Gut-Brain Axis Perspective on Negative Symptoms and Their Neighbors in Early Adolescence: Can We Move Care Upstream?

• Published in: Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services Vol. 61; no. 7; pp. 29 - 38
• Main Authors: Ford, Shannon H, Bruckner, Lorin, Thoyre, Suzanne, Baker, Maureen J, Bartlett, T Robin, Hodges, Eric A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Slack, Inc 01-07-2023; SLACK INCORPORATED
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; Anhedonia; Behavior; Brain; Brain research; Child & adolescent mental health; Child & adolescent psychiatry; Child development; Demographic aspects; Depression in adolescence; Diagnosis; Gene expression; Intestines; Medical examination; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Psychobiology; Puberty; Risk factors; Suicides & suicide attempts; System theory; Teenagers; Weight control; United States; United States > US
• ISSN: 0279-3695; 1938-2413
• DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20230221-03

The current study investigated symptom network patterns in adolescents from a gut-brain-axis (GBA) biopsychosocial perspective. Our secondary analysis of data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study assessed symptom relationships using network analysis to provide information about multivariate structural dependencies among 41 signs and symptoms. Cross-sectional EBICglasso symptom networks were evaluated to assess patterns associated with anhedonia and depressed mood. Significant differences were identified between symptom neighbors of anhedonia compared with depressed mood based on stratification by age. The GBA perspective revealed several symptom neighbors that could expand clinical assessment, diagnosing criteria, education, and interventions for adolescents at risk for, or with, anhedonia or depressed mood. Results speak to the unique impact of symptoms on health that are not interchangeable with other symptoms and do not have equal effects. Mental health nurses should consider a holistic and proactive precision health approach to improving health and well-being through evidence-based assessment of symptom associations. [
(7), 29-38.].