RESUMO
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders diagnosed in children and adolescents. Many individuals benefit from pharmacotherapy including antidepressants, however, there is a fair likelihood of remission and recurrence. Of the several pathophysiologies, depression has been linked to inflammation. Complementary and alternative medications such as the use of omega-3 fatty acids are gaining popularity given their anti-inflammatory properties. The goal of this literature review is to assess the efficacy and the clinical use of omega-3 fatty acids in children and adolescents with depression. We conducted an extensive literature search on PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and PsycINFO from January 1, 2005, to September 2021, for published articles (case reports, systematic review, RCT) in any language. A total of seven published studies were included in our literature review. Results indicated a huge heterogenicity in the studies and hence the clinical use of omega-3 fatty acids as monotherapy in depression was not determined. However, it was well tolerated with an extremely low side effect profile. Further research on the use of omega-3 fatty acids as an adjunct to antidepressants would be valuable.
RESUMO
Objective: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a noninvasive diagnostic and therapeutic technique that has showed benefits in various psychiatric disorders. Although there is a large body of literature available on its use in adult populations, existing research in pediatric populations is very limited. Current research has primarily focused on its use in adolescent treatment-resistant depression. However, recently, rTMS has gained attention among researchers to find its utility in other neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), tics, and psychosis. There is a lack of systematic data on the safety of rTMS in children and adolescents. The aim of this article was to present an overview of the existing literature on the use of rTMS in children and adolescents and examine the relevant safety considerations. Methods: We conducted a literature review of the English literature in PubMed on TMS in children and adolescents, using comprehensive search terms and expanding our review to include sources cited by these reports. We reviewed the application of rTMS in psychiatric disorders in the pediatric population. Results: rTMS has been used for depression and anxiety disorders, OCD, ADHD, Tourette syndrome/tics, ASD, and schizophrenia, with variable results. Conclusion: rTMS is a promising treatment in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders, although larger, sham-controlled, randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) will be required to definitely demonstrate efficacy, as well as to support a safety profile.
RESUMO
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has brought focus to the effects of anxiety on children. This study aimed to review the existing literature regarding the impact of the pandemic on pediatric anxiety. This review analyzed the existing literature between the open-sourced collection on PubMed inputting "anxiety disorder in children during pandemic" and "pediatric anxiety OR child anxiety AND COVID" and that of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry using the keywords "social anxiety AND COVID." This yielded 149 + 312 (461) entries and 68 articles were selected. Anxiety was found to have a prevalence of 18.9-23.87% in children during the COVID-19 pandemic whereas adolescent populations demonstrated a prevalence of 15.4-39.9%. Female gender was the most studied risk factor and physical activity was the most documented preventative factor. This review supported the notion that the COVID-19 pandemic is a major contributor to anxiety in the pediatric population.
