Research fronts and researchers of World Journal of Psychiatry in 2023: A visualization and analysis of mapping knowledge domains

BACKGROUND In the rapidly evolving landscape of psychiatric research,2023 marked another year of significant progress globally,with the World Journal of Psychiatry(WJP)experiencing notable expansion and influence.AIM To conduct a comprehensive visualization and analysis of the articles published in the WJP throughout 2023.By delving into these publications,the aim is to deter-mine the valuable insights that can illuminate pathways for future research endeavors in the field of psychiatry.METHODS A selection process led to the inclusion of 107 papers from the WJP published in 2023,forming the dataset for the analysis.Employing advanced visualization techniques,this study mapped the knowledge domains represented in these papers.RESULTS The findings revealed a prevalent focus on key topics such as depression,mental health,anxiety,schizophrenia,and the impact of coronavirus disease 2019.Additionally,through keyword clustering,it became evident that these papers were predominantly focused on exploring mental health disorders,depression,anxiety,schizophrenia,and related factors.Noteworthy contributions hailed authors in regions such as China,the United Kingdom,United States,and Turkey.Particularly,the paper garnered the highest number of citations,while the American Psychiatric Association was the most cited reference.CONCLUSION It is recommended that the WJP continue in its efforts to enhance the quality of papers published in the field of psychiatry.Additionally,there is a pressing need to delve into the potential applications of digital interventions and artificial intelligence within the discipline.

Navigating the intersection of psychiatry and ophthalmology:A comprehensive review of depression and anxiety management in glaucoma patients

Glaucoma,a prevalent and debilitating eye disease,has long been associated with vision impairment and blindness.However,recent research has shed light on the often-underestimated psychological dimensions of this condition.Anxiety and depression,two pervasive psychiatric comorbidities,have been increasingly recognized among glaucoma patients.This comprehensive review aims to explore the intricate relationship between psychiatry and ophthalmology,in the context of managing depression and anxiety in glaucoma patients.By meticulously examining peer-reviewed literature,we synthesize current knowledge on the prevalence,risk factors,and underlying mechanisms of anxiety and depression in glaucoma.The evidence reveals that glaucoma patients face an elevated risk of experiencing these mood disorders.Factors such as progressive vision loss,complex medication regimens,and the fear of further visual deterioration contribute to their vulnerability.Moreover,we delve into the bidirectional relationship between glaucoma and mood disorders,shedding light on the complex interplay between ocular and emotional health.Our review investigates the implications of anxiety and depression on glaucoma management,including their potential impact on treatment adherence,disease progression,and overall quality of life.We also explore the neurobiological pathways linking glaucoma and mood disorders,providing a foundation for future research and potential therapeutic interventions.In conclusion,recognizing the psychological burden carried by glaucoma patients is essential for holistic and patient-centered care.This review underscores the pressing need for integrated approaches that bring together ophthalmological and psychiatric expertise to optimize the well-being of individuals facing the challenges of glaucoma.By addressing anxiety and depression in glaucoma care,healthcare providers can enhance the overall quality of life for these patients,ultimately leading to improved outcomes and a brighter future for those affected by this condition.This review offers valuable insight for healthcare practitioners and researchers,providing a concise overview of key topics and research in the field of managing depression and anxiety in glaucoma patients.

Digital psychiatry in low-and-middle-income countries:New developments and the way forward

Low-and middle-income countries(LMICs)bear the greater share of the global mental health burden but are ill-equipped to deal with it because of severe resource constraints leading to a large treatment gap.The remote provision of mental health services by digital means can effectively augment conventional services in LMICs to reduce the treatment gap.Digital psychiatry in LMICs has always lagged behind high-income countries,but there have been encouraging developments in the last decade.There is increasing research on the efficacy of digital psychiatric interventions.However,the evidence is not adequate to conclude that digital psychiatric interventions are invariably effective in LMICs.A striking development has been the rise in mobile and smartphone ownership in LMICs,which has driven the increasing use of mobile technologies to deliver mental health services.An innovative use of mobile technologies has been to optimize task-shifting,which involves delivering mental healthcare services in community settings using non-specialist health professionals.Emerging evidence from LMICs shows that it is possible to use digital tools to train non-specialist workers effectively and ensure that the psychosocial interventions they deliver are efficacious.Despite these promising developments,many barriers such as service costs,underdeveloped infrastructure,lack of trained professionals,and significant disparities in access to digital services impede the progress of digital psychiatry in LMICs.To overcome these barriers,digital psychiatric services in LMICs should address contextual factors influencing the delivery of digital services,ensure collaboration between different stakeholders,and focus on reducing the digital divide.

