About this Research Topic

Background

The transitional-age youth from adolescence to adulthood represents a critical period marked by significant psychological, behavioral, and neurobiological changes.
It is during this crucial period that individuals are most vulnerable to the emergence of severe mental health disorders. Despite considerable progress in preclinical research outputs focusing on understanding the neurobiological and genetic underpinnings of these conditions, there remains a significant gap in the continuity of care between child/adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS).
This discontinuity often leads to service disengagement and undertreatment, exacerbating the mental health burden during this vulnerable stage in which maladaptive coping behaviors, ruminations, traumatic experiences, and poor emotional support might exacerbate mental health disorders, unfortunately, addressed only at a later age stage.

Recent studies underscore the importance of early intervention and the identification of biomarkers for predicting mental health outcomes. Preclinical studies on animal models of adolescent adversity such as rodents (periadolescent rodent models) and non-human primates are used for studying behavioral disorders in adolescence (e.g. drug abuse, schizophrenia, anxiety-like behavior, adolescent depression, and ADHD) and their long-term consequences in adult life.

There is still a pressing need to investigate further the genetic, environmental, and social determinants of mental disorders. In this framework, understanding the psychopathological and behavioral trajectories from childhood neurodevelopmental disorders to adult mental disorders remains a crucial area of exploration.
This Research Topic seeks to explore the etiological and pathogenic factors of severe mental disorders, develop early intervention strategies, and promote the integration of new service architectures tailored to the unmet needs of transitional-age youth. There is an urgent need to enhance our understanding and improve mental health services for transitional-age youth.

The aim is to fill these gaps by combining knowledge from preclinical studies through relevant animal models, focusing on maladaptive behavior development in this vulnerable period of development marked by complex changes in the brain and influenced by genetic, and environmental factors, and impacted by social determinants. Preclinical knowledge will inform clinical research promoting innovative approaches and paradigms to enhance our understanding and improve mental health service practices and outcomes for transitional-age youth to bridge the gap between CAMHS and AMHS.

We welcome studies conducted in both human and animal models, reviews, perspective, clinical trials, and case reports that contribute to the following :

- Unmet mental health needs:
Addressing the unmet mental health needs of adolescents and exploring new service architectures for youth aged 14-25 years.

- Genetic, environmental, and social determinants:
Investigation of genetic and environmental factors contributing to mental disorders in both animal models and humans and the role of social determinants in childhood and adolescence (impact of loneliness, isolation, and substance and social media misuse and abuse impact

- Biomarkers and early indicators:
Identification of biomarkers and early indicators for timely detecting severe mental disorders and for predicting mental health outcomes.

- Psychopathological and behavioral trajectories:
1) Relationship between neurodevelopmental disorders and adult mental disorders.
2) Psychiatric antecedents for mental disorders in adults.
3) Analysis of psychopathological and behavioral trajectories for autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and specific learning disorders in children and adolescents.
4) Language disorders as psychopathological precursors of adult mental disorders.
5) Identifying psychiatric antecedents for personality disorders in adults.

- Early intervention and prevention strategies:
Development of early intervention and prevention strategies to improve long-term mental health outcomes.

-Strategies to overcome the gap between CAMHS and AMHS:
Innovative strategies and experiences in clinical practice (including telemedicine and digital psychiatry).

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: psychopathological projections, preclinical research, clincal practice, adolescence, behavioral disorders, long-term consequences, drug abuse, schizophrenia, anxiety-like behavior, adolescent depression, and ADHD

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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