Publications by authors named "Shirley Pui-Ching Ngai"

Currently, 280 million people worldwide experience depression, ranking it third in the global burden of disease. The incidence of depression has risen due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making it essential to examine evidence-based practices in reducing depressive symptoms during this unprecedented time. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to analyze randomized controlled trials during the COVID-19 pandemic that evaluated the effect of mindfulness meditation on depressive symptoms in individuals with depression.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Autophagy is a conserved physiological intracellular mechanism responsible for the degradation and recycling of cytoplasmic constituents (e.g., damaged organelles, and protein aggregates) to maintain cell homeostasis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Olfactory dysfunction and neuropsychiatric symptoms are commonly reported by patients of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Evidence from recent research suggests linkages between altered or loss of smell and neuropsychiatric symptoms after infection with the coronavirus. Systemic inflammation and ischemic injury are believed to be the major cause of COVID-19-related CNS manifestation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

: Rotator cuff disease (RCD) is a prominent musculoskeletal pain condition that spans a variety of pathologies. The etiology and precise diagnostic criteria of this condition remain unclear. The current practice of investigating the biochemical status of RCD is by conducting biopsy studies but their invasiveness is a major limitation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Neurogenesis is the process by which functional new neurons are generated from the neural stem cells (NSCs) or neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Increasing lines of evidence show that neurogenesis impairment is involved in different neurological illnesses, including mood disorders, neurogenerative diseases, and central nervous system (CNS) injuries. Since reversing neurogenesis impairment was found to improve neurological outcomes in the pathological conditions, it is speculated that modulating neurogenesis is a potential therapeutic strategy for neurological diseases.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

. Depression is one of the greatest health concerns affecting 350 million people globally. Aromatherapy is a popular CAM intervention chosen by people with depression.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Adult neurogenesis, defined as the generation of new neurons in adulthood, has been a fascinating discovery in neuroscience, as the continuously replenishing neuronal population provides a new perspective to understand neuroplasticity. Besides maintaining normal physiological function, neurogenesis also plays a key role in pathophysiology and symptomatology for psychiatric conditions. In the past decades, extensive effort has been spent on the understanding of the functional significance of neurogenesis in psychiatric conditions, mechanisms of pharmacological treatment, and discovery of novel drug candidates for different conditions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF