Abstract
To Our Readers:
In this issue, you will find two articles exploring bipolar disorder (BD) in youth. Danielyan et al. set out to “evaluate cognitive, family environmental, and QOL characteristics of youth with bipolar depression,” having identified that “[b]eyond symptomatic domains, impairments in cognitive and psychosocial functioning are understudied.” In addition, using 3T anatomical magnetic response images, Yan et al. examined the vascular–bipolar connection and the relevance of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to BD and brain structure, providing “preliminary evidence correlating VEGF rs699947 with neurostructural phenotypes in youth with BD.” In both articles, the recommendations for future studies are intriguing.
As clinician-researchers, our study is constantly evolving and building on itself. We rely not only on each other in this sense, but also on the next generation to continue our study, put our findings into practice, and help children and adolescents with mental health disorders. That is why the Child Mind Institute has created the Youth Mental Health Academy (YMHA), funded by the state of California. This innovative program will provide career development to 2500 California high school students from structurally marginalized communities who have demonstrated interest in our field. We are addressing the workforce shortage of diverse mental health professionals by inspiring and supporting tomorrow's mental health leaders.
The YMHA pilot program of 160 students was launched in June, and at the end of July the students presented their innovative capstone projects. These passionate and creative presentations inspired great hope for the future of our field. Mentorship and internships are key components of YMHA. You can learn more at (childmind.org).
In this issue, an article from Biagianti et al. is also of particular interest. The study “aimed to develop and preliminarily test a clinician-assisted, adjunct to treatment, mobile application (app) called ‘WASABI’ (Wiring Adolescents with Social Anxiety via Behavioral Interventions).” In this pilot study, a randomized controlled trial (RCT), adolescents with social anxiety (SA) were randomly assigned to digital Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy (dCBGT) versus dCBGT plus WASABI, and “preliminary results suggest that WASABI is feasible, acceptable, and may be an effective augmentation tool for treating SA in teenagers.” The authors also pointed to research suggesting that RCTs should be conducted to “establish efficacy and safety” of more mental health apps.
Elsewhere, Yeung et al. discuss “the first investigation of [pharmacokinetics], safety, and tolerability following administration of cariprazine as an oral solution formulation in pediatric patients with ASD down to five years of age.” Mendez et al. examine the potential added benefit of adding cognitive behavioral therapy to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for pediatric patients with obsessive compulsive disorder in a Bayesian hierarchical modeling meta-analysis.
I hope you enjoy this issue and leave inspired by the many ways our peers are exploring youth mental health, from testing innovative digital technologies to searching for biomarkers and, of course, studying the efficacy and safety of specific pharmacological interventions.
Harold S. Koplewicz, MD
Editor-in-Chief