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Research advances and future directions in female ADHD: the lifelong interplay of hormonal fluctuations with mood, cognition, and disease
No full textIntroduction: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in girls and women is under-recognised and under-researched, despite increasing awareness of clinical challenges and unmet needs. This review by the Eunethydis Special Interest Group on Female ADHD, addresses current knowledge and identifies research gaps for future work. Issues in women with ADHD across the lifespan such as late diagnosis, pubertal development, sexual health, hormonal birth control, executive function difficulties, and gynaecological disorders associated with ADHD are highlighted. Methods: the review synthesises existing literature and self-reported experiences of women with ADHD to explore the impact of hormonal fluctuations (puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, (peri)menopause) on ADHD symptoms and mood disturbances. It examines the interplay of oestrogen and progesterone with dopaminergic pathways, when periods of lower oestrogen may affect cognition, as well as the manifestation of executive function deficits, and the intersection of ADHD with reproductive health. Results: hormonal transitions exacerbate ADHD symptoms and mood disturbances, yet pharmacological research and tailored treatments are lacking. Executive function deficits manifest differently in girls and women with ADHD and are influenced by neuropsychological and neurobiological profiles. Diagnostic practices and sociocultural factors contribute to delayed diagnoses, increasing the risk of comorbidities, impaired functioning, and diminished quality of life. Undiagnosed women have increased vulnerability to premenstrual dysphoric disorder, postpartum depression, and cardiovascular disease during perimenopause. Discussion: longitudinal, sex-specific studies incorporating hormonal status and lived experience are needed. Individualised interventions should be developed to address the unique needs of girls and women with ADHD. Addressing these gaps will advance more equitable diagnosis, management, and support for girls and women with ADHD, improving outcomes across the female lifespan
Southampton Cultural Data Observatory
Get PDFThis report outlines and reflects on the University of Southampton’s collaboration with diverse sectors across Southampton to create a cultural data observatory
An exploration of school factors associated with eating disorder risk and the experience of supporting a friend with an eating disorder in secondary school: a systematic review and qualitative study on help-seeking and support.
No full textAdolescence is well-established as the peak period for the onset of eating disorders. It is hypothesised that the biological, psychological and social changes that occur during this critical developmental period make young people particularly vulnerable to external stressors. Throughout adolescence, young people navigate increasing independence from family, and friendships appear to play a central role in shaping their identities, self-esteem, and overall well-being. Given the significant amount of time adolescents spend in school, this environment serves as a key social setting where friendships are formed and maintained. Despite the anecdotal importance of both friendships and schooling environments in relation to eating disorders, little is known about how these factors shape the experience of individuals with eating disorders, or how they intersect to do so. The aim of this thesis is to examine how school environments can influence the risk of young people developing eating disorders, and to better understand the unique experiences of adolescents who have supported friends struggling with disordered eating. By exploring both the structural factors within schools, and the social dynamics of friendships, this research seeks to deepen our understanding of how these contexts shape the experience of having an eating disorder or supporting a friend with an eating disorder. With such aims and scope in mind, two research investigations were conducted. The first chapter presents a systematic review of 18 studies investigating the relationship between school environments and the risk of developing an eating disorder. A synthesis of these studies was conducted and suggested that factors such as all-female schooling, high academic pressure, private-schooling, and a school’s socioeconomic status may significantly contribute to the risk of developing an eating disorder. The synthesis highlights the impact of school culture, social comparisons, and performance-related stress on students' vulnerability to eating disorders. However, further intersectional analysis is needed to understand how these factors interact.The second chapter employs a qualitative approach to examine the experiences of adolescents who maintained friendships with peers struggling with disordered eating. Semi-structured interviews with 15 participants, analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, generated key themes: (1) Barriers to help-seeking: loyalty and fear (2) A culture of normalisation (3) What could have helped? Gaps in support & missed opportunities, and (4) The emotional impact on friends. Although participant’s accounts were retrospective, potentially introducing memory biases, findings suggest that, whilst peers often play a crucial role in eating disorder identification and support, they remain largely unsupported themselves.Taken together, these chapters underscore the importance of holistic, education-based strategies to promote early intervention and mitigate eating disorder risk factors. Suggestions are made regarding enhanced mental health education and teacher training, structured support options for individuals with eating disorders and the friends supporting them, and greater collaboration between healthcare and education systems. <br/
