Usability Evaluation of a Knowledge Graph-Based Dementia Care Intelligent Recommender System: Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge graph-based recommender systems offer the possibility of meeting the personalized needs of people with dementia and their caregivers. However, the usability of such a recommender system remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the usability of a knowledge graph-based dementia care intelligent recommender system (DCIRS). METHODS: We used a convergent mixed methods design to conduct the usability evaluation, including the collection of quantitative and qualitative data. Participants were recruited through social media advertisements. After 2 weeks of DCIRS use, feedback was collected with the Computer System Usability Questionnaire and semistructured interviews. Descriptive statistics were used to describe sociodemographic characteristics and questionnaire scores. Qualitative data were analyzed systematically using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 56 caregivers were recruited. Quantitative data suggested that the DCIRS was easy for caregivers to use, and the mean questionnaire score was 2.14. Qualitative data showed that caregivers generally believed that the content of the DCIRS was professional, easy to understand, and instructive, and could meet users' personalized needs; they were willing to continue to use it. However, the DCIRS also had some shortcomings. Functions that enable interactions between professionals and caregivers and that provide caregiver support and resource recommendations might be added to improve the system's usability. CONCLUSIONS: The recommender system provides a solution to meet the personalized needs of people with dementia and their caregivers and has the potential to substantially improve health outcomes. The next step will be to optimize and update the recommender system based on caregivers' suggestions and evaluate the effect of the application.

Identifying care problem clusters and core care problems of older adults with dementia for caregivers: a network analysis.

Background: A shift in research interest from separate care problem to care problem clusters among caregivers of people living with dementia may contribute to a better understanding of dementia care. However, the care problems network among caregivers of people living with dementia are still unknown. This study aimed to identify care problem clusters and core care problems, and explore demographic variables associated with these care problem clusters among caregivers of people living with dementia. Methods: Participants were recruited through memory clinics and WeChat groups. The principal component analysis was applied to identify care problem clusters. The network analysis was conducted to describe the relationships among care problems and clusters. Multiple linear models were used to explore the associated factors for the occurrence of the overall care problems and top three central care problem clusters. Results: A total of 1,012 carer-patient pairs were included in the analysis. Nine care problem clusters were identified. In the entire care problem network, "deterioration in activities of daily living" was the most core care problem cluster across the three centrality indices, followed by "verbal and nonverbal aggression" and "loss of activities of daily living." Variables including marital status, years of dementia diagnosis, number of dementia medication type, and caregiver's educational attainment were associated with the prevalence of these three care problem clusters. Conclusion: Our study suggests that there is a need to evaluate care problem clusters for the improvement of care problem management among people living with dementia. It is particularly important to include assessment and treatment of core care problem as an essential component of the dementia care.

Intrinsic Capacity to Predict Future Adverse Health Outcomes in Older Adults: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: Intrinsic capacity is recognized as an important determinant of healthy aging and well-being of older adults; however, relatively little is known about the intrinsic capacity of older adults to predict adverse health outcomes. The study aimed to examine which adverse health outcomes of older adults can be predicted by intrinsic capacity. METHODS: The study was conducted using the scoping review methodological framework of Arksey and O'Malley. A systematic literature search of nine electronic databases (i.e., Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane library, Web of science, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, Wanfang, and the Chinese Biological Medical Literature Database) were performed from the database's inception to 1 March 2022. RESULTS: Fifteen longitudinal studies were included. A series of adverse health outcomes were assessed, including physical function (n = 12), frailty (n = 3), falls (n = 3), mortality (n = 6), quality of life (n = 2) and other adverse health outcomes (n = 4). CONCLUSIONS: Intrinsic capacity could predict some adverse health outcomes of different follow-up times for older adults; however, due to the small number of studies and sample size, more high-quality studies are necessary to explore the longitudinal relationships between intrinsic capacity and adverse health outcomes in the future.

