The impact of national and international financial crises on mental health and well-being: a systematic review

Background: Evidence suggests that financial crises and poor mental health are reciprocally related, butno systematic review has been conducted to synthesise the existing literature on the impact of nationaland international financial crises on population-level mental health and well-being.Aims: The aim of this study was to systematically review the available literature on the global impactof financial crises on mental health and well-being outcomes.Methods: After registration on PROSPERO, a systematic search was conducted in PsycINFO, MEDLINE,Wiley, and Web of Science for papers published until 21 November 2022. Following the PreferredReporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement, 98 papers were identifiedas meeting eligibility criteria. Included studies were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool(MMAT) and results were presented in a formal narrative synthesis.Results: Our findings show that financial crises are significantly associated with well-being andoccurrence of psychological conditions. Several socio-demographic, cultural, and country-specificcharacteristics played a crucial role in the prevention of population mental health decline in periods offinancial crises.Conclusions: Based on the findings of this review, evidence-based recommendations were developedto guide the design of policy actions that protect population mental health during and after financialcrises

The impact of inequality on mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review

Previous research on pandemics and emergencies has shown that such events often widen health inequalities in society and have a greater impact on socially disadvantaged groups. No review has so far looked at the impact of inequality factors on mental health outcomes during the novel coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19). The aim of the current review was therefore to assess the impact of inequality factors on mental health outcomes during COVID-19. After registration on PROSPERO, a systematic review was conducted for papers published up to July 31, 2020, using the databases Google Scholar, PsycINFO, PubMed (MEDLINE), and Web of Science. The following inequality factors were considered: education, income, employment, occupation, material and social deprivation, age, immigrant status, sexual orientation, functional health, cultural/racial background, sex, gender, and place of residence. Out of 1,931 references, 117 studies (300,061 participants) were included. Female sex, being of a younger age, financial insecurity, lack of access to clear messaging/information about the pandemic, proximity to large infection sites, having existing physical and/or psychological health conditions, and being subjected to abuse/stigma because of one’s identity as a member of an ethnic or sexual marginalized group predicted mental health inequalities. More research is required on how inequality affects mental health in less studied vulnerable populations, such as ethnic, sexual, and gender marginalized participants, as well as how inequality factors interact to affect mental health in the long term. Recommendations for researchers, mental health practitioners, and public health authorities for mitigating adverse mental health outcomes in vulnerable populations are outlined

The impact of national and international financial crises on mental health and well-being: A systematic review

BackgroundEvidence suggests that financial crises and poor mental health are reciprocally related, but no systematic review has been conducted to synthesise the existing literature on the impact of national and international financial crises on population-level mental health and well-being.AimsThe aim of this study was to systematically review the available literature on the global impact of financial crises on mental health and well-being outcomes.MethodsAfter registration on PROSPERO, a systematic search was conducted in PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Wiley, and Web of Science for papers published until 21 November 2022. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement, 98 papers were identified as meeting eligibility criteria. Included studies were assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and results were presented in a formal narrative synthesis.ResultsOur findings show that financial crises are significantly associated with well-being and occurrence of psychological conditions. Several socio-demographic, cultural, and country-specific characteristics played a crucial role in the prevention of population mental health decline in periods of financial crises.ConclusionsBased on the findings of this review, evidence-based recommendations were developed to guide the design of policy actions that protect population mental health during and after financial crises

The benefits of physical activity in individuals with cardiovascular risk factors : a longitudinal investigation using fNIRS and dual-task walking

ABSTRACT: Cardiovascular fitness is linked to better executive functions, preserved gait speed, and efficient cortical activity. Older adults with cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) typically show poor cognitive performance, low physical fitness, and altered brain functioning compared with healthy individuals. In the current study, the impact of regular physical activity on cognition, locomotion, and brain functions was explored in a cohort of older adults with low or high CVRFs. Cortical activation of the frontal areas was investigated using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) at baseline, at 6 months and at 12 months. Evoked cortical response and behavioral performance were assessed using the dual-task walking paradigm, consisting of three conditions: single cognitive task (2-back task), single walking task (walking), and dual-task (2-back whilst walking). Results show greater task-related cortical response at baseline in individuals with high CVRFs compared to those with low CVRFs. Moreover, participants with high CVRFs benefitted the most from participating in regular physical activity, as their cortical response decreased at the 12-month follow-up and became comparable to that of participants with low CVRFs. These changes were observed in conjunction with improved cognitive performance and stable gait speed throughout the 12-month period in both groups. Our findings provide evidence that participation in regular physical activity may be especially beneficial in individuals with CVRFs by promoting brain and cognitive health, thus potentially contributing to prevention of cognitive decline. Future research may explore whether such effects are maintained in the long-term in order to design ad-hoc interventions in this specific population

The Benefits of Physical Activity in Individuals with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Longitudinal Investigation Using fNIRS and Dual-Task Walking

