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Open Access 01-12-2016 | Research article

Exposure to environmental factors increases connectivity between symptom domains in the psychopathology network

Authors: Sinan Guloksuz, Martine van Nierop, Maarten Bak, Ron de Graaf, Margreet ten Have, Saskia van Dorsselaer, Nicole Gunther, Roselind Lieb, Ruud van Winkel, Hans-Ulrich Wittchen, Jim van Os

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2016

Abstract

Background

We investigated to what degree environmental exposure (childhood trauma, urbanicity, cannabis use, and discrimination) impacts symptom connectivity using both continuous and categorical measures of psychopathology.

Methods

Outcomes were continuous symptom dimensions of self-reported psychopathology using the Self-report Symptom Checklist-90-R in 3021 participants from The Early Developmental Stages of the Psychopathology (EDSP) study and binary DSM-III-R categories of mental disorders and a binary measure of psychotic symptoms in 7076 participants from The Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS-1). For each symptom dimension in the EDSP and mental disorder in the NEMESIS-1 as the dependent variable, regression analyses were carried out including each of the remaining symptom dimensions/mental disorders and its interaction with cumulative environmental risk load (the sum score of environmental exposures) as independent variables.

Results

All symptom dimensions in the EDSP and related diagnostic categories in the NEMESIS-1 were strongly associated with each other, and environmental exposures increased the degree of symptom connectivity in the networks in both cohorts.

Conclusions

Our findings showing strong connectivity across symptom dimensions and related binary diagnostic constructs in two independent population cohorts provide further evidence for the conceptualization of psychopathology as a contextually sensitive network of mutually interacting symptoms.

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Title: Exposure to environmental factors increases connectivity between symptom domains in the psychopathology network
Authors: Sinan Guloksuz
Martine van Nierop
Maarten Bak
Ron de Graaf
Margreet ten Have
Saskia van Dorsselaer
Nicole Gunther
Roselind Lieb
Ruud van Winkel
Hans-Ulrich Wittchen
Jim van Os
Publication date: 01-12-2016
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2016
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0935-1

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Exposure to environmental factors increases connectivity between symptom domains in the psychopathology network

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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