The effects of mind-body exercise on anxiety and depression in older adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Limited research directly compares the clinical effects of different types of mind-body exercises on anxiety and depression in older adults. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that meet the inclusion criteria to explore the intervention effects of five different types of mind-body exercises in improving anxiety and depression in older adults. Methods: We followed the PRISMA-NMA guidelines and conducted searches in the Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase databases up to July 28, 2023. The language was limited to English. Two independent reviewers conducted literature screening and data extraction. Review Manager 5.4 was used to perform Pairwise meta-analysis and risk assessment, while STATA version 15 software was used for network meta-analysis. Result: A total of 42 studies, involving 2974 participants, were included. The results of the traditional meta-analysis showed that mind-body exercises were superior to the control group in alleviating anxiety (SMD: -0.87, 95% CI: -1.43, -0.31, p<0.05, I2 = 95%) and depressive (SMD: -0.52, 95% CI: -0.71, -0.34, p<0.05, I2 = 80%). In the network meta-analysis, the ranking of treatment effects for anxiety showed that Tai Chi > Qigong > Yoga > Dance > control group, while for depression, the ranking showed Tai Chi > Pilates > Yoga > Qigong > Dance > control group. Conclusion: This study found that mind-body exercises have positive effects on improving anxiety and depression in older adults. Among the five different types of mind-body exercise interventions, Tai Chi was considered an effective approach for improving anxiety and depression. However, we encourage older adults to choose exercise modalities that suit their interests to enhance adherence. Systematic review registration: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023464296.

Hypothalamic supramammillary neurons that project to the medial septum modulate wakefulness in mice.

The hypothalamic supramammillary nucleus (SuM) plays a crucial role in controlling wakefulness, but the downstream target regions participating in this control process remain unknown. Here, using circuit-specific fiber photometry and single-neuron electrophysiology together with electroencephalogram, electromyogram and behavioral recordings, we find that approximately half of SuM neurons that project to the medial septum (MS) are wake-active. Optogenetic stimulation of axonal terminals of SuM-MS projection induces a rapid and reliable transition to wakefulness from non-rapid-eye movement or rapid-eye movement sleep, and chemogenetic activation of SuMMS projecting neurons significantly increases wakefulness time and prolongs latency to sleep. Consistently, chemogenetically inhibiting these neurons significantly reduces wakefulness time and latency to sleep. Therefore, these results identify the MS as a functional downstream target of SuM and provide evidence for the modulation of wakefulness by this hypothalamic-septal projection.

Exploring the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine exercise in alleviating anxiety and depression in older adults: a comprehensive study with randomized controlled trial and network meta-analysis.

Background: Anxiety and depression pose a significant global health challenge for elderly individuals. Research has demonstrated the potential of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) exercise therapies in alleviating these conditions. However, ongoing debate and uncertainty persist regarding the optimal therapy and its impact on anxiety and depression. This study aims to evaluate and prioritize TCM exercise therapies for anxiety and depression in older adults, to identify the most effective intervention, and to provide a basis for informed decision-making in clinical practice. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of electronic databases including The Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wang Fang, and Wei Pu database up to July 2022. Two researchers independently reviewed all included studies and extracted relevant data. Traditional meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager version 5.4, while network meta-analysis was conducted using STATA software version 15.1 to generate network evidence plots and funnel plots. Result: A total of 30 trials, involving 2,806 participants, met the eligibility criteria. The traditional meta-analysis revealed that TCM exercise significantly improved anxiety (SMD = -0.82, 95% CI = -1.39, -0.26, p = 0.004) and depression (SMD = -0.63, 95% CI = -0.85, -0.41, p < 0.01) compared to the control group. In the network meta-analysis, Tai Chi exercise was ranked as the most effective intervention for anxiety (68.3%), followed by Yi Jin Jing (63.6%). For depression, the Tai Chi exercise was ranked as the most effective (87.8%), followed by the Ba Duan Jin exercise (74.1%). Conclusion: TCE exercise can improve anxiety and depression in older adults, Among the four TCE exercise therapies included, Tai Chi exercise showed better efficacy than other types of treatment. Nevertheless, further research is required to validate the effectiveness of this exercise therapy through larger and more rigorous clinical trials. Systematic review registration: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42023438697.

