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Aim: Prescription opioids are psychoactive substances that can elicit many neuropsychological effects. There are no studies that directly demonstrate the effects of prescription opioid addiction (POA) on the human brain. This study aimed to quantify γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu) levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of POA patients using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1 H-MRS), and to explore their association with impulsive behavior and cognitive impairment.Methods: Thirty-five patients with a definitive clinical diagnosis of codeine-containing cough syrup dependence and 35 matched healthy controls underwent neuropsychological assessments, namely the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA). Point-resolved spectroscopy was performed to detect GABA and glutamate within the medial PFC, and the corresponding levels were estimated using jMRUI and corrected for fraction of cerebrospinal fluid in the 1 H-MRS voxel. The difference in metabolite levels between groups and the correlation between metabolite levels and psychometric scores in patients were analyzed statistically.Results: The peak level predominantly consisting of GABA with a relatively small influence of other chemicals (GABA+) was lower and that of glutamate was higher in the PFC of POA patients than in healthy controls. GABA+ levels correlated negatively with BIS-11 scores but correlated positively with MoCA scores. In contrast, glutamate levels showed a positive correlation with BIS-11 scores but no significant correlation with MoCA scores. Conclusion:The quantitative in vivo measurement of GABA and glutamate levels in the PFC by 1 H-MRS could be a reliable way to evaluate impulsivity and cognitive function of POA.

ObjectivesThis study aims to systematically analyze the effects of mind–body exercises on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression, and anxiety in patients with PTSD. Furthermore, it intends to provide scientific evidence-based exercise prescriptions.MethodsChinese (i.e., China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, and Wanfang) and English (i.e., Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and EMBASE) databases were used as data sources to search for studies on the effects of mind–body exercises on symptoms associated with patients with PTSD from January 1980 to November 2020. After a rigorous screening, 16 eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the meta-analysis.ResultsMind–body exercises exerted a significant effect on PTSD symptoms [standard mean difference (SMD) = −0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.64 to −0.19, p < 0.001], depression (SMD = −0.35, 95% CI: −0.55 to −0.15, p < 0.001), and anxiety (SMD = −0.31, 95% CI: −0.74 to −0.12, p < 0.001) among patients with PTSD. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that 60–150 min per session for 8–16 weeks of mindfulness was more effective in improving symptoms in patients with PTSD under 45 years of age compared with other subgroups. For depression, 150–180 min of yoga exercises once per week was effective. For anxiety, the frequency, timing, duration, and type of mind–body exercises that are most effective in relieving anxiety in patients with PTSD cannot be determined at this time due to the limited number of eligible RCTs.ConclusionsMind–body exercises were found to be significantly effective in improving PTSD symptoms, depression, and anxiety in patients with PTSD. Therefore, they can be used as an adjunct to intervention for symptoms of patients with PTSD. However, this conclusion requires further confirmation through additional scientific and objective RCTs.Systematic Review Registration:Unique Identifier: INPLASY2020120072.

Exergames are now often implemented among older adults for health purposes. This study aimed to investigate whether playing Kinect and Wii exergames has effects on older adults’ physical fitness and psychological perceptions towards exergames. A total of 23 older participants aged above 60 years were recruited and randomly assigned into two groups, in which they played either Kinect or Wii Bowling exergames for three sessions in one week. Physiological and psychological measures were collected including heart rate, blood pressure, shoulder flexibility, as well as perceived benefits and intentions for future use. Findings indicated that exergames are equivalent to light-intensity exercises, and hence pose no or minimal risk to older adults. Older adults had a positive attitude towards exergames and have a strong willingness to engage in exergaming on a regular basis. Although no significant platform difference was identified, observation and qualitative findings suggested that Wii might provide a more intense physical activity than Kinect, while Kinect might obtain a higher perception among older adults than Wii. The study has several practical implications for both health professionals and exergame designers targeting the ageing population.