METHODS: Unstructured observations and a focus-group discussion were carried out with 18 participants involved in a six-week SRT program in a residential care facility in Kuala Lumpur.
RESULTS: Analysis revealed four themes: (i) Enthusiastic participation; (ii) Connections across boundaries; (iii) Expressing and reflecting; and (iv) Successful use of triggers.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that the process of reminiscence, on which the program was based, was enjoyable for the participants and created opportunities to form connections with other members of the group. The use of relevant triggers in the SRT program that related to Malaysian cultures, ethnicities and religions was helpful to engage the participants and was acceptable across the different religions and ethnicities.
METHODS: The current study examined the effects of acupuncture on depression-like behaviors in a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), while also exploring its potential mechanisms. A total of six groups of rats were randomly assigned: control, CUMS, acupuncture, fluoxetine, acupoint catgut embedding and sham acupoint catgut embedding. Fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg) and acupoint catgut embedding were used for comparative research to acupuncture. The modelling evaluation is measured by body weight and behavior tests. Western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the proteins and mRNA expression of Silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1)/ nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/ heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)/ Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway in the hippocampus. The expression of oxidative stress (OS)-related proteins and inflammatory cytokines in the serum was detected with ELISA. Immunofluorescence showed microglia and astrocytes activity in the hippocampus.
RESULTS: Acupuncture and fluoxetine could alleviate CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors. Acupuncture was also found to effectively reverse the levels of MDA, SOD, GSH, GSH-PX and T-AOC, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum of CUMS-induced rats. Rats with CUMS showed decreased levels of Sirt1, Nrf2, HO-1 and GPX4 in the hippocampus, while acupuncture treatment could partly reverse the diminished effects. In addition, acupuncture treatment significantly reduced the activation of hippocampal microglia and astrocytes in CUMS-induced rats.
CONCLUSION: The study's findings indicate that acupuncture has the potential to mitigate depression-like behaviors in rats induced with CUMS by mitigating OS and reducing neuroinflammation.
METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group (CON), chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) group, CUMS + electroacupuncture group (EA), and CUMS + fluoxetine group (FLX) (n = 10/group). Rats were given a 28-day treatment at the Shangxing (GV23) and Fengfu (GV16) acupoints with electroacupuncture or fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg).
RESULTS: Rats exposed to CUMS induced depression-like behaviors and spatial learning-memory impairment, changed the ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA-1), Vglut1, myelin basic protein (MBP), and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) level of hippocampal, increased the Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), atypical squamous cell (ASC), Caspase level and hippocampal reactive oxygen species (ROS), and prompted the activation of Epha4-mediated signaling and an inflammatory response. Conversely, electroacupuncture administration reduced these changes and prevented depression-like behaviors and cognitive impairment. Electroacupuncture also promoted hippocampal expression of Sirtuin1(SIRT1), Nuclear factor erythroid 2-like (Nrf2), Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1); reduced the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α); and prevented neural damage, particularly the synaptic myelin sheath, and neuroinflammation by regulating Eph receptor A4 (EphA4) in the hippocampal.
CONCLUSION: These results indicate that electroacupuncture prevents depression-like behaviors with cognitive impairment and synaptic and neuronal damage, probably by reducing EphA4, which mediates ROS hyperfunction and the inflammatory response.
OBJECTIVE: This research reduced depression level with Javanese gamelan therapy in chronic kidney failure patients' who undergo hemodialysis at RSUD KRMT Wongsonegoro Semarang.
METHOD: It was a quasi-experimental research with pretest-post-test without control group. The research was administered during March-May 2019 with 30 respondents taken as sample using the total sampling technique.
RESULTS: The research on 30 respondents showed that p-value=0.00,
METHODS: A total of 28 PWE were randomly assigned to either intervention (n = 14 cases) or control group (n = 14 controls). The intervention group received a six 2.5-hour weekly MBI, while the control group did not receive any intervention. They were assessed at three timepoints (T0: before intervention, T1: immediately after intervention, and T2: 6 weeks after intervention). Repeated measures of analyses of variance (RM-ANOVAs) were used for inter-group comparisons to determine intervention effect from baseline -to T1 and -to T2 for all outcome measures. The individual changes were calculated using the reliable change index (RCI). Key outcomes included depression (BDI-II), anxiety (BAI), epilepsy-related quality of life (QOLIE-31), satisfaction with life (SWLS), and level of mindfulness (MAAS).
RESULTS: Participants who participated in the MBI showed significant reduction in BDI-II (p = 0.001), significant increases in MAAS (p = 0.027) and QOLIE-31 (p = 0.001) at T1 when compared with the control group. However, BAI and SWLS were not significant. The trend was similar at 6-week follow-up, all outcome measures of MBI remained significant (p
METHODS: The study included 2322 nationally represented community-dwelling older persons in Malaysia who participated in the baseline study of Neuroprotective Model for Healthy Longevity. In order to test the moderating effect of emotional support on the association between disability and life satisfaction, a series of hierarchical multiple linear regression models were utilized, after controlling for potential covariates associated with life satisfaction.
