Peer-reviewed Articles

Neuropsychiatric disorders

Summary

My previous publications have primarily focused on the heterogeneity and genetic basis of psychotic symptoms in patients, siblings, and controls. Heterogeneity and the absence of objective diagnostic biomarkers pose a major challenge in the conventional diagnosis and treatment approaches of mental disorders. To address this challenge, the utilization of data-driven methods combined with genetic data analysis has emerged as a promising approach for classifying psychiatric disorders and finding more homogeneous subgroups of individuals based on multidimensional symptom profiles. These studies have successfully identified three to four latent subtypes of positive and negative symptoms in patients, siblings, and controls, while four to six latent cognitive subtypes. Notably, the polygenic risk score for schizophrenia is strongly associated with severe cognitive impairment, as opposed to positive and negative symptoms. The identification of phenotypic subgroups in patients with complex diseases is crucial in the field of precision medicine. It can also contribute to the early detection of deteriorating patients, the prediction of individualized and customized treatment, and the development of prevention strategies targeting different phenotypic groups. Ultimately, these efforts result in enhanced treatment outcomes. In all these studies, I have served as either the primary investigator or co-investigator.

List of Publications

1. Habtewold TD, Hao J, Liemburg EJ, Baştürk N, Bruggeman R, Alizadeh BZ. Deep Clinical Phenotyping of Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders Using Data-Driven Methods: Marching towards Precision Psychiatry. J Pers Med. 2023:13(6):954.
2. Habtewold TD, Liemburg EJ, Islam MA, de Zwarte SM, Boezen HM, GROUP Investigators. Association of schizophrenia polygenic risk score with data-driven cognitive subtypes: a six-year longitudinal study in patients, siblings and controls. Schizophr Res. 2020;223:135-147.
3. Habtewold TD, Tiles-Sar N, Liemburg EJ, Sandhu AK, Islam MA, Boezen HM, GROUP Investigators, Bruggeman R, Alizadeh BZ. Six-year trajectories and associated factors of positive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia patients, siblings, and controls: Genetic Risk and Outcome of Psychosis (GROUP) study. Sci Rep. 2023:13(1):9391.
4. Habtewold TD, Rodijk LH, Liemburg EJ, Sidorenkov G, Boezen HM, Bruggeman R, Alizadeh BZ. A systematic review and narrative synthesis of data-driven studies in schizophrenia symptoms and cognitive deficits. Transl Psychiatry. 2020;10(1):244:1-24.
5. Islam MA, Habtewold TD, van Es FD, Quee PJ, Alizadeh BZ, Bruggeman R, GROUP Investigators. Long‐term cognitive trajectories and heterogeneity in patients with schizophrenia and their unaffected siblings. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2018;138(6):591-604.
6. Tiles-Sar N, Habtewold TD, Liemburg EJ, van der Meer L, Bruggeman R, Alizadeh BZ. Understanding Lifelong Factors and Prediction Models of Social Functioning After Psychosis Onset Using the Large-Scale GROUP Cohort Study. Schizophr Bull. 2023:sbad046.
7. Poppe A, Tiles-Sar N, Konings SR, Habtewold TD, GROUP Investigators, Bruggeman R, Alizadeh BZ, van der Meer L. Moving from supported to independent living: what are the barriers and facilitators for individuals with psychosis?. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatric Epidemiol. 2024.
8. Hao J, Tiles-Sar N, Habtewold TD, Liemburg EJ, Bruggeman R, van der Meer L, Alizadeh BZ. Shaping tomorrow’s support: baseline clinical characteristics predict later social functioning and quality of life in schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatric Epidemiol. 2024.
9. Habtewold TD, Islam MA, Radie YT, Tegegne BS. Comorbidity of depression and diabetes: an application of biopsychosocial model. Int J Ment Health Syst. 2016;10:74.
10. Tadese M, Tessema SD, Mihretie A, Wake GE, Teshome HN, Mulu GB, Habtewold TD. Perceived stress and its associated factors among people living in post-war Districts of Northern Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study. PLoS One. 2022:17(12):e0279571.
11. Habtewold TD, van Bronswijk S, Peeters F, Baştürk N. Cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP) may not be superior to other treatments for chronic depression: Correspondence. J Affect Disord. 2022;308:188-189.
12. Sharew NT, Lam SC, Habtewold TD, Leung AY. Effect of multimodal nonpharmacologic interventions on cognitive function for people with dementia: Systematic review. Alzheimers Dement. 2021;17(S8): e057657.
13. Mulugeta H, Yehuala A, Haile D, Mekonnen N, Dessie G, Kassa GM, Kassa ZS, Habtewold TD. Magnitude, risk factors and outcomes of stroke at Debre Markos Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: a retrospective observational study. Egypt J Neurol Psychiatr Neurosurg. 2020;56:41:1-9.
14. GBD 2015 Eastern Mediterranean Region Mental Health Collaborators. The burden of mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean region, 1990-2015: findings from the global burden of disease 2015 study. Int J Public Health. 2018;63(Suppl 1):25-37.
15. Haile YG, Alemu SM, Habtewold TD. Common mental disorder and its association with academic performance among Debre Berhan University students, Ethiopia. Int J Ment Health Syst. 2017;11:34.
16. Haile YG, Alemu SM, Habtewold TD. Insomnia and its temporal association with academic performance among university students: A cross-sectional study. Biomed Res Int. 2017;2017:2542367.
17. Alemu SM, Habtewold TD, Haile YG. Mental and reproductive health correlates of academic performance among debre Berhan University Female Students, Ethiopia: the case of premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Biomed Res Int. 2017;2017:9348159.
18. Habtewold TD, Alemu SM, Haile YG. Sociodemographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors associated with depression among type 2 diabetic outpatients in Black Lion General Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry. 2016;16(1):103.
19. Habtewold TD, Radie YT, Sharew NT. Prevalence of depression among type 2 diabetic outpatients in black lion general specialized hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Depress Res Treat. 2015;2015:184902.