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The present study is a pilot, open-label study which assessed whether training using the Micro Expression Training Tool for 3 weeks is effective in improving micro expression processing, mood, and social functioning. Participants completed four training sessions and could practice additionally, if they wished to. Measures of low mood and social functioning were made prior to and after the training in order to assess potential therapeutic effects. The results showed strong evidence for an effect of training on improvement in micro expression recognition, reflected in higher scores after training, and an association between the number of sessions done and the degree of improvement. In an adjusted model, there was an improvement in low mood, which should be investigated in future studies. There was no effect of micro expression recognition training on social functioning. This pilot study demonstrates a new, effective method for training micro expression processing and shows that it has potential for mood improvement, which may be beneficial for the halting of sub-clinical depression.

IntroductionChildren with computer game addiction have a risk for development of deficit in mental functions. What kind of specific effect does this new “digital environment” have for children?ObjectivesThe goal of this research is to check the hypothesis that there is relationship between computer game addiction and low mood in 8-year-old children.MethodsWe used questionnaire for parents to reveal children with computer game addiction. Experimental group consisted of 24 8-year-old children with computer game addiction. Control group consisted of 24 children without computer game addiction. The children from experimental and control group were matched for gender. We used Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) for assessment of separation anxiety disorder, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and low mood (major depressive disorder) in children (Child Self-Reported).ResultsSpearman correlation analysis has revealed the significant (p<0.05) positive correlation between level of computer game addiction and low mood in children. However, we did not find the correlation between level of computer game addiction and other scales of RCADS.ConclusionsIt can be assumed that digital environment is a risk for increasing low mood in children. However, we need to do additional research using experimental design to approve the hypothesis that computer game addiction can cause the low mood in children.

Background Negative self-perception plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of depression in young people. Mental images of the self may be a powerful target for treating depression. However, little qualitative research has explored young people’s mental imagery. The present study aimed to understand experiences of mental images of the self in young people with lived experience of depression or low mood. Methods Nineteen young people aged 14–21 years old with lived experience of depression or persistent low mood took part in a qualitative photo-elicitation study with semi-structured interviews. Results Reflexive thematic analysis identified six overarching themes relating to the content of images, sources, triggers, distressing properties, relationship between imagery and mood, and preferences for treatment. Participants described mental images that depicted primarily negative autobiographical memories relating to experiences of low mood, anxiety, and social disconnection, and reflecting hopelessness for the future. When participants did experience positive images, these were often accompanied by dampening appraisals that reduced the positive impact on their mood. Treatment goals included reducing aversive properties of negative mental imagery, such as vividness and uncontrollability, and generating more positive images. Conclusions This study identified ways in which mental images of the self may contribute towards low mood in young people and highlighted distressing properties of mental imagery and preferences for treatment. Given the novel nature of this research, these findings are a valuable contribution towards informing theoretical frameworks that underpin our understanding of mental images of the self in young people with depression, and could be used to support intervention development in this population.

Background Recently published European Society for Phenylketonuria (ESPKU) guidelines have recommended a lifelong diet with phenylalanine (Phe) control ≤ 600 μmol/L for phenylketonuria (PKU) patients. This study aimed to identify whether PKU adult patients are at a higher risk of mental health diagnoses if their 2-year average Phe level is higher than the ESPKU European guidelines. Published studies identified by a literature review showed that related studies have been published in American and European PKU study populations but not in the United Kingdom (UK) study populations. Previous studies also involved a smaller number of participants due to this being a rare disease. Results We undertook a retrospective audit at a single large PKU centre in the UK. 244 adult PKU patients at the centre were included, 220 of which had a recorded Phe level. Approximately 75% of the patients in this study did not meet the ESPKU European guidelines for Phe control. A systematic search of the electronic patient record was undertaken looking for mental health diagnoses. Compared to two-year average Phe levels ≤ 600 μmol/L, PKU adult patients with two-year average Phe levels > 600 μmol/L were more likely to have diagnoses of low mood, depression, anxiety, or mood swings, but only low mood reached statistical significance ( p  < 0.05). Conclusions PKU patients with two-year average Phenylalanine levels greater than ESPKU guidelines may be at greater risk of mental health diagnoses and symptoms. Many of these adult PKU patients will be lost to follow-up, and therefore may be receiving treatment for mental health conditions in the community. Multicentre UK studies and international collaborations are required to overcome low participant numbers in the study of this rare disease.