Autofluorescence spectral analysis for detecting urinary stone composition in emulated intraoperative ambient.

The prevalence and disease burden of urolithiasis has increased substantially worldwide in the last decade, and intraluminal holmium laser lithotripsy has become the primary treatment method. However, inappropriate laser energy settings increase the risk of perioperative complications, largely due to the lack of intraoperative information on the stone composition, which determines the stone melting point. To address this issue, we developed a fiber-based fluorescence spectrometry method that detects and classifies the autofluorescence spectral fingerprints of urinary stones into three categories: calcium oxalate, uric acid, and struvite. By applying the support vector machine (SVM), the prediction accuracy achieved 90.28 % and 96.70% for classifying calcium stones versus non-calcium stones and uric acid versus struvite, respectively. High accuracy and specificity were achieved for a wide range of working distances and angles between the fiber tip and stone surface in an emulated intraoperative ambient. Our work establishes the methodological basis for engineering a clinical device that achieves real-time, in situ classification of urinary stones for optimizing the laser ablation parameters and reducing perioperative complications in lithotripsy.

REM sleep-active hypothalamic neurons may contribute to hippocampal social-memory consolidation.

The hippocampal CA2 region plays a key role in social memory. The encoding of such memory involves afferent activity from the hypothalamic supramammillary nucleus (SuM) to CA2. However, the neuronal circuits required for consolidation of freshly encoded social memory remain unknown. Here, we used circuit-specific optical and single-cell electrophysiological recordings in mice to explore the role of sleep in social memory consolidation and its underlying circuit mechanism. We found that SuM neurons projecting to CA2 were highly active during rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep but not during non-REM sleep or quiet wakefulness. REM-sleep-selective optogenetic silencing of these neurons impaired social memory. By contrast, the silencing of another group of REM sleep-active SuM neurons that projects to the dentate gyrus had no effect on social memory. Therefore, we provide causal evidence that the REM sleep-active hypothalamic neurons that project to CA2 are specifically required for the consolidation of social memory.

Ventrolateral Periaqueductal Gray Neurons Are Active During Urination.

The ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (VLPAG) is thought to be the main PAG column for bladder control. PAG neurons (especially VLPAG neurons) and neurons in the pontine micturition center (PMC) innervating the bladder detrusor have anatomical and functional synaptic connections. The prevailing viewpoint on neural control of the bladder is that PAG neurons receive information on the decision to void made by upstream brain regions, and consequently activate the PMC through their direct projections to initiate urination reflex. However, the exact location of the PMC-projecting VLPAG neurons, their activity in response to urination, and their whole-brain inputs remain unclear. Here, we identified the distribution of VLPAG neurons that may participate in control of the bladder or project to the PMC through retrograde neural tracing. Population Ca2+ signals of PMC-projecting VLPAG neurons highly correlated with bladder contractions and urination as shown by in vivo recording in freely moving animals. Using a RV-based retrograde trans-synaptic tracing strategy, morphological results showed that urination-related PMC-projecting VLPAG neurons received dense inputs from multiple urination-related higher brain areas, such as the medial preoptic area, medial prefrontal cortex, and lateral hypothalamus. Thus, our findings reveal a novel insight into the VLPAG for control of bladder function and provide a potential therapeutic midbrain node for neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

Effect of Positive Rumination-Based Sports Prescription on the Mental Health of Teenagers.

