The impact of social isolation on functional disability in older people: A multi-cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed the relationship between social isolation and functional disability in older people. DESIGN: Comparison of longitudinal cohort studies. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Harmonised longitudinal datasets from the United States, England, European countries, Japan, Korea, China and Hong Kong. METHODS: Social isolation was operationalised as a composite score with five domains, such as marital status, living alone, and social contact with others. Functional disability was defined as whether the cohort participant had any difficulty in activities of daily living (ADL). In each dataset, we used robust Poisson regression models to obtain the relative risks (RRs) and the corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CI). We combined the RRs to synthesize a pooled estimate using meta-analysis with random-effects models. RESULTS: Overall, the social isolation composite score was not associated with ADL disability (pooled RR = 1.05, 95 % CI [0.97-1.14], n = 40,119). Subgroup analysis suggested social isolation composite score was associated with ADL disability in Asian regions (pooled RR = 1.09, 95 % CI [1.02, 1.16], but not in Western regions (pooled RR = 1.01, 95 % CI [0.96, 1.07]). The relationships between different domains of social isolation and ADL disability were heterogeneous, except that no participation in any social clubs or religious groups was consistently associated with ADL disability (pooled RR = 1.12, 95 % CI [1.04, 1.21]). CONCLUSION: Targeting social isolation may prevent decline in functional abilities in older adults, providing an avenue to active and healthy ageing. Nonetheless, interventions tackling social isolation should tailor to the unique cultural and social underpinnings. A limitation of the study is that reverse causality could not be ruled out definitively.

Reliability and Mental Health Correlates of a Single-Item Measure of Self-Rated Mental Health (SRMH) in the Chinese Context.

The use of single-item measures of self-rated mental health (SRMH) has been increasingly valued in epidemiologic research. However, little is known about the reliability and mental health correlates of SRMH in Chinese populations. This study examined the reliability and mental health correlates of SRMH in three Chinese samples. We analyzed data collected from two convenience samples of Chinese adults from Hong Kong and/or Taiwan (Sample 1: N = 205; Sample 2: N = 377), and a random sample of Taiwan psychiatric inpatients (Sample 3: N = 100). Our results showed that the single-item measure of SRMH had moderate to good test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation [ICC] = 0.75) in Sample 1 and acceptable reliability between the self-report and interviewer-administered versions (ICC = 0.58) in Sample 3. It had a high positive correlation with self-esteem and a moderately high negative correlation with depression. It also had a consistently negative correlation with borderline personality disorder symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. The SRMH score was also associated with psychiatric service usage. These findings contribute to the body of knowledge regarding the use of a single-item measure of SRMH to assess overall self-perceived mental health in Chinese communities.

The role of loneliness and negative schemas in the moment-to-moment dynamics between social anxiety and paranoia.

Social anxiety and paranoia often co-occur and exacerbate each other. While loneliness and negative schemas contribute to the development of social anxiety and paranoia separately, their role in the development of the two symptoms co-occurring is rarely considered longitudinally. This study examined the moment-to-moment relationship between social anxiety and paranoia, as well as the effects of loneliness and negative schemas on both experiences individually and coincidingly. A total of 134 non-clinical young adults completed experience sampling assessments of momentary social anxiety, paranoia, and loneliness ten times per day for six consecutive days. Participants' negative-self and -other schemas were assessed with the Brief Core Schema Scale. Dynamic structural equation modelling revealed a bidirectional relationship between social anxiety and paranoia across moments. Loneliness preceded increases in both symptoms in the next moment. Higher negative-self schema was associated with a stronger link from paranoia to social anxiety; whereas higher negative-other schema was associated with a stronger link from social anxiety to paranoia. Our findings support the reciprocal relationship between social anxiety and paranoia. While loneliness contributes to the development of social anxiety and paranoia, negative self and other schemas appear to modify the relationships between the two symptoms.