Effectiveness of intensive versus regular or no exercise in older adults after hip fracture surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Individuals commonly experience age-related systemic decreases in skeletal muscle strength, physical function, and mobility, leading to falls and potential associated hip fractures. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether intensive exercise can improve physical function, mobility, and independence in activities of daily living (ADL) and shorten the length of hospital stay in older adults after hip fracture surgery. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted under the PRISMA guidelines. Searches were performed on January 5, 2022 in eight databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The participants included older adults with hip fracture, and the intervention studied was intensive exercise. The outcomes were physical function, mobility, ADLs, and the length of hospital stay. Meta-analyses were conducted using RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included in this review. After hip fracture surgery, intensive exercise improved participants' physical function to a greater extent than regular or no exercise (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.25, 1.23). Intensive exercise was particularly more effective for gait speed (SMD = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.30), the timed up-and-go test results (mean difference [MD] = -4.34, 95%CI: -6.74, -1.94), balance (SMD =0.42, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.89), and ADLs (SMD = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.87). The quality of the evidence was low due to risk of bias, inconsistency, and imprecision. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive exercise early post-operation provides potential additional benefits compared to no or regular exercises on older adults after hip fracture surgery.

Clustering Analysis of the Care Problems of People with Dementia Based on the Minimum Spanning Tree Algorithm: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Recognizing the correlations between care problems of people with dementia could help clinicians choose treatment methods because related symptom groups might respond to the same treatment intervention. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of various care problems in people with dementia and to explore the core care problems and correlations between care problems of people with dementia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited family caregivers of people with dementia through memory clinics and WeChat groups. Care problems of people with dementia were measured using a care problems evaluation sheet, which involved three aspects: daily living care problems, behavioral and psychological symptoms, and safety risks. Clustering analysis of the care problems based on Kruskal's minimum spanning tree (MST) algorithm was performed in the Jupyter Notebook software to explore the core care problems and their correlations. RESULTS: A total of 687 carer-patient pairs were included in the analysis. In general, the prevalence of having difficulty in language performance, agitated behavior, and incidence of falls was relatively higher than other care problems in people with dementia, which distressed their family caregivers. Through clustering analysis, the 63 care problems were clustered into 7 clusters and 7 core care problems were identified. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of various care problems of people living with dementia in China was relatively high. The information regarding correlations in clusters among care problems will help practitioners and policymakers to identify the core care problems and optimize more rational treatments for people with dementia.

Which cognitive behavioral therapy delivery formats work for depressive symptoms in dementia caregivers? - A systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective to improve depressive symptoms by changing their cognitive processes and concepts for dementia caregivers (DCs). However, whether CBT can be effectively delivered in individual, group, telephone-administered, internet, combine formats remains unclear. We aimed to examine the most effective delivery format for CBT via a network meta-analysis (NMA). METHODS: An exhaustive literature search was conducted based on Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Wan Fang database, and unpublished data. RCTs were identified from their inception to January 15, 2022. We conducted pairwise and NMA to evaluate the relative effectiveness and rank probability (rank P-score) for different CBT delivery formats. A series of analyses and assessments, such as the risk of bias, and GRADE were performed concurrently. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) were used for abstracting data. RESULTS: A total of 37 studies were included in our analysis based on a series of rigorous screenings, which comprised 4191 DCs. Compared with controls, internet (SMD = -1.33, confidence interval (CI): -2.18, -0.66, GRADE low), telephone (SMD = -1.29, CI: -1.89, -0.61, GRADE moderate), and individual (SMD = -1.04, CI: -2.01, -0.07, GRADE very low) showed the largest improvement on depressive symptoms, whereas the group and combine delivery formats were not effective. Notably, there were no statistically significant differences between these five delivery formats: internet, telephone, individual, group, and combine. Sensitivity analyses supported the overall findings. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that internet, telephone, individual CBT delivery formats were effective for reducing depressive symptoms in DCs. Given the limitations of the NMA approach and the number of included studies, the result should be cautiously interpreted. Further RCTs with respect to the CBT based on different delivery formats' effectiveness are needed.

