Background: Studies using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a non-invasive method of brain stimulation, have implicated impaired neuroplasticity in the pathophysiology of depression in younger adults. The role of neuroplasticity in late-life depression (LLD) has not yet been explored using TMS.
Objective: This study aimed at evaluating motor cortical neuroplasticity using paired associative stimulation (PAS). Single-pulse TMS was used to induce motor-evoked potentials (MEP) in the contralateral hand muscle before and after PAS. The potentiation of MEP amplitudes after PAS was used as an indirect index of associative plasticity and long-term potentiation (LTP) (i.e. PAS-LTP).
Results: 48 older adults with depression and 34 age-matched healthy controls (HC) were compared. PAS- LTP was successfully induced in 68.8% of older adults with depression and 47.1% of HC. At the group level, older adults with depression failed to show statistically significant induction of neuroplasticity, which was observed in HC. However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups for PAS-LTP.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that associative plasticity does not differ substantially between older adults with depression and age-matched HC. Continued research is needed to more comprehensively understand the role of neuroplasticity in the pathophysiology of LLD.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.08.022 | DOI Listing |
JMIR Pediatr Parent
January 2025
School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China.
Background: Previous research suggested that parent-administered pediatric tuina could improve symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), such as sleep quality and appetite.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of parents administering pediatric tuina to school-aged children with ADHD in Hong Kong.
Methods: This qualitative study was embedded in a pilot randomized controlled trial on parent-administered pediatric tuina for improving sleep and appetite in school-aged children diagnosed with ADHD.
JMIR Res Protoc
January 2025
Department of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.
Background: Transitional-aged youth have a high burden of mental health difficulties in Canada, with Indigenous youth, in particular, experiencing additional circumstances that challenge their well-being. Mobile health (mHealth) approaches hold promise for supporting individuals in areas with less access to services such as Northern Ontario.
Objective: The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the JoyPop app in increasing emotion regulation skills for Indigenous transitional-aged youth (aged 18-25 years) on a waitlist for mental health services when compared with usual practice (UP).
JMIR Form Res
January 2025
Private Practice, Ballito, South Africa.
Background: Barriers to mental health assessment and intervention have been well documented within South Africa, in both urban and rural settings. Internationally, evidence has emerged for the effectiveness of technology and, specifically, app-based mental health tools and interventions to help overcome some of these barriers. However, research on digital interventions specific to the South African context and mental health is limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Med Internet Res
January 2025
International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Background: Few studies have explored the relationship between macronutrient intake and sleep outcomes using daily data from mobile apps.
Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the associations between macronutrients, dietary components, and sleep parameters, considering their interdependencies.
Methods: We analyzed data from 4825 users of the Pokémon Sleep and Asken smartphone apps, each used for at least 7 days to record objective sleep parameters and dietary components, respectively.
JMIR Form Res
January 2025
Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Background: Opioid medications are important for pain management, but many patients progress to unsafe medication use. With few personalized and accessible behavioral treatment options to reduce potential opioid-related harm, new and innovative patient-centered approaches are urgently needed to fill this gap.
Objective: This study involved the first phase of co-designing a digital brief intervention to reduce the risk of opioid-related harm by investigating the lived experience of chronic noncancer pain (CNCP) in treatment-seeking patients, with a particular focus on opioid therapy experiences.
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