Experiences of ethnic discrimination and COMT rs4680 polymorphism are associated with depressive symptoms in Latinx adults at risk for cardiovascular disease

Genomic profile of Parkinson's disease in Asians

Parkinson's Disease (PD) has witnessed an alarming rise in prevalence, highlighting the suboptimal nature of early diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. To address this issue, genetic testing has emerged as a potential avenue. In this comprehensive review, we have meticulously summarized the variants associated with PD in Asian populations. Our review reveals that these variants exert their influence on diverse biological pathways, encompassing the autophagy-lysosome pathway, cholesterol metabolism, circadian rhythm regulation, immune system response, and synaptic function. Conventionally, PD has been linked to other diseases; however, our findings shed light on a shared genetic susceptibility among these conditions, implying an underlying pathophysiological mechanism that unifies them. Moreover, it is noteworthy that these PD-associated variants can significantly impact drug responses during therapeutic interventions. This review not only provides a consolidated overview of the genetic variants associated with PD in Asian populations but also contributes novel insights into the intricate relationships between PD and other diseases by elucidating shared genetic components. These findings underscore the importance of personalized approaches in diagnosing and treating PD based on individual genetic profiles to optimize patient outcomes.

Systematic Review for Survey Instruments to Measure Cultural Identification of Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos

Numerous studies have used survey instruments to measure the degree of cultural identity/identification for a racial group to examine how they identify with their heritage or cultural group. However, only a few systematic reviews have summarized the survey instruments for Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos. This systematic review aimed to summarize reliable and validated survey instruments that assessed the cultural identity/identification of Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos in 3 steps: (1) identifying studies that meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria; (2) evaluating the psychometric properties of the instrument with reported validity and reliability test results; and (3) summarizing the selected studies. A search was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Health and Psychosocial Instruments databases for published articles related to the cultural identification for the 3 racial groups. Sixteen unique articles met the inclusion/exclusion criteria: 7 for Filipinos, 3 for Native Hawaiians, 1 for Pacific Islanders, 2 for Asian Americans, and 3 for non-specific Indigenous people. Three reviewers assessed the psychometric properties of the 16 articles using the pre-determined criteria and summarized the survey instruments and study outcomes. All the selected articles discussed their survey instrument's validity. This review can serve as a resource for researchers who want to apply a culturally tailored survey instrument for Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Filipinos in their research studies.

Psychosis in Parkinson's Disease: A Lesson from Genetics

Psychosis in Parkinson's disease (PDP) represents a common and debilitating condition that complicates Parkinson's disease (PD), mainly in the later stages. The spectrum of psychotic symptoms are heterogeneous, ranging from minor phenomena of mild illusions, passage hallucinations and sense of presence to severe psychosis consisting of visual hallucinations (and rarely, auditory and tactile or gustatory) and paranoid delusions. PDP is associated with increased caregiver stress, poorer quality of life for patients and carers, reduced survival and risk of institutionalization with a significant burden on the healthcare system. Although several risk factors for PDP development have been identified, such as aging, sleep disturbances, long history of PD, cognitive impairment, depression and visual disorders, the pathophysiology of psychosis in PD is complex and still insufficiently clarified. Additionally, several drugs used to treat PD can aggravate or even precipitate PDP. Herein, we reviewed and critically analyzed recent studies exploring the genetic architecture of psychosis in PD in order to further understand the pathophysiology of PDP, the risk factors as well as the most suitable therapeutic strategies.