Acta Neuropsychiatrica最新文献

{"title":"Serum Levels of IFN-γ and NGF as Potential Biomarkers of Depressive Disorders.","authors":"Lei Yi, Chuanqin Liu, Wei Lin, Ni Duan","doi":"10.1017/neu.2026.10079","DOIUrl":"10.1017/neu.2026.10079","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Depressive disorder (DD) is a widespread mental illness that lacks objective diagnostic biomarkers, complicating early detection and personalized treatment. This study investigated the diagnostic value of serum interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), nerve growth factor (NGF), and their ratio, alongside thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), in patients with DD compared to healthy controls.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 238 participants (118 with DD and 120 controls) were enrolled. Depression severity was assessed using DSM-5 and HAM-D criteria. Serum biomarkers were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to assess diagnostic performance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>DD patients exhibited significantly lower IFN-γ and higher NGF levels than controls (both <i>p</i> < 0.001), resulting in a markedly reduced IFN-γ/NGF ratio. The IFN-γ/NGF ratio achieved the highest diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.858, sensitivity = 82.20%, specificity = 77.50%), outperforming IFN-γ (AUC = 0.766) and NGF (AUC = 0.848) alone. TPOAb and GFAP levels did not differ significantly between groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The IFN-γ/NGF ratio is a promising biomarker for depressive disorder, offering superior diagnostic accuracy over individual immune or neurotrophic markers. This composite index may support more objective and biologically informed diagnosis in clinical psychiatry.</p>","PeriodicalId":48964,"journal":{"name":"Acta Neuropsychiatrica","volume":" ","pages":"1-19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13369251/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148320148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Danish Region Midt Schizophrenia Cohort - Representative, long-term follow-up of first-episode schizophrenia spectrum disorder.","authors":"Nina Friis Bak Fuglsang, Anne Lund, Susanne Olesen, Pia Høgh, Anne-Louise Egholm Stagis, Anna Jelle, Per Qvist, Ditte Demontis, Lise Torp Jensen, Lars Fugger, Torben Østergaard Christensen, Charlotte Emborg, Arndis Simonsen, Per Hove Thomsen, Ole Mors, Ole Köhler-Forsberg","doi":"10.1017/neu.2026.10087","DOIUrl":"10.1017/neu.2026.10087","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) are complex illnesses influenced by genetic, biological and psycho-social factors, necessitating large clinical deep-phenotyped cohorts. Here, we describe the Region Midt Schizophrenia (RMS) Cohort, which aims to establish such a large, representative cohort with long-term follow-up, enabling large-scale studies on SSD etiology and prognosis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The RMS cohort includes patients aged ≥15 years diagnosed with a first-episode SSD recruiting at 6 Danish psychiatric hospitals. Baseline and follow-up assessments at 1, 2, 3, and 12 months and 2, 3, 5, and 10 years cover sociodemographic measures, psychotic and negative symptoms, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), level of functioning, sleep, actigraphy, cognition, side effects, and medication adherence. Blood is collected at baseline and months 3 and 12 and at years 2, 3, 5 and 10 enabling comprehensive molecular analyses, e.g. genetics and omics. Age- and sex-matched healthy controls will complete a baseline assessment including blood draw. Participants give informed consent for linkage with Danish nationwide register-based data.</p><p><strong>Status and perspectives: </strong>By February 23rd, 2026, a total of 131 participants with SSD have been recruited (109 with schizophrenia, median age 25 years (IQR 8), 54% females). Retention rates at 1, 2, 3 and 12 months are 86%, 80%, 78%, and 75%, respectively. Our vision is continuous recruitment of 100 participants/year, establishing a large, deep-phenotyped, and representative clinical cohort with long-term follow-up. The RMS cohort will serve as the basis for several studies on etiological and prognostic factors and is designed to match with similar international cohorts enabling further collaborations.</p><p><strong>Ethics and dissemination: </strong>The protocol has been approved by the ethics committee of the Central Denmark Region (reference: 1-10-72-147-23). Study findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals independent of whether they are positive, negative, or inconclusive, and will be presented at national and international conferences.