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During the COVID-19 pandemic, internalizing and externalizing symptoms have impacted the quality of life of children and adolescents. This cross-sectional study evaluated children's quality of life using parental reports, observing associations with mental health problems and sociodemographic variables. Some behavioral measures were linked to lower quality of life, particularly depression symptoms, relationship problems, and inattention. Multiple regression models indicated that reduced children's quality of life (R 2 = 36%) was associated with higher levels of internalizing (r = −0.46) and externalizing (r = −0.23) behavioral problems and younger parents (r = −0.08). Children with previous mental disorder diagnoses had lower quality of life than those without (p < 0.001). In summary, children's quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic was linked to current mental health, parental age, and previous history of mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Worldwide, the actual number of 55 million people diagnosed with dementia is estimated to increase to 139 million people affected by dementia in 2050. 61% of these individuals resided in low and middle‐income countries (LMIC). Genetic risk factors account for up to 80% of the attributable risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the leading cause of dementia. Thus, one can argue that most of the pathophysiological pathways in AD are driven by genetic determinants. Despite the increasing number of dementia cases in LMIC, poor generalizability of genetic studies across populations arises from the abundance of studies focused on European descent and the lack of studies in globally diverse populations. Method: We developed a case control study, including older adults selected from Cog‐aging Research Group of the UFMG, Brazil, divided in two groups: control and AD (AD and AD plus vascular dementia). They were submitted to the same neuropsychological and geriatric protocols. Diagnosis of AD dementia were based on Mckhann criteria. DNA samples were subjected to genome‐wide‐genotyping using the Infinium Global Screening Array (Illumina). Quality controls were performed using PLINK and R. After QC, remaining samples were analyzed for population stratification. TOPMed imputation server was used to perform imputation. Principal components (PC) analysis considered phenotype, sex, and age. Result: The final sample was composed by 573 samples, 181 controls and 309 cases, 389 female and 184 males. Our sample was composed predominantly by Caucasian and African genetic ancestries (Figure 1). From 23 top hit variants, only APOE4 allele reached significant values (Figure 2), with an effect size lower than that observed in other populations (p = 1.06E‐08; B = 1.42). Haplotype analysis of the APOE region revealed that two other variants (chr19:44906745:G:A and chr19:44918903:C:G), which have shown lower MAF in African than in Caucasian population, could change the APOE4 effect in our population (Figure 3). Conclusion: Our sample is composed by a heterogeneous genetic ancestry, different from the other Latin America populations. APOE4 allele presented a lower effect size to AD than some other populations. This result could be related to two other variants, associated with the African component, influencing the effect of APOE4 allele. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although dysfunctional Ca2+ signaling can trigger biochemical reactions that lead to cell death, the role of calcium-binding proteins (CBPs) in this process is still a topic of debate. Neuronal calcium sensor 1 (NCS-1) is a CBP that is highly conserved and has been shown to increase cell survival against various types of injuries. As such, we hypothesized that NCS-1 could also be a stress-responsive protein with potential effects on survival and longevity. To explore this possibility, we conducted experiments to examine how Caenorhabditis elegans ncs-1 mutant nematodes fared under three different stress conditions: hyperosmotic, thermal, and chemical oxidant challenges. Our results showed that while the lack of NCS-1 had no effect on survival responses to hyperosmotic and thermal stresses, ncs-1 worms demonstrated remarkable resistance to the oxidant paraquat in a dose-dependent manner. Based on these findings, we conclude that C. elegans may employ adaptive mechanisms in the absence of NCS-1 to survive specific oxidative stress stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Genetic variability significantly impacts metabolism, weight gain, and feeding behaviors, predisposing individuals to obesity. This study explored how variations in key genes related to obesity—FOXO3A (forkhead box O3), AMPK (protein kinase AMP‐activated), and POMC (proopiomelanocortin)—are associated with extreme obesity (EOB). Methods: We conducted a case–control study with 251 EOB patients and 212 healthy controls with a body mass index (BMI) of less than 25 kg/m2. We genotyped 10 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) using TaqMan‐based assays. Results: Four SNVs—rs1536057 in FOXO3A, rs103685 in AMPK, rs934778, and rs6545975 in POMC—were associated with an increased risk of EOB. The strongest association was observed with rs934778 (POMC), which had a maximum odds ratio (OR) of 5.26 (95% CI: 2.86–9.09). While these genetic variations are closely linked to EOB, they do not affect serum glucose, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, BMI, or waist circumference. Conclusions: These findings indicate that factors beyond traditional metabolic pathways, potentially related to feeding behavior or hormonal regulation, may also link these genetic variations to obesity. Further research in a larger sample is essential to validate these findings and explore their potential to guide clinical interventions and public health strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Cognitive Domains and Functional Assessment Questionnaire (CDFAQ) assess cognitive and functional decline for Neurocognitive Disorders based on the DSM‐5 criteria (1). It's accuracy to the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly ‐ Long Version (IQCODE‐LV) has been assessed (2), and was translated and validated into English. The informant version (CDFAQ‐IV) assess: Complex Attention (CA), Executive Functions (EF), Learning and Memory (LM), Language (L), Perceptual‐Motor (PM) and Social Cognition. Methods: To evaluate the CDFAQ‐IV's accuracy to IQCODE‐LV across participant's educational levels. Both questionnaires were applied to 196 informants of older adults. Older adults were stratified by educational levels into three groups: 73 participants had low educational level (0‐3 years), 71 had middle educational level (4‐7 years), and 52 with high educational level (8 or more years). Accuracy assessment was made by Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and cut‐off values defined by Youden's J statistic. This study was approved by the ethics committee of UFMG. Results: The low educational group had good accuracy (Area Under the Curve = 0.879) for the CDFAQ‐IV total score, excellent accuracy for the