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Social isolation matters for health and longevity, but little research examines transitions into or out of social isolation or whether transitions are gendered or socially patterned. We described gender-specific trends in breadth and lack of social participation over 6 years overall and by age, country of origin, geographic location, education, wealth, and household income. We used three waves of CLSA data to evaluate changes in social isolation (0-1 activities) and broad social participation (5+ activities) in adults aged 45-75 (n = 24,788), by gender and socio-demographics, in linear and multinomial logistic regressions with post-estimated predicted probabilities. The number of social activities decreased over time, with greater declines for women. About half the sample (more men than women) stayed not highly socially active (<5 activities) and almost 1 in 5 became not highly socially active. Most adults (77 %) remained not socially isolated and 14 % became or remained socially isolated. Women were more likely than men to remain not highly socially active and less likely to have multiple social isolation transitions. Broad social participation changed over time for several subgroups of women and men, with gender differences notable for income levels. Social disparities in social isolation transitions differed by gender only for education. Older age and socioeconomically disadvantaged adults had higher probabilities of becoming socially isolated or becoming less socially active. Findings indicated the diversity of social activities declined as Canadians age into later life and transitions in both social isolation and social participation differed between genders, especially for specific vulnerable subpopulations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Close social ties are important for health but these can decline as people age. Moreover, losses of close social ties may be worse for women, older age and low socioeconomic groups. We characterized alterations in both marital status or living arrangement over 6 years by gender, and assessed patterns by age, country of origin, geographic location, education, wealth, and household income. We used three waves of Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging data on 25,327 adults (45-85 years at baseline) to construct transition variables and multinomial logistic regressions with post-estimated predicted probabilities. Close social ties were stable over time, with most Canadians remaining partnered (77 % of men and 62 % of women) or co-living (82 % of men and 72 % of women). Adverse close social ties over time were gendered and socially patterned, with women 75+ years and of low socioeconomic status (SES) having the greatest risks. Becoming widowed or remaining non-partnered was relatively more likely for women with oldest age (RRR range: 6.08-15.64) or with low SES (RRRs: 2.29-47.06), and for men with oldest age (RRRs: 1.07-8.77) or low SES (RRRs: 2.03-31.72). Becoming or remaining lone-living was relatively more likely for women of oldest age (RRRs: 5.57-8.72) or low SES (RRRs: 2.16-65.78) and also for men of oldest aged (RRRs: 2.33-2.57) or low SES (RRRs: 2.08-49.62). Tailored healthy aging strategies to foster close social connections of women or men in older and low SES groups seems warranted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: To evaluate the direct, indirect, and total prospective effects of serum concentrations of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25[OH]D) on depressive symptoms in older adults., Methods: Data from the second (2013-2015) and third (2017-2019) waves of the EpiFloripa Aging Cohort Study (= 60 years) were analyzed. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. 25(OH)D levels were measured using the microparticle chemiluminescence method. A directed acyclic graph was constructed to identify the minimum set of adjustments. Structural equation modeling analysis was used to determine the effects of 25(OH)D on depressive symptoms., Results: Data from 574 older adults (63.1% female) were analyzed. In the follow-up (n=390), 16.2% of them presented severe depressive symptoms (= 6 points). Structural equation modeling analysis revealed that 25(OH)D had a small direct negative effect (ß = -0.11, p < 0.05) and an overall negative effect (ß = -0.13; p < 0.05) on depressive symptoms in wave 3 (increased 25[OH]D led to decreased depressive symptoms). No direct or indirect effect on depressive symptoms was found in wave 2., Conclusion: Our findings indicate a prospective association between 25(OH)D and depressive symptoms, suggesting a long-term effect in older adults from southern Brazil., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Depression is a mental disorder triggered by the interaction of social, psychological and biological factors that have an important impact on an individual's life. Despite being a well-studied disease with several established forms of treatment, its prevalence is increasing, especially among older adults. New forms of treatment and prevention are encouraged, and some researchers have been discussing the effects of vitamin D (VitD) on depression; however, the exact mechanism by which VitD exerts its effects is not yet conclusive. In this study, we aimed to discuss the possible mechanisms underlying the association between VitD and depression in older adults. Therefore, we conducted a systematic search of databases for indexed articles published until 30 April 2021. The primary focus was on both observational studies documenting the association between VitD and depression/depressive symptoms, and clinical trials documenting the effects of VitD supplementation on depression/depressive symptoms, especially in older adults. Based on pre-clinical, clinical and observational studies, it is suggested that the maintenance of adequate VitD concentrations is an important issue, especially in older adults, which are a risk population for both VitD deficiency and depression. Nevertheless, it is necessary to carry out more studies using longitudinal approaches in low- and middle-income countries to develop a strong source of evidence to formulate guidelines and interventions.

