Increased FFA and FATPs are associated with extrinsically and intrinsically induced apoptosis, liver damage and fibrosis in obese patients. Thus, FATPs may offer an interesting new approach to understand and potentially intervene NASH pathogenesis.

In current diagnostic systems, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are still conceptualized as distinct categorical entities. Recently, both clinical and genomic evidence have challenged this Kraepelinian dichotomy. There are only few longitudinal studies addressing potential overlaps between these conditions. Here, we present design and first results of the PsyCourse study (N = 891 individuals at baseline), an ongoing transdiagnostic study of the affective-to-psychotic continuum that combines longitudinal deep phenotyping and dimensional assessment of psychopathology with an extensive collection of biomaterial. To provide an initial characterization of the PsyCourse study sample, we compare two broad diagnostic groups defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) classification system, that is, predominantly affective (n = 367 individuals) versus predominantly psychotic disorders (n = 524 individuals). Depressive, manic, and psychotic symptoms as well as global functioning over time were contrasted using linear mixed models. Furthermore, we explored the effects of polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia on diagnostic group membership and addressed their effects on nonparticipation in follow-up visits. While phenotypic results confirmed expected differences in current psychotic symptoms and global functioning, both manic and depressive symptoms did not vary between both groups after correction for multiple testing. Polygenic risk scores for schizophrenia significantly explained part of the variability of diagnostic group. The PsyCourse study presents a unique resource to research the complex relationships of psychopathology and biology in severe mental disorders not confined to traditional diagnostic boundaries and is open for collaborations.

Involuntary psychiatric admission is a central issue in mental health care, especially in the treatment of children and adolescents. Its legal regulations do not only differ between European countries, but also on a federal level. Only few studies so far dealt with rates of involuntary admission (RIA), mainly focusing on adults, rather than children and adolescents. None of the studies analyzed this topic in a large cohort. The aim of this regional cross-sectional study was to compare voluntary and involuntary admissions in child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) regarding personal and admission characteristics. Furthermore, risk factors and predictors of involuntary admission should be identified. A retrospective analysis of hospital admission registers from three major German CAP hospitals over a period of 6 years (2004-2009) was conducted (N = 10,547 inpatients). Group comparisons between involuntarily and voluntarily treated minors and a logistic regression to determine predictors of legal status were performed. Information on harm to self or others prior to the admission, medication and clinical outcome was not available due to data structure. 70.8 % of patients were voluntarily and 29.2 % involuntarily admitted. Both subsamples comprised more males. The RIA decreased consistently over the years, ranging from 25.7 to 32.4 %. The strongest predictor of being admitted involuntarily was suffering from mental retardation (OR = 15.74). Adolescence, substance abuse, psychotic disorders and admission on duty time were also strongly associated (OR > 3). In this first large cohort study on involuntary treatment of children and adolescents in Germany, about every fourth patient was treated involuntarily. Certain personal and disease-related factors increased the risk. Commitment laws and other legal instruments for regulating involuntary placements are inconsistent and a standardized description or systematic analysis is needed. The influence of demographic, institutional variables and care and health services aspects should also be investigated.

Identifying psychosis subgroups could improve clinical and research precision. Research has focused on symptom subgroups, but there is a need to consider a broader clinical spectrum, disentangle illness trajectories, and investigate genetic associations. OBJECTIVE To detect psychosis subgroups using data-driven methods and examine their illness courses over 1.5 years and polygenic scores for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression disorder, and educational achievement. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS This ongoing multisite, naturalistic, longitudinal (6-month intervals) cohort study began in January 2012 across 18 sites. Data from a referred sample of 1223 individuals (765 in the discovery sample and 458 in the validation sample) with DSM-IV diagnoses of schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder (I/II), schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, and brief psychotic disorder were collected from secondary and tertiary care sites.