EF domain (AUC = 0.907), good accuracy for LM domain (AUC = 0.822) and poor accuracies for other domains. For the middle educational group, CDFAQ‐IV (AUC = 0.908) and LM domain (AUC = 0.914) showed excellent accuracies, while CA (AUC = 0.876), L (AUC = 0.832) and SC (AUC = 0.814) domains showed good accuracies. The others domains showed poor accuracies. For high educational group, LM domain (0.924) had excellent accuracy, while CDFAQ's total score (AUC = 0.894) and L domain (AUC = 0.898) showed good accuracy. Poor accuracies were found for the other domains. Conclusions: CDFAQ's total score shows good accuracy in samples of low and high educational levels and excellent accuracy in samples with 4 to 7 years of schooling. Interestingly, the LM domain shows excellent accuracy (AUC > 0.9) in samples with higher levels of education. Brazilian older adults have lower educational levels and more heterogeneity in schooling quality compared to those from high‐income nations. Assessment of psychometric properties according to education is needed, as well as more scenarios such as studies in community and clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Cognitive Domains and Functional Assessment Questionnaire (CDFAQ) assess cognitive and functional decline for Neurocognitive Disorders based on the DSM‐5 criteria (1). It's accuracy to the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly ‐ Long Version (IQCODE‐LV) has been assessed (2), and was translated and validated into English (3). The informant version (CDFAQ‐IV) assess: Complex Attention (CA), Executive Functions (EF), Learning and Memory (LM), Language (L), Perceptual‐Motor (PM) and Social Cognition. Methods: To predict objective cognitive impairment on Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) with CDFAQ‐IV. Both instruments were applied in 196 older adults and their informants. The cut‐off points on MMSE were 19/20 for illiterates and 23/24 for those with one year or more of formal education (4). A multiple logistic regression was made to assess the CDFAQ likelihood to predict a performance below the cut‐off points on MMSE controlled by years of age and of education. This study was approved by the ethics committee of UFMG. Results: The median age of the older adults was 73 years (IQR = 13.25), median years of education of 4 years (IQR = 5), median CDFAQ‐IV score of 64 (IQR = 9), and median MMSE score of 23 (IQR = 9). One hundred and six participants (54.08%) had impaired results on MMSE. When controlled by age and education, the Odds Ratio (OR) of one point increase in CDFAQ had an OR of 1.039 (p = 0.029) to predict an objective cognitive impairment on MMSE. A one‐year increase in formal education, had a decreased OR of 0.862 (p < 0.001). Age was not associated to the prediction of an objective cognitive impairment on MMSE, when controlled by education and CDFAQ performance (p = 0.106). Conclusions: Years of education and CDFAQ scores were related to the prediction of objective cognitive impairment measured by MMSE. These are still preliminary studies, but these results point to the need of considering the importance of years of education for future norms of the CDFAQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regulation of energy balance involves an intricate interplay between neural mechanisms that respond to internal and external cues of energy demand and food availability. Compelling data have implicated the neurotransmitter dopamine as an important part of body weight regulation. However, the precise mechanisms through which dopamine regulates energy homeostasis remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate mechanisms through which dopamine modulates energy storage. We showed that dopamine signaling regulates fat reservoirs in Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that the fat reducing effects of dopamine were dependent on dopaminergic receptors and a set of fat oxidation enzymes. Our findings reveal an ancient role for dopaminergic regulation of fat and suggest that dopamine signaling elicits this outcome through cascades that ultimately mobilize peripheral fat depots.

Background Yoga can be used as a complementary intervention to conventional treatments, whether pharmacological or non-pharmacological. Sustained practice of yoga can generate a series of benefits for individuals quality of life and improve their physical fitness. Objective To investigate the potential effects of yoga as an adjunct intervention in conditions involving impulse control issues, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), borderline personality disorder, bipolar affective disorder, and substance use disorders. Methods We performed a systematic review of placebo-controlled, randomized trials of yoga in patients with impulsivity. PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct databases were searched for trials published up to January, 2023. Data were extracted from published reports and quality assessment was performed per Cochrane recommendations. Results Out of 277 database results, 6 RCT were included in this systematic review. To assess the level of attention and impulsiveness, the following scales were analyzed: Barratt Impulsiveness, UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior scale, Conners' Continuous Performance Test II and Conners' Parent Rating Scale-Revised: Long. Conclusions Yoga didn't have a significant improvement in impulsivity when compared to placebo. There are many tools to assess impulsivity, but they mean different concepts and domains consisting in a weakness on comparison of yoga effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 5% of children and 2.5% of adults worldwide. Comorbidities are frequent, and Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) reaches 50%. Family environment is crucial for the severity of behaviors and for prognosis. In middle-income countries, access to treatment is challenging, with more untreated children than those under treatment. Face-to-face behavioral parent training (PT) is a well-established intervention to improve child behavior and parenting. Method: A clinical trial was designed to compare PT-online and face-to-face effects to a waiting list group. Outcomes were the ADHD and ODD symptoms, parental stress and styles, and quality of life. Families were allocated into three groups: standard treatment (ST), ST + PT online, and ST + Face-to-Face PT. We used repeated measures ANOVA for pre x post treatment analysis corrected for multiple comparisons. Results and discussion: Parent training was effective in reducing symptoms of ADHD (p = 0.030) and ODD (p = 0.026) irrespective of modality (p = 1.000). The combination of ST and PT was also associated with better quality of life in the physical domain for patients (p = 0.009) and their parents (p = 0.050). In addition to preliminary data, online intervention seems effective for parenting and improving social acceptance of children. The potential to reach many by an online strategy with a self-directed platform may imply effectiveness with a low cost for public health to support parents' symptoms management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]