Youth mental conditions are becoming more and more common, which presents a serious public health concern. Many young people struggling with somatic conditions, such as obesity and metabolic and gastrointestinal diseases, frequently face mental health challenges in addition to their somatic disease. However, our understanding of the etiology, risk factors, and treatment strategies is largely based on a single-disease paradigm. Currently, there is a significant gap in the healthcare system regarding comprehensive and coordinated care for patients with co-occurring somatic and mental conditions. Furthermore, the complex relationship between psychotropic medications and somatic health complicates the treatment landscape.
Our vision is to improve clinical outcomes and overall quality of life for people navigating the complex intersection of somatic conditions and mental health. Our research aims to pave the way for more integrated and effective prevention and treatment interventions tailored to this population's specific needs.
To achieve our vision, we aim to expand the knowledge about the underlying causes, risk factors, rising prevalence, and long-term consequences of somatic conditions and mental disorders in young people. To accomplish this, we have assembled an interdisciplinary team with expertise in mental health, diabetes, and advanced data analysis.
We collaborate at both the national and international levels. Our research approach is built around using big data sources, clinical data, and cutting-edge statistical methods. We use genetically informative samples, such as twins and families, to better understand the genetic and environmental influences on somatic and mental conditions. Our research takes a holistic whole-life perspective and a bioecological approach to scrutinize the impact of factors during pregnancy and childhood on disease risk and its enduring consequences.