Background: The association between obesity and depressive symptoms has been described in the literature, but there is a scarcity of longitudinal data. This study aimed to verify the association between body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference and the incidence of depressive symptoms over a 10-year follow-up in a cohort of older adults., Methods: Data from the first (2009-2010), second (2013-2014), and third (2017-2019) waves of the EpiFloripa Aging Cohort Study were used. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and classified in significant depressive symptoms for those with ≥6 points. The Generalized Estimating Equations model was used to estimate the longitudinal association between BMI and waist circumference and depressive symptoms across a 10-year follow-up., Results: The incidence of depressive symptoms (N = 580) was 9.9 %. The relationship between BMI and the incidence of depressive symptoms in older adults followed a U-shaped curve. Older adults with obesity had an incidence relative ratio of 76 % (IRR = 1.24, p = 0.035) for increasing the score of depressive symptoms after 10 years, compared to those with overweight. The higher category of waist circumference (Male: ≥102; Female: ≥88 cm) was associated with depressive symptoms (IRR = 1.09, p = 0.033), only in a non-adjusted analysis., Limitations: Relatively high follow-up dropout rate; Few individuals in the underweight BMI category; BMI must be considered with caution because it does not measure only fat mass., Conclusions: Obesity was associated with the incidence of depressive symptoms when compared with overweight in older adults., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The identification of factors associated with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) concentration can help suggest more specific interventions for older adults. In this cross-sectional study of older adults from southern Brazil, we hypothesized that some sociodemographic, behavioral, and health factors positively or negatively influence the 25(OH)D concentration in this population. This analysis was performed using data from the second wave of the EpiFloripa Aging Cohort Study (2013-2015). Serum 25(OH)D levels were classified according to the guidelines of the Endocrine Society. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to evaluate the relative risks of sociodemographic, behavioral, and health factors in each 25(OH)D category. A total of 574 older adults (aged 63-93 years) participated in this study. The prevalence of insufficiency (21-29 ng/mL) was 43.7% and that of deficiency (≤20 ng/mL) was 23.5%. In the adjusted analysis, female sex, higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C ≥160 mg/dL), obesity by adiposity (body fat percentage [%fat], male ≥31%; female ≥43%), and body mass index (BMI, >30 kg/m 2 ) presented higher relative risks for insufficiency than for sufficiency. For those with deficiency, the associated factors were female sex, disability in 4 or more activities of daily living (ADLs), LDL-C ≥100 mg/dL, and obesity by %fat and BMI. A protective factor against insufficiency and deficiency was active leisure-time physical activity (PA, ≥150 min/week). Our results demonstrated that being female and having modifiable factors, such as high levels of LDL-C, obesity, and disability on ADLs, were negatively associated with hypovitaminosis D. On the other hand, leisure-time PA was positively associated with adequate serum vitamin D concentration., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Importance: Depression and anxiety may significantly affect women during the menopausal transition. In addition to traditional treatment strategies such as hormone therapy, antidepressants, and psychotherapy, nutritional interventions have been increasingly studied, but there is no consensus about their role in this patient population., Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effect of nutritional interventions on the severity of depressive (DS) and anxiety (AS) symptoms in women during the menopausal transition or menopausal years., Evidence Review: Electronic search using databases PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase to identify articles indexed until January 31, 2021, focusing on randomized placebo-controlled trials documenting the effect of diet, food supplements, and nutraceuticals on DS and AS., Findings: Thirty-two studies were included (DS, n = 15; AS, n = 1; DS and AS combined, n = 16). We found two studies that demonstrated data combined with other interventions: one with lifestyle interventions (vitamin D plus lifestyle-based weight-loss program) and another with exercise (omega 3 plus exercise). The pooled effect size favored the intervention group over placebo for both DS and AS (DS: standardized mean difference, -0.35 [95% confidence interval, -0.68 to -0.03; P = 0.0351]; AS: standardized mean difference, -0.74 [95% CI, -1.37 to -0.11; P = 0.0229]). There was significant heterogeneity in the pooled results, which can be attributed to differences in assessment tools for depression and anxiety as well as the variety of nutritional interventions studied. The subgroup analysis showed a statistically significant effect of menopausal status (perimenopausal or menopausal) but not the type or duration of nutritional intervention. Older age was the only significant predictor of the effect