Background: The integration of digital health technologies has transformed mental healthcare, particularly for young adults with First-Episode Psychosis (FEP). Digital interventions, such as telepsychiatry and mobile applications, address barriers like social stigma, restricted access to services, and the urgency of timely care. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed and APA PsycINFO. Included studies focused on randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, and open studies of digital interventions for FEP rehabilitation. Exclusion criteria included meta-analyses, reviews, and irrelevant studies. Results: Smartphone applications like Horyzons-Canada facilitated peer support and symptom management, while tools such as My Journey 3 emphasized the need for better user engagement. Digital innovations, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and telepsychiatry, demonstrated improvements in recovery and treatment adherence. Discussion: Digital interventions significantly enhance the accessibility and quality of FEP care, supporting functional recovery and patient engagement. Future research should prioritize longitudinal studies, user engagement strategies, and advanced analytics to develop personalized, scalable solutions.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) affects millions of individuals worldwide, presenting challenges in social communication, repetitive behaviors, and sensory processing. Despite its prevalence, diagnosis can be lengthy, and access to appropriate treatment varies greatly. This project utilizes the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL), to improve Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis and treatment. A central data hub, the Master Data Plan (MDP), will aggregate and analyze information from diverse sources, feeding AI algorithms that can identify risk factors for ASD, personalize treatment plans based on individual needs, and even predict potential relapses. Furthermore, the project incorporates a patient-facing chatbot to provide information and support. By integrating patient data, empowering individuals with ASD, and supporting healthcare professionals, this platform aims to transform care accessibility, personalize treatment approaches, and optimize the entire care journey. Rigorous data governance measures will ensure ethical and secure data management. This project will improve access to care, personalize treatments for better outcomes, shorten wait times, boost patient involvement, and raise ASD awareness, leading to better resource allocation. This project marks a transformative shift toward data-driven, patient-centred ASD care in Italy. This platform enhances treatment outcomes for individuals with ASD and provides a scalable model for integrating AI into mental health, establishing a new benchmark for personalized patient care. Through AI integration and collaborative efforts, it aims to redefine mental healthcare standards, enhancing the well-being for individuals with ASD.

Background: Art therapy is increasingly recognized as a valuable complementary intervention for individuals with eating disorders (EDs), who frequently experience comorbid anxiety and difficulties with emotional regulation. However, few studies have examined its short-term effects on state and trait anxiety within structured clinical settings. Methods: This pilot study involved 19 adolescent females (mean age 17.7 ± 2.1 years) diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN) or bulimia nervosa (BN) and admitted to the Mariconda Regional Residence for Eating Disorders (ASL Salerno, Italy) in residential or semi-residential treatment. Participants completed a structured six-week cycle of weekly textile-based art therapy sessions, designed to promote emotional expression and body reconnection. State and trait anxiety levels were assessed pre- and post-session using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze state anxiety changes; a linear mixed-effects model was applied to trait anxiety. Results: State anxiety significantly decreased immediately after sessions (p = 0.002). A significant main effect of session (p = 0.01) and a time × session interaction (p = 0.025) indicated variability across sessions. Trait anxiety showed a non-significant trend toward reduction (p = 0.11); however, reductions were significant at sessions 4 (p = 0.015), 5 (p < 0.001), and 6 (p = 0.005). Conclusions: Art therapy may offer immediate reductions in state anxiety and may contribute to a longer-term reduction in trait anxiety with 4–6 sessions. These findings support integrating creative interventions within multidisciplinary ED treatment programs. Future research with larger samples and control groups is needed to confirm and expand upon these preliminary results.