BACKGROUND: Under the pressure of study, relationship, socializing, employment and other aspects, there is an increasing number of teenagers with psychological problems such as pessimism, anxiety, and depression, seriously affecting their physical and mental health and comprehensive development. Therefore, it is of vital importance to attach great importance and actively seek intervention methods to effectively improve their mental health. The aim was to investigate the intervention effect of positive rumination-based sports prescription on the mental health of teenagers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 497 teenagers living in four communities randomly selected in Guangxi, China community from February 2021 to August 2021 were included in this study using convenience sampling method. Firstly, Beck Depression Inventory was adopted for measurement, and 61 volunteers were randomly selected from a population of depressive symptoms to participate in intervention. There were 29 people the Experimental group, 32 in the control group. The intervention using positive rumination-based sports prescription was performed on the Experimental group. RESULTS: After intervention, the depression score of the control group and the Experimental group was lower than that before intervention (P<0.001). After intervention, the anxiety score of Experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the scores regarding optimism, hope, self-efficacy, resiliency and psychological capital (P>0.05), and the scores of the Experimental group regarding optimism, hope, self-efficacy, resiliency and psychological capital were increased after the intervention, significantly higher than before intervention (P<0.001), and there was no significant difference in the score of resiliency before and after intervention (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Positive rumination group counseling and the intervention of health Qigong exercise can effectively reduce anxiety levels of teenagers, improve the levels of optimism, hope, self-efficacy, resiliency and psychological capital, help cultivate teenagers' positive psychology and alleviate negative psychology.

Neural circuit control of innate behaviors.

All animals possess a plethora of innate behaviors that do not require extensive learning and are fundamental for their survival and propagation. With the advent of newly-developed techniques such as viral tracing and optogenetic and chemogenetic tools, recent studies are gradually unraveling neural circuits underlying different innate behaviors. Here, we summarize current development in our understanding of the neural circuits controlling predation, feeding, male-typical mating, and urination, highlighting the role of genetically defined neurons and their connections in sensory triggering, sensory to motor/motivation transformation, motor/motivation encoding during these different behaviors. Along the way, we discuss possible mechanisms underlying binge-eating disorder and the pro-social effects of the neuropeptide oxytocin, elucidating the clinical relevance of studying neural circuits underlying essential innate functions. Finally, we discuss some exciting brain structures recurrently appearing in the regulation of different behaviors, which suggests both divergence and convergence in the neural encoding of specific innate behaviors. Going forward, we emphasize the importance of multi-angle and cross-species dissections in delineating neural circuits that control innate behaviors.

Peer Education Intervention on Adolescents' Anxiety, Depression, and Sleep Disorder during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents' anxiety and depression during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak cannot be ignored. In public health crisis events, adolescents are prone to negative psychological problems, such as anxiety and depression. Hence, this research focuses on the use of reasonable and efficient methods to intervene in adolescents' psychological problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From February to April 2020, we conducted an anonymous online survey on a total of 1,200 adolescents in the provinces of Hunan and Guangxi in China. Moreover, we randomly divided a total of 150 middle school students with anxiety scores greater than 50 and volunteered to participate in the intervention experiment into control and intervention groups, with 75 members in each group. On the basis of the proposed routine treatment, we conducted 8 weeks of model 328-based peer education intervention in the intervention group. RESULTS: After the intervention, the self-rating anxiety scale scores (SAS) of the intervention group are better than those of the control group (P<0.001). Moreover, the self-rating depression scale (SDS) scores of both groups are reduced, but the effect is more significant on the intervention group (P<0.001) than on the control group. Finally, the total Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) scores of both groups are reduced, but the effect is more significant on the intervention group than on the control group (P=0.001 and <0.001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Model 328-based peer education intervention can significantly reduce the level of anxiety and depression in adolescents and improve their sleep quality.

Intervention Effect of Sensory Integration Training on the Behaviors and Quality of Life of Children with Autism.

BACKGROUND: Autism is a widespread developmental disorder that occurs mostly among children. Children with autism are prone to problematic behaviors due to their deficiencies in language communication and social development. Thus, children with a high degree of autism suffer lower life satisfaction. Moreover, sensory integration dysfunction is closely related to autism. Therefore, the effect of Sensory Integration Training (SIT) on the behaviors and quality of life of children with autism was explored in this study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: From September 2017 to December 2018, 108 patients from Fuzhou Fourth Hospital and Xiangtan Fifth Hospital were included in the intervention group (group A) and the control group (group B), with 54 members in each group. The 54 members in group B, with an average age of 5.18±2.94, received routine treatment. In addition to the same routine treatment, the members in group B also received sensory integration training and physical exercise intervention, which lasted for three months. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) were used before and after the intervention experiment to evaluate the curative effect. RESULTS: After the treatment, statistically significant differences were observed in the CARS and ABC scores (P<0.05); the total effective rate was 86.11% in group A and 64.10% in group B. The difference in the CARS score was statistically significant (P<0.05), whereas the difference in the ABC score was also statistically significant (P<0.05). In general, the difference in CARS is statistically significant. Specifically, group A is better than group B, t=3.492, df=73, and bilateral P=0.001<0.01. CONCLUSIONS: SIT intervention had a certain effect on autism and is of great value for the future development of SIT courses or intervention programs for children with autism.

Simultaneous Measurement of Neuronal Activity in the Pontine Micturition Center and Cystometry in Freely Moving Mice.

Understanding the complex neural mechanisms controlling urinary bladder activity is an extremely important topic in both neuroscience and urology. Simultaneously recording of the bladder activity and neural activity in related brain regions will largely advance this field. However, such recording approach has long been restricted to anesthetized animals, whose bladder function and urodynamic properties are largely affected by anesthetics. In our recent report, we found that it is feasible to record bladder pressure (cystometry) and the related cortical neuron activity simultaneously in freely moving mice. Here, we aimed to demonstrate the use of this combined method in freely moving mice for recording the activity of the pontine micturition center (PMC), a more difficultly approachable small region deeply located in the brainstem and a more popularly studied hub for controlling bladder function. Interestingly, we found that the duration of urination events linearly correlated to the time course of neuronal activity in the PMC. We observed that the activities of PMC neurons highly correlated with spike-like increases in bladder pressure, reflecting bladder contractions. We also found that anesthesia evoked prominent changes in the dynamics of the Ca2+ signals in the PMC during the bladder contraction and even induced the dripping overflow incontinence due to suppression of the neural activity in the PMC. In addition, we described in details both the system for cystometry in freely moving mice and the protocols for how to perform this combined method. Therefore, this work provides a powerful approach that enables the simultaneous measurement of neuronal activity of the PMC or any other brain sites and bladder function in freely behaving mice. This approach offers a promising possibility to examine the neural mechanisms underlying neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

The paraventricular thalamus is a critical thalamic area for wakefulness.

Clinical observations indicate that the paramedian region of the thalamus is a critical node for controlling wakefulness. However, the specific nucleus and neural circuitry for this function remain unknown. Using in vivo fiber photometry or multichannel electrophysiological recordings in mice, we found that glutamatergic neurons of the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) exhibited high activities during wakefulness. Suppression of PVT neuronal activity caused a reduction in wakefulness, whereas activation of PVT neurons induced a transition from sleep to wakefulness and an acceleration of emergence from general anesthesia. Moreover, our findings indicate that the PVT-nucleus accumbens projections and hypocretin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus to PVT glutamatergic neurons' projections are the effector pathways for wakefulness control. These results demonstrate that the PVT is a key wakefulness-controlling nucleus in the thalamus.

A corticopontine circuit for initiation of urination.

Urination (also called micturition) is thought to be regulated by a neural network that is distributed in both subcortical and cortical regions. Previously, urination-related neurons have been identified in subcortical structures such as the pontine micturition center (also known as Barrington's nucleus). However, the origin of the descending cortical pathway and how it interfaces with this subcortical circuit to permit voluntary initiation of urination remain elusive. Here we identified a small cluster of layer 5 neurons in the primary motor cortex whose activities tightly correlate with the onset of urination in freely behaving mice and increase dramatically during territorial marking. Optogenetically activating these neurons elicits contraction of the bladder and initiates urination, through their projections to the pontine micturition center, while silencing or ablating them impairs urination and causes retention of urine. Together these results reveal a novel cortical component upstream of the pontine micturition center that is critically involved in urination.

Bioconjugated, Single-Use Biosensor for the Detection of Biomarkers of Prostate Cancer.

Prostate cancer is prevalent among cancers in men. A simple method for screening of reliable biomarkers is pivotal for early detection of prostate cancer.  Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has been a commonly used biomarker for prostate cancer, in spite of its false-positive limitation. On the other hand, alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase (AMACR), a metabolic enzyme, has been proven to be a highly expressed biomarker in prostate cancer cells. Therefore, a method or tool, which can detect either PSA or AMACR or both simply, cost effectively, and with high sensitivity and selectivity is desirable. We describe a novel bioconjugated, single-use biosensor capable of detecting both PSA and AMACR antigens in undiluted human serum. The preparation of the biosensor by the bioconjugation mechanism occurred within a day, which could be completed prior to actual testing. The effectiveness of the bioconjugation mechanism and the coverage of the electrode surface of the biosensor were experimentally assessed. Measurements of PSA and AMACR antigens and the specificity of the biosensor were carried out using differential pulse voltammetry. This biosensor was single-use and cost-effective and required a small quantity of test medium and relatively short preparation time, providing a very attractive biosensor for the detection of the biomarkers of prostate cancer.

A Visual-Cue-Dependent Memory Circuit for Place Navigation.

The ability to remember and to navigate to safe places is necessary for survival. Place navigation is known to involve medial entorhinal cortex (MEC)-hippocampal connections. However, learning-dependent changes in neuronal activity in the distinct circuits remain unknown. Here, by using optic fiber photometry in freely behaving mice, we discovered the experience-dependent induction of a persistent-task-associated (PTA) activity. This PTA activity critically depends on learned visual cues and builds up selectively in the MEC layer II-dentate gyrus, but not in the MEC layer III-CA1 pathway, and its optogenetic suppression disrupts navigation to the target location. The findings suggest that the visual system, the MEC layer II, and the dentate gyrus are essential hubs of a memory circuit for visually guided navigation.

Two-Photon Functional Imaging of the Auditory Cortex in Behaving Mice: From Neural Networks to Single Spines.

In vivo two-photon Ca2+ imaging is a powerful tool for recording neuronal activities during perceptual tasks and has been increasingly applied to behaving animals for acute or chronic experiments. However, the auditory cortex is not easily accessible to imaging because of the abundant temporal muscles, arteries around the ears and their lateral locations. Here, we report a protocol for two-photon Ca2+ imaging in the auditory cortex of head-fixed behaving mice. By using a custom-made head fixation apparatus and a head-rotated fixation procedure, we achieved two-photon imaging and in combination with targeted cell-attached recordings of auditory cortical neurons in behaving mice. Using synthetic Ca2+ indicators, we recorded the Ca2+ transients at multiple scales, including neuronal populations, single neurons, dendrites and single spines, in auditory cortex during behavior. Furthermore, using genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GECIs), we monitored the neuronal dynamics over days throughout the process of associative learning. Therefore, we achieved two-photon functional imaging at multiple scales in auditory cortex of behaving mice, which extends the tool box for investigating the neural basis of audition-related behaviors.

Influence of the Exercise-psychology Adjustment Mode on the Mental Health of Medical Workers.

BACKGROUND: Chinese medical workers suffer from a high incidence of mental health problems, resulting in reduced efficiency, increased medical malpractice, rising medical costs, and other issues. The effective alleviation of mental health problems among medical workers is therefore an important focus of research and social attention. METHODS: The mental health of 842 medical workers from the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University in Fuzhou, China was evaluated between February 2016 and March 2016. Sixty-two workers with positive SCL-90 screening results were selected as the subjects to be investigated in the intervention experiment, with 31 in the intervention group and 31 in the control group. The control group did not participate in any regular physical exercise activity for the 4-month duration of the study, whereas the exercise-psychology adjustment mode was applied to the intervention group. RESULTS: Medical workers had a higher total SCL-90 score and number of positive items than the national norm (P < 0.05). After the intervention, the SCL-90 score, number of positive results, somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and hostility of the intervention group were significantly lower than they were before the intervention (P < 0.05) and lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The alleviation of mental health problems, which are increasingly serious among medical workers, should be a matter of societal focus. The exercise-psychology adjustment is an effective intervention mode for the mental health of medical workers.

Locomotion-Related Population Cortical Ca2+ Transients in Freely Behaving Mice.

Locomotion involves complex neural activity throughout different cortical and subcortical networks. The primary motor cortex (M1) receives a variety of projections from different brain regions and is responsible for executing movements. The primary visual cortex (V1) receives external visual stimuli and plays an important role in guiding locomotion. Understanding how exactly the M1 and the V1 are involved in locomotion requires recording the neural activities in these areas in freely moving animals. Here, we used an optical fiber-based method for the real-time monitoring of neuronal population activities in freely moving mice. We combined the bulk loading of a synthetic Ca2+ indicator and the optical fiber-based Ca2+ recordings of neuronal activities. An optical fiber 200 µm in diameter can detect the coherent activity of a subpopulation of neurons. In layer 5 of the M1 and V1, we showed that population Ca2+ transients reliably occurred preceding the impending locomotion. Interestingly, the M1 Ca2+ transients started ~100 ms earlier than that in V1. Furthermore, the population Ca2+ transients were robustly correlated with head movements. Thus, our work provides a simple but efficient approach for monitoring the cortical Ca2+ activity of a local cluster of neurons during locomotion in freely moving animals.

Anxiety in Patients with Chronic Cor Pulmonale and Its Effect on Exercise Capacity.

BACKGROUND: Chronic cor pulmonale (CCP) is a disease of increasing frequency in Chinese people and profoundly influences their health. CCP is often accompanied by anxiety and other psychological problems, and patients may show signs of motor function decline. However, little attention has been paid to the impact of CCP-related psychological problems on motor function. METHODS: Patients with CCP receiving in- or outpatient treatment in the Respiratory Department of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University and the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University in Hunan Province between January and July 2015 were investigated. A total of 167 questionnaires were distributed, with 160 valid questionnaires ultimately collected from 95 male and 65 female participants of mean age (± standard deviation) of 68.2 ± 12.3 yr. Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) scoring was adopted to evaluate anxiety in the participants, and heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate, 6-minute walk test and Borg index score were combined to detect the exercise capability of the participants. RESULTS: Anxiety was present in 48.8% of patients. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, breathing rate and the Borg score of CCP patients with anxiety were higher than in CCP patients without anxiety (P < 0.05), while mean walking distance was shorter (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The rate of anxiety in patients with CCP is relatively high. Anxiety reduces motor function in CCP patients; therefore, in the process of treating patients with CCP, effort should be made to engage simultaneously patients in psychotherapy.

Intervention of Collective Exercise on the Mental Health of Elderly Hypertensive Patients.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety, depression, and other adverse psychological reactions are often observed in elderly hypertensive patients. Appropriate exercise is a safe form of adjuvant therapy without causing side effects among these patients, with consistent effects on patients' mental health. In this study, a collective exercise intervention experiment was conducted to evaluate the mental health of elderly hypertensive patients and to verify the effect of the psychological intervention of collective exercise. METHOD: A total of 115 elderly hypertensive patients aged 60-70 years old were selected as study subjects from May 2012 to January 2015 in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province, China. A total of 57 patients were included in the control group and 58 patients were assigned in the experimental group. Patients in the experimental group participated in a 12 weeks exercise intervention, while patients in the control group didn't participate in any regular physical exercise. RESULTS: After intervention, the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), total score, somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptom, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, and paranoia scores of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05). The positive coping style score of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05); by contrast, the negative coping style score of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The mental health level and coping ability of elderly hypertensive patients can be effectively improved with the proposed treatment.