CLO3D in the studio: equity, pedagogy, and practice across institutions: a cross-institutional roundtable report on digital fashion pedagogy
No full textThis working paper shares findings from a CLO3D teaching roundtable held at the University of Brighton in July 2025, convening staff from multiple UK fashion programmes. Framed as a collaborative pedagogical inquiry, the session explored how CLO3D is being integrated into undergraduate fashion curricula, with particular focus on curriculum models, delivery roles, digital infrastructure, and student engagement. Drawing on lived teaching experiences and a design-based research approach, the report reflects on tensions between technical and academic responsibilities, challenges of equitable access, and the risks of aestheticising digital practice. It proposes hybrid teaching strategies, workflow literacy, and play-based learning as ways to embed CLO3D meaningfully into fashion studio culture. The report supports continued inter-institutional collaboration and lays the foundation for a shared CLO3D teaching toolkit
Use and outcomes of vascular access in complicated paediatric appendicitis – a multicentre prospective observational study
No full textBackground: intravenous access is essential for post-operative management of complicated appendicitis. An alternative to peripheral cannulation is insertion of an advanced vascular access device (AVAD) which includes midlines, peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) and central venous catheters (CVCs). This study aimed to evaluate use and outcomes related to vascular access in complicated paediatric appendicitis with audit against national guidelines.Method: prospective multicentre observational study of children (<16 years) with complicated appendicitis at specialist and non-specialist paediatric surgical centres in the UK and Ireland with data collection over 3 months to January 2024. Outcomes included unplanned vascular access device insertion, complications of vascular access and peripheral cannulation attempts. Data are median(IQR), n(%) or odds ratios(95 % CI).Results: overall, 189 children were included from 27 centres with median age of 9.9 (5.3–12.8) years. Seventy-six children (40.2 %) underwent AVAD insertion at appendicectomy. The remainder were managed with peripheral cannulas.AVAD insertion was associated with younger age (OR 1.19[1.09–1.30]), female sex (OR 3.14[1.47–6.71]), widespread intra-abdominal pus (OR 3.89[1.26–12.01]) and perforated appendicitis/appendix mass (OR 3.18[1.38–7.36]) on multivariable analysis. Unplanned AVAD insertion was undertaken in 12(6.3 %) children and was associated with younger age, higher admission C-reactive protein, appendicectomy at night and peripheral cannula or non-tunneled CVC at appendicectomy. AVADs were used for 5(4–8) days and 11/89(12.3 %) devices experienced complications.Conclusion: AVAD insertion should be considered at appendicectomy in younger children with intra-operative findings of perforated appendicitis, appendix mass or widespread pus. Age, with a cut-off of 8 years, should be added to existing guidelines of AVAD use in appendicitis
A multimodal intervention of manual therapy, exercise, and psychological management for painful diabetic neuropathy: intervention development and feasibility trial protocol
No full textBackground: therapeutic options for people experiencing neuropathic pain from diabetic peripheral neuropathy are limited, and impact can be severe. Physical and psychological interventions remain under-explored but may offer promise, especially in multimodal combination programs.Objectives and methods: to address this gap, an intervention was developed according to the Medical Research Council’s framework for complex interventions, including research expert and stakeholder input. This will be tested for acceptability and feasibility in a trial.Results: NeuOst (Neuropathy Optimisation through Self-management and Therapy) is a manual therapy-based intervention, incorporating exercise, psychologically informed training, and education. The protocol for a single-site, parallel, three-arm, partially participant-blinded, randomized controlled trial is presented. The experimental treatment is a 5-week course of NeuOst as adjunct to patients’ usual care. Comparators are a control intervention that lacks pre-specified components of interest as adjunct to usual care and usual care only in adults with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The follow-up period is 16 weeks. Primary outcomes are feasibility measures such as recruitment, eligibility, and consent rates, retention, blinding, fidelity, acceptability, and safety. Secondary and exploratory outcomes involve clinical measures and qualitative feedback. A protocol was prospectively registered (NCT06423391).Conclusion: after initial intervention development, a feasibility trial will inform intervention refinement and future research steps
Service children with SEND in education
No full textExisting research has recognised the impact a parent’s service can have on children within military families. In particular, frequent moves and parental absence have been highlighted as significant stressors for military families, not only because of the immediate impact on the family, but also because of the secondary impact on children’s education. For those service children who also have a special educational need or disability (SEND), military transitions can be particularly disruptive as they struggle to navigate the changes that come with separation and relocation.In this thesis, I sought to explore the experiences of military families with SEND through two different research enquiries. In chapter 2, I describe a systematic review and thematic synthesis of 13 papers which explored military families with children with SEND’s experiences of education. In chapter 3, I detail an empirical study which explored the experiences of service children with SEND in education, with a specific focus around separation and deployment. A tri-perspective approach was employed, involving service children with SEND, their non-serving parents, and school staff that support them. Participants described how separation was unpredictable, as was its subsequent impact on service children and their families. Communicating what separation means to a service child with SEND was challenging, with some categories of need making this increasingly difficult. The importance of schools supporting service children and their wider families was recognised and the types of support families currently experience and would find helpful are discussed