Persistence and clinical consequences of post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms in people with depressive symptoms: a one-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies found that post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms are common in people with depressive symptoms. Although a trauma-related subtype of depression has been proposed, little is known about the persistence and clinical consequences of these symptoms. OBJECTIVE: This one-year follow-up study investigated the persistence and clinical consequences of post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms in people with depressive symptoms. METHODS: We analyzed longitudinal data from an international sample of people self-reporting depressive emotions (N = 152) (mean Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score = 17.27; SD = 6.31). RESULTS: More than half (58.4%) of participants with baseline post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) still met the criteria for PTSD after one year. Participants with dissociative symptoms at baseline were significantly more likely to report lifetime psychiatric hospitalization (31.2% vs 14.7%), past-year use of psychiatric hospitalization (10.4% vs 0%) and emergency services (16.9% vs 4%) than those without dissociative symptoms. All post-traumatic and dissociative symptom clusters were cross-sectionally (r = .286 to .528, p < .001) and longitudinally (r = .181 to .462, p < .001) correlated with depressive symptoms. A sense of current threat (ß = .146, p < .05) and negative self-concept (ß = .173, p < .05) at baseline significantly predicted depressive symptoms after one year. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to the increasing body of knowledge regarding the PTSD/dissociation-depression comorbidity. Given their persistence and clinical consequences, we recommend that post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms be regularly screened for in clinical settings. The existence of a possible trauma-related subtype of depression should receive more attention in both research and clinical practice.

Post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms are common in people with depressive symptoms.These symptoms generally persist over one year and predict more depressive symptoms at follow-up.Trauma-related symptoms should be regularly screened for in clinical settings.

The age-based digital divide in an increasingly digital world: A focus group investigation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Previous research has identified numerous benefits of information and communication technology (ICT) on the well-being of older adults. However, it has been increasingly recognized that older adults do not necessarily catch up with the rapidly digitalized society, known as the 'age-based digital divide'. The progress of digitalization has been accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have widened the digital divide. This study aimed to gain a better understanding of their living experience and concerns about digital exclusion during the pandemic. The perceptions of older adults in Hong Kong, a highly digitalized, metropolitan city, towards the digital age and its impact on their daily living during the COVID-19 pandemic were explored. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted 12 focus group interviews with 77 community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, applying both organization, reduction, and refinement. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: 1) Diversified means to access community information; 2) Facilitated daily living through the usage of ICTs; 3) Concerns about age-related decline in function; and 4) Fear of digital exclusion and accelerated digitalization during the pandemic. The results indicate that ICT provided numerous benefits to the daily life of older adults, but our participants also expressed concerns about age-related losses and the fear of digital exclusion due to the ongoing digitalization of society. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Our findings indicated that older adults do not necessarily benefit from technological innovations, which are becoming more pervasive during the pandemic. To create age-friendly environments that cater to the needs of all members of society in the digital age, policymakers and service providers should provide diverse choices for older adults, rather than relying solely on one-size-fits-all technological solutions.

Moment-to-moment affective dynamics in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Affective disturbances in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder may represent a transdiagnostic etiological process as well as a target of intervention. Hypotheses on similarities and differences in various parameters of affective dynamics (intensity, successive/acute changes, variability, and reactivity to stress) between the two disorders were tested. METHODS: Experience sampling method was used to assess dynamics of positive and negative affect, 10 times a day over 6 consecutive days. Patients with schizophrenia (n = 46) and patients with bipolar disorder (n = 46) were compared against age-matched healthy controls (n = 46). RESULTS: Compared to controls, the schizophrenia group had significantly more intense momentary negative affect, a lower likelihood of acute changes in positive affect, and reduced within-person variability of positive affect. The bipolar disorder group was not significantly different from either the schizophrenia group or the healthy control group on any affect indexes. Within the schizophrenia group, level of depression was associated with weaker reactivity to stress for negative affect. Within the bipolar disorder group, level of depression was associated with lower positive affect. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with schizophrenia endured a more stable and negative affective state than healthy individuals, and were less likely to be uplifted in response to happenings in daily life. There is little evidence that these affective constructs characterize the psychopathology of bipolar disorder; such investigation may have been limited by the heterogeneity within group. Our findings supported the clinical importance of assessing multiple facets of affective dynamics beyond the mean levels of intensity.

Disrupted Structural White Matter Network in Alzheimer's Disease Continuum, Vascular Dementia, and Mixed Dementia: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study.

