Both objective and perceived social isolations were associated with future cognitive decline and increase risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the impacts of perceived social isolation depending on different clinical stages of AD have not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of perceived social isolation or loneliness on brain structure and future cognitive trajectories in patients who are living with or are at risk for AD. A total of 176 elderly patients (mean age of 78 years) who had complaint of memory problems (39 subjective cognitive decline [SCD], 53 mild cognitive impairment [MCI], 84 AD) underwent structural MRI and neuropsychological testing. Loneliness was measured by one binary item question "Do you often feel lonely?." Voxel-based morphometry was conducted to evaluate regional gray matter volume (rGMV) difference associated with loneliness in each group. To evaluate individual differences in cognitive trajectories based on loneliness, subgroup analysis was performed in 51 patients with AD (n = 23) and pre-dementia status (SCD-MCI, n = 28) using the longitudinal scores of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive component-Japanese version (ADAS-Jcog). Whole brain VBM analysis comparing lonely to non-lonely patients revealed loneliness was associated with decreased rGMV in bilateral thalamus in SCD patients and in the left middle occipital gyrus and the cerebellar vermal lobules I - V in MCI patients. Annual change of ADAS-Jcog in patients who reported loneliness was significantly greater comparing to these non-lonely in SCD-MCI group, but not in AD group. Our results indicate that perceived social isolation, or loneliness, might be a comorbid symptom of patients with SCD or MCI, which makes them more vulnerable to the neuropathology of future AD progression.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11357-022-00584-6 | DOI Listing |
Palliat Support Care
January 2025
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada.
Objectives: Explore humanitarian healthcare professionals' (HCPs) perceptions about implementing children's palliative care and to identify their educational needs and challenges, including learning topics, training methods, and barriers to education.
Methods: Humanitarian HCPs were interviewed about perspectives on children's palliative care and preferences and needs for training. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and arranged into overarching themes.
Front Sports Act Living
January 2025
Department of Psychology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Milan, Italy.
Introduction: In the so-called "new career era," career transitions and employability have attracted growing attention. For elite athletes, the Dual Career experiences may be regarded as a protective factor during various career transitions, with the end-of-career transition being closely linked to employability. This contribution aims to explore the dual career paths of athletes through the lens of graduate employability, as perceived by the individuals themselves.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Public Health
January 2025
The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University and Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
Objective: This study aims to investigate the perceived benefits, costs, and relationships that influence doctors' inclination to participate in urban-rural medical consortia (URMC). Furthermore, the study analyzes how perceived relationships moderate the impact of perceived benefits and costs on the inclination to take part in URMC.
Methods: The study was conducted between September 2022 and June 2023 utilizing an online survey in Henan Province, Central China, which included 749 respondents from provincial hospitals.
Explor Res Clin Soc Pharm
March 2025
College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, PO Box 2713, Doha, Qatar.
Background: Asthma self-management is an effective approach that empowers patients with asthma to control their condition and reduce its impact on their daily lives.
Objective: This systematic review aims to synthesize evidence regarding the knowledge, perceptions, facilitators, and barriers related to asthma self-management among patients.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across five databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) using specific key terms.
Heliyon
January 2025
School of Nursing, Research Institute of Nursing Science, Hallym University, Chuncheon, South Korea.
Background: Infertility constitutes a leading reproductive health problem with profound psychosocial outcomes, including elevated depressive symptoms that compromise quality of life (QoL). While the literature has suggested social support as a protective psychological mechanism, its role in depressive symptoms and QoL among women with infertility remains underexplored. This study aimed to examine the moderating effect of perceived social support on the relationship between depressive symptoms and QoL among South Korean women experiencing infertility.
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