</p>","PeriodicalId":48964,"journal":{"name":"Acta Neuropsychiatrica","volume":" ","pages":"1-33"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13369257/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148212975","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effects of psychedelics on attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder - a systematic review.","authors":"Helerin Raikkerus, Andrea Bujour, Mark Kennedy, Jari Tiihonen","doi":"10.1017/neu.2026.10088","DOIUrl":"10.1017/neu.2026.10088","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder (Drechsler et al., 2020). Recently, psychedelics have become of interest regarding developing treatment options for ADHD. The aim of this systematic review is to find all studies from the APA PsychInfo and MEDLINE databases, where psychedelics have been used for ADHD and assess whether further clinical studies are warranted.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>APA PsychInfo and MEDLINE were searched on the 20th of August 2025 for studies discussing ADHD and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) or psilocybin or dimethyltryptamine (DMT) or mescaline or phencyclidine or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or ketamine. Primary research articles in English where the effects of the psychedelics mentioned on ADHD in humans were included.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong><i>N</i> = 1023 results were identified. Six studies were included - one randomised controlled trial (RCT) finding no statistically important difference compared to placebo, 3 cross sectional studies where respondents reported positive effect of psychedelics and one where the statistically important improvement was measured by the Child Bipolar Questionnaire. In addition, one case study, where both, depressive symptoms and functioning improved with ketamine.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>There is not sufficient evidence to give recommendations on psychedelic use for ADHD. In addition, it is not known whether patients, whose depressive symptoms have responded positively to ketamine, have also had ADHD. Also, no research was found on how psychedelics affect patient subgroups with different etiopathology causing their symptoms. Although only six studies filled the inclusion criteria, they bring out valuable implications for further research.</p>","PeriodicalId":48964,"journal":{"name":"Acta Neuropsychiatrica","volume":" ","pages":"1-23"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13369255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148212950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Breaking down the ADHD construct to build a valid diagnosis.","authors":"Kinga Szymaniak, Erica Bell, Gurubhaskar Shivakumar, Gin S Malhi","doi":"10.1017/neu.2026.10086","DOIUrl":"10.1017/neu.2026.10086","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Defined by DSM-5-TR as a neurodevelopmental disorder Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has attracted ever-mounting attention from the public, coupled with a growing interest from clinicians, researchers, and patients. This is reflected in significantly higher demand for clinical assessments and frequent media reports of a surge in ADHD cases across the lifespan. These trends are puzzling as it is unknown what they truly reflect: an improvement in clinical detection or a concerning degree of overdiagnosis? A key reason for this uncertainty is our limited understanding of the disorder and imprecision of the diagnosis - a long-running subject of criticism. To better understand these issues, in this article we <i>deconstruct</i> ADHD through the lens of its DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria - the basis upon which the diagnosis is routinely made. Our in-depth analysis reveals major problems associated with the diagnostic criteria with respect to their <i>arbitrariness</i>, <i>vagueness</i>, <i>redundancy</i>, and <i>context-dependent normality</i>, which together substantially undermine the validity and reliability of the diagnosis, and the ADHD construct itself, blunting the precision of ADHD research, clinical decisions and the effectiveness of treatment - all of which are contingent on having a robust diagnosis in the first place. Hence, our detailed <i>deconstruction</i> of the diagnosis of ADHD is critical as it provides the necessary groundwork for its accurate <i>reconstruction</i> - an essential step towards developing a valid, reliable, and clinically meaningful diagnostic foundation that will inform research and improve clinical care for patients with attentional and hyperactivity-impulsivity problems.