Medical Students’Views on Psychiatry in Germany and Italy:Survey

Objectives:In 2019,the Insititue for Health Metrics and Evaluation reported that 16%of life lost were attributed to mental health.As a result,global shortage of psychiatrists is a pressing issue due to the increasing burden of mental illness.In 2016,a mere 5%of US medical students chose psychiatry as a career,a trend mirrored in Germany and Italy.As the medical students of 2016 have graduated or transitioned into residency in 2023,their attitudes towards psychiatry could have contributed to today’s shortage of psychiatrists.The global mental health burden has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.This study explores the attitudes of German and Italian medical students towards psychiatry,their career aspirations,and the influence of factors such as personal experience and education on their interest in the field.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 799 medical students in two European countries in 2016.Participants answered questions about their attitudes towards psychiatry,their psychiatric education,and personal experiences.Inferential analyses were performed using chi-square tests and a significance level of 0.05.Results:The number of years in medical school,personal experiences,and perceived quality of education significantly affected specialty choice and ranking of psychiatry compared to other specialties.Internships,psychiatric placements,and views on psychiatric instructors also played a significant role in choosing psychiatry as a career.Conclusions:Assessing medical students’attitudes towards psychiatry and the factors that influence their career choices,such as psychiatric education and personal experiences,can inform changes to attract students to the field.Addressing the worldwide shortage of psychiatrists is crucial to reduce the burden of mental health and substance use disorders.

Artificial intelligence ecosystem for computational psychiatry:Ideas to practice

Computational psychiatry is an emerging field that not only explores the biological basis of mental illness but also considers the diagnoses and identifies the underlying mechanisms.One of the key strengths of computational psychiatry is that it may identify patterns in large datasets that are not easily identifiable.This may help researchers develop more effective treatments and interventions for mental health problems.This paper is a narrative review that reviews the literature and produces an artificial intelligence ecosystem for computational psychiatry.The artificial intelligence ecosystem for computational psychiatry includes data acquisition,preparation,modeling,application,and evaluation.This approach allows researchers to integrate data from a variety of sources,such as brain imaging,genetics,and behavioral experiments,to obtain a more complete understanding of mental health conditions.Through the process of data preprocessing,training,and testing,the data that are required for model building can be prepared.By using machine learning,neural networks,artificial intelligence,and other methods,researchers have been able to develop diagnostic tools that can accurately identify mental health conditions based on a patient’s symptoms and other factors.Despite the continuous development and breakthrough of computational psychiatry,it has not yet influenced routine clinical practice and still faces many challenges,such as data availability and quality,biological risks,equity,and data protection.As we move progress in this field,it is vital to ensure that computational psychiatry remains accessible and inclusive so that all researchers may contribute to this significant and exciting field.

Psychiatry in a War Situation: In Situ Therapeutic Approach to an Attack Case of Ber, Timbuktu in Mali

Objectives: At the beginning of 2012, northern Mali was occupied by several jihadist movements with the aim of creating a Khalifa that required the intervention of a UN peacekeeping mission after a war that slowed down their development. This mission is the deadliest in a complex attack and UN attack. This experience feedback in an international context of the resurgence of asymmetrical wars makes it possible to share in order to better anticipate and improve strategic approaches to assessments and therapeutic techniques. Description: After the presentation of the context with these particularities and the various adaptations, we made formulations of the missions such as lived and the details on the medico-psychological techniques used. The place of the brief physical examination should not be overlooked. The debriefings, even if they have proven themselves in the evaluation and prevention of psychotraumatic pathologies, must be adapted on a case-by-case basis in a certain programmed improvisation. Maintaining the site of the attack survivors without real military activities by reinforcing them with a new functional team was a decisive element in the mourning process according to their own statement. Conclusion: Forward psychiatry is a necessity in asymmetric warfare to maintain the operationality of the troops.

