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New Insights into Mental Health Research for Neurological and Psychiatric...
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New Insights into Mental Health Research for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neuropsychiatry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 2363

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Francesco Corallo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
Interests: disorders of consciousness and clinical neuropsychology; mental health and well-being in neurological conditions; neurological rehabilitation and innovative therapeutic interventions; chronic pain and pain management; neurodegenerative and neurological disorders; digital and innovative technologies in neuropsychiatry; public health and care models
Dr. Lilla Bonanno

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
IRCCS Centro Neurolesi Bonino-Pulejo, S.S. 113 Via Palermo, C.da Casazza, 98124 Messina, Italy
Interests: neuroimaging and biomarkers in neurological disorders; structural and functional MRI (VBM, fMRI); statistical modeling and data analysis in neuroscience; consciousness disorders and neuroimaging correlates; advanced quantitative methods; machine learning in neuroimaging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, there has been growing recognition of the complex and often overlapping relationship between mental and neurological disorders. Conditions such as depression, psychosis, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and dementia frequently co-occur or share common neurobiological mechanisms, underscoring the need for integrated approaches in both research and clinical practice. Mental health, once considered secondary in the management of neurological diseases, is now acknowledged as a central component of overall brain health.

This Special Issue aims to highlight cutting-edge research at the intersection of psychiatry, neurology, and psychology, promoting a multidisciplinary understanding of how mental health is affected in individuals with neurological conditions. We seek contributions that explore innovative strategies for diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation, as well as studies that examine digital tools, predictive models, and personalized care pathways.

We welcome original research articles, systematic reviews, case studies, and methodological papers that advance knowledge in this crucial area. Topics of interest include psychiatric symptoms in neurological disorders, cognitive–behavioral interventions, mental health disparities, and the use of AI or neuroimaging in dual-diagnosis populations. By bringing together diverse perspectives, this Special Issue aims to foster new insights and drive progress in the care of patients living with both mental and neurological conditions.

Dr. Francesco Corallo
Dr. Lilla Bonanno
Guest Editors

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Brain Sciences 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 2200 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

  • neuropsychiatric disorders
  • mental health
  • neurological conditions
  • comorbidity
  • integrated care
  • interventions
  • digital health
  • neuroimaging
  • artificial intelligence
  • personalized medicine