</p>","PeriodicalId":48964,"journal":{"name":"Acta Neuropsychiatrica","volume":" ","pages":"1-41"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13280515/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147989621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comprehensive systematic review of human trials investigating herbal treatments for Alzheimer's disease and dementia.","authors":"Katarzyna A Kaczmarek-Kryszak, Małgorzata Dobrzyńska, Michalina Banaszak, Sławomira Drzymała-Czyż","doi":"10.1017/neu.2026.10085","DOIUrl":"10.1017/neu.2026.10085","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Dementia is a group of symptoms, characterized by a loss of cognition that interferes with everyday tasks, difficulty focusing, planning, problem solving, and behavioral changes, such as apathy, anxiety, or depression. The leading cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, but vascular dementia or mild cognitive impairment are also frequently occurring. There are six drugs legislated in Europe for use in the treatment of dementia. There are unmet clinical needs to find more effective, better tolerated or complementary therapeutic options. The aim of this study is to comprehensively analyze the results of clinical trials and other human studies regarding the efficacy and safety of herbal interventions used in patients with dementia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We enrolled a total of 48 studies for this systematic review, of which 27 were included into the statistical analysis of effect size (Cohen's <i>d</i>).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found significant improvements mainly after administration of <i>Ginkgo biloba, Crocus sativus, Salvia officinalis,</i> and <i>Melissa officinalis</i>.It should be emphasized that some herbs and herbal formulations demonstrated efficacy comparable to that of donepezil, a widely used and approved medication, suggesting potential for phytopharmaceutical therapies as complementary approaches. In some studies, the observed effects were similar to those reported for conventional treatments, indicating promising directions for further research in Alzheimer's disease and dementia.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In light of the evidence, phytopharmaceuticals have a promising role as a co-therapeutic option or alternative for patients with dementia who do not tolerate or have contraindications to standard medications. However, further research is necessary to translate these initial promising results into clinical practice.</p><p><strong>Summations: </strong>Phytopharmaceuticals have a promising role as a complementary or alternative option for dementia patients who cannot tolerate or respond to standard medications. Certain phytopharmaceuticals demonstrated comparable short-term symptomatic effects to standard treatments in small trials; however, evidence is insufficient to support equivalence or superiority.</p><p><strong>Considerations: </strong>Many of the studies reviewed are limited by very small sample sizes, which is associated with a high risk of bias when interpreting large effect sizes (Cohen's <i>d</i>). The short duration of interventions (often only 3 to 6 months) is insufficient to assess whether phytotherapeutics can constitute disease-modifying treatments (DMTs).</p>","PeriodicalId":48964,"journal":{"name":"Acta Neuropsychiatrica","volume":" ","pages":"1-55"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13280518/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147845043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Age-dependent increase in peripheral neuropeptide Y with no cross-sectional link to depression.","authors":"Mehdi Dahlaki, M D Zayeed Alam, Marit Nyholm Nielsen, Henriette Nørmølle Buttenschon, Michael Winterdahl","doi":"10.1017/neu.2026.10084","DOIUrl":"10.1017/neu.2026.10084","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Neuropeptide Y (NPY) has been implicated in stress resilience and depression, yet findings on circulating levels in major depressive disorder (MDD) remain inconsistent, possibly due to confounders such as age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). This study assessed NPY concentrations in individuals with MDD and in matched controls from the Danish PRISME cohort of public-sector employees.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We investigated plasma NPY (p-NPY) concentrations in 77 adults with a current ICD-10 diagnosis of MDD and 77 age- and sex-matched controls. Plasma samples were analysed using a commercial ELISA kit. A general linear model examined the effects of group, age, sex, and BMI, including a sex-by-group interaction. Plasma NPY values were log₁₀-transformed prior to analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>p-NPY concentrations did not differ significantly between MDD and controls (<i>p</i> = 0.785). No main effect of sex or sex-by-group interaction was observed (all <i>p</i> > 0.17), and BMI was unrelated to p-NPY (<i>p</i> = 0.917). By contrast, age was a strong predictor (β = 0.38, <i>p</i> < 0.001), explaining 13% of the variance.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this community-based sample of high-functioning individuals with MDD, we found no evidence of altered p-NPY concentrations compared with matched controls. Instead, age emerged as a robust determinant of circulating NPY levels, independent of depression status and BMI, after adjustment for sex. These findings suggest that peripheral NPY variation may be more strongly related to demographic factors than to depression per se in this type of cohort.