Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition characterized by noticeable deficits in memory retrieval or other cognitive domains than the individuals with the same age but do not significantly interfere with daily functioning. It represents an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia, and a crucial opportunity for intervention prior to extensive cognitive decline. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, has shown promise in enhancing global cognition in MCI. Current evidence suggests that tDCS provides short-term cognitive benefits, particularly in memory and attention, with moderate effects observed in processing speed. However, its impact on executive function and language remains inconsistent, highlighting variability in individual responses and study methodologies.While long-term efficacy remains uncertain due to limited longitudinal research and short follow-up periods, safety concerns, especially with self-administered tDCS such as in home-based tDCS, underscore the need for proper training and device innovation.Despite this, tDCS is a promising, portable tool for cognitive enhancement in MCI, with potential to delay progression to dementia. Addressing challenges such as optimizing stimulation protocols, accounting for individual neuroanatomical variability, and establishing long-term effectiveness will be essential for its broader clinical adoption.Future research should focus on standardizing methodologies, incorporating biomarkers to predict treatment response, and conducting large-scale, longitudinal studies to refine its therapeutic application.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition characterized by noticeable deficits in memory retrieval or other cognitive domains than the individuals with the same age but do not significantly interfere with daily functioning. It represents an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia, and a crucial opportunity for intervention prior to extensive cognitive decline. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, has shown promise in enhancing global cognition in MCI. Current evidence suggests that tDCS provides short-term cognitive benefits, particularly in memory and attention, with moderate effects observed in processing speed. However, its impact on executive function and language remains inconsistent, highlighting variability in individual responses and study methodologies.While long-term efficacy remains uncertain due to limited longitudinal research and short follow-up periods, safety concerns, especially with self-administered tDCS such as in home-based tDCS, underscore the need for proper training and device innovation.Despite this, tDCS is a promising, portable tool for cognitive enhancement in MCI, with potential to delay progression to dementia. Addressing challenges such as optimizing stimulation protocols, accounting for individual neuroanatomical variability, and establishing long-term effectiveness will be essential for its broader clinical adoption.Future research should focus on standardizing methodologies, incorporating biomarkers to predict treatment response, and conducting large-scale, longitudinal studies to refine its therapeutic application.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition characterized by noticeable deficits in memory retrieval or other cognitive domains than the individuals with the same age but do not significantly interfere with daily functioning. It represents an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia, and a crucial opportunity for intervention prior to extensive cognitive decline. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive neuromodulation technique, has shown promise in enhancing global cognition in MCI. Current evidence suggests that tDCS provides short-term cognitive benefits, particularly in memory and attention, with moderate effects observed in processing speed. However, its impact on executive function and language remains inconsistent, highlighting variability in individual responses and study methodologies.While long-term efficacy remains uncertain due to limited longitudinal research and short follow-up periods, safety concerns, especially with self-administered tDCS such as in home-based tDCS, underscore the need for proper training and device innovation.Despite this, tDCS is a promising, portable tool for cognitive enhancement in MCI, with potential to delay progression to dementia. Addressing challenges such as optimizing stimulation protocols, accounting for individual neuroanatomical variability, and establishing long-term effectiveness will be essential for its broader clinical adoption.Future research should focus on standardizing methodologies, incorporating biomarkers to predict treatment response, and conducting large-scale, longitudinal studies to refine its therapeutic application.

Objective: Recently, burnout and mental health issues regarding nurses are reported increasingly. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety symptoms among hospital nurses and determine their association with psychological and job-related factors. Methods: Data on demographics, job-related characteristics, burnout, Type A behavior patterns, self-esteem, and happiness were collected from 515 nurses working at a university hospital in Korea. Anxiety symptoms were assessed using the anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, with scores of 8 or higher indicating the presence of anxiety symptoms. Demographic, job-related, and psychological factors were compared according to the presence of anxiety. Logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with anxiety symptoms. Results: Two hundred and four (39.6%) participants had anxiety symptoms. Self-esteem and happiness were associated with a lower risk of anxiety symptoms, whereas burnout was associated with a higher risk of anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, being female, having a career of less than five years, and requiring counseling due to stress were associated with a higher risk of anxiety symptoms. Being younger, female, or a basic nurse; having a career of less than five years; partaking in shift work; experiencing job dissatisfaction; requiring counseling due to stress; being exposed to higher levels of burnout; and having lower levels of self-esteem and happiness were all found to be significantly correlated with anxiety symptoms. Conclusion These findings suggest that promoting self-esteem and happiness while reducing burnout may be beneficial in preventing and managing anxiety symptoms among hospital nurses.

