We summarize some of the past year's most important findings within climate change-related research. New research has improved our understanding about the remaining options to achieve the Paris Agreement goals, through overcoming political barriers to carbon pricing, taking into account non-CO2 factors, a well-designed implementation of demand-side and nature-based solutions, resilience building of ecosystems and the recognition that climate change mitigation costs can be justified by benefits to the health of humans and nature alone. We consider new insights about what to expect if we fail to include a new dimension of fire extremes and the prospect of cascading climate tipping elements.

A synthesis is made of 10 topics within climate research, where there have been significant advances since January 2020. The insights are based on input from an international open call with broad disciplinary scope. Findings include: (1) the options to still keep global warming below 1.5 °C; (2) the impact of non-CO2 factors in global warming; (3) a new dimension of fire extremes forced by climate change; (4) the increasing pressure on interconnected climate tipping elements; (5) the dimensions of climate justice; (6) political challenges impeding the effectiveness of carbon pricing; (7) demand-side solutions as vehicles of climate mitigation; (8) the potentials and caveats of nature-based solutions; (9) how building resilience of marine ecosystems is possible; and (10) that the costs of climate change mitigation policies can be more than justified by the benefits to the health of humans and nature.

How do we limit global warming to 1.5 °C and why is it crucial? See highlights of latest climate science.

We summarize some of the past year's most important findings within climate change-related research. New research has improved our understanding of Earth's sensitivity to carbon dioxide, finds that permafrost thaw could release more carbon emissions than expected and that the uptake of carbon in tropical ecosystems is weakening. Adverse impacts on human society include increasing water shortages and impacts on mental health. Options for solutions emerge from rethinking economic models, rights-based litigation, strengthened governance systems and a new social contract. The disruption caused by COVID-19 could be seized as an opportunity for positive change, directing economic stimulus towards sustainable investments.

A synthesis is made of ten fields within climate science where there have been significant advances since mid-2019, through an expert elicitation process with broad disciplinary scope. Findings include: (1) a better understanding of equilibrium climate sensitivity; (2) abrupt thaw as an accelerator of carbon release from permafrost; (3) changes to global and regional land carbon sinks; (4) impacts of climate change on water crises, including equity perspectives; (5) adverse effects on mental health from climate change; (6) immediate effects on climate of the COVID-19 pandemic and requirements for recovery packages to deliver on the Paris Agreement; (7) suggested long-term changes to governance and a social contract to address climate change, learning from the current pandemic, (8) updated positive cost–benefit ratio and new perspectives on the potential for green growth in the short- and long-term perspective; (9) urban electrification as a strategy to move towards low-carbon energy systems and (10) rights-based litigation as an increasingly important method to address climate change, with recent clarifications on the legal standing and representation of future generations.

Stronger permafrost thaw, COVID-19 effects and growing mental health impacts among highlights of latest climate science.

Many patients with depression mention sudden short “mood swings” (MI) when asked. MI is distressing but little is known about its relationship to personality disorders, depression and suicidal thoughts.

To determine the relationship between mood instability (MI), neuroticism, and suicidal thoughts.

To deconstruct the concept of neuroticism to determine whether MI is an important component. To determine whether MI predicts suicidal thoughts.

129 patients with Major Depression were interviewed with the MINI diagnostic interview. They also completed the Eysenck Neuroticism Scale (ENS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Mood Disorders Questionnaire (MDQ), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Affective Lability Scale (ALS), Beck Suicide Scale (BSS) and 5 questions describing mood swings and its effects on behaviour.

In a regression analysis with the BSS as the dependent variable, with age and sex controlled, and all of the other variables entered, only the BDI (p < 0.001) and the ALS (p < 0.01) were significant predictors. In an exploratory factor analysis of the ENS, 3 main factors (53% of variance) emerged. 2 of the factors consisted of mild anxiety and depression symptoms. The third factor (16% variance) was a mood instability factor. The ALS and the ENS both correlated with the 5 questions describing mood swings, but the correlations with the ALS were stronger.

Mood Instability is the unique component of neuroticism. MI (ALS) predicts suicidal thoughts along with the broad concept of depression (BDI). In this model, neuroticism (ENS) is not a predictor.

