Research beyond existing clinical entities

The psychiatric sciences experience a shift in paradigms, in our effort to overcome the static barriers of clinical entities (diagnoses). In the past decades, findings from neuroimaging and genetic studies, illustrating commonalities between (previously thought) distinct clinical disorders, failed to align with our consensus-based descriptions of pathology, as established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) or International Classification of Disease (ICD) systems. In consequence, ideas to formulate a new framework for research on mental disorders were generated. 

In consequence, we follow a Research Domain Criteria approach, thinking in a biologically-based, rather than symptom-based, framework for in our understanding of mental disorders. Independent of distinct clinical diagnosis, we study dimensional associations between biological processes and individual behaviour and experience. Further, we on conditions not adequately captured by existing diagnostic frameworks, improving the understanding of their biological basis.

Some examples of our work thinking beyond existing clinical entities

• Henemann GM, Schmitgen MM, Wolf ND, Hirjak D, Kubera KM, Sambataro F, Lemenager T, Koenig J, Wolf RC. Neurochemical correlates of cue reactivity in individuals with excessive smartphone use. European Addiction Research, 2023;29(1):71-75; DOI: 10.1159/000527095 [PubMed]
• Klar J, Slotboom J, Lerch S, Koenig J, Wiest R, Kaess M, Kindler J. Higher striatal glutamate in male youth with internet gaming disorder. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2024; 274(2):301-309. DOI: 10.1007/s00406-023-01651-5 [PubMed]
• Blaha Y, Cavelti M, Lerch S, Steinhoff A, Koenig J, Kaess M. Risk-taking and self-harm behaviors as markers of adolescent borderline personality disorder. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2024; 33(8):2743-2753. DOI: 10.1007/s00787-023-02353-y [PubMed]
• Kaeser JM, Lerch S, Sele S, Reichl C, Koenig J, Mürner-Lavanchy I, Berger T, Kaess M, Cavelti M. Positive psychotic symptoms as a marker of clinical severity in a transdiagnostic sample of help-seeking adolescents. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2024 Oct;33(10):3637-3647. DOI: 10.1007/s00787-024-02417-7 [PubMed]
• Thomson M, Cavelti M, Lerch S, Koenig J, Reichl C, Mürner-Lavanchy I, Wyssen A, Kaess M. Clinical profiles of adolescent personality pathology: a latent structure examination of the Semi-Structured Interview for Personality Functioning DSM-5 (STiP-5.1) in a help-seeking sample. Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul. 2024; 11(1):9. DOI: 10.1186/s40479-024-00252-5 [PubMed]
• Hedinger N, Cosentino M, Mürner-Lavanchy IM, Sigrist C, Schär S, Kaess M, Koenig J. Associations between different measures of personality pathology and resting-state autonomic function among adolescents. Personal Disord. 2023; 14(6):625-635. doi: 10.1037/per0000630 [PubMed]
• Steinhoff A, Cavelti M, Koenig J, Reichl C, Kaess M. Symptom Shifting From Nonsuicidal Self-Injury to Substance Use and Borderline Personality Pathology. JAMA Netw Open. 2024; 7(11):e2444192. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.44192 [PubMed]