Longitudinal association between dysmenorrhoea in adolescence and chronic pain in adulthood: a UK population-based study.

Background: Dysmenorrhoea affects many adolescents and often goes untreated for various sociocultural reasons. Dysmenorrhoea frequently co-occurs with other chronic pain conditions, and adult women with dysmenorrhoea have greater sensory sensitivity compared with controls. We aimed to test the hypothesis that adolescent dysmenorrhoea leads to the development of general chronic pain, including pain outside the pelvis, by estimating the risk of chronic pain in adulthood following the experience of dysmenorrhoea at age 15 years.

Associations of adolescent menstrual symptoms with school absences and educational attainment: analysis of a prospective cohort study.

Menstrual symptoms may negatively impact academic achievement, but rigorous population-based studies are lacking. 2,698 participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) self-reported heavy or prolonged bleeding and menstrual pain during adolescence and multivariable regression were used to estimate associations with linked data on absences and attainment at age 15/16, adjusting for confounders. Heavy or prolonged bleeding and pain were associated with missing 1.

First trimester antidepressant use and miscarriage: a comprehensive analysis in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD.

Background Antidepressant prescribing during pregnancy is rising but uncertainties remain surrounding safety. Evidence relating to antidepressant use during pregnancy and miscarriage ranges in quality. Aim To investigate the association between first trimester antidepressant use and miscarriage.

Establishment of an international Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders (CoRe-ED): Analysis of early-stage participant involvement and expectations.

Background: Eating disorders are a major global health concern. However, eating disorders research has been incorrectly labelled by some as "niche" and is critically underfunded throughout the world. With a plan to try to assist in addressing these issues and others, we launched the international not-for-profit Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders (CoRe-ED) in September 2024.

Copy number variants and their implications for developmental and behavioural problems in cleft lip and/or palate.

Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) is the most common craniofacial congenital anomaly and has been associated with higher risk of neurodevelopmental and behavioural problems indicating potential shared genetic factors between CL/P and neurodevelopmental disorders. In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of neurodevelopmental copy number variants (CNV) in children with CL/P and their link to early developmental and behavioural problems. Using data from the Cleft Collective, the largest UK-based national cohort study of children with CL/P, we determined the rates of neurodevelopmental CNVs in children with CL/P comparing them to the general population, explored differences by cleft type and investigated risk of developmental delays and behavioural problems among those with CL/P and neurodevelopmental CNVs.

Genital body image: A brief review and future directions.

Genital body image or genital self-image encompasses an individual's attitudes, feelings, and behaviours surrounding their own genitals. Despite the crucial importance of genitals in propagating the human species, genital body image remains a highly understudied concept in broader body image research. Nevertheless, the existing literature suggests a sizeable percentage of people across the gender spectrum experience dissatisfaction with their genital size, shape and/or form.

Patterns of antidepressant prescribing around pregnancy: a descriptive analysis in CPRD.

Background Antidepressant use is increasing during pregnancy but estimates of prevalence and patterns of prescribing are outdated. Aim To describe the prevalence and patterns of antidepressant prescribing in and around pregnancy. Design and setting Drug utilisation study in the UK's Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD Pregnancy Register.

Prenatal Smoking Exposures and Epigenome-wide Methylation in Newborn Blood.

Background: Maternal sustained smoking during pregnancy is associated with thousands of differentially methylated CpGs in newborns, but impacts of other prenatal tobacco smoking exposures remain unclear.

Objective: To identify differential DNA methylation in newborns from maternal sustained smoking and less studied prenatal smoking exposures (i.e.

Knowledge and Awareness of Generative Artificial Intelligence Use in Medicine Among International Stakeholders: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of medical stakeholders regarding the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among stakeholders in medicine. Participants included researchers, clinicians, and medical journal editors with varying degrees of familiarity with GAI tools.

The Effectiveness of a Chatbot Single-Session Intervention for People on Waitlists for Eating Disorder Treatment: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Early treatment is critical for improving eating disorder prognosis. Single-session interventions (SSIs) can provide short-term support to people on waitlists for eating disorder treatment; however, it is not always possible to access SSIs. We co-designed and developed a rule-based chatbot called ED ESSI (Eating Disorder Electronic Single-Session Intervention), which delivered an SSI and demonstrated its acceptability and feasibility.

An online educational resource addressing eating disorders during the menopause transition: a brief evaluation study.

The biological, psychological and social changes that occur during the menopause transition can contribute to increased risk of eating disorder onset, re-emergence or exacerbation of a pre-existing eating disorder. Owing to a substantial lack of available evidence-based information addressing the intersection of eating disorders and menopause, we co-designed a novel online resource with people with a lived experience of an eating disorder during the menopause transition and other key stakeholders. We previously demonstrated preliminary acceptability and feasibility of this resource.