The literature indicates that most patients with Major Depression mention sudden short “mood swings” (MI) when asked. MI is known to be distressing but little is known about the treatment.

To determine whether MI changes with community treatment of depression.

To study changes in MI with 3-6 months of treatment for depression in patients with Major Depression and complaints of MI.

34 patients with Major Depression and complaints of “mood swings” were recruited from 4 psychiatric practices. They were interviewed with the MINI diagnostic interview and the Mood Disorders Questionnaire. They completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Trait Form (STAI-T), and Visual Analogue Scales for Depressed Mood (VAS) and Anxious Mood twice a day for a week. The Mean Square Successive Difference Statistic (MSSD) was calculated from the VAS readings. The BDI, STAI-T, and VAS were repeated after 6 months of treatment.

25/34 patients reported past hypomania. Most patients were treated with a combination of antidepressants and mood stabilizers. The BDI and STAI-T scores improved with treatment. There was no overall change in depressed and anxious MI. Change in Depressed MI and Anxiety MI correlates with change in BDI from T1 to T2

Anxiety and depression improved with treatment as expected. Change in MI is inconsistent. Research into medications and psychosocial treatments that improve MI is needed and this will probably improve depression treatment outcome.

We invited pregnant women to participate in an 8-week therapy group (either mindfulness-based (MB) or interpersonal therapy (IT)) facilitated by an experienced psychologist. We collected depression, worry, and sociodemographic data on admission to the group, at the end of the group, and again one month postpartum. We subsequently matched and compared the women to 60 women who had participated in a longitudinal study of perinatal depression (age, gestation, marital status, education, medications) from the same community. We wanted to know if: 1) participating in a therapy group decreases depression and worry over the course of pregnancy into the postpartum? and 2) there was a significant change in depression, stress, and worry symptoms for the treatment group compared to a control group?

Data were available on 39 women who had completed 6 groups (4 MB and 2 IT). Women who participated in either group showed significant decreases in depression (p<0.001) and worry scores (p<0.001) compared to control group. Women in the MB groups complained of less stress postpartum than the IT group, otherwise the groups were similar. Women who were unmarried had significantly higher depression scores (p<0.0001).

In summary, participating in relaxation therapy groups can significantly lessen depression and worry symptoms over pregnancy and into the postpartum.

We recently reported (EPA 2011) that one factor of the Eysenck Neuroticism Scale (EPI-N) represents Mood Instability (MI) that was a significant predictor of suicidal thoughts.

To increase our understanding of MI in psychological distress we examined a national sample with longitudinal follow-up:

1. 1. To determine whether factor analysis of the EPI-N scale yields a MI factor.

2. 2. To determine whether the MI factor predicts psychological well-being at follow-up.

British Health and Lifestyle survey (1984) (N = 6,124) individuals that completed both of the following questionnaires. 3,232 individuals were followed in 1991–92.

Eysenck Personality Inventory consists of 57 items that includes the EPI-N with 24 items. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) is a 30-item scale used to measure psychological distress in the community.

The EPI-N was factor analyzed and the extracted factors were entered as predictors of GHQ (1991) in a linear regression model, while controlling for baseline (1984) GHQ score and important physical health and socio-demographic variables.

We replicated the 3 factors of the EPI-N, the second factor represented MI. The other two factors represented mild symptoms of anxiety and depression. The 3 EPI-N factors (Including the MI factor), GHQ, hypertension and forced expiratory volume (1984) predicted GHQ (1991). Age, sex, marital status, occupational class, and household income were not predictors.

MI is the salient and distinct feature of neuroticism. MI may be a more clinically and empirically useful concept than “neuroticism” and is a fertile subject for clinical and basic research.

Most people who commit suicide suffer from depression, but diagnostic categories and known personal and demographic factors do not adequately capture the distress that leads people to kill themselves. Mood Instability (MI) refers to sudden unpredictable fluctuations in mood often occurring within a day.

To determine whether MI predicts suicidal thoughts.

Hypothesis: That MI will predict suicidal thoughts even when negative affect (depression, anxiety, anger) are controlled.