size of nutritional interventions in the meta-regression., Conclusions and Relevance: Nutritional interventions are promising tools for the management of mood/anxiety symptoms in women during the menopausal transition and in postmenopausal years. Because of significant heterogeneity and risk of bias among studies, the actual effect of different approaches is still unclear., Competing Interests: Financial disclosure/conflicts of interest: C.N.S. has received research funds from Otsuka, Eisai, Ontario Research Fund, and Ontario Brain Institute and acted as a consultant for Otsuka, Eisai, Pfizer, and Bayer. E.B. receives funding from PSI Foundation, Queen's University Faculty of Health Science, and Queen's University Department of Psychiatry. The other authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 by The North American Menopause Society.)

Current treatments for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults are limited by lack of response and side effects in about one third of the individuals. Changes towards a healthier lifestyle could have a positive impact beyond the relief of specific symptoms. However, it is not clear if nutritional interventions influence mental health and cognition. The objective of this study was to summarize the available literature addressing the impact of different diets in ADHD. The most promising dietetic approaches in ADHD are diets considered to be healthy (Mediterranean-type; DASH) and the Few-Foods Diet for children. Studies should take into account the presence of multiple confounders, biases associated with difficulties in blinding participants and researchers, and search for possible mechanisms of action, so we can have better evidence to guide clinical mental care of adults with ADHD., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest J.F. is a practicing registered dietitian in ketogenic diet therapy at Hamilton Health Sciences. She is also clinical director and co-developer of the KetoSuite digital application tools., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

This study aimed to verify the association between the consumption of omega-3-rich (n-3) fish and depressive symptoms in older adults living in Southern Brazil. This is a cross-sectional analysis with data from the second wave of the EpiFloripa Aging cohort study (2013/2014) including 1,130 individuals aged 60 years or older. The presence of depressive symptoms was measured by the 15-items Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and the consumption of n-3-rich fish by a question of weekly frequency. The minimum set of variables for adjustment was defined using directed acyclic graph (DAG). Poisson regression with robust error variance was applied (adjusted by Model 1: demographic and socioeconomic variables, Model 2: added behavioral variables, Model 3: added health variables). We identified the prevalence of depressive symptoms in 19% of older adults and 51.8% reported eating n-3-rich fish once a week. Models 1 and 3 showed an inverse association between n-3-rich fish and depressive symptoms. However, the association was reduced when behavioral factors (leisure-time physical activity) were included in Model 2. These findings suggest that n-3-rich fish intake tends to be associated with depressive symptoms in older adults. However, other factors, such as physical exercise, are as pivotal as n-3 fatty acids in preventing the development of depressive symptoms.

Objective: To investigate the association between serum vitamin D (25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol) (25(OH)D) concentrations and cognitive impairment in older adults living in Southern Brazil., Design: Cross-sectional analysis using data from the second follow-up wave of the populational-based EpiFloripa Aging Cohort Study was collected in 2013-2014., Setting: Cognitive impairment was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Blood samples were collected to measure serum vitamin D concentrations using a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Vitamin D concentrations were distributed in quartiles (Q1: 4·0-20·7 ng/ml; Q2: 20·8-26·6 ng/ml; Q3: 26·7-32·0 ng/ml and Q4: 32·1-60·1 ng/ml), and its association with cognitive impairment was tested by crude and adjusted logistic regression (sociodemographic, behavioural and health aspects) using Q4 as a reference group., Participants: 200 men and 371 women aged 60 years or older participated in this study., Results: The prevalence of probable cognitive impairment was 21·7 %. Those without cognitive impairment had a higher mean of vitamin D serum concentrations (26·8 v . 24·6, P = 0·014). In the crude analysis, only individuals in Q2 of vitamin D presented an increased risk for probable cognitive impairment compared with Q4 (highest quartile) (OR 2·65, 95 % CI 1·46, 4·81), remaining significant in the adjusted analysis (OR 6·04, 95 % CI 2·78, 13·13). While Q1 (lowest quartile) was not associated in the crude analysis, but when adjusted, an increased risk of cognitive impairment was observed., Conclusion: The lowest quartile of vitamin D was directly associated with probable cognitive impairment in older adults in Southern Brazil. More studies are needed to investigate whether maintaining adequate serum levels may represent a significant factor in preventing age-related neurological disorders as well as to verify the need for new cutoff points for this age group.

