Extended-release ketamine tablets for treatment-resistant depression: a randomized placebo-controlled phase 2 trial.

Ketamine has rapid-onset antidepressant activity in patients with treatment-resistant major depression (TRD). The safety and tolerability of racemic ketamine may be improved if given orally, as an extended-release tablet (R-107), compared with other routes of administration. In this phase 2 multicenter clinical trial, male and female adult patients with TRD and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores ≥20 received open-label R-107 tablets 120 mg per day for 5 days and were assessed on day 8 (enrichment phase).

Hype or hope? Ketamine for the treatment of depression: results from the application of deep learning to Twitter posts from 2010 to 2023.

Objective: To investigate societal perceptions of ketamine's use in depression therapy by analysing Twitter posts from January 1, 2010 to April 1, 2023.

Methods: Using Twitter as the social media platform of choice, and employing search terms based on (depression OR depressed OR depressive) AND (ketamine OR esketamine OR Spravato), we collected English-language tweets from January 1, 2010, to April 1, 2023. Using unsupervised machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) techniques, including Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) and BERTopic, the study identified prevalent topics surrounding public chatter around the use of ketamine in depression treatment.

The impact of 5-hydroxytryptophan supplementation on sleep quality and gut microbiota composition in older adults: A randomized controlled trial.

Background & Aims: Sleep quality is a pivotal part of health and there is growing evidence on the association between gut microbiota composition and sleep quality. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is known as a precursor of the sleep regulating neurotransmitter and hormone. However, efficacy of 5-HTP supplementation for improving sleep quality in older adults is unclear.

The Ketamine Side Effect Tool (KSET): A comprehensive measurement-based safety tool for ketamine treatment in psychiatry.

Objectives: On a background of the rapidly expanding clinical use of ketamine and esketamine for treatment of depression and other conditions, we examined safety monitoring, seeking to identify knowledge gaps relevant to clinical practice.

Methods: An international group of psychiatrists discussed the issue of safety of ketamine and esketamine and came to a consensus on key safety gaps.

Results: There is no standard safety monitoring for off-label generic ketamine.

Mindfulness Awareness Practice (MAP) to Prevent Dementia in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial and Implementation Outcomes.

Background: With an aging population, developing non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) to delay dementia has become critical. Apart from cognitive decline, dementia is associated with multiple pathophysiology, including increased oxidative stress, dysregulated gene expressions, cytokine, neurotrophin, and stress markers, telomere shortening, and deteriorations in brain connectivity. Although mindfulness practices have been proposed to ameliorate these biological changes, no empirical studies were conducted.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Different Intensity of Dietary Counselling on Cardiometabolic Health in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

Dietary counselling has been identified as one of the nutritional strategies to alleviate cardiometabolic health conditions. Its effectiveness however may vary due to factors such as intensity level and provider while this has not been comprehensively studied. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of dietary counselling on the cardiometabolic health in middle-aged and older adults and the sub-group analyses with dietary counselling intensity and the provider were also assessed.

Mindfulness intervention for mild cognitive impairment led to attention-related improvements and neuroplastic changes: Results from a 9-month randomized control trial.

Mindfulness-based interventions can enhance cognitive abilities among older adults, thereby effectively delaying cognitive decline. These cognitive enhancements are theorized to accompany neuroplastic changes in the brain. However, this mindfulness-associated neuroplasticity has yet to be documented adequately.

Metabolic Syndrome and Cognition: Follow-Up Study of Chinese Over-55-Year-Olds.

Background/aim: Studies of the associations of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) with cognitive function and decline are inconclusive. We investigated the associations of the MetS with cognitive functions in 823 Chinese >55-year-olds followed up over 4.5 years.

The individualized prediction of cognitive test scores in mild cognitive impairment using structural and functional connectivity features.

Neuropsychological assessments are essential in diagnosing age-related neurocognitive disorders. However, they are lengthy in duration and can be unreliable at times. To this end, we explored a modified connectome-based predictive modeling approach to estimating individualized scores from multiple cognitive domains using structural connectivity (SC) and functional connectivity (FC) features.

Mindfulness improves inflammatory biomarker levels in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial.

