Personalized Medicine in Psychiatry: Challenges and Opportunities

A special issue of Journal of Personalized Medicine (ISSN 2075-4426). This special issue belongs to the section "Personalized Therapy and Drug Delivery".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2025 | Viewed by 5971

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland
Interests: psychiatry; addiction psychiatry; emergency psychiatry; new psychoactive substances; illicit drugs; epidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am thrilled to extend a warm invitation for you to contribute your manuscripts to our Special Issue, “Personalized Medicine in Psychiatry: Challenges and Opportunities”, within the esteemed Journal of Personalized Medicine.

We welcome you to embark on a collaborative interdisciplinary journey with us. We are eager to receive contributions that delve into the realms of the cutting-edge research, innovative methodologies, and insightful perspectives that are reshaping the boundaries of psychiatric care. Whether you are unraveling the genetic basis of mental health disorders or exploring the impact of biomarkers on treatment response, your work is crucial to fostering a vibrant dialogue among researchers, clinicians, and stakeholders. Let us not forget the importance of public health and epidemiology research—without real-world data, personalized medicine would not be the force it is today.

By bringing together experts from diverse fields such as psychiatry, genetics, pharmacology, public health, and informatics, this Special Issue aims to fast-track the translation of personalized medicine concepts into clinical practice. Your valuable contribution can play a pivotal role in revolutionizing how we understand and treat mental health conditions.

Join us in this exciting intellectual endeavor. Your insights and expertise will be shaping the future of personalized medicine in psychiatry. We look forward to your invaluable contribution.

Dr. Gniewko Więckiewicz
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Personalized Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • psychiatry
  • personalized medicine
  • epidemiology
  • public health
  • addictions
  • schizophrenia
  • depression
  • mental health
  • precision psychiatry
  • treatment response
  • genetic factors
  • biomarkers
  • pharmacogenomics
  • behavioral interventions
  • comorbidity
  • substance abuse
  • neurobiology
  • psychiatric disorders
  • psychosocial factors
  • population health

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1198 KiB  
Article
Exercise Influences the Brain’s Metabolic Response to Chronic Cocaine Exposure in Male Rats
by Aidan Powell, Colin Hanna, Munawwar Sajjad, Rutao Yao, Kenneth Blum, Mark S. Gold, Teresa Quattrin and Panayotis K. Thanos
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(5), 500; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14050500 - 9 May 2024
Viewed by 1088
Abstract
Cocaine use is associated with negative health outcomes: cocaine use disorders, speedballing, and overdose deaths. Currently, treatments for cocaine use disorders and overdose are non-existent when compared to opioid use disorders, and current standard cocaine use disorder treatments have high dropout and recidivism [...] Read more.
Cocaine use is associated with negative health outcomes: cocaine use disorders, speedballing, and overdose deaths. Currently, treatments for cocaine use disorders and overdose are non-existent when compared to opioid use disorders, and current standard cocaine use disorder treatments have high dropout and recidivism rates. Physical exercise has been shown to attenuate addiction behavior as well as modulate brain activity. This study examined the differential effects of chronic cocaine use between exercised and sedentary rats. The effects of exercise on brain glucose metabolism (BGluM) following chronic cocaine exposure were assessed using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and [18F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Compared to sedentary animals, exercise decreased metabolism in the SIBF primary somatosensory cortex. Activation occurred in the amygdalopiriform and piriform cortex, trigeminothalamic tract, rhinal and perirhinal cortex, and visual cortex. BGluM changes may help ameliorate various aspects of cocaine abuse and reinstatement. Further investigation is needed into the underlying neuronal circuits involved in BGluM changes and their association with addiction behaviors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Medicine in Psychiatry: Challenges and Opportunities)
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13 pages, 1778 KiB  
Article
Resilient Stress Reactivity Profiles Predict Mental Health Gains from Online Contemplative Training: A Randomized Clinical Trial
by Malvika Godara and Tania Singer
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(5), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14050493 - 4 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1112
Abstract
Low-dose app-based contemplative interventions for mental health are increasingly popular, but heterogeneity in intervention responses indicates that a personalized approach is needed. We examined whether different longitudinal resilience–vulnerability trajectories, derived over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, predicted differences in diverse mental health [...] Read more.
Low-dose app-based contemplative interventions for mental health are increasingly popular, but heterogeneity in intervention responses indicates that a personalized approach is needed. We examined whether different longitudinal resilience–vulnerability trajectories, derived over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, predicted differences in diverse mental health outcomes after mindfulness and socio-emotional dyadic online interventions. The CovSocial project comprised a longitudinal assessment (phase 1) and an open-label efficacy trial (phase 2). A community sample of 253 participants received 12 min daily app-based socio-emotional dyadic or mindfulness-based interventions, with weekly online coaching for 10 weeks. Before and after the intervention, participants completed validated self-report questionnaires assessing mental health. Stress reactivity profiles were derived from seven repeated assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic (January 2020 to March/April 2021) and were categorized into resilient (more plasticity) or vulnerable (less plasticity) stress recovery profiles. After both interventions, only individuals with resilient stress reactivity profiles showed significant improvements in depression symptomatology, trait anxiety, emotion regulation, and stress recovery. Those with vulnerable profiles did not show significant improvements in any outcome. Limitations of this study include the relatively small sample size and potential biases associated with participant dropout. Brief app-based mental interventions may be more beneficial for those with greater levels of stress resiliency and plasticity in response to stressors. More vulnerable individuals might require more intense and personalized intervention formats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Medicine in Psychiatry: Challenges and Opportunities)
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Review