BACKGROUND: Dementia presents a significant burden to patients and healthcare systems worldwide. Early and accurate diagnosis, as well as differential diagnosis of various types of dementia, are crucial for timely intervention and management. However, there is currently a lack of clinical tools for accurately distinguishing between these types. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the differences in the structural white matter (WM) network among different types of cognitive impairment/dementia using diffusion tensor imaging, and to explore the clinical relevance of the structural network. METHODS: A total of 21 normal control, 13 subjective cognitive decline (SCD), 40 mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 22 Alzheimer's disease (AD), 13 mixed dementia (MixD), and 17 vascular dementia (VaD) participants were recruited. Graph theory was utilized to construct the brain network. RESULTS: Our findings revealed a monotonic trend of disruption in the brain WM network (VaD > MixD > AD > MCI > SCD) in terms of decreased global efficiency, local efficiency, and average clustering coefficient, as well as increased characteristic path length. These network measurements were significantly associated with the clinical cognition index in each disease group separately. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that structural WM network measurements can be utilized to differentiate between different types of cognitive impairment/dementia, and these measurements can provide valuable cognition-related information.

Resting EEG power spectra across middle to late life: associations with age, cognition, APOE-ɛ4 carriage, and cardiometabolic burden.

We investigated how resting electroencephalography (EEG) measures are associated with risk factors for late-life cognitive impairment and dementia, including age, apolipoprotein E ɛ4 (APOE-ɛ4) carriage, and cardiometabolic burden. Resting EEG was recorded from 86 adults (50-80 years of age). Participants additionally completed the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination (ACE) III and had blood drawn to assess APOE-ɛ4 carriage status and cardiometabolic burden. EEG power spectra were decomposed into sources of periodic and aperiodic activity to derive measures of aperiodic component slope and alpha (7-14 Hz) and beta (15-30 Hz) peak power and peak frequency. Alpha and beta peak power measures were corrected for aperiodic activity. The aperiodic component slope was correlated with ACE-III scores but not age. Alpha peak frequency decreased with age. Individuals with higher cardiometabolic burden had lower alpha peak frequencies and lower beta peak power. APOE-ɛ4 carriers had lower beta peak frequencies. Our findings suggest that the slope of the aperiodic component of resting EEG power spectra is more closely associated with measures of cognitive performance rather than chronological age in older adults.

Exploration of molecular machines in supramolecular soft robotic systems.

Soft robotic system, a new era of material science, is rapidly developing with advanced processing technology in soft matters, featured with biomimetic nature. An important bottom-up approach is through the implementation of molecular machines into polymeric materials, however, the synchronized molecular motions, acumination of strain across multiple length-scales, and amplification into macroscopic actuations remained highly challenging. This review presents the significances, key design strategies, and outlook of the hierarchical supramolecular systems of molecular machines to develop novel types of supramolecular-based soft robotic systems.

18-month trajectories of delusional dimensions in young adults: Relationship with reasoning biases and worry.

BACKGROUND: It has been argued that what differentiates delusional ideation from full-blown delusions (indicating need for care) is not the number of beliefs, but the experiential dimensions such as conviction, distress, and preoccupation. However, how these dimensions evolve over time and affect outcomes is under-researched. While delusional conviction and distress are associated with reasoning biases and worry respectively in clinical samples, how these processes predict trajectories of delusional dimensions in the general population remains unclear. METHOD: Young adults (age 18-30) were screened for delusional ideation on the Peters et al. Delusions Inventory. Participants with at least one delusional ideation were randomly selected for a 4-wave assessment (6-month apart). Trajectories of delusional dimensions were separately identified by latent class growth analyses, then compared on baseline levels of jumping-to-conclusions bias, belief inflexibility, worry, and meta-worry. RESULTS: The longitudinal sample consisted of 356 individuals (drawn from a community sample of 2,187). For each of the three dimensions (conviction, distress, and preoccupation), four-group linear models were identified-high stable, moderate stable, moderate decreasing, and low stable. The high stable group exhibited worse emotional and functional outcomes at 18 months than the other three groups. Worry and meta-worry predicted group differences, and notably differentiated the moderate decreasing groups from the moderate stable groups. Contrary to hypothesis, jumping-to-conclusions bias was milder in the high/moderate stable groups than the low stable group for conviction. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct trajectories of delusional dimensions were predicted by worry and meta-worry. Differences between the decreasing and stable groups carried clinical implications. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

The co-occurrence of multidimensional loneliness with depression, social anxiety and paranoia in non-clinical young adults: A latent profile analysis.