There is demand for new, effective and scalable treatments for depression, and development of new forms of cognitive bias modification (CBM) of negative emotional processing biases has been suggested as possible interventions to meet this need. We report two double blind RCTs, in which volunteers with high levels of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory ii (BDI-ii) > 14) completed a brief course of emotion recognition training (a novel form of CBM using faces) or sham training. In Study 1 (N = 36), participants completed a post-training emotion recognition task whilst undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate neural correlates of CBM. In Study 2 (N = 190), measures of mood were assessed post-training, and at 2-week and 6-week follow-up. In both studies, CBM resulted in an initial change in emotion recognition bias, which (in Study 2) persisted for 6 weeks after the end of training. In Study 1, CBM resulted in increases neural activation to happy faces, with this effect driven by an increase in neural activity in the medial prefrontal cortex and bilateral amygdala. In Study 2, CBM did not lead to a reduction in depressive symptoms on the BDI-ii, or on related measures of mood, motivation and persistence, or depressive interpretation bias at either 2 or 6-week follow-ups. CBM of emotion recognition has effects on neural activity that are similar in some respects to those induced by Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) administration (Study 1), but we find no evidence that this had any later effect on self-reported mood in an analogue sample of non-clinical volunteers with low mood (Study 2).

It is recognised that a high proportion of adults on the autism spectrum experience depressive symptoms. However, limited research has explored autistic peoples’ experiences of low mood and depression. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of low mood and depression for adults on the autism spectrum. The study employed Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to investigate the experiences of 8 adults (7 males and 1 female), aged between 19 and 51, who had a diagnosis of autism without co-occurring learning disabilities, and experienced low mood or depression. All participants recorded their thoughts and feelings in a mood diary for 1 week and participated in a semi-structured interview. Three superordinate themes emerged from the data: ‘ Autism has made me the person I am ’, ‘ I can’t function in the world ’ and ‘ It’s like trying to do accounts on the futures market’: Making sense of emotions . Findings highlight a need for specialist mental health provision for adults who are on the autism spectrum. Limitations of this study and implications for future research are discussed.

This study sought to explore whether individuals who self-medicate with alcohol experience higher levels of depression, and whether symptom level experiences are affected by the behavior of self-medication. Data were from the Wave I (2001–2002) National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions – NESARC. Only participants who answered affirmatively to either one or both of the two stem questions that highlight the key symptoms of depression were included (n = 13,753). A one-factor model of depression was supported. Experiences of suicidality were more likely to be endorsed by people who self-medicated, compared to those with low mood who do not use alcohol in this way. Typically, more common experiences of depression in the form of appetite difficulties were less likely to be reported by those who self-medicated, compared to those who do not. The findings aid understanding of the drinking patterns and other mental health correlates of those who engage in the behavior of self-medication. Findings indicate that those who self-medicate are at a higher risk for suicidality, given the same level of depression. These findings highlight the importance of identifying these potentially problematic health behaviors as early as possible, due to these risks. •A one-factor model of depression was supported.•Experiences of suicidality were more likely to be endorsed by people who self-medicated, compared to those who do not use alcohol in this way.•Appetite difficulties were less likely to be reported by those who self-medicated, compared to those who did not.•Findings indicate that those who self-medicate are at a higher risk for suicidality, given the same level of depression.

