maternal workloads to increase the health and survival of the mother-child dyad. One critical category of allomother that has been studied extensively is grandmothers because of their child-care expertise as well as their often close geographic proximity and emotional connections to the dyad. Much of the research has focused on this allomaternal help at weaning, or more generally, after the child is born. However, given recent evidence that maternal conditions during pregnancy can alter birth outcomes and increase the risk of postnatal morbidities, more evolutionary research is needed to explore prenatal allomaternal effects.
Read more
Impulsivity Defines the Course of Adolescent Anxiety
In recent years our team has been focusing on the relationship between adolescent brain development, cognition, and mental disorders.
Read more
Uniting in Resilience: How Collective Belief Heals War’s Hidden Wounds
War doesn't merely result in physical devastation. The mental and emotional aftermath, particularly from modern warfare that targets civilians, is profound. Civilians suffer alongside combatants, facing deaths, injuries, chronic disability, multiple displacements with uprooting of whole communities, loss of homes, destruction of essential services, infrastructure and environment. These traumatic experiences lead to a wide range of mental health issues, from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance abuse to family and collective trauma impeding personal and community recovery.
Read more
Who heals the healers: Burnout in mental health services
One of the few welcome developments associated with COVID-19 was a renewed interest in the mental health of healthcare workers.
Read more
The Leishmania LaLRR17 protein plays a key role in infection of macrophages
In this work we show that LRR17, a secreted Leishmania protein never reported before, facilitates parasite attachment and internalization by the macrophage.
Read more
A labour of love: New clinical guidance paper on treating birth trauma and baby loss from OxCADAT team
I hope my wonderful boys won’t mind my sharing these contrasting photos to give hope to clinicians and those struggling after birth related trauma.…
Read more
From Farm to Mouth: How Food Policy Groups Are Transforming Food Systems in High-Income Countries
Today’s food systems in high-income countries face several challenges, including a lack of resiliency, resulting in an inconsistent food supply and changing food prices, especially during crises. When faced with this type of challenge, high-income countries tend to rely on short term food relief that doesn’t always meet people’s nutritional needs or choices. In addition, limited access to nutrition education and cooking skills programs makes it hard for those most at risk to use what food they do have effectively. To address these challenges, a focus on local or regional food systems is considered one way to boost food system resilience.
Read more
Research Directions sponsorship “a logical synergy”
Last month Cambridge University Press & Assessment (CUPA) announced the first sponsorship of a question in its innovative Research Directions: One Health journal.…
Read more
Let Us Be Alone Together, I’ve Got Your Back
I am bipolar. Diagnosed at age 18. Since I received my diagnosis of Bipolar Affective Disorder, I have relied on friends during my relapses when I am unable to look after myself and be responsible for my actions.
Read more
Why doesn’t my supervisor speak to me about my race or ethnicity in supervision?
The September BABCP Article of the Month is from the Cognitive Behaviour Therapist (tCBT) and is entitled “Exploring the supervisory relationship in the context of culturally responsive supervision: a supervisee’s perspective” by Bianca Vekaria, Tessa Thomas, Peter Phiri and Margarita Ononaiye.…
Read more
Popular Tags
Latest Tweets
;
Listen to @BBCRadio4's Start the Week, featuring @NineDotsPrize winner @jkkusiak, talking about her book, 'Radically Legal'. Learn how a group of ordinary people inspired the book when they reclaimed over 240,000 apartments back from corporate landlords 🔗
Start the Week - ‘Left behind’, but not forgotten - BBC Sounds
Tom Sutcliffe with Paul Collier, Joanna Kusiak and Matthew Xia.
cup.org
Sparking curiosity from geopolitics in Japan to the cultural implications of AI!
Explore the seven new titles we are welcoming to Cambridge and the seven #OpenAccess titles we are launching in 2025 🚀 🔗 https://cup.org/3yhAuAx
Our Flip it Open programme has published titles from authors @GibbsSpike, @liederfollower and Inés Valdez!
Discover how we are funding the publication of #OpenAccess books without changing purchasing habits 🔗 https://cup.org/4diDHii
Archive