Psychometric properties of self-reported measures of active ageing: a systematic review protocol using COSMIN methodology.

INTRODUCTION: Evaluation of active ageing is helpful in making public health policies, improving older adults' quality of life and confronting global ageing challenges. However, there remains no systematic review to summarise all active ageing assessment tools and report their psychometric properties. This study aims to apply the COSMIN (COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments) methodology to review the psychometric properties of active ageing assessment tools obtained by multiple validation studies. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Studies that aim to validate patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of active ageing in older adults aged 60 and over and report one or more psychometric properties are eligible for this systematic review. We will consider studies conducted in any country or setting published either in English or Chinese. The following databases will be searched: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, CNKI, and Wanfang. Data extraction, assessment of methodological quality, summary of the quality of PROMs and grading of quality of evidence will be conducted according to the COSMIN methodology. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study will not collect individual data. Therefore, obtaining ethical approval is not applicable. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conferences and will help researchers choose active ageing assessment tools. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021287395.

Comparative efficacy of 11 non-pharmacological interventions on depression, anxiety, quality of life, and caregiver burden for informal caregivers of people with dementia: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, numerous dementia caregiving interventions for informal caregivers of community-dwelling people with dementia have been developed. However, it remains unclear which non-pharmacological interventions are effective and preferred for their depression and anxiety symptoms, quality of life, and caregiver burden. OBJECTIVES: To compare and rank the efficacy of different non-pharmacological interventions on depression, anxiety, quality of life, and caregiver burden for informal caregivers of people with dementia. DESIGN: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. METHODS: Relevant randomized controlled trials on the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions for informal caregivers of people with dementia were extracted from seven electronic databases. A network meta-analysis was then performed to evaluate the relative efficacy of the non-pharmacological interventions for informal caregivers of people with dementia. The quality of the data was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. RESULTS: A total of 85 randomized controlled trials on 11 non-pharmacological interventions were included in the final analysis. Acceptance and commitment therapy, behavioral activation, mindfulness-based intervention, multicomponent intervention, psychoeducation, and cognitive behavioral therapy might reduce depression. Notably, psychoeducation was the only effective intervention against anxiety. Only support groups had a statistically significant effect on the quality of life. When considering decreasing caregiver burden, case management, psychoeducation, and multicomponent intervention would be the effective interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Several non-pharmacological interventions seemed to be effective in treating depression and anxiety, improving quality of life, and reducing caregiver burden for informal caregivers of people with dementia. Healthcare professionals should be encouraged to apply these non-pharmacological interventions for informal caregivers of people with dementia during routine care.

The effectiveness of faecal collection devices in preventing incontinence-associated dermatitis in critically ill patients with faecal incontinence: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different types of faecal collection devices on incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) in critically ill patients with faecal incontinence. REVIEW METHOD USED: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive electronic literature search was performed in PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the Cochrane library, China Biology Medicine (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and WeiPu. All the databases were searched from their inception to July 31, 2019, and the data were updated on November 2, 2019. REVIEW METHODS: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies were included. Participants were critically ill patients with faecal incontinence, and the interventions involved care with faecal collection devices. Comparisons were usual care, and the outcome was the incidence of IAD. Odds ratios (ORs) were used to calculate the pooled effect sizes. Heterogeneity was tested using the inconsistency index (I2) method. RESULTS: Nineteen studies were included in this systematic review including 16 RCTs and three quasi-experimental studies. Twelve RCTs were included in the meta-analysis, which showed that the use of faecal collection devices significantly reduced the incidence of IAD. Subgroup analyses based on device type showed significant effects for anal pouch collection devices (OR, 0.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07-0.26; P < 0.00001), anal pouch connected to negative-pressure suction devices (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.08-0.42; P < 0.00001), anal catheter/tube collection devices (OR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.13-0.44; P < 0.00001), and anal catheter/tube connected to negative-pressure suction devices (OR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.07-0.59, P < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: Faecal collection devices can reduce the incidence of IAD in critically ill patients with faecal incontinence. It is suggested that when using a device to care for critically ill patients with faecal incontinence, an anal pouch connected to continuous low-negative-pressure suction device should be preferred. Further high-quality research is still needed regarding anal catheter/tube collection devices and anal catheter/tube connected to continuous low-negative-pressure suction devices.