Depth fluctuations of Mediterranean outflow water along its northward propagation during the late pleistocene
No full textMediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) critically influences the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, yet its northward transport dynamics along the Iberian Margin remain unclear. Using terrigenous grain-size sortable silt and benthic foraminiferal carbon isotopes from two depth-strategic sites (U1389: 644 m vs. U1588: 1,339 m), we constrain MOW's northward depth fluctuations over the last 250 kyr. Results show that MOW progressively deepened from ∼100 to 60 ka, then stabilized—synchronized with the prevalence of millennial-scale climate variability. During interglacials, MOW directly influenced U1588, while deepened below this site during glacials. Flow speed gradients between Sites U1389 and U1588 show pronounced precession cycles. At precession maxima—Northern Hemisphere summer insolation minima—when flow intensified, MOW underwent enhanced mixing and dilution during northward transport. This results from increased density contrasts between MOW and ambient waters, indicating deeper MOW penetration. We demonstrate precessional forcing on both the strength and depth of MOW's northward propagation
Trauma-focused psychological interventions within bipolar disorder: an examination of effectiveness and required adaptations
No full textThere is growing research and clinical interest in the comorbidity between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and bipolar disorder; however, the significance and effectiveness of trauma-focused psychological interventions for individuals with bipolar disorder remains insufficiently explored. The first chapter of this thesis presents a systematic review that examined the efficacy of trauma-focused psychological therapies in bipolar disorder. A narrative synthesis was conducted across 11 papers. Outcomes suggest reductions in both PTSD symptoms and secondary outcomes following treatment, predominantly for eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Findings emphasise the necessity for further large-scale controlled trials.The second chapter presents an empirical paper that explored how EMDR can be effectively conducted and adapted for trauma-focused work in individuals with bipolar disorder, using expert consensus generated through a three-round Delphi survey. A total of 71 general, phase-specific and supervisory recommended adaptations were rated as either essential or important. Maintaining client stability during treatment was identified as crucial, and the need for additional guidance for practitioners when adapting trauma-focused EMDR for individuals with bipolar disorder was advocated. These papers make important contributions to the emerging evidence base on the effectiveness of trauma-focused psychological interventions for individuals with bipolar disorder.<br/
Uncovering the neural correlates of the urge-to-blink: a study utilising subjective urge ratings and paradigm free mapping
No full textNeuroimaging plays a significant role in understanding the neurophysiology of Tourette syndrome (TS), in particular the main symptom, tics, and the urges associated with them. Premonitory urge is thought to be a negative reinforcer of tic expression in TS. Tic expression during neuroimaging is most often required as an overt marker of increased urge-to-tic, which can lead to considerable head movement, and thus data loss. This study aims to identify the brain regions involved in urge in healthy subjects using multi-echo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a timing-free approach to localise the blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response associated with the urge-to-act without information of when these events occur. Blink suppression is an analogous behaviour that can be expressed overtly in the MRI scanner which gives rise to an urge like those described by individuals with TS. We examined the urge-to-blink in 20 healthy volunteers with an experimental paradigm including two conditions, “Okay to blink” and “Suppress blinking”, to identify brain regions involved in blink suppression. Multi-echo fMRI data were analysed using a novel approach to investigate the BOLD signal correlated with the build-up of the urge-to-blink that participants continuously reported using a rollerball device. In addition, we used the method of multi-echo paradigm free mapping (MESPFM) to identify these regions without prior specification of task timings. Subjective urge scores were correlated with activity in the right posterior and ventral-anterior insula as well as the mid-cingulate and occipital cortices. Whereas blink suppression was associated with activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, right dorsal-anterior insula, mid-cingulate cortex, and thalamus. These findings illustrate that different insula subregions contribute to the urge-for-action and suppression networks. The MESPFM approach showed co-activation of the right insula and cingulate cortex. The MESPFM activation maps showed the highest overlap with activation associated with blink suppression, as identified using general linear model analysis, demonstrating that activity associated with suppression can be determined without prior knowledge of task timings
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