Perceived Barriers and Facilitators of Use of Artificial Intelligence in Eating Disorder Care: A Commentary on Linardon et al. (2025).

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize mental health care, including for eating disorders, but there are still a number of concerns focused on ethics, governance, and regulation. As the authors found in their preliminary survey study involving mental health clinicians and people experiencing eating disorder symptoms, there was support and recognition of the benefits of AI tools in eating disorder care. However, participants also had concerns surrounding issues like data privacy, governance, information accuracy, and therapeutic rapport.

Co-design of a single session intervention chatbot for people on waitlists for eating disorder treatment: a qualitative interview and workshop study.

Background: Early treatment is critical to improve eating disorder prognosis. Single session interventions have been proposed as a strategy to provide short term support to people on waitlists for eating disorder treatment, however, it is not always possible to access this early intervention. Conversational artificial intelligence agents or "chatbots" reflect a unique opportunity to attempt to fill this gap in service provision.

Using the alternative model of personality disorders for DSM-5 traits to identify personality types, and the relationship with disordered eating, depression, anxiety and stress.

Background: There is a substantial and growing evidence base that has identified three distinct personality types (Overcontrol, Undercontrol and Resilient) among samples of individuals with eating disorders, as well as non-clinical samples. Even in studies where up to six personality types have been identified, the three core types representing Overcontrol, Undercontrol and Resilient consistently emerge. The aim of the research was to explore whether latent Overcontrol and Undercontrol personality types could be identified using pathological personality types as part of the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders published in DSM-5.

Discussing Weight with Patients in Primary Care in Australia: A Mixed Methods Experimental Study.

Background: Weight bias is characterised by negative attitudes towards people with a higher weight and is widespread in healthcare. Primary care professionals sometimes avoid discussing weight with patients due to concerns about upsetting them, insufficient training, resources, or referral pathways. There is, however, a responsibility for primary care professionals to address the health needs of patients, which may require discussing weight.

Developing an educational resource for people experiencing eating disorders during the menopause transition: A qualitative co-design study.

Background: The pronounced changes in reproductive hormones, such as oestradiol and progesterone, that occur during the menopause transition can contribute to increased risk of eating disorder onset or exacerbate a pre-existing eating disorder. Despite this heightened risk, there is a lack of available education and support that takes into consideration the unique challenges of experiencing an eating disorder during the menopause transition. This research aimed to qualitatively explore the perspectives of people with a lived experience of an eating disorder during the menopause transition, and to co-design a support option that addressed their unmet needs.

Challenges in using data on fathers/partners to study prenatal exposures and offspring health.

Paternal exposures (and other non-maternal factors) around pregnancy could have important effects on offspring health. One challenge is that data on partners are usually from a subgroup of mothers with data, potentially introducing selection bias, limiting generalisability of findings. We aimed to investigate the potential for selection bias in studies using partner data.

Perceived clinician stigma and its impact on eating disorder treatment experiences: a systematic review of the lived experience literature.

Objective: This systematic review examines the literature regarding perceived clinician stigma and treatment experiences of adult patients with eating disorders, emphasising lived experience perspectives.

Method: A systematic search was conducted across MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL] to identify studies published from 1 January 2000 until 24 March 2024 that explored patient experiences of clinician attitudes and behaviours in eating disorder treatment. Eligible studies included those reporting on perceived clinician stigma and impacts on treatment outcomes.

A Preliminary Qualitative Analysis of women's Experiences With Vaginal Fractional CO Laser Treatments.

Background: Menopause involves a range of bodily changes, with impacts on physical and psychological well-being. Around half of the postmenopausal women experience genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). Fractional CO laser treatment can promote tissue regeneration in the vaginal wall to potentially assist with managing GSM.

Social media delivered mental health campaigns and public service announcements: A systematic literature review of public engagement and help-seeking behaviours.

Social media (SM) is increasingly utilised to disseminate mental health (MH) public service announcements (PSAs) and campaigns, connecting the public with support or resources. However, the effectiveness of MH campaigns/PSAs is often overlooked, and actions following exposure are rarely measured. We aimed to i) systematically review research on MH campaigns/PSAs disseminated via SM to determine their efficacy in eliciting engagement, help-seeking/behavioural change and ii) identify components that may facilitate engagement, help-seeking/behavioural change.

A novel hypothesis-generating approach for detecting phenotypic associations using epigenetic data.

Hypotheses about what phenotypes to include in causal analyses, that in turn can have clinical and policy implications, can be guided by hypothesis-free approaches leveraging the epigenome, for example. Minimally adjusted epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) using ALSPAC data were performed for example conditions, dysmenorrhea and heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). Differentially methylated CpGs were searched in the EWAS Catalog and associated traits identified.