Internet-Based Supportive Interventions for Family Caregivers of People With Dementia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Caring for people with dementia is perceived as one of the most stressful and difficult forms of caring. Family caregivers always experience high levels of psychological burden and physical strain, so effective and practical support is essential. Internet-based supportive interventions can provide convenient and efficient support and education to potentially reduce the physical and psychological burden associated with providing care. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to (1) assess the efficacy of internet-based supportive interventions in ameliorating health outcomes for family caregivers of people with dementia, and (2) evaluate the potential effects of internet-based supportive intervention access by caregivers on their care recipients. METHODS: An electronic literature search of the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO databases was conducted up to January 2020. Two reviewers (ML and YZ) worked independently to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met the inclusion criteria and independently extracted data. The quality of the included RCTs was evaluated using the approach recommended by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% CIs were applied to calculate the pooled effect sizes. RESULTS: In total, 17 RCTs met the eligibility criteria and were included in this systematic review. The meta-analysis showed that internet-based supportive interventions significantly ameliorated depressive symptoms (SMD=-0.21; 95% CI -0.31 to -0.10; P<.001), perceived stress (SMD=-0.40; 95% CI -0.55 to -0.24; P<.001), anxiety (SMD=-0.33; 95% CI -0.51 to -0.16; P<.001), and self-efficacy (SMD=0.19; 95% CI 0.05-0.33; P=.007) in dementia caregivers. No significant improvements were found in caregiver burden, coping competence, caregiver reactions to behavioral symptoms, or quality of life. Six studies assessed the unintended effects of internet-based supportive intervention access by caregivers on their care recipients. The results showed that internet-based supportive interventions had potential benefits on the quality of life and neuropsychiatric symptoms in care recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Internet-based supportive interventions are generally effective at ameliorating depressive symptoms, perceived stress, anxiety, and self-efficacy in dementia caregivers and have potential benefits on care recipients. Future studies are encouraged to adopt personalized internet-based supportive interventions to improve the health of family caregivers and their care recipients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020162434; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=162434.

Detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment Based on Virtual Reality: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: To delay the decline in cognition and reduce the incidence of dementia, the precise detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is necessary. The application of Virtual Reality (VR) technology in this detection can overcome the shortage of traditional paper-and-pencil tests. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to summarize the research progress of the detection of MCI using VR. METHODS: Eight databases from their inception to November 19, 2019, were systematically searched for studies applying VR in the detection of MCI. A thematic analysis was conducted according to the specific detection purpose and the main corresponding cognitive domains assessed were summarized; characteristics of the VR applications were also summarized. RESULTS: Twenty-eight studies were finally included. The detection purposes included discrimination between healthy controls and those with MCI, discrimination between aMCI subtypes, detection of MCI patients at risk of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and discrimination between MCI and AD. VR tasks assessing spatial memory were applicable for all detection purposes, and the assessment of combinations of memory and executive function seemed more sensitive. Executive function and intentional episodic memory could be assessed to discriminate among healthy controls, individuals with MCI and those with AD. Incidental episodic memory was effective in detecting MCI with hippocampal atrophy. The most common characteristics of the VR applications were the use of semi-immersion, joysticks or gamepad interactions and simple, one-time behavioral assessments. CONCLUSION: VR applications are promising in the detection of MCI, but further research is needed for clinical use.

Sleep Quality and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older People With Subjective Cognitive Decline, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer Disease.

