News

MHRC study reveals that apelin mediates the antidepressant effects of physical exercise

Dr Sonata YAU, MHRC member and Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, presented at the annual meeting of The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) 2023 in Washington DC, US.The abstract entitled “Potential role of apelin in mediating the antidepressant effects of physical exercise” was selected by the Society of Neuroscience for press conference this year. Out of over 12,500 abstracts submitted to the meeting, less than 50 are being offered this prestigious opportunity of speaking directly to the media. The study revealed that apelin, a muscle-secreted peptide, is important for mediating the antidepressant effects of physical exercise. Sarcopenia, a muscle aging condition, is strongly correlated with geriatric depression, but the exact muscle-brain crosstalk isn’t well understood. Previous research has shown that apelin is linked to sarcopenia, and is also associated with hippocampal neuroplasticity and antidepressant effects. Using a mouse model of chronic unpredictable stress, Dr Yau and her research team showed that stressed mice exhibited decreased apelin expression levels in the hippocampus, which could be restored by 4-week physical running. Knockout of apelin specifically in skeletal muscle reduced the antidepressant effects of exercise, whereas overexpression of muscle apelin elicited antidepressant effects. The research deepens our understanding of the potential role of apelin in mediating the crosstalk of the muscle-brain axis, and holds important implications for understanding stress-related disorders.  

Get to know more about the Interim Director of MHRC via his feature story in PAIR Newsletter – Issue 8

Making “Happy Hong Kong” a genuine reality. One of the most widely heard slogans in the city this year has probably been “Happy Hong Kong”. The region is gradually returning to normalcy after the pandemic. In April 2023, the local government launched the “Happy Hong Kong” campaign to stimulate the city’s economy, lift people’s spirits, and bring joy to the community—with gourmet markets, carnivals, shopping festivals and many more fun events. “Happy Hong Kong” should not be just a short-term campaign for economic recovery but a long-term pursuit, requiring a forward-looking agenda for social welfare and community development. In this issue, Prof. Hector TSANG Wing-hong, Interim Director of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), shares insights into building a happier city.

MHRC holds Nobel Laureate Lecture

MHRC and the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences jointly organised a Nobel Laureate Lecture on 13 December 2023. Delivered by Prof. Thomas C. SÜDHOF, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine (2013), the lecture titled “The Molecular Architecture of Synapse Formation” attracted over 1,000 online attendees from 17 countries and regions, including China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Bhutan, United Kingdom, U.S.A. and Canada, etc. The event was also broadcasted live on multiple platforms, including YouTube, Bilibili, Weibo, WeChat and CSTCloud, drawing an impressive audience of over 15,000 in total. In the lecture, Prof. Südhof described the recent progress in understanding how selected trans-synaptic interactions guide and shape the formation of synapses and thereby control the molecular logic of neural circuits. A question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Hector TSANG, Interim Director of MHRC, Chair Professor and Head, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Dr Sonata YAU, Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, was followed. The audience and Prof. Südhof had a thought-provoking and fruitful discussion, exchanging views and knowledge in the field of neuroscience. Online review: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/mhrc/news-and-events/video-gallery/  

4 MHRC Scholars Ranked World's Top 2% Scientists (2023)

Four MHRC members have been listed among the top 2% of scientists in a global list released by the prestigious Stanford University. The ranking identifies the top scholars in their own areas of specialty and whose publications are most frequently cited by other authors around the globe. The report was released by a team of experts led by Prof. John Ioannidis of Stanford University, and the latest version was published on 4 October 2023. Scientists are classified into 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields. The publicly available database of over 100,000 top scientists provides standardised information on citations, h-index, co-authorship adjusted hm-index, citations to papers in different authorship positions, and a composite indicator. The report can be downloaded from Elsevier: https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/6 Congratulations to our colleagues on the high ranking and impact in the world! This recognition demonstrates MHRC’s influence in multi disciplines and signifies our dedication in conducting world-class research in mental health. MHRC's Top 2% Scientists in the Global List Name (by alphabetical order of surname) Subject Field (Rank within field) Prof. NG Sheung-mei, Shamay Associate Head and Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Rehabilitation (580) Prof. SHUM Ho Keung, David Yeung Tsang Wing Yee and Tsang Wing Hing Professor in Neuropsychology, Chair Professor of Neuropsychology and Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences Rehabilitation (531) Prof. TSANG Wing Hong, Hector Interim Director of MHRC Head and Chair Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Psychiatry (1,272) Prof. YEE Kay Yan, Benjamin Associate Director of MHRC Professor of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences Neurology & Neurosurgery (6,125)