Studies have found that physical activity (PA) could be a protective factor and adiposity a risk factor for low serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D) concentration. This cross-sectional study hypothesized that PA could have a direct effect on 25(OH)D, and adiposity could be a mediating factor. Data from the second wave of the EpiFloripa Aging longitudinal study, collected during 2013 and 2014 (n = 1197) in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, was used. PA was measured using an accelerometer and classified as light PA (LPA), moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA), and total PA (TPA); 25(OH)D levels were measured using the microparticle chemiluminescence method. Body fat composition (%fat) was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Structural equation modeling was performed to analyze the total, direct, and indirect effects of PA on %fat and 25(OH)D levels, presented using the standardized coefficient (β). Participants with complete data were included in the analysis (n = 574, 66.7% female). MVPA showed a direct (β = 0.11; P < .05) and total positive effect on 25(OH)D (β = 0.12; P < .05). All models of PA had a direct negative effect on %fat. Additionally, a direct negative effect of %fat on 25(OH)D was observed in all models. A marginal and partial effect of %fat as a mediator of the relationship between MVPA and 25(OH)D was noted (β = 0.01, P = .09). Our results show that PA presents a direct effect on serum 25(OH)D. %fat has a small contribution as a mediator of this relationship. These data suggest that an increase in MVPA and a decrease in %fat could be strategies to increase 25(OH)D levels in older adults., Competing Interests: Declaration of Interest The authors declare no financial support or relationship that may represent a conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: Despite recent advancements in the treatment of depression, the prevalence of affected individuals continues to grow. The development of new strategies has been required and emerging evidence has linked a possible antidepressant effect with dietary interventions. In this review, we discuss recent findings about the possible antidepressant effect of dietary interventions with an emphasis on the results of randomized controlled trials., Recent Findings: A high consumption of refined sugars and saturated fat and a low dietary content of fruits and vegetables has been associated with the development of depression. There is evidence supporting a small to moderate beneficial effect of a Mediterranean-type diet in depression. In addition, new dietary protocols are being studied for their use as possible interventions, such as the ketogenic diet, Nordic diet, and plant-based diet., Summary: Lifestyle interventions surrounding diet and nutrition are a relatively affordable way to enhance response to treatment and to be employed as an adjunct in mental health care. Most studies, however, are limited by the difficulty in controlling for the placebo effect. Mediterranean-style diets seem to be the most promising as an adjunctive treatment for mood disorders. Larger randomized controlled trials that could assess predictors of response to dietary interventions are needed to establish a clear positive effect of diet and guide clinical care and nutritional recommendations concerning mental health care., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestGilciane Ceolin declares that she has no conflict of interest. Vitor Breda declares that he has no conflict of interest. Elena Koning declares that she has no conflict of interest. Arun Chinna Meyyappan declares that he has no conflict of interest. Fabiano A. Gomes declares that he has support from the 2020 Brain and Behaviour Research Foundation (P&S Fund Young Investigator Award), the Canadian Menopause Society, SEAMO and Queen's Health Sciences, and received CME materials honoraria from AbbVie. Júlia Dubois Moreira declares that she has no conflict of interest. Fernando Gerchman declares that he has no conflict of interest. Elisa Brietzke declares that she has no conflict of interest., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.)