Few randomized controlled trials investigated the effects of mindfulness intervention on older adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Furthermore, there have been hypotheses and theoretical mechanisms on the benefits of mindfulness intervention on biomarkers of stress, inflammation, and neuroplasticity implicated in MCI that warrant empirical evidence. We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to examine whether Mindful Awareness Practice (MAP) improved biomarker levels in older adults with MCI.

Development of the Ketamine Side Effect Tool (KSET).

Background: Currently, no specific, systematic assessment tool for the monitoring and reporting of ketamine-related side effects exists. Our aim was to develop a comprehensive Ketamine Side Effect Tool (KSET) to capture acute and longer-term side effects associated with repeated ketamine treatments.

Methods: Informed by systematic review data and clinical research, we drafted a list of the most commonly reported side effects.

Mindfulness practice alters brain connectivity in community-living elders with mild cognitive impairment.

Aim: There is increasing evidence that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is associated with widespread brain dysconnectivity. Mindfulness practice, which involves focused attention to experience the present moment in a purposeful way, has been shown to confer positive psychological and functional brain changes in healthy practitioners. It is unclear whether mindfulness practice could improve functional brain connectivity in older adults with cognitive impairment.

Electroconvulsive practice in Singapore: a cross-sectional national survey.

Introduction: The use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Singapore dates back to 1947. However, there is little local information on the clinical practice of ECT and its standards. We aimed to conduct a comprehensive national survey of ECT practice in Singapore.

Daily consumption of essence of chicken improves cognitive function: a systematically searched meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Essence of chicken (EC) is a dietary supplement with potential benefits on one's cognitive performance. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the effects of consuming EC on cognitive function, applying extensively represented domains. Six databases were systematically searched to yield 1760 articles.

Dementia care in low and middle-income countries.

Purpose Of Review: Recent reports from low and middle-income countries (LMICs) on the care of person with dementia (PWD).

Recent Findings: Detection of PWDs in the community in LMICs is still problematic because of inappropriate screening questionnaires. Early diagnosis of dementia is also handicapped by lack of awareness, knowledge and stigma.

Art therapy is associated with sustained improvement in cognitive function in the elderly with mild neurocognitive disorder: findings from a pilot randomized controlled trial for art therapy and music reminiscence activity versus usual care.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a phase in cognitive decline when it is still possible to intervene to reverse the decline. Cognitive stimulation delivered through psychosocial interventions provides both psychological intervention and social stimulation to improve cognition. A pilot open-label parallel-arms randomized controlled trial was undertaken to examine the effects of art therapy (AT) and music reminiscence activity (MRA) compared to the control, on the primary outcome of neurocognitive domain assessments in elderly people with MCI.

Art therapy and music reminiscence activity in the prevention of cognitive decline: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Attention has shifted to the use of non-pharmacological interventions to prevent cognitive decline as a preventive strategy, as well as for those at risk and those with mild cognitive impairment. Early introduction of psycho-social interventions can address cognitive decline and significantly impact quality of life and the wellbeing of elderly individuals. This pilot study explores the feasibility of using art therapy and music reminiscence activity to improve the cognition of community living elderly with mild cognitive impairment.

The Clinical Alliance and Research in Electroconvulsive Therapy Network: An Australian Initiative for Improving Service Delivery of Electroconvulsive Therapy.

Objective: There is currently substantial heterogeneity in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatment methods between clinical settings. Understanding how this variation in clinical practice is related to treatment outcomes is essential for optimizing service delivery. The Clinical Alliance and Research in ECT Network is a clinical and research framework with the aims of improving clinical practice, enabling auditing and benchmarking, and facilitating the collection of naturalistic clinical data.

Temporal efficiency evaluation and small-worldness characterization in temporal networks.

Numerous real-world systems can be modeled as networks. To date, most network studies have been conducted assuming stationary network characteristics. Many systems, however, undergo topological changes over time.

Thyroid Autoimmune Antibodies and Major Depressive Disorder in Women.

Introduction: Anti-thyroid antibodies are associated with extra-thyroid diseases such as Graves' ophthalmopathy and Hashimoto's encephalopathy. Some evidence suggests that anti-thyroid antibodies are also associated with depression. Interleukin (IL)-17 appears to play an important role in autoimmune thyroid disease.