Objective: This study aims to determine the effects of online mindful somatic psychoeducation program (o-MSP) on mental health in female university students during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Methods: Thirty-eight female university students were randomly assigned to an intervention group (IG, n=19) or a control group (CG, n=19). IG received o-MSP for 2-hours per session, twice weekly for 4-weeks; CG maintained their usual daily routine for 4-weeks. Measurements were performed pre- and post-intervention to assess stress, anxiety, and social connectedness using Perceived Stress Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Social Connectedness Scale. A qualitative analysis of changes in soma and social connectedness, subjectification of the soma, and mind–body integration was conducted through online interviews. Results: Regarding stress and social connectedness, there were no significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). However, significant differences were observed in the main effect of time of measurement and time×group interaction, with IG showing significant improvement post-intervention, unlike CG (p<0.05). Regarding anxiety, there were significant differences in the main effect of time of measurement, time×group interaction, and group factor (p<0.05). Post-intervention, CG did not show a significant change, while IG showed a significant decrease (p<0.05). Qualitative analysis revealed that participants experienced “changes in soma and social connectedness,” “subjectification of soma–body,” and “embodiment of mind–body integration,” and reported improved mental health. Conclusion The o-MSP effectively reduced stress and anxiety in female university students and improved social connectedness. This suggests that o-MSP can be used to manage the mental health of university students in various settings.

Objective: This study investigated the influence of psychosocial factors on medical students’ quality of life (QOL). Methods: A total of 408 medical students participated in this study. We collected data on participants’ sociodemographic details, symptoms of depression and Internet addiction, self-esteem, social support, and QOL. QOL was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Abbreviated form, which has four domains (physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment). A stepwise multiple linear regression model was constructed to identify factors’ independent impact on QOL. Results: Higher levels of depression and Internet addiction were associated with lower scores in all domains of QOL, whereas higher levels of self-esteem and social support were associated with higher scores. Being in third-year versus first-year was associated with higher scores in the physical health and environment domains. Living alone or in dormitories, low or middle socioeconomic status, and insufficient or moderate pocket money were associated with lower scores in the environment domain. Additionally, female students displayed significantly lower scores for physical health, psychological health, and environment than male students, but not for social relationships. There were significant differences in certain domains of QOL due to sociodemographic factors. Conclusion This study demonstrates the psychosocial factors influencing medical students’ QOL. Educational strategies focusing on strengthening self-esteem and social support as well as preventing depression and Internet addiction may contribute to improving medical students’ QOL.

Lamotrigine and aripiprazole have shown efficacy as augmentation agents of serotonin reuptake inhibitors for treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To date, the efficacy of lamotrigine/aripiprazole augmentation has not been reported in OCD treatment. Herein, we report the case of a 37-year-old male with severe OCD and comorbid depression whose symptoms markedly improved after low-dose lamotrigine/aripiprazole augmentation to clomipramine.Our report suggests that early glutamatergic/antipsychotic augmentation contributes to rapid remission of OCD symptoms.

In this study, the Search Your Mind (S.Y.M., 心) project aimed to collect prospective digital phenotypic data centered on mood and anxiety symptoms across psychiatric disorders through a smartphone application (app) platform while using both centralized and decentralized research designs: the centralized research design is a hybrid of a general prospective observational study and a digital platform-based study, and it includes face-to-face research such as informed written consent, clinical evaluation, and blood sampling. It also includes digital phenotypic assessment through an application-based platform using wearable devices. Meanwhile, the decentralized research design is a non-face-to-face study in which anonymous participants agree to electronic informed consent forms on the app. It also exclusively uses an application-based platform to acquire individualized digital phenotypic data. We expect to collect clinical, biological, and digital phenotypic data centered on mood and anxiety symptoms, and we propose a possible model of centralized and decentralized research design.

Objectives: Sleep disturbance in the elderly is associated with cognitive decline. Sleep quality is known to deteriorate with age, and prospective studies seldom have examined the relationship between sleep quality and cognitive function. This study investigates the relationship between early sleep quality and cognitive function based on six-year follow-up data of community individuals older than 60 years. Methods: The participants included 622 community elderly people older than 60 years from Jinju-Si. The final analysis comprised 322 elderly people. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and the Korean version of Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease (CERAD-K) were used to assess early sleep quality and cognitive function after six years. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between early sleep quality and cognitive function in the elderly. Results: Early sleep quality (PSQI) was significantly associated with the results of the digit span test, clock drawing test (clox 1), and word recall test after six years. Sleep quality (PSQI) decreased significantly after six years, and lower quality of sleep (PSQI) score was associated with higher digit span test score (β = -0.167, p = 0.026) and higher clock drawing test score (β = -0.157, p = 0.031). Lower quality of sleep (PSQI) score was associated with higher word recall test (β = -0.140, p = 0.039). Conclusion The digit span test, word recall test, and clock drawing task (CLOX 1) shown to be significantly associated to sleep quality can be performed fast and easily in clinical practice. It is important to assess early cognitive function in the elderly with poor sleep quality, and further studies could suggest that these tests may be useful screening tests for early dementia in elderly with poor sleep quality.

The finite nature of human existence leads many to search for meaning, which comes into sharper relief for those who are imminently facing death. Therefore, universal existential concerns such as the inevitability of death, existential isolation, loss of meaning, freedom, and dignity are inherent psychological issues in palliative care. Consequently, one of the critical challenges facing palliative care is how to address these issues effectively. This paper provides an overview of common themes of existential concerns and psychotherapeutic interventions to address existential distress among patients in palliative care.