</p>","PeriodicalId":48964,"journal":{"name":"Acta Neuropsychiatrica","volume":" ","pages":"e41"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13280517/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147844983","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The belief that certain illnesses can only be treated by traditional healers: a qualitative study exploring the 'traditional illness' Xifula in Limpopo, South Africa.","authors":"Michael Galvin, Lezanie Coetzee, Patricia Leshabana, Nthabiseng Masebe, Aneesa Moolla, Peter Rockers, Denise Evans","doi":"10.1017/neu.2026.10083","DOIUrl":"10.1017/neu.2026.10083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In Africa, bewitchment is described as a moral framework that helps individuals and societies make sense out of disease and misfortune. Numerous African belief systems attribute difficult-to-treat health problems to bewitchment, rather than a conventional medical diagnosis, especially if biomedical doctors are unable to resolve the condition. This study examines one such illness, known as <i>xifula</i>, in rural Limpopo Province, South Africa.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using convenience sampling, 95 participants (≥18 years old) were interviewed to gauge their knowledge of the condition known as <i>xifula.</i> Data was analysed using NVivo software.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong><i>Xifula</i> is a cultural concept of distress related to bewitchment. The most common symptom of <i>xifula</i> is swelling of the legs or hands, followed by chronic headaches. Participants noted that <i>xifula</i> can start as a minor ailment, but then grows into a larger problem. After a long period without healing, however, <i>xifula</i> can begin to represent a significant threat to the individual's health. Nearly all participants noted that <i>xifula</i> cannot be treated by Western biomedical professionals and instead requires a traditional healer to treat the condition.</p><p><strong>Interpretation: </strong>This research highlights the importance of context-specific education about the diagnosis and treatment of common ailments, as beliefs about afflictions, their causes, and appropriate treatments suggest a need for tailored information. As biomedical and traditional healthcare currently exist as parallel, siloed structures of diagnosis and treatment in Africa, there should also be efforts to bridge the divide between the two.</p>","PeriodicalId":48964,"journal":{"name":"Acta Neuropsychiatrica","volume":" ","pages":"e38"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13227301/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147786333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bilateral DLPFC transcranial direct current stimulation for mood and motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease: a preliminary study.","authors":"Boram Chae, Jae-Ha Song, Do-Young Kwon, Ho-Kyoung Yoon","doi":"10.1017/neu.2026.10082","DOIUrl":"10.1017/neu.2026.10082","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study investigated whether targeting mood via sequential bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) tDCS could favorably affect motor function in patients maintaining a stable medication 'ON' state. Additionally, we employed wearable smart devices to objectively evaluate real-world changes in daily activity and sleep patterns, complementing traditional clinician-rated scales.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>PD patients with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms were enrolled. All participants completed a 7-day baseline monitoring period using a smart band. Participants received ten sessions of bilateral tDCS targeting the DLPFC (anode F3, cathode F4) at 2 mA for 30 min, three times a week. Clinical assessments and smart band monitoring were repeated during the final week of treatment. Pre-post changes and correlations were analyzed while controlling for potential confounders.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Following tDCS, it was significant improvements in K-MADRS, STAI, AS, UPDRS part III, and PDQ-39. Smart device data showed a significant increase in daily step counts after treatment, while changes in physical activity time and sleep duration were not significant. Changes in step count were strongly correlated with improvements in apathy, and this relationship remained significant after confounding variables (rho = -0.76, <i>p</i> < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Bilateral DLPFC tDCS significantly improved mood and motor function in patients with PD. Smart band data further showed an increase in daily step counts after the intervention, with reductions in apathy. These findings suggest that tDCS may enhance goal-directed behavior by modulating mood-related pathways, highlighting apathy as an important therapeutic target in PD.