PolyU interdisciplinary team collaborates to promote mental health in schools

Prof. Hector TSANG Wing-hong, Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (RS), penned an article in Ming Pao, advocating the need for a teacher-student-home-school joint model in promoting student mental health. In the article, Prof. Tsang shared that RS researchers have been working on school-based projects since 2009 that aim at enhancing mental health in schools cost-effectively. The team has received three grants from  Quality Education Fund (QEF) to conduct teacher physical and mental wellness programmes at 129 primary schools and 82 secondary schools. The integrated project provides information about physical and mental health, and brings together professionals from various fields, including occupational therapists, physical therapists and nutritionists, in caring for the psychosocial, physical and nutritional health of teachers. The project records over 2,500 teacher participants, with more than 600 direct beneficiaries. He also mentioned that the PolyU team has accumulated rich experience from school mental health promotion projects for the past consecutive years, and deeply understands that the joint participation from schools and families, teachers and parents is indispensable. Based on the successful experience, the team proposed a school-based, teacher-student-home-school joint model for promoting student mental health. Read more: Ming Pao - https://polyu.me/3H0e2fU (Chinese only)

MHRC Interim Director pens articles on enhancing mental health support for carers

Prof. Hector TSANG, MHRC Interim Director, Chair Professor and Head of Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, penned an article for Ming Pao on enhancing mental health support for carers. The article was published on 10 November. In his articles, Prof. Tsang discussed the ways to optimise mental health support for carers and suggested that the government should work with stakeholders including NGOs and education institutions to make full use of existing social resources, human resources and research outputs. Read more: Article on optimising support for carers: https://polyu.me/47blXT9 (subscription required)

MHRC members join healthtech project to improve mental health care

A healthtech project joined by three members of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), titled “Integrated innovative artificial intelligence, and genomic and biomedical technologies in healthcare: Objective diagnosis, personalised therapy and determination the etiology of major mental disorders”, was awarded HK$37 million funding from the Strategic Topics Grant 2023/24 of the Research Grants Council (RGC).   The five-year project is led by Prof. ZHANG Weixiong, Chair Professor in Bioinformatics & Integrative Genomics in the Department of Health Technology and Informatics and the Department of Computing. The research team is joined by three MHRC members from the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences: Associate Professor Dr Sonata YAU is the Co-Principal Investigator, while Assistant Professors Dr Georg KRANZ and Dr Jessie LIN are the Co-Investigators. The project aims to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI),  genomic, biomedical and neuroimaging technologies to provide an innovative and integrated strategy for the diagnosis, treatment planning and understanding of major mental disorders. The AI-based, data-driven solution to be developed from the project will help improve the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment planning in mental health care. 

MHRC member awarded HMRF grant to develop a digital mindfulness-based eating awareness training intervention for weight management

Dr Dalinda Isabel SANCHEZ VIDANA, Member of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) and Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, received a HK$1 M grant from the Health and Medical Research Fund of the Health Bureau, HKSAR, for her project “Digital mindfulness-based eating awareness training for obesity management: A randomised controlled trial”. The project aims to design a digital Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training (MB-EAT) and evaluate its effectiveness as an intervention for obesity management. The digital MB-EAT to be developed can be integrated into telemedicine or mobile app platforms, allowing users to administer so easily. Participants receiving the digital MB-EAT will be studied for their changes in eating behaviours, appetite-regulating hormones, stress and mood. The study will provide empirical evidence for the use of digital MB-EAT in addressing overweight and obesity in Hong Kong.

Dr Daphne Cheung receives 2023 Claudia J. Beverly Innovation Award

Dr Daphne CHEUNG, Member of the Research Institute for Smart Ageing (RISA) and the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC), received the 2023 Claudia J. Beverly Innovation Award by the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE). The Award recognises outstanding innovative programmes and projects that have significant positive impact on the nursing care for older adults. Since 2008, Dr Cheung and her team have been developing and testing music interventions for older adults with cognitive impairment. The team worked with engineers, music therapists and users to develop the Standalone Therapeutic Music-with-Movement System, which integrates technology with conventional psychosocial intervention. The system is now being used in more than 50 care institutions in Hong Kong.

Dr Wayne Chan receives Outstanding Poster Presentation Award at IAGG Asia/Oceania Regional Congress 2023

The study led by Dr Wayne CHAN, Member of the Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) and Assistant Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (RS), “The effects of Nintendo Ring Fit-based exercise training to improve balance and muscle strength of community-dwelling older adults with an increased risk of falls – a randomised controlled feasibility trial”, received the Outstanding Poster Presentation Award at the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) Asia/Oceania Regional Congress 2023. The study examined the effectiveness of the Nintendo Ring Fit-based exercise programme in improving the balance and muscle strength of community-dwelling older adults with a history of falling. Participants were randomly assigned to the Nintendo Ring Fit-based exercise (NRE) group or control (CON) group. The NRE group received an 8-week balance and resistance training using the Nintendo Ring Fit, while the CON group received the usual care. Results indicated that the NRE group showed significantly better improvement in mobility and balance than CON group, providing empirical evidence for the use of motion-sensing exergames in improving balance and muscle strength and preventing falls in older adults.