Considerations for conducting psychological research in lower- and middle-income countries.

Beginning to conduct psychological research in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is daunting. In this reflexive commentary, the authors raise three critical questions that researchers should ask themselves before conducting research in LMICs.

Participatory research with carers: A systematic review and narrative synthesis.

Introduction: As patient and public involvement (PPI) in research has become increasingly common, research-based recommendations on its principles and impacts have been established. The specifics of conducting PPI are likely to differ when involving different groups. Family/informal carers for those with health conditions or disabilities have a lot to contribute to research, but instances of their involvement have yet to be reviewed.

Cerebral Microbleeds in Different Brain Regions and Their Associations With the Digital Clock-Drawing Test: Secondary Analysis of the Framingham Heart Study.

Background: Cerebral microbleeds (CMB) increase the risk for Alzheimer disease. Current neuroimaging methods that are used to detect CMB are costly and not always accessible.

Objective: This study aimed to explore whether the digital clock-drawing test (DCT) may provide a behavioral indicator of CMB.

Mental health and psychosocial interventions in the context of climate change: a scoping review.

The evidence on the impacts of climate change on mental health and wellbeing is growing rapidly. The objective of this scoping review is to understand the extent and type of existing mental health and psychosocial interventions aimed at addressing the mental health and psychosocial impacts of climate change. A scoping review methodology was followed.

Experiences of loneliness in lower- and middle-income countries: A systematic review of qualitative studies.

Loneliness is understood as a subjective experience resulting from unmet social relationship expectations. As most loneliness research has been conducted in higher-income-countries, there is limited understanding of loneliness in relation to diverse cultural, economic, and socio-political factors. To address this gap, the present review systematically synthesises existing qualitative studies on the experience of loneliness and social relationship expectations in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Caregiving, volunteering, and loneliness in middle-aged and older adults: a systematic review.

Objectives: Older adults contribute vast amounts of care to society, yet it remains unclear how unpaid productive activities relate to loneliness. The objective of this systematic review is to synthesise the evidence for associations between midlife and older people's unpaid productive activities (i.e.

Blood levels of MCP-1 modulate the genetic risks of Alzheimer's disease mediated by HLA-DRB1 and APOE for Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: C-Reactive protein (CRP) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) are both implicated in the peripheral proinflammatory cascade and blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption. Since the blood CRP level increases Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk depending on the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, we hypothesized that the blood MCP-1 level exerts different effects on the AD risk depending on the genotypes.

Methods: Using multiple regression analyses, data from the Framingham Heart Study (n = 2884) and Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative study (n = 231) were analyzed.

Unpaid productive activities and loneliness in later life: Results from the Indonesian Family Life Survey (2000-2014).

Introduction: Contributing to society constitutes an essential part of healthy ageing. To date, however, it remains unclear how valuable contributions such as caregiving and volunteering, also described as unpaid productive activities, are related to older adults' loneliness. The present longitudinal study addresses this question in a lower-middle-income country, in Indonesia.

Understanding and Addressing Older Adults' Loneliness: The Social Relationship Expectations Framework.

Loneliness is an experience resulting from a perceived discrepancy between expected and actual social relationships. Although this discrepancy is widely considered the "core mechanism" of loneliness, previous research and interventions have not sufficiently addressed what older adults specifically expect from their social relationships. To address this gap and to help situate research on older adults' loneliness within broader life span developmental theories, we propose a theoretical framework that outlines six key social relationship expectations of older adults based on research from psychology, gerontology, and anthropology: availability of social contacts, receiving care and support, intimacy and understanding, enjoyment and shared interests, generativity and contribution, and being respected and valued.

Loneliness in Myanmar's older population: A mixed-methods investigation.

Objectives: Little is known about loneliness in lower- and middle-income countries. This study investigates loneliness in the older population of Myanmar using a mixed-methods approach.

Methods: To identify predictors of loneliness, hierarchical regression models were used to analyze data from the Myanmar Aging Survey 2012 (N = 3,618, 57% women).

Different loneliness types, cognitive function, and brain structure in midlife: Findings from the Framingham Heart Study.

Background: It remains unclear whether persistent loneliness is related to brain structures that are associated with cognitive decline and development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study aimed to investigate the relationships between different loneliness types, cognitive functioning, and regional brain volumes.

Methods: Loneliness was measured longitudinally, using the item from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in the Framingham Heart Study, Generation 3, with participants' average age of 46·3 ± 8·6 years.

Impact of C-Reactive Protein on Cognition and Alzheimer Disease Biomarkers in Homozygous ɛ4 Carriers.

Background And Objectives: Previous research has shown that elevated blood C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with increased Alzheimer disease (AD) risk only in ε4 allele carriers; the objective of this study was to examine the interactive effects of plasma CRP and genotype on cognition and AD biomarkers.

Methods: Data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) study were analyzed, including genotype; plasma CRP concentrations; diagnostic status (i.e.

Associations of loneliness with risk of Alzheimer's disease dementia in the Framingham Heart Study.

Introduction: The relationship between persistent loneliness and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is unclear. We examined the relationship between different types of mid-life loneliness and the development of dementia and AD.

Methods: Loneliness was assessed in cognitively normal adults using one item from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.

Can COVID-19 Move Myanmar in the Right Direction? Perspectives on Older People, Mental Health, and Local Organizations.

• Mental Health in Myanmar needs more attention, funding, and research. • Older people's mental health in Myanmar is exacerbated by economic and social effects of COVID-19. • Local community organizations are the main source of care for older people, yet in urgent need for financial support.

Providing Care Is Self-Care: Towards Valuing Older People's Care Provision in Global Economies.

Older people's care provision is structurally undervalued, posing a threat to social connectedness and healthy aging. Thus, the question arises of how older people's care provision can be valued in diverse economies. By addressing this question, this article proposes a novel perspective by shedding light on the value of contributions older people provide to society, which in turn promote their own well-being.

Why Loneliness Interventions Are Unsuccessful: A Call for Precision Health.

Background: Loneliness has drawn increasing attention over the past few decades due to rising recognition of its close connection with serious health issues, like dementia. Yet, researchers are failing to find solutions to alleviate the globally experienced burden of loneliness.

Purpose: This review aims to shed light on possible reasons for why interventions have been ineffective.