[Source: Science Daily]

Problems with the brain’s ability to ‘prune’ itself of unnecessary connections may underlie a wide range of mental health disorders that begin during adolescence, according to research published today.

The findings, from an international collaboration, led by researchers in the UK, China and Germany, may help explain why people are often affected by more than one mental health disorder, and may in future help identify those at greatest risk.

One in seven adolescents (aged 10-19 years old) worldwide experiences mental health disorders, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are among the leading causes of illness and disability among young people, and adolescents will commonly have more than one mental health disorder.

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