Psychiatric morbidities in respiratory disorders:a cross sectional report providing insight into consultation-liaison psychiatry services in India

Background:Respiratory disorders are among the leading disorders contributing to extensive morbidity and mortality worldwide.Disorder variants,like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases(COPD)in developed and developing countries,as well as infectious causes,like Tuberculosis(TB)in developing countries,contribute to significant disease burden.The literature points towards the coexistence of psychiatric disorders with respiratory disorders responsible for poorer outcomes.Despite the extensive burden of respiratory disorders and the presence of concurrent psychiatric disorders,studies focusing on their prevalence are limited in India.Methods:A cross-sectional psychiatric screening was carried out on sequential patients attending the tertiary respiratory unit over eight months.Those screened positive were interviewed in detail for psychiatric diagnosis and challenges in the management were discussed.Psychiatric diagnosis,pulmonary TB and medical comorbidity were assessed for correlation with demographic and clinical variables and analyzed by using the Chi-square test and logistic regression method using SPSS version 20.Results:Psychiatric morbidity was present in 100 out of 350 patients(28.57%).Tuberculosis was the most common diagnosis(46%)in subjects attending the respiratory clinic services while common mental disorders like depression,anxiety,and insomnia were the most common psychiatric concern(88%)in this study.Conclusion:Psychiatric disorders and medical morbidities are common in patients with respiratory disorders.Multiple factors determine the treatment adherence in both respiratory and psychiatric disorders.Screening for psychiatric disorders with the help of a consultation-liaison psychiatrist in respiratory units is recommended.Future studies should focus on developing dedicated psychiatry services to enhance overall outcomes in patients with respiratory disorders.

How to construct neuroscience-informed psychiatric classification?Towards nomothetic networks psychiatry

Psychiatry remains in a permanent state of crisis,which fragmented psychiatry from the field of medicine.The crisis in psychiatry is evidenced by the many different competing approaches to psychiatric illness including psychodynamic,biological,molecular,pan-omics,precision,cognitive and phenomenological psychiatry,folk psychology,mind-brain dualism,descriptive psychopathology,and postpsychiatry.The current“gold standard”Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders/International Classification of Diseases taxonomies of mood disorders and schizophrenia are unreliable and preclude to employ a deductive reasoning approach.Therefore,it is not surprising that mood disorders and schizophrenia research was unable to revise the conventional classifications and did not provide more adequate therapeutic approaches.The aim of this paper is to explain the new nomothetic network psychiatry(NNP)approach,which uses machine learning methods to build data-driven causal models of mental illness by assembling risk-resilience,adverse outcome pathways(AOP),cognitome,brainome,staging,symptomatome,and phenomenome latent scores in a causal model.The latter may be trained,tested and validated with Partial Least Squares analysis.This approach not only allows to compute pathway-phenotypes or biosignatures,but also to construct reliable and replicable nomothetic networks,which are,therefore,generalizable as disease models.After integrating the validated feature vectors into a well-fitting nomothetic network,clustering analysis may be applied on the latent variable scores of the R/R,AOP,cognitome,brainome,and phenome latent vectors.This pattern recognition method may expose new(transdiagnostic)classes of patients which if cross-validated in independent samples may constitute new(transdiagnostic)nosological categories.

Implications from translational cross-validation of clinical assessment tools for diagnosis and treatment in psychiatry

Traditional therapeutic methods in psychiatry,such as psychopharmacology and psychotherapy help many people suffering from mental disorders,but in the long-term prove to be effective in a relatively small proportion of those affected.Therapeutically,resistant forms of mental disorders such as schizophrenia,major depressive disorder,and bipolar disorder lead to persistent distress and dysfunction in personal,social,and professional aspects.In an effort to address these problems,the translational approach in neuroscience has initiated the inclusion of novel or modified unconventional diagnostic and therapeutic techniques with promising results.For instance,neuroimaging data sets from multiple modalities provide insight into the nature of pathophysiological mechanisms such as disruptions of connectivity,integration,and segregation of neural networks,focusing on the treatment of mental disorders through instrumental biomedical methods such as electro-convulsive therapy(ECT),transcranial magnetic stimulation(TMS),transcranial direct current stimulation(tDCS)and deep brain stimulation(DBS).These methodologies have yielded promising results that have yet to be understood and improved to enhance the prognosis of the severe and persistent psychotic and affective disorders.The current review is focused on the translational approach in the management of schizophrenia and mood disorders,as well as the adaptation of new transdisciplinary diagnostic tools such as neuroimaging with concurrently administered psychopathological questionnaires and integration of the results into the therapeutic framework using various advanced instrumental biomedical tools such as ECT,TMS,tDCS and DBS.

What will the development of psychiatry in China be in 10 years?

The essence of my talk is to identify the changes in psychiatric clinical services over this designated time and illustrate my personal conjecture on what the field of psychiatiy will be like in 10 years' time. To put it simply, that is to tell the difference between visiting a psychiatrist today and visiting one 10 years from now.

