More information about the pattern of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in the course of dementia is needed to inform patients and clinicians and to design future interventions.

To determine the persistence and incidence of BPSD and their relation to cognitive function, in individuals with dementia or in cohorts investigated for dementia onset.

A systematic literature review analysed the baseline prevalence, persistence and incidence of 11 symptoms. The review was conducted according to established guidelines with the exception that we could not exclude the possibilities of bias in the studies examined.

The 59 included studies showed considerable heterogeneity in their objectives and methods. The symptoms hyperactivity and apathy showed high persistence and incidence; depression and anxiety low or moderate persistence and moderate incidence; and psychotic symptoms low persistence with moderate or low incidence.

Despite heterogeneity across studies in terms of setting, focus and length of follow-up, there were clinically relevant differences in the longitudinal courses of different BPSD. Apathy was the only symptom with high baseline prevalence, persistence and incidence during the course of dementia.

The relationship between childhood adversity and bipolar affective disorder remains unclear.

To understand the size and significance of this effect through a statistical synthesis of reported research.

Search terms relating to childhood adversity and bipolar disorder were entered into Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Eligible studies included a sample diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a comparison sample and a quantitative measure of childhood adversity.

In 19 eligible studies childhood adversity was 2.63 times (95% CI 2.00–3.47) more likely to have occurred in bipolar disorder compared with non-clinical controls. The effect of emotional abuse was particularly robust (OR = 4.04, 95% CI 3.12–5.22), but rates of adversity were similar to those in psychiatric controls.

Childhood adversity is associated with bipolar disorder, which has implications for the treatment of this clinical group. Further prospective research could clarify temporal causality and explanatory mechanisms.

Several meta-analyses have shown that psychotherapy is effective for reducing depressive symptom severity. However, the impact on quality of life (QoL) is as yet unknown.

To investigate the effectiveness of psychotherapy for depression on global QoL and on the mental health and physical health components of QoL.

We conducted a meta-analysis of 44 randomised clinical trials comparing psychotherapy for adults experiencing clinical depression or elevated depressive symptoms with a control group. We used subgroup analyses to explore the influence of various study characteristics on the effectiveness of treatment.

We detected a small to moderate effect size (Hedges' g = 0.33, 95% CI 0.24–0.42) for global QoL, a moderate effect size for the mental health component (g = 0.42, 95% CI 0.33–0.51) and, after removing an outlier, a small but statistically significant effect size for the physical health component (g = 0.16, 95% CI 0.05–0.27). Multivariate meta-regression analyses showed that the effect size of depressive symptoms was significantly related to the effect size of the mental health component of QoL. The effect size of depressive symptoms was not related to global QoL or the physical health component.

Psychotherapy for depression has a positive impact on the QoL of patients with depression. Improvements in QoL are not fully explained by improvements in depressive symptom severity.

There is a lack of available evidence in relation to the effectiveness of interventions for adults with mild to moderate intellectual disability and mental health problems.

To evaluate the efficacy of interventions for adults with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities and co-occurring mental health problems.

An electronic literature search of the databases Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO and EBM Reviews aimed at identifying randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled trials testing any type of intervention (psychotherapy, biological or system level) for people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities (IQ score 35–69) targeting comorbid mental health problems. Additionally a meta-analysis was conducted.

Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. No significant effect was found for the predefined outcome domains behavioural problems, depression, anxiety, quality of life and functioning. The effect size for depression (d = 0.49) was moderate but non-significant. Quality of studies was moderate and heterogeneity was high.

There is no compelling evidence supporting interventions aiming at improving mental health problems in people with mild to moderate intellectual disability. The number of available trials is too low for definite conclusions. Some interventions are promising and should be evaluated further in larger and more rigorous trials.

Humanitarian organisations supporting Syrian refugees in Jordan have conducted needs assessments to direct resources appropriately.

To present a model of psychosocial concerns reported by Syrian refugees and a peer review of research practices.

Academic and grey literature databases, the United Nations Syria Regional Response website, key humanitarian organisation websites and Google were searched for needs assessments with Syrian refugees in Jordan between February 2011 and June 2015. Information directly reporting the views of Syrian refugees regarding psychosocial needs was extracted and a qualitative synthesis was conducted.

Respondents reported that psychological distress was exacerbated by both environmental (financial, housing, employment) and psychosocial outcomes (loss of role and social support, inactivity), which are themselves stressors. Need for improvement in research methodology, participatory engagement and ethical reporting was evident.

Participatory engagement strategies might help to address identified psychosocial outcomes. More rigorous qualitative methods are required to ensure accuracy of findings.

Use of antipsychotics to treat behavioural symptoms of dementia has been associated with increased risks of mortality and stroke. Little is known about individual patient characteristics that might be associated with bad or good outcomes.

We examined the risperidone clinical trial data to look for individual patient characteristics associated with these adverse outcomes.