We aimed to investigate sleep quality and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer disease (AD). A total of 221 participants were divided into the following five groups: normal controls (NCs), SCD without memory concerns (SCD-0), SCD with memory concerns (SCD-1), MCI, and AD according to their cognitive status. Compared with NC, individuals with SCD-0, SCD-1, MCI, and AD had more sleep problems and reduced HRQOL. Participants with poor sleep quality had an increased risk of cognitive impairment compared with participants with good sleep quality. Within all five subgroups, individuals with poor sleep quality reported more difficulties in HRQOL than individuals with good sleep quality. Future studies employing a longitudinal design, larger samples, and objective evaluation tools are needed.

Effect of exergames on physical outcomes in frail elderly: a systematic review.

AIM: The aim of this systematic review was to understand the exergames that can be applied to the pre-frail and frail elderly people, to evaluate whether these games have a positive impact on physical outcomes in pre-frail and frail older adults, and to explore user's subjective feelings and compliance. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched until January 15, 2019. Only randomized controlled trials published in English for human beings were eligible. The review included studies which examined the effects of exergames on physical outcomes, feasibility and/or subjective feelings of pre-frail and frail older adults. Two researchers assessed the risk bias of all articles independently using the Cochrane collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. RESULTS: Seven randomized controlled trials with 243 pre-frail and frail older adults met inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Results of the studies were heterogeneous. Physical outcomes (included muscle strength, balance ability, mobility function, gait and falls), subjective feeling outcomes, feasibility, attendance and some other functional outcomes were reported. CONCLUSION: Exergames improved balance and mobility function of frail elderly, and it showed a tendency to increase muscle strength when combined with resistance training. As far as the limited evidence was concerned, exergames were feasible and generally accepted by participants.

Comparative efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions on agitation in people with dementia: A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Agitation in people with dementia is common and distressing and can lead to increased caregiver burden. However, medications often have adverse reactions and limited effectiveness. Thus, non-pharmacological interventions are being increasingly implemented. OBJECTIVES: To compare and rank the efficacy of different non-pharmacological interventions in the management of agitation in people with dementia. DESIGN: Bayesian network meta-analysis. METHODS: A comprehensive electronic literature search was performed in five English databases and three Chinese databases to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that were published up to January 2019. A random-effects model was selected to conduct traditional meta-analysis to directly examine the efficacy of different non-pharmacological interventions. The consistency model was selected to conduct a network meta-analysis to evaluate the relative effects and rank probability of different non-pharmacological interventions. RESULTS: A total of 65 RCTs were included in this network meta-analysis involving 11 different non-pharmacological interventions. Network meta-analysis showed that massage therapy, animal-assisted intervention, and personally tailored intervention were associated with more substantial reductions in agitation compared with other interventions and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for ameliorating agitation in people with dementia and recommended several interventions for clinical practice. Healthcare professionals should be encouraged to apply promising non-pharmacological interventions (e.g. massage therapy, animal-assisted intervention and personally tailored intervention) for people with dementia during routine care.

The effect of smart homes on older adults with chronic conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

As populations continue to age, the prevalence of multiple chronic conditions in older adults grows. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of smart homes on older patients with chronic conditions. A review and meta-analysis were conducted after searching both English and Chinese databases. Fifteen RCTs were included in the review, with six studies qualifying for the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis revealed no significant effects on measures of hospital admissions (RR =0.90, 95% CI (0.57, 6.34), P = 0.65) or emergency department admissions (RR =0.99, 95% CI (0.34, 2.91), P = 0.98). Likewise, no effects were observed for tele-monitoring on days spent in the hospital (MD =-0.90, 95% CI (-3.34, 1.55), P = 0.47) or quality of life. However, almost all participants were satisfied with the smart homes. The effect of tele-exercise on cognitive functioning was unclear. However, the smart homes did have an effect on physical functioning and depression in older adults with chronic conditions. Future studies should focus on the economic effectiveness, security, accessibility and practicality of smart homes on older adults with chronic conditions.

