Our 2016 in review

While the world around us may have had a perplexing year, we have in fact had a great year  when it comes to research.

Here is a review of some of what has happened in our group:

In our own humble opinion we have published some landmark studies:

A large randomised controlled trial of internet-based CBT for Body Dysmorphic Disorder, showing excellent results, published in the BMJ with Jesper Enander as lead author.

The largest study so far looking at risk factors around birth in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), published in JAMA Psychiatry with Gustaf Brander as lead and David Mataix-Cols as senior author. This study to me also shows the power of Swedish national registries.

The largest study so far looking at suicide in OCD and finding a much higher suicide rate than expected. Lead author is the brilliant Lorena Fernandez de la Cruz and this master piece out of the Mataix-Cols kitchen was published in Molecular Psychiatry. A similar study on tic disorders was also published in Biological Psychiatry.

Fabian Lenhard pioneered the first randomised study looking at ICBT for adolescents our neighbouring research group of Eva Serlachius. It was just published in JAACAP.

What else did we publish in 2016? Check https://rucklab.com/publications/

Genetics: major study started and harvest time for some

We have started a new big study trying to understand the complex genetical architecture of OCD and related disorders. You can read more about the study here. Good news is that data collection is going well (=lots of DNA) and that we in this year have built a lot of infrastructure to ensure a bright future for the project.

We are collecting samples at 8 centers in Sweden and this study is part of a larger Nordic effort called, yes, NORDiC! Read all about NORDiC here: http://www.crowleylab.org/nordic

We have DNA from about 2500 individuals who have undergone internet-CBT for other anxiety disorders and depression. It is now harvest time for some of that, data is being analysed at different sites in Europe with Evelyn Andersson as the coordinating PhD student.

New people

Oskar Flygare has secured a CSTP-grant and will start a PhD early next year in tight collaboration with Lina Lundström.

Annelie Porsborn, Julia Boberg and Susanne Alm are our new front-line soldiers, all employed in the OCD genetics project.

Long-Long Chen and Mia Asplund are both hang-arounds likely to go into a PhD next year on poo bacteria, Deep Brain Stimulation and skin-picking and hair-pulling. What a mix!

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A special shout out to Volen Ivanov who has tirelessly educated hundreds of people in the social services on Hoarding Disorder!

We wish you all a great 2017! Thank YOU to all our collaborators, research subjects, readers and funders!