1.Risk and protective factors associated with adolescent depression in Singapore: a systematic review.
Wei Sheng GOH ; Jun Hao Norman TAN ; Yang LUO ; Sok Hui NG ; Mohamed Sufyan Bin Mohamed SULAIMAN ; John Chee Meng WONG ; Victor Weng Keong LOH
Singapore medical journal 2025;66(1):2-14
INTRODUCTION:
Adolescent depression is prevalent, and teen suicide rates are on the rise locally. A systemic review to understand associated risk and protective factors is important to strengthen measures for the prevention and early detection of adolescent depression and suicide in Singapore. This systematic review aims to identify the factors associated with adolescent depression in Singapore.
METHODS:
A systematic search on the following databases was performed on 21 May 2020: PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO. Full texts were reviewed for eligibility, and the included studies were appraised for quality using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Narrative synthesis of the finalised articles was performed through thematic analysis.
RESULTS:
In total, eight studies were included in this review. The four factors associated with adolescent depression identified were: (1) sociodemographic factors (gender, ethnicity); (2) psychological factors, including childhood maltreatment exposure and psychological constructs (hope, optimism); (3) coexisting chronic medical conditions (asthma); and (4) lifestyle factors (sleep inadequacy, excessive internet use and pathological gaming).
CONCLUSION
The identified factors were largely similar to those reported in the global literature, except for sleep inadequacy along with conspicuously absent factors such as academic stress and strict parenting, which should prompt further research in these areas. Further research should focus on current and prospective interventions to improve mental health literacy, targeting sleep duration, internet use and gaming, and mitigating the risk of depression in patients with chronic disease in the primary care and community setting.
Humans
;
Singapore/epidemiology*
;
Adolescent
;
Risk Factors
;
Depression/etiology*
;
Protective Factors
;
Male
;
Female
;
Life Style
;
Suicide
2.Anxiety in hospitalised families: lessons from the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Annushkha SINNATHAMBY ; Siau Hwei NG ; Amanda ZAIN ; Liangjian LU ; Celeste YONG ; Xinyi THONG ; Si Min CHAN
Singapore medical journal 2025;66(6):327-332
INTRODUCTION:
In the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, children with COVID-19 in Singapore required hospital isolation. We aimed to explore the psychological experiences of children and their caregivers isolated in a tertiary university hospital due to COVID-19.
METHODS:
A prospective mixed-methods design was used to evaluate the psychological status of hospitalised family units with one or more children aged <18 years who had severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Patient medical records were reviewed for demographic and clinical information. Parents and children ≥7 years of age underwent a psychologist-administered telephone-based interview. Self-reported, age-appropriate instruments, Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, and Screen for Adult/Child Anxiety-Related Disorders, were used to assess anxiety and depression, respectively. Participants were also interviewed qualitatively.
RESULTS:
Fifteen family units were hospitalised between March 2020 and May 2020. Of these, 13 (73%) family units were recruited. The median age of the children and median hospitalisation duration were 57 months and 21 days, respectively. Median number of COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction swabs performed for each child was eight. All children had asymptomatic to mild SARS-CoV-2 disease. The criteria indicative of anxiety disorder were met by 40% of adults and 80% of children, while the criteria indicative of separation anxiety were met by 60% of parents and 100% of children. One child met the criteria indicative of depression. Uncertainty, separation, prolonged hospitalisation and frequent swabs caused significant reported anxiety.
CONCLUSIONS
Families, especially children, had heightened anxiety while in hospital isolation. Therefore, home-based recovery from COVID-19 and psychological support for children and their families, with focus on early recognition of anxiety disorders, are recommended. We support review of paediatric isolation policy as the pandemic evolves.
Humans
;
COVID-19/epidemiology*
;
Male
;
Child
;
Female
;
Singapore/epidemiology*
;
Anxiety/etiology*
;
Prospective Studies
;
Adolescent
;
Hospitalization
;
SARS-CoV-2
;
Adult
;
Child, Preschool
;
Pandemics
;
Parents/psychology*
;
Caregivers/psychology*
;
Family/psychology*
;
Depression
;
Patient Isolation/psychology*
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
3.FU Wenbin's experience in treatment of post-stroke depression with holistic therapy of acupuncture and moxibusiton for Shugan Tiaoshen.