Background: Grape seed extract (GSE) from Vitis vinifera L. is rich in polyphenols and oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs), and it has shown potential benefits in managing low mood and cognitive function. In this study, we investigated the potential bioactivities of Enovita®, a standardized GSE extract (GSEe herein) rich in OPCs, in key mechanistic pathways related to low mood conditions and cognitive function. Methods: In vitro assays were conducted to assess GSEe’s inhibitory effects on γ-aminobutyric acid transaminase (GABA-T) and monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), its binding affinity to the GABA site of GABA-A receptors, and its effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Its neuroprotective effects on human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells under oxidative stress (induced by H2O2) were assessed using MTT and LDH release assays. Its antioxidant activities were evaluated using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, ORAC, HORAC, total phenolic content, and TAS assays. Its cytotoxicity was also evaluated. Results: GSEe showed significant GABA-T inhibitory activity. It also exhibited MAO-A and AChE inhibition, along with moderate binding affinity to the GABA-A receptor. In neuroprotective assays, GSEe provided significant protection to SH-SY5Y cells against oxidative stress. GSEe demonstrated robust antioxidant activity in all assays, including scavenging of DPPH and ABTS radicals, high ferric-reducing power, high polyphenolic contents, and a substantial total antioxidant capacity. Conclusions: GSEe exhibits promising bioactivities, highlighting its potential as a supplement for modulating mood and enhancing cognitive function. Overall, the promising results from these in vitro studies provide a strong foundation for the continued exploration and development of GSEe as a viable natural supplement for enhancing mental health and cognitive function.

The aim of this paper is to examine the alcohol-related consequences experienced by adults who reported a 2-week period of low mood and identified as a ‘self-medicator’ compared to those who do not. Our focus is on assessing whether the conceptualization of alcohol use disorder severity differs across adult drinkers who self-medicate with alcohol during a period of low mood, compared to those who do not. This study used secondary data from the NESARC survey. The analytic sample consisted of 5945 participants who answered questions from the alcohol abuse/dependence (alcohol experiences) section, in the last 12 months. The sample was split into four groups by whether they self-medicated with alcohol or not, drank alcohol in the last year, and their drinking class. The findings indicated that a one-factor model was the best fit, and all items were a strong indicator of alcohol use disorder. The two-parameter model had the best fit, indicating that the diagnostic criteria were placed as a good fit along a continuum of severity. It was revealed that the hazardous drinking group who self-medicated, experienced more consequences even at low levels of severity. As the self-medicating hazardous drinking group also showed the highest estimates for alcohol use disorder severity, this may indicate that this group is composed of high-functioning self-medicators who are trying to regulate their drinking, and may not be as clinically high risk as expected, due to their drinking patterns. •The types of drinkers used were derived from previous analyses, specifically based on whether individuals self-medicate their low mood with alcohol.•The finding that self-medicators drink in a more hazardous way and experience most consequences provides a unique contribution to a gap in research.•The findings provide insight into the consequences experienced by those who self-medicate their depression with alcohol use.•The findings highlight key points for intervention which may impact both the individual’s low mood and drinking patterns.

Background From early adolescence, girls face greater risk of experiencing low mood and anxiety relative to boys, with recent evidence that this may be worsening. There is a paucity of mental health research that meaningfully progresses understanding of these gender disparities, including that engages adolescent girls’ own perspectives, limiting our ability to direct further research and enhance intervention approaches. Aims We examined low mood and anxiety from the perspective of adolescent girls, asking: What do adolescent girls perceive to be causing their population’s high rates of low mood and anxiety? Methods We adopted a co-produced qualitative design, guided by ecological systems theory, conducting focus groups in 2022 with 32 adolescent girls aged 16 to 18 years in England. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Analysis Participants framed low mood and anxiety among adolescent girls as “normal”, and discussed potential explanations including persistent reiteration and expectation of gendered norms, intense educational pressures in ways that can be gendered, difficulties within peer relationships, and comparison and insecurity in social media contexts. Throughout, participants highlighted how complex these issues are, including nuances around individual differences, sociodemographic contexts, and societal contexts. Conclusions The study offers a critically important contribution to evidence on gendered inequalities in low mood and anxiety, drawing attention to the interwoven and complex nature of girls’ lives and illuminating various aspects that would benefit from greater research. The insights gained through exploration with girls themselves hold policy and practical relevance to enhance systems to meet girls’ needs.