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ObjectivesMethodsResultsConclusionsClinical implicationsThis study investigated the impact of social activities on cognitive functioning and psychopathological symptoms.Participants aged 55 or older were enrolled through communities. Initial measures assessed demographic data, neuropsychological functioning, psychopathological state, and happiness. Social activities were evaluated using a modified 12-item tool, with 3–4 activities as the cutoff. Follow-up after 6–9 months included Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Beck Depression Inventory – II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) measurements. Predictive models for psychiatric and cognitive statuses were built using multiple linear regression, adjusting for baseline conditions.Initially, 516 older individuals enrolled, with 403 undergoing follow-up. During follow-up, the low participation group reported lower MMSE scores, higher BAI scores, and increased PHQ-15 risk. Negative correlations between social activity numbers and PHQ-15 results were found. Engagement in social clubs correlated positively with higher MMSE scores, while regular interactions with one’s adult child(ren) were linked to decreased BAI scores.The quantity of social activities was associated with lower somatic distress. Social club engagement positively influenced cognition, and regular interactions with one’s adult child(ren) mitigated anxiety among older individuals.Enough types of social activities, participating in social clubs, and adequate interactions with children protected against psychopathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are limited therapeutic options for patients with Dravet syndrome (DS). The equilibrative nucleoside transporters 1 (ENT1) mediate both the influx and efflux of adenosine across the cell membrane exerted beneficial effects in the treatment of epilepsy. This study aimed to evaluate the anticonvulsant effect of the ENT1 inhibitor in an animal model of DS (Scn1aE1099X/+ mice). J7 (5 mg/kg) treatment was efficacious in elevating seizure threshold in Scn1aE1099X/+ mice after hyperthermia exposure. Moreover, the J7 treatment significantly reduced the frequency of spontaneous excitatory post‐synaptic currents (sEPSCs, ~35% reduction) without affecting the amplitude in dentate gyrus (DG) granule cells. Pretreatment with the adenosine A1 receptor (A1R) antagonist, DPCPX, abolished the J7 effects on sEPSCs. These observations suggest that the J7 shows an anticonvulsant effect in hyperthermia‐induced seizures in Scn1aE1099X/+ mice. This effect possibly acts on presynaptic A1R‐mediated signaling modulation in granule cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared home-based constraint-induced therapy (CIT) with a dose-matched home-based control intervention for children with cerebral palsy (CP). The differences in unilateral and bilateral motor performance, daily functions, and quality of parental well-being (i.e., the stress level of their parents) were evaluated. The study included 21 children with CP (age range, 48-119 months) who were randomly assigned to the CIT or control group. All participants received individualized home-based interventions, 3.5-4h a day, twice a week for 4 weeks. Primary outcomes were measured by the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales II (PDMS-2) and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) is the whole name of the assessment. All first letters of this instrument title should be in upper case. Secondary outcome measures were the Pediatric Motor Activity Log (PMAL), the Caregiver Functional Use Survey (CFUS), and the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI). Outcome measures were performed at baseline (pretreatment), 4 weeks (posttreatment), and 6-month (follow-up). Compared with the control group, the CIT group exhibited significantly better performance in grasping control as measured by the PDMS-2, unilateral/bilateral motor efficacy as measured by the BOTMP, and unilateral hand function as measured by the PMAL immediately after the treatment. At the 6-month follow-up, CIT had beneficial effects on grasping control assessed by PDMS-2 and on unilateral/bilateral functional performance measured by the PMAL and CFUS. Parents in both groups reported comparable stress levels at the 6-month follow-up, although the parent-child dysfunctional interaction deteriorated more immediately after CIT than after the control intervention. The follow-up of this randomized controlled trial suggested beneficial effects of home-based CIT on unilateral grasping skills and unilateral/bilateral functional performance at 6 months. The higher stress level reported by the parents in the CIT group than in the control group at posttreatment is temporary and could be alleviated at a longer period of time. Home-based CIT is a feasible and effective alternative to the intervention administered at clinics. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)