Background: Addictive disorders are characterized by the dysregulation of neural circuits involved in reward processing, salience attribution, emotional regulation, and cognitive control. Traditional neuroimaging paradigms based on static or two-dimensional stimuli show limited ecological validity and may fail to capture the contextual complexity of real-world addictive triggers. Immersive virtual reality (VR) offers a novel approach to simulate realistic, multisensory environments capable of eliciting craving and emotional responses. Although several reviews have examined VR in addictive disorders, most combined immersive and non-immersive tools and did not restrict inclusion to studies with brain-based outcomes. Methods: This systematic review with narrative synthesis was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE and APA PsycINFO for studies published up to 30 December 2025. This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 and was prospectively registered in PROSPERO; due to heterogeneity, findings were synthesized narratively. Eligible studies included human participants with substance-related or behavioral addictions and employed immersive VR paradigms (e.g., head-mounted display–based environments) combined with neuroimaging or neurophysiological measures (EEG, fMRI, fNIRS, PET, or DTI). Risk of bias was assessed using ROB-2 or ROBINS-I, and overall certainty of evidence was evaluated with the GRADE framework. Results: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing over 1450 participants with alcohol, nicotine, methamphetamine, opioid use disorders, and internet gaming disorder. Immersive VR was associated with craving-related neural responses across modalities, involving prefrontal, insular, limbic, and striatal networks. EEG studies reported spectral power changes associated with craving and attentional salience, while fMRI, fNIRS, and PET studies demonstrated activation and modulation of executive control and reward-related circuits. Preliminary longitudinal and interventional studies indicate that repeated VR exposure may induce neurobiological changes consistent with therapeutic modulation. Conclusions: Immersive VR combined with neuroimaging supports the use of immersive VR as an ecologically grounded framework to probe addiction-related brain circuits; however, larger trials and standardized reporting are needed to strengthen clinical translation. Future studies should prioritize adequately powered randomized designs, harmonized VR cue-reactivity paradigms, and transparent neuroimaging reporting to enable reproducibility and cumulative inference.

Background: Gamification, the strategic application of game design elements in non-game environments, has become increasingly prominent in digital mental health. It aims to enhance user engagement, motivation, and adherence through mechanisms such as points, feedback systems, rewards, and narrative frameworks. While it shows promise in promoting therapeutic engagement, the empirical foundation of its use in psychiatric treatment remains limited. Aims: This section aims to explore the current state of evidence supporting gamification in psychiatric care, identify gaps in research, and highlight its potential role in improving treatment outcomes and user experience within digital mental health interventions. Method: We performed a comprehensive search of the PubMed database, covering articles published between January 1, 2014, and May 31, 2025. The search included only empirical studies that employed gamified interventions in mental health contexts. Articles were screened and selected following PRISMA guidelines. Quality assessment was conducted using the GRADE framework, while risk of bias in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool. Due to heterogeneity in study designs and outcome measures, findings were synthesized narratively. Results: The review identified 7 eligible studies from an initial 109, all of which were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). These studies primarily used mobile or app-based platforms featuring gamified elements such as badges, levels, storylines, and points. The participants were largely adolescents and young adults experiencing mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. The studies reported positive effects on user engagement, adherence to therapeutic exercises, and symptom reduction. Conclusions: Gamification appears to be a viable and potentially effective adjunctive strategy for psychiatric and mental health interventions. Despite encouraging initial evidence, further research is needed to solidify its clinical relevance and optimize its theoretical integration.

Background: Physical activity is common in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), who often reported symptoms consistent with exercise dependence. Craving, the subjective urge to engage in a specific behaviour, is an important mechanism in the development of addiction and could be triggered by cues from the environment. Aim of the present study was to investigate craving in people with AN with respect to the presence of exercise dependence in response to video cues of physical activity and sedentary behaviours, comparing them to a sample of healthy women. Methods: A total of 57 women with AN and 20 healthy women completed the Exercise Dependence Scale—Revised (EDS‐R). According to EDS‐R, 21 women with AN were classified as non‐dependent asymptomatic (NDA), 21 as non‐dependent symptomatic (NDS) and 15 as dependent (D). All healthy women were NDA. All participants were exposed to video cues depicting subjects engaging in exercise and sedentary activities, and filled in the Crave Experience Questionnaire at three timepoints: at baseline, after exposure to sedentary activity videos, and after exposure to exercise activity videos. Results: Patients with AN displayed higher craving after exposure to physical exercise videos. D participants reported higher intensity and intrusiveness of craving for exercise, compared to all other groups. Finally, we found an association between pleasure evoked by physical activity cues and the craving triggered by these videotapes. Conclusions: Our study suggests that craving is an existing dimension of exercise dependence in AN, supporting the positive reinforcement provided by exercise, and to take into account as a relapse factor.