Intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) are significant problems world-wide, and they affect women disproportionally. Whether individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at an increased risk of being involved in these types of violence is unclear.

We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO registration CRD42022348165) of the associations between ADHD and being the victim or perpetrator of IPV and SV. Ratios of occurrence of violence were pooled in random-effects models and study risk of bias was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale.

A search on multiple databases, carried out on 7 October 2022, yielded 14 eligible studies (1 111 557 individuals). Analyses showed a higher risk of ADHD individuals being involved in IPV as perpetrators (six studies, OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.51–4.15) or victims (four studies, OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.06–3.0). Likewise, individuals with ADHD were at increased risk of being perpetrators (three studies, OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.35–5.51) or victims of SV (six studies, OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.51–2.24). Results were overall robust to different analytical choices.

Individuals with ADHD are at an increased risk of being involved in cases of violence, namely IPV and SV, either as victims or perpetrators. Although the causal path or mediating variables for these results are still unclear, this increased risk should inform evidence-based psychoeducation with individuals with ADHD, their families, and partners about romantic relationships and sexuality.

This study aimed to summarize the evidence on sleep alterations in medication-naïve children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

We systematically searched PubMed/Medline, Embase and Web of Science databases from inception through March 22, 2021. This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021243881). Any observational study was included that enrolled medication-naïve children and adolescents with ASD and compared objective (actigraphy and polysomnography) or subjective sleep parameters with typically developing (TD) counterparts. We extracted relevant data such as the study design and outcome measures. The methodological quality was assessed through the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). A meta-analysis was carried out using the random-effects model by pooling effect sizes as Hedges’ g. To assess publication bias, Egger’s test and p-curve analysis were done. A priori planned meta-regression and subgroup analysis were also performed to identify potential moderators.

Out of 4277 retrieved references, 16 studies were eligible with 981 ASD patients and 1220 TD individuals. The analysis of objective measures showed that medication-naïve ASD patients had significantly longer sleep latency (Hedges’ g 0.59; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.26 to 0.92), reduced sleep efficiency (Hedges’ g −0.58; 95% CI −0.87 to −0.28), time in bed (Hedges’ g −0.64; 95% CI −1.02 to −0.26) and total sleep time (Hedges’ g −0.64; 95% CI −1.01 to −0.27). The analysis of subjective measures showed that they had more problems in daytime sleepiness (Hedges’ g 0.48; 95% CI 0.26 to 0.71), sleep latency (Hedges’ g 1.15; 95% CI 0.72 to 1.58), initiating and maintaining sleep (Hedges’ g 0.86; 95% CI 0.39 to 1.33) and sleep hyperhidrosis (Hedges’ g 0.48; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.66). Potential publication bias was detected for sleep latency, sleep period time and total sleep time measured by polysomnography. Some sleep alterations were moderated by age, sex and concurrent intellectual disability. The median NOS score was 8 (interquartile range 7.25–8.75).

We found that medication-naïve children and adolescents with ASD presented significantly more subjective and objective sleep alterations compared to TD and identified possible moderators of these differences. Future research requires an analysis of how these sleep alterations are linked to core symptom severity and comorbid behavioural problems, which would provide an integrated therapeutic intervention for ASD. However, our results should be interpreted in light of the potential publication bias.

Obesity and depression are increasing in prevalence and have become key issues in the public health of the modern day. We performed a meta-review to summarise the association between obesity and depression in adults.

A systematic literature search was undertaken on MEDLINE, PsychINFO, EMBASE and Web of Science for systematic reviews (SRs) with or without meta-analyses (MA) on the association between obesity and depression in adults (>18 years) published before 18 September 2018. Any approach to define depressive disorders (e.g. via structured interview or code in medical file) was accepted. Likewise, any method to assess obesity was accepted. Screening, data extraction and quality assessment was completed by two reviewers independently, with a third reviewer to arbitrate any disagreement. AMSTAR 2 tool was used to assess the methodological quality and risk of bias of the pertinent SRs/MAs.

After duplicate removal, we identified 6007 potentially pertinent citations. Following, title, abstract and full-text screening, 10 studies were included in the review; nine SRs with MAs and one SR. A statistically significant association between obesity and depression was reported in all nine SRs with MAs, with odds ratios ranging from 1.18 (95% CI = 1.11-1.26) to 1.57 (95% CI = 1.53-2.01). Increased severity of obesity (body mass index over 40) was associated with a greater odds of becoming depressed. Odds of developing depression were greater for obese females, compared to obese males, but this difference was not statistically significant. Depression was shown to be a significant risk factor for future obesity in all four relevant MAs with odds ratios ranging from 1.18 (95% CI = 1.13-1.23) to 1.40 (95% CI = 1.14-1.71) . Depressed adolescent females had the highest odds of becoming obese, significantly more so than depressed adolescent males and depressed adults. The quality of the included studies were mixed with five scoring moderate quality, three low quality and two critically low quality.

The findings suggest a reciprocal association between depression and obesity, which may be modulated by age and gender. Future research should assess the potential effect of obesity and depression severity more carefully while also exploring the underlying mechanisms. These results warrant the investigation of the effect of obesity or depression intervention on the outcomes of the other.

FUNDING

This research received no financial sponsorship.

Enhanced odor sensitivity, particularly toward threat-related cues, may be adaptive during periods of danger. Research also suggests that chronic psychological distress may lead to functional changes in the olfactory system that cause heightened sensitivity to odors. Yet, the association between self-reported odor sensitivity, objective odor detection, and affective psychopathology is currently unclear, and research suggests that persons with affective problems may only be sensitive to specific, threat-related odors.

The current study compared adults with self-reported odor sensitivity that was described as functionally impairing (OSI; n = 32) to those who reported odor sensitivity that was non-impairing (OS; n = 17) on affective variables as well as quantitative odor detection.

Increased anxiety sensitivity, trait anxiety, depression, and life stress, even while controlling for comorbid anxiety and depressive disorders, was found for OSI compared to OS. While OSI, compared to OS, demonstrated only a trend increase in objective odor detection of a smoke-like, but not rose-like, odor, further analysis revealed that increased detection of that smoke-like odor was positively correlated with anxiety sensitivity.

These findings suggest that persons with various forms of psychological distress may find themselves significantly impaired by an intolerance of odors, but that self-reported odor sensitivity does not necessarily relate to enhanced odor detection ability. However, increased sensitivity to a smoke-like odor appears to be associated with sensitivity to aversive anxiogenic stimuli. Implications for the pathophysiology of fear- and anxiety-related disorders are discussed.

A significant association between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity has been reported. This study addresses unexplored aspects of this relationship.

To evaluate the association between adult obesity and: (a) persistent, remitted or lifetime ADHD; (b) number of childhood ADHD symptoms, controlling for socioeconomic status and mood, anxiety and substance use disorders.

Face-to-face psychiatric interviews in 34653 US adults from the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Obesity was defined as a body mass index ⩾30.

Persistent, lifetime or remitted ADHD were not associated with obesity after controlling for confounders. The number of childhood ADHD symptoms was significantly associated with adult obesity, even after adjustment, in women.

Childhood ADHD symptoms are associated with obesity in women even after comorbid psychiatric disorders are accounted for. This provides a rationale for longitudinal studies assessing the impact of the treatment of childhood ADHD symptoms on obesity in women.