Data from the Dutch Imigrant panel of the Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS-I) (N = 1686) were used. MI was assessed with 7 items from the International Personality Item Pool of Big Five Indicators. The Chronbach's alpha was 0.86. Suicidal thoughts were assessed by a single question referring to the past week. Depression, anxiety and anger were represented by 21 items derived by factor analysis from the 31-item Emotional Expressiveness Module. Odds ratios using logistic regression modeling were calculated, adjusting for negative affect, alcohol and substance abuse, and demographic variables (age, sex, income).

MI predicts suicidal thoughts (Males OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.02-1.28 and females OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.00-1.23) along with negative affect. There was no interaction between MI and negative affect.

MI has been relatively neglected as a predictor of suicidal thoughts. It is likely that the unpredictable, sudden, severe descents in mood are particularly distressing and contribute to the feeling that life is intolerable. MI requires more attention in the assessment and treatment of suicide risk.

In a longitudinal study of depression and its correlates in socially high-risk, perinatal women, we also collected data about diet, binge and vomiting/purge behaviours. We were interested in understanding more about these eating problems and their association with perinatal health. Descriptive, bivariate and regression analyses were done.

Data were available on 283 women, 60% of whom were Aboriginal. the average age was 22.4 years and gestation was 15.4 weeks at onset of the study. Most women (84%) stated that they had no history of eating problems. Women who engaged in one eating problem behavior were significantly more likely to engage in another. NonAboriginal women were significantly more likely to report dieting, binging, or vomiting/purging (p < 0.0001). Overall, eating problems were associated with depression, mood swings, history of physical and sexual abuse, stress and recreational drug use. Women with eating problems were more likely to have gestational hypertension than those without, but confirming the literature, there were no other differences in pregnancy or birth outcomes.

NonAboriginal perinatal women experience significantly more eating problems, but Aboriginal women with a history of depression, abuse, stress and drug use are at increased risk for eating problems.

Impulsivity is a frequently used explanation for acting without apparent forethought. Mood instability (MI) describes frequent repeated shifts in mood, often within a day. Both impulsivity and MI are related to depression.

We used data from the 1984/1991 British Health and Lifestyle Survey to examine relationships between MI, impulsivity, and depression.

Hypothesis: 1) both MI and impulsivity would be related to current and future depression, and 2) when MI was accounted for, impulsivity and depression would be unrelated.

Latent variables representing MI and impulsivity were derived from the Eysenck Personality Inventory neuroticism and extraversion subscales respectively, and a depression latent variable was derived from the General Health Questionnaire, by using factor analysis. Structural equation modelling was used to determine if impulsivity was related to depression after MI was accounted for.

Cross-sectionally, the correlation between impulsivity and depression (r = 0.22, p<0.001) became trivial in size (r = .05, p < .01) after the correlation between MI and impulsivity (r = 0.50, p<0.001) was removed from the structural model. Longitudinally, impulsivity no longer predicted future depression (β = −.04, p = .16) after MI was added to the structural model. These results indicate that any significant relationship between impulsivity and depression disappears when MI is considered.

The implication is that research and therapy might be more productively directed at MI instead of impulsivity.

Further research is still needed to demonstrate the benefits of animal-assisted therapy (AAT) for specific participant profiles, such as children with behavioural disorders.

We wanted to find out if AAT could be considered an efficient therapeutic strategy for the treatment of children with behavioural disorders.

We wanted to study the effects of a preestablished AAT program on the behaviour of children with emotional and behavioural issues in 6 different reception centres for children under government guardianship.

Forty-five children (12 to 17 years old) with emotional and behavioural issues participated in a 14-session AAT program. Behavioural measures were those routinely scored as part of therapy; an observational report of 3 different problematic behaviours (such as impulsivity, lack of social skills or lack of personal recognition) was made twice a week for each child (with a score of frequency and intensity). A pre- and post-treatment “global behaviour score” was calculated for each child, as an average value of the 3 problematic behaviours measured during the month pre-treatment and the month post-treatment.

The 45 participants attended, on average, 72.8% of AAT sessions. Independent behaviour scores differed between the pre- and post-intervention evaluations (n = 135 behaviours) (Wilcoxon test; P < 0.0001). Based on the global behaviour score for each child (n = 45), significant change was found between pre- and post-intervention evaluations (Wilcoxon test; P = 0.0011).

Our results suggest AAT could be a beneficial intervention for children with behavioural issues in terms of program adherence and behaviour improvement.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.