Yawen LI ; Bingxin WU ; Xiaochai GU ; Wenbin FU
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(4):510-515
This paper introduces FU Wenbin's clinical experience in treatment of post-stroke depression with holistic therapy of acupuncture and moxibusiton for Shugan Tiaoshen (soothing the liver and regulating the mind). In pathogenesis, post-stroke depression is associated with the loss of the mind control and the failure of the liver in maintaining the free flow of qi. In treating principle, soothing the liver qi and regulating the mind are equally important, and the holistic regulation is applicable with the combination of multiple therapies. During treatment, the four-gate points are stimulated at first to promote liver qi flowing, the acupoints of the conception vessel and the governor vessel (e.g. Zhongwan [CV12], Guanyuan [CV4], Baihui [GV20], Yintang [GV24+]) are combined to regulate the mind and regain the consciousness. The conditions of illness are differentiated in terms of excess and deficiency, and the point prescription is modified accordingly. Refined moxibustion is applied specially at Fengchi (GB20), Fengfu (GV16) and Wangu (GB12) to warm meridians, strengthen yang and nourish the mind. In the last step of treatment, shallow needling techniques, such as the pricking and bloodletting, intradermal needling and auricular acupuncture, are used to consolidate the curative effect.
Humans
;
Acupuncture Therapy
;
Depression/etiology*
;
Stroke/psychology*
;
Female
;
Male
;
Middle Aged
;
Acupuncture Points
;
Moxibustion
;
Aged
;
Adult
4.Acupuncture and moxibustion combined with umbilical therapy for 30 cases of anxiety and depression in patients with neurogenic bladder after spinal cord injury.
Dongli WANG ; Xueqian WANG ; Rui WANG ; Youzhi HAO ; Weiwei QIAO ; Chao LI ; Yinping ZUO
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(7):923-926
OBJECTIVE:
To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with umbilical therapy on anxiety and depression in patients with neurogenic bladder (NB) after spinal cord injury (SCI).
METHODS:
Thirty cases of NB after SCI with anxiety and depression were selected and treated with acupuncture and moxibustion combined with umbilical therapy. Acupuncture was applied at Baihui (GV20), Yintang (GV24+), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Shenmen (HT7), Hegu (LI4), Taichong (LR3), once a day, continuous treatment for 4 weeks. Ginger moxibustion was applied at the bladder meridian of foot taiyang and governor vessel, once a day, continuous treatment for 4 weeks. In treatment of umbilical therapy, Chaihu (Radix Bupleuri), Yujin (Radix Curcumae), Rougui (Cortex Cinnamomi) were ground and mixed with the same amount of honey, put into the application, and the application was placed on the navel after filling the navel with fine salt, once a day for 4 weeks. Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) score, Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) score, urodynamic indexes (maximum urinary flow rate [Qmax], maximum detrusor pressure [Pdet-max], residual urine volume [RUV]), neurogenic bladder symptom score (NBSS), urinary symptom distress scale (USDS) score were compared before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated.
RESULTS:
After treatment, the scores of HAMA, HAMD, NBSS, USDS and RUVwere lower than those before treatment (P<0.05), and Qmax and Pdet-max were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 93.3 (28/30).
CONCLUSION
Acupuncture and moxibustion combined with umbilical therapy can effectively relieve anxiety and depression symptoms, improve urination disorders in patients with NB after SCI.
Humans
;
Moxibustion
;
Male
;
Female
;
Adult
;
Middle Aged
;
Acupuncture Therapy
;
Spinal Cord Injuries/psychology*
;
Depression/etiology*
;
Anxiety/etiology*
;
Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic/etiology*
;
Young Adult
;
Aged
;
Combined Modality Therapy
;
Acupuncture Points
5.Outcome indicators in randomized controlled trials of traditional Chinese medicine treatment of post-stroke depression.
Jin HAN ; Yue YUAN ; Fang-Biao XU ; Yan-Bo SONG ; Yong-Kang SUN ; Xin-Zhi WANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(2):542-559
This study systematically reviewed the randomized controlled trial(RCT) of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) treatment of post-stroke depression(PSD) and analyzed the clinical study characteristics and outcome indicators, aiming to optimize the design and establish the core outcome set in the future clinical trials of the TCM treatment of PSD. PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, EMbase, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, and SinoMed were searched for the relevant RCT published in recent 3 years. The basic characteristics, intervention measures, and outcome indicators of the included RCT were extracted, and the descriptive analysis was carried out. A total of 76 RCTs were eventually included, with the sample size concentrated in 80-100 cases. The most frequent TCM syndromes were liver depression and Qi stagnation(15 times, 31.91%) and phlegm combined with stasis(5 times, 10.63%). The frequency of intervention methods followed a descending trend of TCM decoction(35 times, 46.05%) and TCM decoction + acupuncture(4 times, 5.26%), Chinese patent medicine(3 times, 3.94%), and the intervention mainly lasted for 1 to 3 months(43 times, 60.56%). The adverse reactions of patients were mainly digestive system reaction(150 patients, 39.37%) and nervous system reaction(112 patients, 29.39%). Most of the included studies had unclear risk of bias, involving 84 outcome indicators, which belonged to 8 indicator domains. The RCTs of TCM treatment of PSD showed a variety of problems, such as non-standard TCM syndrome differentiation, inconsistent names of TCM syndrome scores and measurement tools, low quality, unclear risk of bias, neglect of endpoint indicators, unreasonable selection of substitute indicators, lack of differentiation between primary and secondary outcome indicators, non-standard reporting of safety indicators, insufficient attention to economic indicators, and lack of long-term prognosis evaluation. It is suggested that the future research should improve the quality of methodology and build a standardized core outcome set to promote the development of high-quality clinical research in this field.
