Global burden, risk factors, and projections of early-onset dementia: Insights from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background: Despite increasing global awareness of dementia, reliable estimates of the disease burden associated with Early-Onset Dementia (EOD) remain insufficiently quantified. This study aims to estimate the disease burden of EOD, analyze the burden attributable to risk factors from 1990 to 2021, and project these trends to 2050 at global, regional, and national levels, providing essential data to inform public health policy.

Methods: By utilising data from the GBD 2021 database, this study analysed metrics such as age-standardized prevalence (ASPR), mortality (ASMR), and disability-adjusted life years (AS-DALYs) for EOD.

Spatial analysis of the prevalence of abdominal obesity in middle-aged and older adult people in China: exploring the relationship with meteorological factors based on gender differences.

Background: In recent years, the incidence of abdominal obesity among the middle-aged and older adult population in China has significantly increased. However, the gender disparities in the spatial distribution of abdominal obesity incidence and its relationship with meteorological factors among this demographic in China remain unclear. This gap in knowledge highlights the need for further research to understand these dynamics and inform targeted public health strategies.

Negative Emotions Are Associated With Older Self-perceived Age: A Cross-section Study From the UK Biobank.

Background: Prior research has indicated a potential connection between psychological stress and how individuals perceive their own age. Building on this foundation, the current study explores the relationship between negative emotions and self-perceived age.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the UK Biobank, a comprehensive cohort study representing the UK population.

The association between lower extremity function and cardiovascular diseases risk in older Chinese adults: Longitudinal evidence from a nationwide cohort.

Background: Older adults in China are at a high risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and impaired lower extremity function (LEF) is commonly observed in this demographic. This study aimed at assessing the association between LEF and CVD, thus providing valuable insights for clinical practice and public health policies.

Methods: A sample of 4,636 individuals was included from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) dataset.

The Role of Attentional Control in Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Longitudinal Mediation Analyses.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether attentional control serves as a mediator for mindfulness-based interventions for emotional distress, utilizing a randomized waitlist (WL)-controlled design.

Methods: A total of 498 participants with high emotional distress was recruited online and randomly assigned to a 49-day online Mindfulness Intervention for Emotional Distress (MIED) group (N = 249) or a WL control group (N = 249). Levels of attentional control, anxiety and depression were assessed at baseline (T0), Week 3 (T3), Week 5 (T5) and Week 7 (postintervention, T7).

Efficacy of acupuncture for hypertension in the elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Hypertension has now developed into a major public health problem worldwide. Under the existing antihypertensive drug treatment paradigm, problems such as decreasing drug resistance and increasing drug side effects can occur for elderly patients. Acupuncture, a core technique in the non-pharmacological treatment of Chinese medicine, plays an important role in the treatment of elevated blood pressure.

Moderate selenium mitigates hand grip strength impairment associated with elevated blood cadmium and lead levels in middle-aged and elderly individuals: insights from NHANES 2011-2014.

Selenium (Se) has been reported to have an antagonistic effect on heavy metals in animals. Nevertheless, there is a lack of epidemiological research examining whether Se can mitigate the adverse effects of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) on hand grip strength (HGS) in middle-aged and elderly individuals. This study used data from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Digitalization of prevention and treatment and the combination of western and Chinese medicine in management of acute heart failure.

Digitalization has emerged as a new trend in healthcare, with great potential and creating many unique opportunities, as well as many challenges. Cardiovascular disease is one of the major causes of disease-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the threat to life posed by acute heart failure is evident. In addition to traditional collegiate therapies, this article reviews the current status and subdisciplinary impact of digital healthcare at the level of combined Chinese and Western medical therapies.

Effects of acupuncture on regulating the hippocampal inflammatory response in rats exposed to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Data from clinical and experimental studies have verified the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the concrete mechanism has not been well elucidated. The stress-induced activation of inflammatory response is involved in the development and pathogenesis of PTSD.

Identification of hub genes and candidate herbal treatment in obesity through integrated bioinformatic analysis and reverse network pharmacology.

Obesity is a global epidemic elevating the risk of various metabolic disorders. As there is a lack of effective drugs to treat obesity, we combined bioinformatics and reverse network pharmacology in this study to identify effective herbs to treat obesity. We identified 1011 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of adipose tissue after weight loss by analyzing five expression profiles (GSE103766, GSE35411, GSE112307, GSE43471, and GSE35710) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database.

Serum NLRP3 Inflammasome and BDNF: Potential Biomarkers Differentiating Reactive and Endogenous Depression.

Background: The highly heterogeneous pathogenesis of depression and limited response to current antidepressants call for more objective evidence for depression subtypes. Reactive and endogenous depression are two etiologically distinct subtypes associated with different treatment responses. This study aims to explore the potential biomarkers that differentiate reactive and endogenous depressions.

Subthreshold depression may exist on a spectrum with major depressive disorder: Evidence from gray matter volume and morphological brain network.

Background: Subthreshold depression (StD) is a prevalent condition that may increase the risk of incident major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the relationship between StD and MDD remains unclear.

Methods: A total of 153 adult subjects, including 53 drug-naive MDD, 50 StD and 50 healthy control (HC) subjects, underwent a T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scan, and the gray matter volume (GMV) alterations among the three groups were quantitatively analyzed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM).

[Acupuncture improved depressive behavior by regulating expression of hippocampal apoptosis-related factors in psychological stress-induced depression rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of acupuncture on behavior changes and the expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cytochrome C, cysteine-containing aspartate-specific proteases-3 (caspase-3), apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) in the hippocampus of rats exposed to chronic restraint stress (CRS), so as to provide experimental evidence for the prevention and treatment of depression.

Methods: Thirty two male SD rats were equally randomized into control, model, acupuncture and medication (Fluoxetine) groups according to the random number table. The depression model was established by chronic psychological stress stimulation (fasting, water deprivation, chronic restraint combined with solitary raising for 28 days).

[Effect of Acupuncture Intervention on Depression Behavior and Expression of ERK 1/2 and BDNF in Prefrontal Cortex in Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Induced Depression Rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of acupuncture intervention on the depression behavior and expression of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERK 1/2), p-ERK 1/2 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the prefrontal cortex of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) induced depression rats, so as to explore its antidepressant mechanism.

Methods: Sixty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into control, model, acupuncture, Fluoxetine, model ＋ Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), model ＋ PD 98059(an ERK pathway inhibitor), acupuncture ＋ PD 98059 and Fluoxetine ＋ PD 98059 groups (＝8 rats in each). The CUMS depression model was established by using chronic mild and unpredictable stress methods for 21 days.