RESULTS: Bivariate analyses showed that disability negatively predicted life satisfaction, whereas emotional support positively predicted life satisfaction. Furthermore, the moderated hierarchical regression analysis showed that emotional support moderated the association between disability and life satisfaction, after controlling for potential covariates, such that the negative relationship between disability and life satisfaction was stronger for individuals with lower levels of emotional support.
CONCLUSIONS: The presence of emotional support might reduce the negative effects of disability on life satisfaction. These findings have important clinical implications, especially in developing better strategies to help disabled older persons to cope with their disabilities; with the hope that in the long term, a society with healthy longevity can be established. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1361-1365.
METHOD: A single-blind randomized controlled trial was carried out among 162 oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy from July 2013 to February 2014 in a government hospital with oncology facilities in Malaysia. Participants were randomized to either the intervention group or the control group. Chemotherapy counseling using the module on 'Managing Patients on Chemotherapy' by Pharmacists was delivered to the intervention group. The outcome measures were assessed at baseline, first follow-up and second follow-up and third follow-up post-intervention. Chi-square, independent samples t-test and two-way repeated measures ANOVA were conducted in the course of the data analyses.
RESULTS: In assessing the impact of the chemotherapy counseling module, the study revealed that the module along with repetitive counseling showed significant improvement of quality of life in the intervention group as compared to the control group with a large effect size in physical health (p = 0.001, partial Ƞ2 = 0.66), psychological (p = 0.001, partial Ƞ2 = 0.65), social relationships (p = 0.001, partial Ƞ2 = 0.30), and environment (p = 0.001, partial Ƞ2 = 0.67) and decrease in the anxiety (p = 0.000; partial Ƞ2 = 0.23), depression (p = 0.000; partial Ƞ2 = 0.40).
CONCLUSION: The module on 'Managing Patients on Chemotherapy' along with repetitive counseling by pharmacists has been shown to be effective in improving quality of life and decreasing anxiety and depression among oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: National Medical Research Register (NMRR) of Malaysia and given a registration number NMRR-12-1057-12,363 on 21 December 2012.
METHODS: One hundred and seven older adults with mild to moderate depressive symptoms were recruited from Ya'an city. Fifty-five participants were cluster randomized to combined music and Tai Chi group for three months, while the other fifty-two individuals were randomized to the control group that entailed routine health education delivered monthly by community nurses. The primary outcome of depressive symptoms was measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) at baseline and monthly for three months.
RESULTS: At three-month follow-up, a statistically significant improvement in depressive symptoms was found in the intervention group compared with control group (F(3,315) = 69.661, P < 0.001). Following adjustments for socio-demographic data, the true effect of intervention on depressive symptoms was significant (F = 41.725, P < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.574).
CONCLUSIONS: Combined music and Tai Chi reduced depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older persons. This represents an economically viable solution to the management of depression in highly populous developing nations.
BACKGROUND: Previous literature showed that mindfulness-based training is useful for helping nurses cope with stress.
METHOD: Nurses who have mild to moderate levels of stress, anxiety and depression identified from a teaching hospital were invited to a randomized control trial. The intervention group had a 2-hr Mindfulness-Based Training workshop, followed by 4 weeks of guided self-practice Mindfulness-Based Training website. Both the intervention group (n = 118) and the control group (n = 106) were evaluated pre- and post-intervention, and 8 weeks later (follow-up) using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21, Job Satisfaction Scale and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale.
RESULTS: There was a significant effect over time on stress, anxiety, depression and mindfulness level (p
METHODS: Chronic unpredictable mild stress- (CUMS-) induced rats were established for the depression animal model. There were a total of four rat groups, including the control group, the CUMS group, the CUMS+acupuncture group, and the CUMS+fluoxetine group. The acupuncture group and the fluoxetine group were given a 3-week treatment after the modeling intervention. The researcher performed the open-field, elevated plus maze, and sucrose preference tests to evaluate depressive behaviors. The number of nerve cells, dendrites' length, and the prefrontal cortex's spine density were detected using Golgi staining. The prefrontal cortex expression, such as BDNF, PSD95, SYN, and PKMZ protein, was detected using the western blot and RT-PCR.
RESULTS: Acupuncture could alleviate depressive-like behaviors and promote the recovery of the neural plasticity functions in the prefrontal cortex, showing the increasing cell numbers, prolonging the length of the dendrites, and enhancing the spine density. The neural plasticity-related proteins in the prefrontal cortex, including BDNF, PSD95, SYN, and PKMZ, were all downregulated in the CUMS-induced group; however, these effects could be partly reversed after being treated by acupuncture and fluoxetine (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can ameliorate depressive-like behaviors by promoting the recovery of neural plasticity functions and neural plasticity-related protein upregulation in the prefrontal cortex of CUMS-induced depressed rats. Our study provides new insights into the antidepressant approach, and further studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms of acupuncture involved in depression treatment.