Humans
;
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Stroke/psychology*
;
Depression/etiology*
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
6.Research progress on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for improving depression in Parkinson's disease.
Wei LU ; Baofeng HE ; Juan LI ; Mingming WEN ; Min ZHANG
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(2):404-408
Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that mostly occurs in middle-aged and elderly people. It is characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and aggregation of Lewy bodies, resulting in a series of motor symptoms and non-motor symptoms. Depression is the most important manifestation of non-motor symptoms, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Clinicians often use antidepressant drugs to improve the depressive symptoms of patients with Parkinson 's disease, but it is still urgent to solve the problems of drug side effects and drug resistance caused by such methods. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is a safe and non-invasive neuromodulation technique that can change the excitability of the corticospinal tract, induce the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters, and further improve the depressive symptoms of patients with Parkinson 's disease. Based on this, this paper discusses and summarizes the research progress on the efficacy and potential mechanism of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for improving depression in Parkinson 's disease at home and abroad, in order to provide reference for related clinical application research.
Humans
;
Parkinson Disease/psychology*
;
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation/methods*
;
Depression/etiology*
7.A study on electroencephalogram characteristics of depression in patients with aphasia based on resting state and emotional Stroop task.
Siyuan DING ; Yan ZHU ; Chang SHI ; Banghua YANG
Journal of Biomedical Engineering 2025;42(3):488-495
Post-stroke aphasia is associated with a significantly elevated risk of depression, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study recorded 64-channel electroencephalogram data and depression scale scores from 12 aphasic patients with depression, 8 aphasic patients without depression, and 12 healthy controls during resting state and an emotional Stroop task. Spectral and microstate analyses were conducted to examine brain activity patterns across conditions. Results showed that depression scores significantly negatively explained the occurrence of microstate class C and positively explained the transition probability from microstate class A to B. Furthermore, aphasic patients with depression exhibited increased alpha-band activation in the frontal region. These findings suggest distinct neural features in aphasic patients with depression and offer new insights into the mechanisms contributing to their heightened vulnerability to depression.
Humans
;
Electroencephalography
;
Aphasia/etiology*
;
Stroop Test
;
Emotions/physiology*
;
Depression/etiology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Stroke/complications*
;
Brain/physiopathology*
;
Aged
;
Adult
;
Rest/physiology*
8.Mediating effect of sleep duration between depression symptoms and myopia in middle school students.
Wei DU ; Xu-Xiang YANG ; Ru-Shuang ZENG ; Chun-Yao ZHAO ; Zhi-Peng XIANG ; Yuan-Chun LI ; Jie-Song WANG ; Xiao-Hong SU ; Xiao LU ; Yu LI ; Jing WEN ; Dang HAN ; Qun DU ; Jia HE
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(3):359-365
OBJECTIVES:
To explore the mediating role of sleep duration in the relationship between depression symptoms and myopia among middle school students.
METHODS:
This study was a cross-sectional research conducted using a stratified cluster random sampling method. A total of 1 728 middle school students were selected from two junior high schools and two senior high schools in certain urban areas and farms of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Questionnaire surveys and vision tests were conducted among the students. Spearman analysis was used to analyze the correlation between depression symptoms, sleep duration, and myopia. The Bootstrap method was employed to investigate the mediating effect of sleep duration between depression symptoms and myopia.
RESULTS:
The prevalence of myopia in the overall population was 74.02% (1 279/1 728), with an average sleep duration of (7.6±1.0) hours. The rate of insufficient sleep was 83.62% (1 445/1 728), and the proportion of students exhibiting depression symptoms was 25.29% (437/1 728). Correlation analysis showed significant negative correlations between visual acuity in both eyes and sleep duration with depressive emotions as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (with correlation coefficients of -0.064, -0.084, and -0.199 respectively; P<0.01), as well as with somatic symptoms and activities (with correlation coefficients of -0.104, -0.124, and -0.233 respectively; P<0.01) and interpersonal relationships (with correlation coefficients of -0.052, -0.059, and -0.071 respectively; P<0.05). The correlation coefficients for left and right eye visual acuity and sleep duration were 0.206 and 0.211 respectively (P<0.001). Sleep duration exhibited a mediating effect between depression symptoms and myopia (indirect effect=0.056, 95%CI: 0.029-0.088), with the mediating effect value for females (indirect effect=0.066, 95%CI: 0.024-0.119) being higher than that for males (indirect effect=0.042, 95%CI: 0.011-0.081).
