BJPsych AdvancesPub Date : 2026-03-23DOI: 10.1192/bja.2026.10206
Andrew M Novick, Erin R Weinhold, C Neill Epperson
{"title":"Ovarian hormones, hormonal contraceptives and reward processing.","authors":"Andrew M Novick, Erin R Weinhold, C Neill Epperson","doi":"10.1192/bja.2026.10206","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bja.2026.10206","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Research on ovarian hormones reveals an increasingly important role in brain function. This includes reward processing, the umbrella phrase for functions that promote motivation for, response to, and learning about rewards. This paper seeks to provide a concise overview of how ovarian hormones influence reward function, with a specific focus surrounding the ovarian hormone derivatives found in hormonal contraception. Despite the complexity of findings, the research suggests a general pattern in which estradiol may promote multiple reward functions and progesterone often appears to play an inhibitory role. Allopregnanolone's effects on reward functions appear to be concentration dependent and follow an inverted-U. Limited research on hormonal contraception suggests that these agents may interfere with reward neurobiology, potentially contributing to deficits in sexual desire and positive mood, though some individuals may be more susceptible than others. Effects of ovarian hormones and their derivatives on reward processing have multiple clinical implications. These are discussed as it relates to hormonal therapy in menopause, avoiding side effects with hormonal contraception, and ongoing research on the use of progesterone in substance use disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":9336,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Advances","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13309219/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148343821","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BJPsych AdvancesPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-09-15DOI: 10.1192/bja.2025.10142
Keith Rix
{"title":"Is justice served by reliance on ICD and DSM classifications of mental disorder in medico-legal reporting?","authors":"Keith Rix","doi":"10.1192/bja.2025.10142","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bja.2025.10142","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The histories of the DSM and ICD classifications are set out so as to identify weaknesses and limitations that can affect their application in medico-legal reporting. These are illustrated by reference to published judgments and three detailed case studies. The analysis and case studies identify how expert witnesses' reliance on the DSM and ICD can be challenged in order to seek to undermine their evidence.</p>","PeriodicalId":9336,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Advances","volume":"32 1","pages":"33-43"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12957960/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147364051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Philippa Greenfield, Marilia Calcia, Chris McCree, Maneek Sahota, Holly Thomas, Kyla Kirkpatrick, Rebecca Vagi, Louise M Howard, Sarah Markham, Vishal Bhavsar
{"title":"Identifying, assessing and responding to perpetration of domestic abuse: practice guide for mental health professionals.","authors":"Philippa Greenfield, Marilia Calcia, Chris McCree, Maneek Sahota, Holly Thomas, Kyla Kirkpatrick, Rebecca Vagi, Louise M Howard, Sarah Markham, Vishal Bhavsar","doi":"10.1192/bja.2024.39","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bja.2024.39","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Domestic abuse - abusive behaviour perpetrated by an adult towards another adult to whom they are personally connected (e.g. partners, ex-partners or family members) - damages mental health, increases mental health service use and challenges clinical management. Training and guidance for mental health professionals on identifying and responding to patients exposed to domestic abuse are available, but there has been less development of resources for mental health professionals in identifying, assessing and responding to perpetrators of domestic abuse. In this article, we describe a framework for responding to domestic abuse perpetration in clinical settings in general adult mental health services, aimed at improving practice. This could support mental health professionals in sensitive enquiry and assessment for domestic abuse perpetration, and guide appropriate responses, as part of routine training and continuing professional development.</p>","PeriodicalId":9336,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Advances","volume":"31 1","pages":"8-19"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11826930/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143432573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
BJPsych AdvancesPub Date : 2025-01-01Epub Date: 2024-09-25DOI: 10.1192/bja.2024.40
Howard Ryland
{"title":"Understanding violence in the context of psychosis: the contribution of phenomenology and its limitations.","authors":"Howard Ryland","doi":"10.1192/bja.2024.40","DOIUrl":"10.1192/bja.2024.40","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Navigating the complex relationship between violence and psychosis can frequently be challenging. Psychiatrists may find assessing and managing the risk of violence in this context daunting. In their article 'The clinical assessment of violence in the context of psychosis: taking a phenomenological stance', Andreson et al. helpfully summarise the role that psychopathology can play in this process. While careful elucidation of an individual's experiences may assist in the nuanced formulation of their risk and could offer a specific focus for interventions, the approach has potential shortcomings in certain settings. For some phenomena the link with violence is unclear and it may be constellations of symptoms that are important. Causal pathways are not always linear and there may be important mediators linking psychopathological features to behavioural outcomes. In the resource limited settings in which many contemporary health services operate, a detailed assessment of psychopathology may be hampered by time or other constraints. Alternative, more scalable solutions may therefore be needed in particular scenarios.</p>","PeriodicalId":9336,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Advances","volume":" ","pages":"36-38"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7617295/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142969718","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"BJA volume 29 issue 6 Cover and Back matter","authors":"","doi":"10.1192/bja.2023.57","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1192/bja.2023.57","url":null,"abstract":"An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. As you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.","PeriodicalId":9336,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Advances","volume":"45 10","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135455682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"New from CPD eLearning","authors":"","doi":"10.1192/bja.2023.58","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1192/bja.2023.58","url":null,"abstract":"An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content.","PeriodicalId":9336,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Advances","volume":"45 3","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135455689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"BJA volume 29 issue 6 Cover and Front matter","authors":"","doi":"10.1192/bja.2023.56","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1192/bja.2023.56","url":null,"abstract":"An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. As you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.","PeriodicalId":9336,"journal":{"name":"BJPsych Advances","volume":"46 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135455679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}