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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11 pages, 606 KB  
Article
Central Sensitization as a Marker of Cognitive and Emotional Vulnerability in Chronic Low Back Pain
by Anna Anselmo, Irene Cappadona, Maria Pagano, Alice Laudisio, Rosaria De Luca, Fabrizio Russo, Giulia Martello, Davide Cardile, Angelo Quartarone, Rocco Salvatore Calabrò and Francesco Corallo
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(3), 290; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16030290 - 5 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Background and Aim: Low back pain (LBP) represents an important public health issue, with approximately 20% of acute cases progressing to chronic low back pain (CLBP). In addition to pain, patients with CLBP also suffer from reduced cognitive performance, depressive symptoms and [...] Read more.
Background and Aim: Low back pain (LBP) represents an important public health issue, with approximately 20% of acute cases progressing to chronic low back pain (CLBP). In addition to pain, patients with CLBP also suffer from reduced cognitive performance, depressive symptoms and catastrophic thoughts. Central sensitization (CS) is considered a key point in pain persistence. This study examines CS and its impact on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning in patients with CLBP. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 67 patients with CLBP were classified using the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) into groups with (WCS, n = 32) and without central sensitization (WoCS, n = 35). Cognitive functioning was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), emotional functioning using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), and behavioral functioning using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), including helplessness, rumination, and magnification domains. Normality was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test. Between-group comparisons were performed using Mann–Whitney U, chi-square, or Welch’s t-tests. Multivariable linear regression analyses adjusted for age and gender were conducted. Results: Compared with the WoCS group, patients with central sensitization were older (median 58 vs. 50 years, p = 0.001) and more frequently female (71.9% vs. 40.0%, p = 0.018). The WCS group showed higher PCS total scores (31.8 ± 14.2 vs. 16.0 ± 11.9), higher helplessness (14.3 ± 6.1 vs. 6.9 ± 5.5), rumination (12.7 ± 6.2 vs. 7.0 ± 4.8), and magnification scores (4.8 ± 2.4 vs. 2.1 ± 2.1), higher CES-D scores (26.3 ± 10.4 vs. 11.7 ± 7.2), and lower MoCA scores (23.6 ± 3.0 vs. 26.1 ± 2.1) (all p < 0.001). All associations remained significant after adjustment for age and gender. Conclusions: Central sensitization in CLBP is independently associated with greater pain catastrophizing across all domains, increased depressive symptoms, and reduced cognitive performance, supporting its role as a multidimensional clinical phenotype. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Mental Health Research for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders)
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11 pages, 724 KB  
Article
Sexually Dimorphic Association of Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Functional Polymorphism with Dimensional Personality Pathology: A Preliminary Study
by John T. Rucker, Bishal Lamichhane, William B. Haren, Benjamin L. Weinstein and Alok Madan
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(12), 1337; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15121337 - 16 Dec 2025
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Abstract
Objective: Genetic and environmental factors influence the expression of personality pathology and subsequent treatment efforts. This study associates genetics with a contemporary nosology of personality pathology represented in the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD). We hypothesized traits from Criterion B of the [...] Read more.
Objective: Genetic and environmental factors influence the expression of personality pathology and subsequent treatment efforts. This study associates genetics with a contemporary nosology of personality pathology represented in the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders (AMPD). We hypothesized traits from Criterion B of the AMPD would differ between genotypes of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphism (rs4680/Val158Met variation), given this genetic marker’s role in the metabolism of dopamine and norepinephrine, especially in the prefrontal cortex. Methods: The Personality Inventory for DSM-V (PID-5) was used to quantify personality traits, and the Genomind platform was used to identify the genotypes of the Val158Met COMT polymorphism in 84 psychiatric outpatients. Results: One of the five Criterion B personality domains and three of the twenty-five traits were significantly different among genotypes. Met/Met carriers had significantly higher pathological scores on the broad domain of negative affect and specific traits of perceptual dysregulation and separation insecurity, while the Val/Val carriers had significantly higher scores on the restricted affectivity trait. The COMT Val158Met polymorphism’s association with personality pathology was sexually dimorphic, with the two domains and nine traits significantly different across genotypes in males, but no differences were found in females. A substantial improvement in the regression of domains/traits score when gene–sex interactions were included further confirmed the dimorphism, e.g., the R-squared (adjusted) for the psychoticism improved from 0.03 (p = 0.15) to 0.19 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Findings offer preliminary support for a link, potentially dimorphic across sexes, between the COMT Val158Met polymorphism and personality pathology as represented by the AMPD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Mental Health Research for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders)
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Other

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22 pages, 938 KB  
Systematic Review
Neuropsychological Sequelae and Neuroradiological Correlates of Arachnoid Cysts in Adults: A Systematic Review
by Odysseas Lorentzos, Panayiotis Patrikelis, Giuliana Lucci, Lambros Messinis and Stefanos Korfias
Brain Sci. 2026, 16(1), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci16010103 - 18 Jan 2026
Viewed by 605
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Intracranial arachnoid cysts (Acs) are congenital, usually benign lesions that are frequently regarded as clinically silent in adulthood. Nonetheless, growing evidence indicates that Acs may be associated with subtle but measurable cognitive dysfunction. This systematic review synthesizes neuropsychological and functional neuroimaging findings [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Intracranial arachnoid cysts (Acs) are congenital, usually benign lesions that are frequently regarded as clinically silent in adulthood. Nonetheless, growing evidence indicates that Acs may be associated with subtle but measurable cognitive dysfunction. This systematic review synthesizes neuropsychological and functional neuroimaging findings in adults with intracranial Acs, with a focus on cognitive profiles, functional interactions with the adjacent cortex, and postoperative reversibility. Methods: In accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, MEDLINE/PubMed and Scopus were searched for English-language studies published up to 2023 that reported neuropsychological assessments and/or functional neuroimaging in adult patients with Acs, including single-case reports, case series, and group studies with pre- and post-operative data. Results: Sixty studies met the inclusion criteria. Across anatomical locations, Acs were most consistently associated with impairments in verbal and visual memory and learning, attention, and executive functions, as well as reduced processing or psychomotor speed, whereas language deficits were less consistently observed. Several studies reported postoperative improvement in one or more cognitive domains, suggesting partial reversibility in selected patients. Functional neuroimaging findings revealed altered cortical function in regions adjacent to the cyst, including reduced regional metabolism or cerebral blood flow and task-related activation changes, supporting a functional interaction between Acs and the neighboring cortex. Conclusions: Overall, adults with Acs may exhibit subtle cognitive alterations that vary according to cyst location and appear to be moderated by compensatory mechanisms. These findings underscore the clinical relevance of systematic neuropsychological evaluation and highlight the need for prospective, standardized studies integrating cognitive and neuroimaging outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Mental Health Research for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders)
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