Introduction: Loneliness is a negative experience arising from a mismatch between perceived and actual social relationships. Several dimensions of loneliness have been suggested, namely intimate, relational and collective loneliness. Loneliness has been linked to poorer mental health, with its co-occurrence with depression, social anxiety, and paranoia most widely reported. While expressions of these symptoms are heterogeneous across individuals in the non-clinical population, it remains unclear how these symptoms co-occur with one another and with various dimensions of loneliness. It is also of interest how trait factors such as core schemas about self/others may moderate these relationships between loneliness and co-occurring symptoms. Methods: A demographically diverse sample of young adults was recruited from multiple sources. The validated sample consisted of 2,089 participants (68.4% female), who completed an online survey consisting of questionnaires assessing levels of multidimensional loneliness, depression, social anxiety, paranoia, core schemas, and demographic characteristics. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify distinct profiles of loneliness and the three symptoms. Positive and negative core schemas about self and others were modeled as predictors of these profiles. Results: Five distinct profiles were identified. Profile 1 had low levels across all symptoms and dimensions of loneliness (n = 1,273, 60.9%). Profiles 2-5 were elevated on dimensions of loneliness, and were heightened in depression (n = 189, 9.0%), social anxiety (n = 206, 9.9%), paranoia (n = 198, 9.5%), and all symptoms (n = 223, 10.7%), respectively. Relative to Profile 1, the other four profiles scored higher on negative-self (adjusted ORs = 1.36-1.49, ps < 0.001) and negative-other schemas (adjusted ORs = 1.24-1.44, ps < 0.001), and lower on positive-self (adjusted ORs = 0.82-0.85, ps < 0.001) and positive-other schemas (adjusted ORs = 0.81-0.90, ps < 0.001). Conclusion: More marked intimate, relational and collective loneliness were evident across profiles that had heightened depression, social anxiety and/or paranoia, suggesting that loneliness may serve as a general risk factor for these psychopathologies. Our findings shed light on the heterogeneity of the co-occurrence of loneliness and various mental health difficulties in non-clinical young adults. Core schemas are suggested to be putative psychological mechanisms underlying their co-occurrence and even development.

Level of Amyloid-ß (Aß) Binding Leading to Differential Effects on Resting State Functional Connectivity in Major Brain Networks.

INTRODUCTION: Amyloid-ß protein (Aß) is one of the biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The recent application of interhemispheric functional connectivity (IFC) in resting-state fMRI has been used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for early dementia. In this study, we focused on the level of Aß accumulated and its effects on the major functional networks, including default mode network (DMN), central executive network (CEN), salience network (SN), self-referential network (SRN) and sensory motor network (SMN). METHODS: 58 participants (27 Hi Aß (HiAmy) and 31 low Aß (LowAmy)) and 25 healthy controls (HC) were recruited. [18F]flutemetamol PET/CT was performed for diseased groups, and MRI scanning was done for all participants. Voxel-by-voxel correlation analysis was done for both groups in all networks. RESULTS: In HiAmy, IFC was reduced in all networks except SN. A negative correlation in DMN, CEN, SRN and SMN suggests high Aß related to IFC reduction; However, a positive correlation in SN suggests high Aß related to an increase in IFC. In LowAmy, IFC increased in CEN, SMN, SN and SRN. Positive correlation in all major brain networks. CONCLUSION: The level of Aß accumulated demonstrated differential effects on IFC in various brain networks. As the treatment to reduce Aß plaque deposition is available in the market, it may be an option for the HiAmy group to improve their IFC in major brain networks.

Extended Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Therapy for Post-stroke Depression in a Patient With a Pre-frontal Cortical Lesion: A Case Study.

Approximately one-third of stroke survivors experience post-stroke depression. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the prefrontal cortex has shown promise as a treatment for depression with few side effects and high tolerability. However, previous post-stroke depression trials have not considered the effect of lesion location, the persistence of clinical improvements, nor the value of ongoing maintenance treatments. These questions are important to determine the therapeutic value of rTMS as a treatment for post-stroke depression. We report a unique case study of a 71-year-old male who had experienced a left hemispheric ischemic stroke 4 years prior. The patient was screened with the Beck Depression Inventory and Patient Health Questionnaire and found to be experiencing moderate levels of depression. Ten daily sessions of left dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex rTMS were applied over a two-week period. A clinically meaningful reduction in depression was achieved. Approximately 10 weeks following rTMS treatment, improvements in depression were attenuating. Weekly maintenance rTMS was delivered to the left dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex for 10 sessions. At the conclusion of maintenance rTMS, clinical assessments indicated depressive symptoms had reduced to a minimal to nil level. Clinically meaningful improvements in depression were maintained at 3 months after rTMS treatment had ceased. These findings provide novel insight to suggest rTMS may reduce depressive symptoms in stroke survivors with a lesion at the site of stimulation. Ongoing maintenance treatments might prove beneficial to enhance persistence of clinical improvements.