CONCLUSIONS
Sleep duration serves as a partial mediator between depression symptoms and myopia in middle school students.
Humans
;
Myopia/etiology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Depression/physiopathology*
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Sleep
;
Adolescent
;
Students
;
Child
;
Time Factors
;
Sleep Duration
9.Maternal depressive symptoms and adolescent suicidal ideation: the chain mediating roles of childhood trauma and ineffectiveness.
Ying-Yan ZHONG ; Yu-Ting LI ; Jian-Hua CHEN ; Ru-Meng CHEN ; En-Zhao CONG ; Yi-Feng XU
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(11):1317-1325
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the association between maternal depressive symptoms and adolescent suicidal ideation, and to examine the chain mediating roles of childhood trauma and ineffectiveness.
METHODS:
A cross-sectional online survey was administered by school psychologists to 4 157 mother-adolescent pairs from middle schools in Shanghai and Henan, China. Measures included the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and the Children's Depression Inventory. Using Bootstrap method to examine the chain mediating effect of childhood trauma and ineffectiveness on the relationship between maternal depression symptoms and adolescent suicidal ideation.
RESULTS:
The prevalence of maternal depressive symptoms was 17.68% (735/4 157); among adolescents, the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 15.49% (644/4 157), and suicidal ideation was 28.19% (1 172/4 157). Adolescent depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation were positively correlated with maternal depressive symptoms, childhood trauma, and ineffectiveness (all P<0.01). Childhood trauma significantly mediated the association between maternal and adolescent depressive symptoms (95%CI: 0.046 9-0.077 2). The chain mediation of childhood trauma and ineffectiveness in the association between maternal depressive symptoms and adolescent suicidal ideation was also significant (95%CI: 0.000 7-0.001 3).
CONCLUSIONS
Higher maternal depressive symptom levels are associated with a greater likelihood of adolescents' exposure to childhood trauma, which increases adolescents' ineffectiveness and, in turn, is associated with suicidal ideation. This chain effect has important implications for social interventions targeting adolescent depression.
Humans
;
Suicidal Ideation
;
Adolescent
;
Female
;
Depression/etiology*
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Mothers/psychology*
;
Male
;
Child
;
Adult
10.Xiangshao Granules Ameliorate Post-stroke Depression by Inhibiting Activation of Microglia and IDO1 Expression in Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex.
Cheng-Gang LI ; Lu-Shan XU ; Liang SUN ; Yu-Hao XU ; Xiang CAO ; Chen-Chen ZHAO ; Sheng-Nan XIA ; Qing-Xiu ZHANG ; Yun XU
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(1):28-38
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the therapeutic effect of Xiangshao Granules (XSG) on post-stroke depression (PSD) and explore the underlying mechanisms.
METHODS:
Forty-three C57BL/6J mice were divided into 3 groups: sham (n=15), PSD+vehicle (n=14), and PSD+XSG (n=14) groups according to a random number table. The PSD models were constructed using chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The sham group only experienced the same surgical operation, but without MACO and CUMS stimulation. The XSG group received XSG (60 mg/kg per day) by gavage for 4 weeks. The mice in the sham and vehicle groups were given the same volume of 0.9% saline at the same time. The body weight and behavior tests including open field test, sucrose preference test, tail suspension test, and elevated plus-maze test, were used to validate the PSD mouse model. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunofluorescence staining were used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of XSG. The potential molecular mechanisms were explored and verified through network pharmacology analysis, Nissl staining, Western blot, ELISA, and RT-qPCR, respectively.
RESULTS:
The body weight and behavior tests showed that MCAO combined with CUMS successfully established the PSD models. XSG alleviated neuronal damage, reduced the expressions of pro-apoptotic proteins Caspase-3 and B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2)-associated X (BAX), and increased the expression of anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2 in PSD mice (P<0.05 or P<0.01). XSG inhibited microglial activation and the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1 β, and IL-6 via the toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway in PSD mice (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Furthermore, XSG decreased the expression of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase1 (IDO1) and increased the concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine in PSD mice (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
CONCLUSION
XSG could reverse the anxiety/depressionlike behaviors and reduce the neuronal injury in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of PSD mice, which may be a potential therapeutic agent for PSD.
Animals
;
Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase/metabolism*
;
Depression/etiology*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Hippocampus/metabolism*
;
Male
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Prefrontal Cortex/pathology*
;
Microglia/metabolism*
;
Stroke/drug therapy*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Mice
;
Behavior, Animal/drug effects*

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