Antipsychotic and Anticholinergic Drug Prescribing Pattern in Psychiatry: Extent of Evidence-Based Practice in Bahrain

The aim of this study is to determine the antipsychotic prescribing pattern and the prevalence of concurrent anticholinergic prescribing in a psychiatric referral hospital. A retrospective audit of prescriptions issued for outpatients was carried out at the Psychiatric Hospital, the only facility that provides psychiatric services for both inpatients and outpatients in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Antipsychotic monotherapy was prescribed for 89.2% patients, whereas polytherapy with two- and three-drugs in 10.4 and 0.4%, respectively. Atypical antipsychotics were prescribed more often (67.7%) than typical antipsychotics. Risperidone and haloperidol were the most frequently prescribed antipsychotics. Long-acting risperidone injection was the only depot preparation prescribed. The mean antipsychotic dose expressed as chlorpromazine equivalent (CPZeq;mg/day) was 242 (220 for monotherapy and 414 for polytherapy). The prevalence of high dose antipsychotic (mean CPZeq > 1000 mg/day) was 1.8%, prescribed at a mean CPZeq dose of 1531 (1925 for monotherapy and 1137 for polytherapy), mainly attributed to haloperidol. Anticholinergics were co-prescribed for almost two third of patients receiving antipsychotics, particularly for those on polytherapy (monotherapy 57.3%;poly-therapy 87.5%). Antipsychotic polytherapy, high dose and co-prescription of an oral with a depot antipsychotic preparation were strongly associated with concurrent prescription of anticholinergics. Procyclidine and orphenadrine were the most often prescribed anticholinergics. In Bahrain, antipsychotic monotherapy is a common practice for outpatients with psychotic disorders. Some of the antipsychotic polytherapies, dosage strategies, and high prevalence of anticholinergic use are therapeutic issues that need to be addressed to foster evidence-based prescribing practice.

Difficult-to-Treat-Depression and GPs’ Role: Perceptions of Psychiatry Registrars

Introduction: For patients, GPs are the most accessible medical resource in the community and are the gatekeepers to other community resources including psychiatrists. Qualifying as a psychiatrist in Australia involves completing a five-year training program that includes rotations in hospitals and community settings. The aims of this research were to 1) explore psychiatry registrars’ perceptions of difficult-to-treat-depression (DTTD) and 2) what they thought about the GPs’ role in this regard. Methods: A semi-structured interview schedule comprising six questions was used;10 psychiatry registrars (6 females, 4 males) participated in a one-and-half-hour focus group. All were in their final year of training and undertaking a training post in a public hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Data were analysed using the Framework Method. Findings: Similar to GPs and GP trainees, psychiatry registrars’ perceptions and understanding of DTTD varied. While acknowledging limited experience in diagnosis and management, issues important to them included the utility of labels such as DTTD;patients distressed because of another diagnosis, substance abuse and/or life problems, the importance of accurate histories and notes, cost and limited availability of services particularly in the private sector, prescribing regimens, referring to allied health professionals, and suggesting/prescribing non pharmacological and/or complementary treatment. Also what was of concern was communication, both between health professionals and between health professionals and patients. Consensus was that treating depression in general practice is one of the hardest things for GPs to manage but there was value in using mental health plans. Discussion and Conclusion: While this cohort was small in number with limited experience, this study is the first to contribute to the literature that provides some insight into psychiatry registrars’ experiences and perceptions of DTTD. Outcomes may have implications for thepsychiatry training program and GPs who diagnose and manage patients with mental health problems.

Chinese Society of Neuroscience & Psychiatry (CSNP) Notifications of the 16^th National Academic Conference

"The 16^th Chinese Society of Neuroscience & Psychiatry (CSNP)National Academic Conference", sponsored by Chinese Society of Neuroscience & Psychiatry, co-sp on sored by Shanghai Mentai Health Center Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong Un iversity School of Medicine,Harbin First Specialized Hospital, will be held on June 27-29, 2019 at Rong Chuang Wanda Vista Hotel, Harbin. The conference will bring communication of the latest advances of mental disorders through keynote talks, forums, symposiums, oral reports, and poster presentations.

General Psychiatry Highlights

In issues 2 and 3, some interesting and popular topics are presented and they may inspire new ideas in psychiatric research. A systematic review conducted by Dr Chen and her colleagues has drawn much attention to the worldwide media, that it was positive to treat anxiety symptoms by regulating intestinal flora (RIF).

What is the purpose of launching the World Journal of Psychiatry?