</p>","PeriodicalId":48964,"journal":{"name":"Acta Neuropsychiatrica","volume":" ","pages":"e40"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13244351/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147786138","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effects of alpha-pinene on anxiety behaviours and TLR4/MYD88/NF-kB pathway in the hippocampus in the reserpine-induced anxiety model in rats.","authors":"Matin Nasiri, Kaveh Rahimi, Zohreh Ghotbeddin","doi":"10.1017/neu.2026.10080","DOIUrl":"10.1017/neu.2026.10080","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Anxiety disorders are prevalent neuropsychiatric conditions associated with neuroinflammation and altered cytokine signalling in the hippocampus. This study aimed to evaluate the anxiolytic-like effects of alpha-pinene and its potential modulation of hippocampal neuroinflammatory pathways in a reserpine-induced anxiety model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Adult male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups: control (vehicle), reserpine (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), and reserpine co-treated with alpha-pinene at 50 or 100 mg/kg. Treatments were administered intraperitoneally for 10 consecutive days. Behavioural assays – including the Open Field Test, Elevated Plus Maze, and Light/Dark Box Test – assessed locomotor activity and anxiety-like behaviours. Following testing, hippocampal tissues were collected for molecular analyses, including real-time PCR for TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB expression, and ELISA quantification of IL-1β and IL-6 levels.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Reserpine induced robust anxiety-like behaviours, accompanied by significant upregulation of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB expression and increased hippocampal IL-1β and IL-6. Alpha-pinene treatment at both doses significantly attenuated anxiety-like behaviours and reduced neuroinflammatory markers, suggesting involvement of the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Alpha-pinene exhibits anxiolytic-like effects in reserpine-treated rats, potentially via suppression of hippocampal neuroinflammation, supporting further investigation into its therapeutic potential for anxiety disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":48964,"journal":{"name":"Acta Neuropsychiatrica","volume":" ","pages":"e34"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13202392/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147786264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heroin assessment in Spanish population-based studies: a scoping review.","authors":"Ana Teijeiro, Ana García-González, Nerea Mourino, Sara Correia, Carla Guerra-Tort, Cristina Candal-Pedreira, Guadalupe García, Julia Rey-Brandariz, Mónica Pérez-Ríos","doi":"10.1017/neu.2026.10081","DOIUrl":"10.1017/neu.2026.10081","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Estimating the prevalence of use of substances such as heroin remains a challenge. The aim of this study is to identify the scientific publications in Spain that have used surveys to investigate heroin use, to describe their methodology and to contrast the formulation of the questions with users' input on key aspects associated with use.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A scoping review was conducted until November 2024 in MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE and Web of Science. The review included questionnaire-based research studies assessing heroin use in Spain. Information on study, population, data collection and consumption characteristics was compiled from each included study. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with Spanish heroin current users and ex-users.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-nine questionnaire-based research studies assessing heroin use in Spain were identified; none of them were specifically oriented to estimate and characterise heroin use at the population level. Most of the studies focused on specific population groups, mainly drug users, students, or inmates. The majority addressed lifetime, past-year, and past-month use, although users found the past 3 or 6 months more relevant. Few studies explored other use characteristics; however, interviews with heroin ex-users highlighted the importance of factors like route of administration and age of first use.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The studies identified in this review vary in terms of target population, geographic scope, reference time frame, and data collection methods. Moreover, questionnaires rarely address additional characteristics of use that are considered relevant by former users. This review identifies areas for improvement to guide future studies and refine methodological approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":48964,"journal":{"name":"Acta Neuropsychiatrica","volume":" ","pages":"e43"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13280516/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147786259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}