Mobile Application Use and Loneliness among Older Adults in the Digital Age: Insights from a Survey in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Existing literature on the associations between use of mobile applications (i.e., mobile apps) and loneliness among older adults (OAs) has been mainly conducted before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since mobile apps have been increasingly used by OAs during the pandemic, subsequent effects on social and emotional loneliness need updated investigation. This paper examines the relationship between mobile app use and loneliness among Hong Kong's OAs during the pandemic. In our research, 364 OAs with current use experience of mobile apps were interviewed through a questionnaire survey conducted during July and August 2021, which assessed the use frequency and duration of 14 mobile app types and levels of emotional and social loneliness. The survey illustrated communication (e.g., WhatsApp) and information apps were the most commonly used. Emotional loneliness was associated with the use of video entertainment (frequency and duration), instant communication (duration), and information apps (duration). Association between video entertainment apps' use and emotional loneliness was stronger among older and less educated OAs. Our findings highlight the distinctive relationships between different types of apps and loneliness among Hong Kong's OAs during the pandemic, which warrant further exploration via research into post-pandemic patterns and comparative studies in other regions.

Differential and subtype-specific neuroimaging abnormalities in amnestic and nonamnestic mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

While mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been classified into amnestic MCI (aMCI) and nonamnestic MCI (naMCI), the neuropathological bases of these two subtypes remain elusive. Here, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the subtype specificity of neuroimaging abnormalities in MCI and to identify neural features that may differ between aMCI and naMCI. We synthesized 50 studies that used common neuroimaging modalities, including magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, to compare brain atrophy, white matter abnormalities, cortical thinning, cerebral hypometabolism, amyloid/tau deposition, or other features among aMCI, naMCI, and normal cognition. Compared with normal cognition, aMCI shows diverse neuroimaging abnormalities of large effect sizes. In contrast, naMCI exhibits restricted abnormalities of small effect sizes. Some features, including medial temporal lobe atrophy and white matter abnormalities, are shared by the two MCI subtypes. Overall, brain abnormalities are worse, if not similar, in aMCI than in naMCI. The only neuroimaging abnormality specific to aMCI is increased amyloid burden; no feature specific to naMCI was found. Taken together, our findings have elucidated the neuropathological changes that occur in aMCI and naMCI. Clarifying the neuroimaging profiles of aMCI and naMCI can improve the early identification, differentiation, and intervention of prodromal dementia.

A network analysis on the relationship between loneliness and schizotypy.

BACKGROUND: Schizotypy is a multidimensional personality trait related to the heightened risk for the development of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. While it has been suggested that loneliness may be associated with schizotypy in general, whether it relates to the specific schizotypal traits differentially remains unknown. Besides, as loneliness often co-occurs with depression and anxiety, it is important to delineate its relationship with schizotypy in consideration of these co-occurring emotional disturbances. METHODS: A demographically diverse sample of young people was obtained from multiple sources. The validated sample consisted of 2089 participants (68.4% female, age range: 18-30). The structural relationship between loneliness and schizotypy was modelled using a network analytic approach. The Gaussian graphical model with loneliness and nine schizotypal traits as nodes was first estimated without, and then with adjustment for the levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Edges were estimated as unique associations between nodes. RESULTS: 'Suspiciousness', 'odd beliefs or magical thinking', 'no close friends', 'constricted affect' and 'excessive social anxiety' were linked to loneliness directly. Loneliness was found to be more strongly associated with 'suspiciousness' and 'no close friends' than other schizotypal traits. After adjustment for the levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, the above direct edges remained robust. LIMITATIONS: The use of cross-sectional data indicated only undirected associations between variables. CONCLUSIONS: Loneliness was more strongly linked to some schizotypal traits than others, with the relationships maintaining above and beyond the effects of anxiety and depression. These findings warrant further investigation of the specific relationships between loneliness and individual schizotypal traits.

Radiomics-Based Artificial Intelligence Differentiation of Neurodegenerative Diseases with Reference to the Volumetry.