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13 pages, 859 KiB  
Review
The Search for Consistency in Residual Symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder: A Narrative Review
by Michał Pastuszak, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, Aleksander Kwaśny and Agnieszka Mechlińska
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(8), 828; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14080828 - 4 Aug 2024
Viewed by 702
Abstract
Residual symptoms are prevalent in major depressive disorder (MDD), encompassing a wide spectrum of symptoms such as sleep disturbances, changes in weight and appetite, cognitive impairment, and anxiety. These symptoms consistently impair daily functioning, diminish quality of life, and forecast disease relapse. Despite [...] Read more.
Residual symptoms are prevalent in major depressive disorder (MDD), encompassing a wide spectrum of symptoms such as sleep disturbances, changes in weight and appetite, cognitive impairment, and anxiety. These symptoms consistently impair daily functioning, diminish quality of life, and forecast disease relapse. Despite their clinical significance, residual symptoms lack a unified definition, potentially leading to confusion with treatment-emergent symptoms and ambiguity across studies, thereby hindering the generalizability of research findings. While some research identifies insomnia and mood disturbances as critical indicators, other studies emphasize different symptoms or find no significant correlation. Inconsistencies in defining residual symptoms, as well as methodological differences across studies, contribute to these conflicting results. While clinicians focus on alleviating negative symptoms to improve functional status, patients often prioritize achieving positive affect and overall well-being as essential components of successful treatment. It necessitates a comprehensive approach to patient care in depression. This review explores the phenomenon of residual symptoms in MDD, focusing on the ambiguity in definitions, clinical characteristics, and their impact on long-term outcomes. The lack of a standardized regulatory or academic definition for residual symptoms leads to varied interpretations among clinicians, underscoring the need for standardized terminology to guide effective treatment strategies and future research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Medicine in Psychiatry: Challenges and Opportunities)
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14 pages, 1254 KiB  
Review
Exploring Health Informatics in the Battle against Drug Addiction: Digital Solutions for the Rising Concern
by Shakila Jahan Shimu, Srushti Moreshwar Patil, Ebenezer Dadzie, Tadele Tesfaye, Poorvanshi Alag and Gniewko Więckiewicz
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(6), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14060556 - 23 May 2024
Viewed by 910
Abstract
Drug addiction is a rising concern globally that has deeply attracted the attention of the healthcare sector. The United States is not an exception, and the drug addiction crisis there is even more serious, with 10% of adults having faced substance use disorder, [...] Read more.
Drug addiction is a rising concern globally that has deeply attracted the attention of the healthcare sector. The United States is not an exception, and the drug addiction crisis there is even more serious, with 10% of adults having faced substance use disorder, while around 75% of this number has been reported as not having received any treatment. Surprisingly, there are annually over 70,000 deaths reported as being due to drug overdose. Researchers are continually searching for solutions, as the current strategies have been ineffective. Health informatics platforms like electronic health records, telemedicine, and the clinical decision support system have great potential in tracking the healthcare data of patients on an individual basis and provide precise medical support in a private space. Such technologies have been found to be useful in identifying the risk factors of drug addiction among people and mitigating them. Moreover, the platforms can be used to check prescriptions of addictive drugs such as opioids and caution healthcare providers. Programs such as the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) and the Drug and Alcohol Services Information Systems (DASIS) are already in action in the US, but the situation demands more in-depth studies in order to mitigate substance use disorders. Artificial intelligence (AI), when combined with health informatics, can aid in the analysis of large amounts of patient data and aid in classifying nature of addiction to assist in the provision of personalized care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Medicine in Psychiatry: Challenges and Opportunities)
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Other

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9 pages, 212 KiB  
Case Report
Psychodynamic Insights into Treatment-Resistant Pharmacotherapy: A Case Study Exploring Patient–Physician Dynamics and Adherence to Evidence-Based Practices
by Alexander Baur and Leslie Kryzanowski
J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(9), 897; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm14090897 - 24 Aug 2024
Viewed by 460
Abstract
Background: Pharmacological resistance in severe recurrent mood and anxiety disorders remains a significant challenge in modern biological psychiatry. This case report investigates the intricate decision-making process employed by physicians when managing patients resistant to conventional pharmacotherapy. Methods: Informed consent was obtained from the [...] Read more.
Background: Pharmacological resistance in severe recurrent mood and anxiety disorders remains a significant challenge in modern biological psychiatry. This case report investigates the intricate decision-making process employed by physicians when managing patients resistant to conventional pharmacotherapy. Methods: Informed consent was obtained from the patient. Following this, the case report was developed using the CARE checklist (2013) to ensure a comprehensive and systematic documentation of the treatment process and outcomes. Results: The patient’s treatment history highlights the complex nature of pharmacological resistance and the impact of minor medication adjustments versus established clinical practices. A crucial aspect of this case was the patient–physician relationship, particularly addressing the patient’s past grievances towards physicians, which played a significant role in the treatment process. Despite efforts to improve the physician’s confidence and approach, challenges such as lack of continuity and a fragile therapeutic relationship contributed to treatment failure. Conclusions: This case underscores the importance of psychodynamic models in overcoming pharmacologic challenges. A deeper understanding of the patient–physician dynamics and addressing underlying emotional factors can enhance treatment efficacy and patient outcomes, providing valuable lessons for managing complex cases of treatment resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Personalized Medicine in Psychiatry: Challenges and Opportunities)
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