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, studies across diverse countries have strongly pointed toward the emergence of a mental health crisis, with a dramatic increase in the prevalence of depressive psychopathology and suicidal tendencies. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of mental health problems as well as individual responses to stress. Studies have discussed the relationship between low serum vitamin D concentrations and depressive symptoms, suggesting that maintaining adequate concentrations of serum vitamin D seems to have a protective effect against it. Vitamin D was found to contribute to improved serotonergic neurotransmission in the experimental model of depression by regulating serotonin metabolism. The signaling of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the active form of vitamin D, through vitamin D receptor (VDR) induces the expression of the gene of tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), influences the expression of serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) as well as the levels of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A), the enzyme responsible for serotonin catabolism. Vitamin D also presents a relevant link with chronobiological interplay, which could influence the development of depressive symptoms when unbalance between light-dark cycles occurs. In this Perspective, we discussed the significant role of vitamin D in the elevation of stress-related depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is suggested that vitamin D monitoring and, when deficiency is detected, supplementation could be considered as an important healthcare measure while lockdown and social isolation procedures last during the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Ceolin, Mano, Hames, Antunes, Brietzke, Rieger and Moreira.)

Background: Older adults are one of the most susceptible populations to depression, especially those living in low- and middle-income countries. As well, they are also considering a risk group for vitamin D deficiency. Low serum vitamin D has been associated with an increased risk of brain neuropsychiatry disorders. We aimed to investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol concentrations and depressive symptoms in adults aged 60 years and over from southern Brazil., Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed using data collected during 2013-2014 from the populational-based longitudinal EpiFloripa Aging Study (n = 1197). Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol concentrations were analyzed and classified according to the Endocrine Society reference values [sufficiency (≥ 30 ng/mL), insufficiency (21-29 ng/mL), and deficiency (≤ 20 ng/mL)]. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Geriatric Depression Scale (15-item GDS). Logistic regression was performed to assess depressive symptoms in each vitamin D category. The analysis was adjusted for sex, age, skin color, family income, leisure-time physical activities, social or religious groups attendance, morbidities, cognitive impairment, and dependence in activities of daily living., Results: A total of 557 participants with complete data for exposure and outcome were enrolled in the analysis. Most of the sample participants were female (63.1%), age-range 60-69 years (42.2%), white skin color (85.1%), and vitamin D serum level samples were collected in autumn (50.7%). Depressive symptoms were present in 15.8% of the participants, and the prevalence was higher in individuals classified as deficient in vitamin D (23.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 15.6;32.9) and insufficiency (17.2, 95%CI = 11.0;25.9). The crude analysis showed that vitamin D deficient participants had 3.08 (CI = 1.53;6.20) times higher odds to present depressive symptoms compared to vitamin D sufficiency. After adjusting, the association was maintained [OR 2.27 (95%CI = 1.05;4.94)., Conclusions: Serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol deficiency was positively associated with depressive symptoms in older adults from southern Brazil.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were synthesized in 24-well glass fiber membrane filter plates to obtain a novel type of solid phase extraction device for the cleanup of propranolol. Sample processing parameters like residence time during sample loading, sample volume, pH, sample solvent, type and amount of washing and elution solvents were investigated and optimized. Important differences from the traditional molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) cartridges have been identified. The MIP modified composite membrane suits well for the sample preparation of low volume biological samples. A protocol has been elaborated for the quantitation of propranolol from urine and plasma samples in the clinically relevant concentration ranges. Preliminary validation results indicate that the composite MIP membrane filter plates offer a viable alternative to existing MISPE cartridges and at the same time have advantages like much easier and faster synthesis method and high-throughput analysis.

A novel technique for the synthesis and testing of large numbers of molecularly imprinted polymers is described requiring much less time than the commonly used miniMIP approach. Instead of vials, the polymers are synthesized on the surface of microfiltration membranes in multiwell filterplates. The thin polymeric films enable accelerated template removal. The MIP development procedure is thereby shortened to two days. Performance of the system was demonstrated by creating a combinatorial library of MIPs selective for cimetidine, an antiulcer drug. The polymer composition has been optimized. An experimental design combined with a multivariate analysis (i.e., response surface modeling) was used to minimize the number of experiments in the optimization process. The highest imprinting factor was obtained using a MAA/EDMA/template molar ratio of 3.5:19.5:1.