The first issue of World Journal of Psychiatry(WJP),whose preparatory work was initiated on May 18,2011,will be published on December 31,2011.The WJP Editorial Board has now been established and consists of 103 distinguished experts from 32 countries.Our purpose of launching WJP is to publish peer-reviewed,high-quality articles via an open-access online publishing model,thereby acting as a platform for communication between peers and the wider public,and maximizing the benefits to editorial board members,authors and readers.

The Annual Meeting of American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry 2017

Time:December 7-10,2017Venue:San Diego,California,USA Website:www.aaap.org/annual-meeting The Annual Meeting of American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry 2017 will be held on December 7-10,2017 in San Diego,California,USA.The Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium provide the latest scientific developments in addiction

Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry for Outpatients in a Great Metropolitan Hospital

Consultation-liaison psychiatry remains the guardian of holistic approach to the patient and consultation services in general hospital could therefore be referred to as“filters”for mental health care,in particular for patients with minor depressive or anxiety disorders.It is worth noting that psychiatric disorders,even when sub-clinical,worsen outcome whereas their early detection and treatment reduce health care costs significantly.The present study was transversal,exploratory,and descriptive in order to investigate the sample of outpatients referred from general practitioners(GP)to service of consultation-liaison psychiatry of the ASST Great Metropolitan Hospital Niguarda of Milan over a 7-months period.Data from all psychiatric consultations for outpatients were collected by a structured clinical report including socio-demographic features,features of referrals,and features of back-referrals.Five hundred and eleven consultations were performed.Participants were mainly female(58.7%)with an average age between 45 and 55 years(27.6%);31.1%of these patients was at the first contact with a mental health specialist.The diagnoses formulated were distributed as follows:The most common diagnoses were affective disorders(44.6%),followed by neurotic disorders(34.1%),personality disorders(6.8%),and finally,psychosis(6.2%).The study showed an example of a consultation-liaison service situated in a Great Metropolitan Hospital offering to GP the opportunity of a diagnostic assessment and shared management of minor psychiatric disorders.This approach could lead to several vantages,such as the management in a non-psychiatric setting of patients with reduction of stigma and reduced costs for specific psychiatric services where are referred more severe patients.

Emergence of bariatric psychiatry as a new subspecialty

Bariatric surgery is the branch of surgery aimed at helping a person with obesity lose weight.The implementation of surgical treatment of obesity is growing at an impressive rate.As expected,the expanding implementation of bariatric procedures has progres-sively revealed critical issues that were not evident when the number of obese patients treated with surgery was relatively small.One critical issue is the importance of mental health assessment and care of bariatric patients.The aim of this review is to provide readers with an up-to-date summary of the goals,methods,and clinical strategies of bariatric psychiatry.The aims can be grouped into three distinct categories.First,to ascertain that there are no psychiatric contraindications to safe bariatric surgery.Second,to diagnose and treat pre-surgery mental conditions that could predict poor weight loss.Third,to diagnose and treat post-surgery mental conditions associated with poor quality of life.Although bariatric psychiatry has gained the status of a new subspecialty within the field of mental health and psychopathology,many clinical questions remain unsolved.We need more long-term data on outcome measures such as quality of life,adherence to behavioral guidelines,risk of suicide,and postsurgery prevalence of psychological disturbances and mental disorders.

No change of attitude toward forensic psychiatry: 5 years after the Medical Treatment and Supervision Act in Japan

Objective: The forensic mental health system in Japan changed dramatically with the enforcement of the “Act on Medical Care and Treatment for the Persons Who Had Caused Serious Cases under the Condition of Insanity” or MTS Act, in 2005. The aim of this study is to evaluate the changes in attitude and behavior of general psychiatrists, towards forensic psychiatry. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey in 2010 on forensic psychiatry for Japanese psychiatrists, mirroring a previous study from 2007. Results: Comparing the results from both questionnaires, it is not evident that awareness of forensic mental health has improved among psychiatrists in the intervening three years. Conclusion: Further education about forensic mental health needs to be considered inJapan.

Religious Wear (Uniforms) in Psychiatry

Uniforms represent more than just a body cover. There could be symbols of status, power, authority, values, beliefs, identity, wealth representation, self-protection, health and safety, suppression of individuality and identification on one hand by the wearer. The observers may perceive uniforms differently based on their experiences, expectations, education, perceptual ability, conformity, status, power, self-confidence, and need for trust and communication without barrier or judgment. Forty five adult mentally ill patients (21 female and 24 male) were administered questionnaires with Linkert Scale regarding how approachable or off-putting they find casual and religious wear in social worker. Significantly more patients preferred casual wear to religious. Chi squared test equals 28.689 with p value of less than 0.0001 for four degrees of freedom.