The burden of perinatal mental illness in migrant women: new evidence on prevalence and risk factors

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In her debut Mental Elf blog, Gilda Spaducci explores the global prevalence of perinatal mental disorders among migrant women; summarising a recent review which finds that “one in four experience perinatal depression, one in five perinatal anxiety, and one in eleven perinatal PTSD”.

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Coronal microleakage prevention after root canal treatment

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This review of the efficiency of orifice barriers in preventing coronal microleakage after root canal treatment included 18 in-vitro studies. The findings suggest the placement of an orifice barrier helped prevent coronal leakage. However the relevance of this to the clinical environment remains to be examined.

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Sharpening the focus: viewing self-harm images online – harmful and protective?

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Jo Lockwood, Camilla Babbage and Ellen Townsend consider a systematic review exploring the impact of viewing self-harm images online, which finds that images can trigger powerful emotions and may relate to a change in cognition, affect and behaviour.

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Is persistent anxiety and depression in childhood a one-way road to adverse outcomes in adulthood?

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In her latest blog, Laura Hankey summarises a longitudinal study using ALSPAC data that explored associations between anxiety, depression, and comorbid anxiety/depression in childhood and adverse outcomes in young adulthood.

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Genetic risk for schizophrenia is associated with changes in heart structure and function

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Nadine Parker and Ole Andreassen summarise a recent UK population-based cohort study, which looks at the impact of polygenic risk for schizophrenia on cardiac structure and function in over 32,000 people.

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South Asia’s silent struggle: people with severe mental illness suffer high burden of physical illness

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An international group of experts from the University of York CADA Implementation Science Summer School summarise a recent study on the prevalence of physical health conditions and health risk behaviours in people with severe mental illness in South Asia (Bangladesh, India and Pakistan).

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Step-by-Step: promising digital app for Syrian refugees with depression

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Dafni Katsampa critiques a recent randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of Step-by-Step, a WHO-guided digital intervention for Syrian refugees with depression in Lebanon.

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Be kind to your mind and exercise: can exercise buffer the effects of stressful life events?

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In his debut blog, Justin Chapman reviews a longitudinal study which finds that exercising can buffer against depression after stressful life events.

Justin is live blogging for The Mental Elf at #EquallyWellAu23 this week, alongside Elf Coordinator Laura Hemming who is on live tweeting duties.

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Smoking and bipolar disorder: the physical and mental health impact of tobacco cessation

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Hannah Walsh explores the clinical and research implications of this French cohort study on bipolar disorder and smoking status, and how risks differ for current, former and never smokers.

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Summer Break

Achnahaird beach

  The Dental Elves are taking a short break and will be back on the 7th August