Data from all double-blind randomised controlled trials of risperidone in dementia patients (risperidone n = 1009, placebo n = 712) were included. Associations between characteristics and outcome were analysed based on crude incidences and exposure-adjusted incidence rates, and by time-to-event analyses using Cox proportional hazards regression. Interactions between treatment (risperidone or placebo) and characteristic were analysed with a Cox proportional hazards regression model with main effects for treatment and characteristic in addition to the interaction term.

Baseline complications of depression (treatment by risk factor interaction on cerebrovascular adverse event (CVAE) hazard ratio (HR): P = 0.025) and delusions (P = 0.043) were associated with a lower relative risk of CVAE in risperidone-treated patients (HR = 1.47 and 0.54, respectively) compared to not having the complication (HR = 5.88 and 4.16). For mortality, the only significant baseline predictor in patients treated with risperidone was depression, which was associated with a lower relative risk (P<0.001). The relative risk of mortality was increased in risperidone patients treated with anti-inflammatory medications (P = 0.021).

Only anti-inflammatory medications increased mortality risk with risperidone. The reduced risks of CVAE in patients with comorbid depression and delusions, and of mortality with depression, may have clinical implications when weighing the benefits and risks of treatment with risperidone in patients with dementia.

Early callous–unemotional behaviours identify children at risk for antisocial behaviour. Recent work suggests that the high heritability of callous–unemotional behaviours is qualified by interactions with positive parenting.

To examine whether heritable temperament dimensions of fearlessness and low affiliative behaviour are associated with early callous–unemotional behaviours and whether parenting moderates these associations.

Using an adoption sample (n=561), we examined pathways from biological mother self-reported fearlessness and affiliative behaviour to child callous–unemotional behaviours via observed child fearlessness and affiliative behaviour, and whether adoptive parent observed positive parenting moderated pathways.

Biological mother fearlessness predicted child callous–unemotional behaviours via earlier child fearlessness. Biological mother low affiliative behaviour predicted child callous–unemotional behaviours, although not via child affiliative behaviours. Adoptive mother positive parenting moderated the fearlessness to callous–unemotional behaviour pathway.

Heritable fearlessness and low interpersonal affiliation traits contribute to the development of callous–unemotional behaviours. Positive parenting can buffer these risky pathways.

Although clozapine is the ‘gold standard’ for treatment-refractory schizophrenia, meta-analyses of clozapine for this condition are lacking.

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of clozapine treatment for people with treatment-refractory schizophrenia.

We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group's trial register, PubMed and EMBASE and hand-searched key papers for randomised controlled trials of clozapine for treatment-refractory schizophrenia.

Twenty-one papers with 25 comparisons were included. The number needed to treat was 9. Clozapine was superior for positive symptoms in both the short and long term. In the short term only clozapine was superior for total and negative symptoms, with higher response rates. Both funding source and dosage affected results. Higher baseline psychosis scores predicted better outcomes for clozapine in a meta-regression.

Clozapine is superior for treatment-refractory disorder but if there is no response by 6 months medications with lower adverse reactions should be considered.

Trials evaluating efficacy of omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in major depressive disorder report discrepant findings.

To establish the reasons underlying inconsistent findings among randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of omega-3 HUFAs for depression and to assess implications for further trials.

A systematic bibliographic search of double-blind RCTs was conducted between January 1980 and July 2014 and an exploratory hypothesis-testing meta-analysis performed in 35 RCTs including 6665 participants receiving omega-3 HUFAs and 4373 participants receiving placebo.

Among participants with diagnosed depression, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-predominant formulations (>50% EPA) demonstrated clinical benefits compared with placebo (Hedge's G = 0.61, P<0.001) whereas docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-predominant formulations (>50% DHA) did not. EPA failed to prevent depressive symptoms among populations not diagnosed for depression.

Further RCTs should be conducted on study populations with diagnosed or clinically significant depression of adequate duration using EPA-predominant omega-3 HUFA formulations.

Individual placement and support (IPS) is a vocational rehabilitation programme that was developed in the USA to improve employment outcomes for people with severe mental illness. Its ability to be generalised to other countries and its effectiveness in varying economic conditions remains to be ascertained.

To investigate whether IPS is effective across international settings and in different economic conditions.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials comparing IPS with traditional vocational services was undertaken; 17 studies, as well as 2 follow-up studies, were included. Meta-regressions were carried out to examine whether IPS effectiveness varied according to geographic location, unemployment rates or gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

The overall pooled risk ratio for competitive employment using IPS compared with traditional vocational rehabilitation was 2.40 (95% CI 1.99–2.90). Meta-regressions indicated that neither geographic area nor unemployment rates affected the overall effectiveness of IPS. Even when a country's GDP growth was less than 2% IPS was significantly more effective than traditional vocational training, and its benefits remained evident over 2 years.

Individual placement and support is an effective intervention across a variety of settings and economic conditions and is more than twice as likely to lead to competitive employment when compared with traditional vocational rehabilitation.