Multi-angles of smoking and mild cognitive impairment: is the association mediated by sleep duration?

Although the association between cigarette smoking and risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is controversial, most recent studies have shown that this influence is negative. However, it is unknown how multiple factors of smoking affect MCI, and the mechanisms of different smoking factors are not yet clarified. This study will examine the impact of various angles of smoking on MCI and the potential mediating effects of sleep duration on smoking MCI association in the elderly. In the case group, 109 elderly people who met the inclusion criteria were selected, and 123 were selected in the control group. Participant characteristics include sleep duration and a detailed lifetime history of smoking. After adjusting the relevant covariates, higher odds of MCI occurrence were found in ex-smokers/current smokers; moderate/heavy smokers; smokers for 30-44, 45-59 and more than 60 years; smokers with cumulative smoking duration of 30-44 or more than 60 years and smokers with cumulative dose smoking intensity of 200-399 or 400-599 cigarettes monthly. Elderly subjects who had quit smoking for 21 years or longer were found to have lower odds of MCI occurrence. The indirect effects of smoking on MCI via sleep duration were statistically significant, as the ratio of indirect effect to total effect ranged from 0.14 to 0.29. Smoking affects cognitive function through multi-angles of smoking and influences the cognitive function partly via the duration of sleep.

Pet robot intervention for people with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

This study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy of Pet robot intervention (PRI) for people with dementia. Two waves of electronic searches of the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane library, IEEE Digital Library and PsycINFO databases were conducted. In total, eight articles from six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the eligibility criteria and were included in this systematic review. The results of the meta-analysis showed a statistically significant decrease in behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), especially agitation and depression, in people with dementia who were treated with PRI. Both individual and group format PRI significantly ameliorated BPSD. However, there were no significant improvements in cognitive function or quality of life. The results of the meta-analysis suggest that PRI may be suitable as a treatment option for BPSD in people with dementia and should be considered as a useful tool in clinical practice.

Morita therapy for depression in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Morita therapy is a systematic psychological therapy that aims to improve everyday functioning rather than target specific symptoms. However, there has been no systematic review evaluating the evidence of the effectiveness of Morita therapy in the treatment of depression. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical efficacy of Morita therapy in combination with pharmacotherapy in patients 18 and older who were diagnosed with current depressive disorder. A total of 840 patients with depression from 11 randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies were included in this meta-analysis after a literature search of 10 databases was performed from database inception to July 1, 2017. All the eligible studies were determined to have an unclear or high risk of bias. Morita therapy plus pharmacotherapy was significantly superior to pharmacotherapy alone in reducing depression severity. The remission rate of the Morita therapy plus pharmacotherapy group was better than that of the pharmacotherapy alone group. Morita therapy significantly reduced depression severity symptoms and improved the remission rate. Due to the relatively weak quality of the included studies, definitive conclusions cannot be made. Thus, multi-center, well-designed clinical trials with larger cohorts are urgently needed to support the clinical application of Morita therapy.

Effects of Physical Exercise on Depressive Symptoms in Patients With Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of physical exercise in ameliorating depressive symptoms in patients with cognitive impairment. The databases of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang, and WeiPu (VIP) were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that involved physical exercise for patients with cognitive impairment. A random effects model and a fixed effects model were used to calculate the pooled effect size. Twenty-one studies were identified. The meta-analysis showed that physical exercise significantly ameliorated depressive symptoms (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.39 to -0.07; p = 0.004). In addition, beneficial improvements in neuropsychiatric symptoms (mean difference, -4.62; 95% CI, -9.07 to -0.16, p = 0.04), quality of life (SMD = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.01-0.46; p = 0.04), and activities of daily living (SMD = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.12-0.43; p = 0.0005) were observed in our study. No significant improvements were found in anxiety or apathy. Nevertheless, further high-quality, multicenter RCTs are needed to identify the clinical value of our results.