Information on the prevalence of potentially

The gap

Evidence profile

Stated in the limitations and inline gaps and cells research gap sections of the source papers, classified as general, spanning 3 journals.

Supporting evidence — 3 representative gaps

• Executive Dysfunction and Memory Impairments in Hikikomori: A Neuropsychological Case-Control Study from Oman (2026) · F1000Research · doi

  Several limitations should be considered. First, the case–control design precludes causal inference; cognitive differences may precede social withdrawal or emerge because of prolonged disengagement. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify directionality. Second, multiple cognitive domains were examined, raising the possibility of type I error due to multiple comparisons. Although results showed a coherent pattern across key domains, findings should be interpreted cautiously. Third, participants were recruited from a hospital-based behavioral medicine clinic, introducing potential selection bias. While inclusion of non-patient attendees broadened representation, results may not fully generalize to community samples. Fourth, although assessors administering CANTAB were blinded to case status, psychiatric comorbidities—particularly depression and anxiety—were not statistically controlled in the cognitive analyses. As such, observed differences may reflect comorbidity-related cognitive effects rather than Hikikomori-specific mechanisms. Finally, medication status was not systematically assessed. Psychotropic medications may influence attention, processing speed, and memory, representing a potential confound. Future research should integrate neuroimaging techniques to identify neural correlates of Hikikomori-related cognitive dysfunction, examine cultural variations across populations (Kubo et al., 2022), and distinguish between primary Hikikomori and cases with psychiatric comorbidities. Given the high rates of co-occurring conditions such as social anxiety disorder, depression, and personality disorders among Hikikomori cases (Teo & Gaw, 2010), it remains unclear whether the observed cognitive deficits are specific to Hikikomori itself.

  generalstated in limitationsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: cognitive hikikomori case differences social multiple domains across potential status psychiatric comorbidities depression anxiety observed
• Bridging Clinical Severity and Cognitive Flexibility: A Mediation Analysis of Emotion Regulation in Affective Disorders (2026) · Cyprus Journal of Medical Sciences · doi

  Because patients were receiving psychotropic medications at different treatment stages, the potential impact of these medications on cognitive and emotional processing could not be separately evaluated; thus, caution is warranted when interpreting findings related to executive functioning.

  generalstated in inline gapsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: medications patients receiving psychotropic different treatment stages potential impact cognitive emotional processing separately evaluated thus
• Lessons from the STOPPCog criteria: prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications for cognition and their association with a cognitive status - a cross-sectional study (2026) · Frontiers in Pharmacology · doi

  There is a lack of information on the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications for cognition among residents of long-term care institutions. - There is a need to assess the association between these medications and cognitive status.

  generalstated in cells research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: there lack information prevalence potentially inappropriate medications cognition

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