MedPage Today (2/4, George) reported brains of patients with COVID-19 “had some of the same pathological changes seen in Alzheimer’s disease, which may explain the memory problems people with long COVID experience, a small study suggested.” This study, which was “based on autopsies of 10 people who died with COVID-19, linked the inflammatory response found in SARS-CoV-2 infection with pathways causing tau hyperphosphorylation typically associated with Alzheimer’s disease, reported” researchers. The findingspublished in Alzheimer’s & Dementia “also indicated a role for leaky ryanodine receptor 2…in the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the researchers wrote.”

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Psychiatric News (2/3) reports, “The addition of the diagnostic category prolonged grief disorder to DSM-5-TRis timely and important given the COVID-19 pandemic’s enormous death toll, wrote Holly Prigerson, PhD, of Weill Cornell Medicine and colleagues in a Viewpoint” published online Feb. 2 in JAMA Psychiatry. The authors of the viewpoint wrote, “Because of the pandemic, the absolute number of [prolonged grief disorder] cases is likely to increase and the 7% to 10% prevalence rate among…bereaved people may rise.” They added, “Clinicians should learn how to accurately assess, to accurately and differentially diagnose, and to offer or refer patients for treatment.”

Related Links:

— “New Criteria Can Help Clinicians Diagnose, Treat Prolonged Grief Disorder, Psychiatric News, February 3, 2022

According to Healio (2/3, Gramigna), in an 81-study scoping review, investigators have “identified variables reported as significant in three or more randomized clinical trials with respect to adolescent depression outcomes.” Those variables included “age, sex/gender and baseline depression severity.” The findings were published online Feb. 1 in JAMA Network Open. “33 RCTs with results described across 81 publications, variable domains reported as significant in at least 3 RCTs with respect to depression outcomes included age, sex/gender, baseline depression severity, early response to treatment, sleep changes, parent-child conflict, overall psychopathology, suicidal ideation, hopelessness, functional impairment, attendance at psychotherapy sessions, and history of trauma”.

Related Links:

— “Researchers pinpoint variables linked to adolescent depression outcomes “Joe Gramigna, Healio, February 3, 2022

Healio (2/3, Gramigna) reports, “Several traits related to obsessive-compulsive personality disorder [OCPD] predicted post-pandemic adjustment difficulties,” investigators concluded after conducting “a survey of 438 adults from the general population during a temporary easing of lockdown in the U.K. between July 2020 and November 2020, which showed 25% of participants experienced readjustment difficulties.” The study revealed that people “with a history of mental disorder and obsessive-compulsive traits and symptoms, including rigidity determined via a neurocognitive test of attentional flexibility, had significant difficulties.” The findings were published online ahead of print in the April issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

Related Links:

— “Obsessive-compulsive traits may affect post-pandemic adjustment “Joe Gramigna, Healio, February 3, 2022

HCPlive (2/2, Butera) reports, “A recent investigation into metal health resources for children and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic suggested a trend of increasing need for pediatric behavioral health services and treatment on an outpatient basis,” investigators concluded after examining “data from the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program (MCPAP).” In particular, the study team collected and then analyzed “data from the database on unique patient telephone and in-person encounters during fiscal years (FYs) from 2019 to 2021” on “a total of 2515 unique patients…at the MCPAP before the COVID-19 pandemic as well as 1700 patients with encounters during the pandemic.” The findings were published online Feb. 2 in a research letter in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “COVID-19 Pandemic Responsible for Increased Need for Pediatric Behavioral Health Services “Armand Butera, HCPlive, February 2, 2022