Cardiovascular fitness is linked to better executive functions, preserved gait speed, and efficient cortical activity. Older adults with cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) typically show poor cognitive performance, low physical fitness, and altered brain functioning compared with healthy individuals. In the current study, the impact of regular physical activity on cognition, locomotion, and brain functions was explored in a cohort of older adults with low or high CVRFs. Cortical activation of the frontal areas was investigated using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) at baseline, at 6 months and at 12 months. Evoked cortical response and behavioral performance were assessed using the dual-task walking paradigm, consisting of three conditions: single cognitive task (2-back task), single walking task (walking), and dual-task (2-back whilst walking). Results show greater task-related cortical response at baseline in individuals with high CVRFs compared to those with low CVRFs. Moreover, participants with high CVRFs benefitted the most from participating in regular physical activity, as their cortical response decreased at the 12-month follow-up and became comparable to that of participants with low CVRFs. These changes were observed in conjunction with improved cognitive performance and stable gait speed throughout the 12-month period in both groups. Our findings provide evidence that participation in regular physical activity may be especially beneficial in individuals with CVRFs by promoting brain and cognitive health, thus potentially contributing to prevention of cognitive decline. Future research may explore whether such effects are maintained in the long-term in order to design ad-hoc interventions in this specific population

Exploring cognitive and brain oxygenation changes over a 1-year period in physically active individuals with mild cognitive impairment: a longitudinal fNIRS pilot study

BACKGROUND: Aging is associated with an increased likelihood of developing dementia, but a growing body of evidence suggests that certain modifiable risk factors may help prevent or delay dementia onset. Among these, physical activity (PA) has been linked to better cognitive performance and brain functions in healthy older adults and may contribute to preventing dementia. The current pilot study investigated changes in behavioral and brain activation patterns over a 1-year period in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and healthy controls taking part in regular PA. METHODS: Frontal cortical response during a dual-task walking paradigm was investigated at baseline, at 6 months (T6), and at 12 months (T12) by means of a portable functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) system. The dual-task paradigm included a single cognitive task (2-back), a single motor task (walking), and a dual-task condition (2-back whilst walking). RESULTS: Both groups showed progressive improvement in cognitive performance at follow-up visits compared to baseline. Gait speed remained stable throughout the duration of the study in the control group and increased at T6 for those with MCI. A significant decrease in cortical activity was observed in both groups during the cognitive component of the dual-task at follow-up visits compared to baseline, with MCI individuals showing the greatest improvement. CONCLUSIONS: The observations of this pilot study suggest that taking part in regular PA may be especially beneficial for both cognitive performance and brain functions in older adulthood and, especially, in individuals with MCI. Our findings may serve as preliminary evidence for the use of PA as a potential intervention to prevent cognitive decline in individuals at greater risk of dementia. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-022-03306-x

Prefrontal hyperactivation during dual-task walking related to apathy symptoms in older individuals.

Increasing evidence associates apathy with worsening in cognitive performance and greater risk of dementia, in both clinical and healthy older populations. In older adults with neurocognitive disorders, apathy has also been related to specific fronto-subcortical structural abnormalities, thus differentiating apathy and major depressive disorder. Yet, the neural mechanisms associated with apathy in healthy older adults are still unclear. In the present study, we investigated the frontal cortical response during a dual-task walking paradigm in forty-one healthy older adults with and without apathy symptoms, controlling for depressive symptoms. The dual-task walking paradigm included a single cognitive task (2-back), a single motor task (walking), and a dual-task condition (2-back whilst walking). The cortical response was measured by means of functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS). The results revealed that participants with apathy symptoms showed greater activation of subregions of the prefrontal cortex and of the premotor cortex compared to healthy controls during the single cognitive component of the dual-task paradigm, whilst cognitive performance was equivalent between groups. Moreover, increased cortical response during the cognitive task was associated with higher odds of exhibiting apathy symptoms, independently of depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that apathy may be related to differential brain activation patterns in healthy older individuals and are in line with previous evidence of the distinctiveness between apathy and depression. Future research may explore the long-term effects of apathy on the cortical response in healthy older adults

Fully automated volumetric modulated arc therapy technique for radiation therapy of locally advanced breast cancer

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate an a-priori multicriteria plan optimization algorithm (mCycle) for locally advanced breast cancer radiation therapy (RT) by comparing automatically generated VMAT (Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy) plans (AP-VMAT) with manual clinical Helical Tomotherapy (HT) plans. Methods The study included 25 patients who received postoperative RT using HT. The patient cohort had diverse target selections, including both left and right breast/chest wall (CW) and III-IV node, with or without internal mammary node (IMN) and Simultaneous Integrated Boost (SIB). The Planning Target Volume (PTV) was obtained by applying a 5 mm isotropic expansion to the CTV (Clinical Target Volume), with a 5 mm clip from the skin. Comparisons of dosimetric parameters and delivery/planning times were conducted. Dosimetric verification of the AP-VMAT plans was performed. Results The study showed statistically significant improvements in AP-VMAT plans compared to HT for OARs (Organs At Risk) mean dose, except for the heart and ipsilateral lung. No significant differences in V95% were observed for PTV breast/CW and PTV III-IV, while increased coverage (higher V95%) was seen for PTV IMN in AP-VMAT plans. HT plans exhibited smaller values of PTV V105% for breast/CW and III-IV, with no differences in PTV IMN and boost. HT had an average (± standard deviation) delivery time of (17 ± 8) minutes, while AP-VMAT took (3 ± 1) minutes. The average γ passing rate for AP-VMAT plans was 97%±1%. Planning times reduced from an average of 6 h for HT to about 2 min for AP-VMAT. Conclusions Comparing AP-VMAT plans with clinical HT plans showed similar or improved quality. The implementation of mCycle demonstrated successful automation of the planning process for VMAT treatment of locally advanced breast cancer, significantly reducing workload