This study aimed to build automated detection models-one by brain regional volume (V-model), and the other by radiomics features of the whole brain (R-model)-to differentiate mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from cognitive normal (CN), and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) from mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The objectives are to compare the models and identify whether radiomics or volumetry can provide a better prediction for differentiating different types of dementia. METHOD: 582 MRI T1-weighted images were retrieved from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database, which is a multicenter operating open source database for AD. In total, 97 images of AD, 293 images of MCI patient and 192 images of cognitive normal were divided into a training, a validation and a test group at a ratio of 70:15:15. For each T1-weighted image, volumetric segmentation was performed with the image analysis software FreeSurfer, and radiomics features were retrieved by imaging research software 3D slicers. Brain regional volume and radiomics features were used to build the V-model and R-model, respectively, using the random forest algorithm by R. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve of both models were used to evaluate their diagnostic accuracy and reliability to differentiate AD, MCI and CN. RESULTS: To differentiate MCI and CN, both V-model and R-model achieved excellent performance, with an AUC of 0.9992 ± 0.0022 and 0.9850 ± 0.0032, respectively. No significant difference was found between the two AUCs, indicating both models attained similar good performance. In MCI and AD differentiation, the V-model and R-model yielded AUC of 0.9986 ± 0.0013 and 0.9714 ± 0.0175, respectively. The best performance was to differentiate AD from CN, where the V-model and R-model yielded AUC of 0.9994 ± 0.0019 and 0.9830 ± 0.009, respectively. The results suggested that both volumetry and radiomics approaches could be used in differentiating AD, MCI and CN, based on T1 weighted MR images using random forest algorithm successfully. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the radiomics features from T1-weighted MR images achieved excellence performance in differentiating AD, MCI and CN. Compared to the volumetry method, the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity are slightly lower in using radiomics, but still attained very good and reliable classification of the three stages of neurodegenerations. In view of the convenience and operator independence in feature extraction, radiomics can be a quantitative biomarker to differentiate the disease groups.

A scoping review of resting-state brain functional alterations in Type 2 diabetes.

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has been actively used in the last decade to investigate brain functional connectivity alterations in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) to understand the neuropathophysiology of T2DM in cognitive degeneration. Given the emergence of new analysis techniques, this scoping review aims to map the rs-fMRI analysis techniques that have been applied in the literature and reports the latest rs-fMRI findings that have not been covered in previous reviews. Graph theory, the contemporary rs-fMRI analysis, has been used to demonstrate altered brain topological organisations in people with T2DM, which included altered degree centrality, functional connectivity strength, the small-world architecture and network-based statistics. These alterations were correlated with T2DM patients' cognitive performances. Graph theory also contributes to identify unbiased seeds for seed-based analysis. The expanding rs-fMRI analytical approaches continue to provide new evidence that helps to understand the mechanisms of T2DM-related cognitive degeneration.

Efficacy of Motivational Interviewing in Treating Co-occurring Psychosis and Substance Use Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective: A wealth of evidence has supported the efficacy of motivational interviewing (MI) in reducing substance use as well as other addictive behaviors. In view of the common co-occurrence of substance use disorder among individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, there has been increased attention to applying MI in psychological interventions for individuals with co-occurring psychosis and substance use disorder. This review aims to synthesize the evidence on the efficacy of MI interventions (either as a stand-alone intervention or in combination with other psychological interventions) in reducing substance use and psychotic symptoms.Data Sources: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and CINAHL were searched using keywords related to "psychosis," "substance addiction," and "motivational interviewing" to identify studies published in English from 1984 to May 2021.Study Selection: Of 1,134 articles identified in the literature, we selected 17 studies for review: 5 studies examined stand-alone MI ("MI-pure"), and 13 studies assessed MI as a major treatment component ("MI-mixed").Data Extraction: Demographics of participants, intervention characteristics, and outcome data were extracted by the first author and checked by the second author. Random-effects models were used for substance use and psychotic symptom outcomes.Results: MI-pure interventions did not significantly reduce severity of substance use (g = 0.06, P = .81) or psychotic symptoms (g's for 2 individual studies = 0.16, P = .54; and 0.01, P = .96). The effect of MI-mixed interventions on substance use decrease was statistically significant but small in size (g = 0.15, P = .048), whereas the effect on psychotic symptom improvement was not significant (g = 0.11, P = .22).Conclusions: With the caveat that only a small number of comparisons were available for the review on MI-pure interventions, the efficacy of MI in treating co-occurring psychosis and substance use disorder was heterogeneous and modest.