Agnes Suiyin Chan

The Chinese University of Hong Kong | CUHK · Department of Psychology

Introduction This study investigated the effects of transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) on improving the frontal lobe cognitive functions and mental health of older adults. Methods Three older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) of the non-amnestic type received 18-session tPBM stimulation for 9 weeks and were assessed with neuropsychol...

Background Transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) has been studied for over a decade as a possible cognitive intervention. Objective To evaluate the effect of tPBM for enhancing human cognitive function in healthy adults and remediating impaired cognitive function in adults with cognitive disorders. Methods A systematic literature search from thr...

Objective Temporal processing deficits were found among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study aims to develop an online temporal processing assessment that can be conducted remotely, and the sensitivity of the test was assessed on a group of children with ADHD. Methods A total of 188 children were recruit...

Children who experience difficulty in learning at mainstream schools usually are provided with remediation classes after school to facilitate their learning. The present study aims to evaluate an innovative eye-tracking training as possible alternative remediation. Our previous findings showed that children who received eye-tracking training demons...

Background: Identifying individuals at increased risks for developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) is crucial for early intervention. Memory complaints are associated with brain abnormalities characteristic of AD in cognitively normal older people. However, the utility of memory complaints for predicting mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or AD onset rem...

Previous studies have shown that immunological factors are involved in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The present study examined whether immunological abnormalities are associated with cognitive and behavioral deficits in children with ASD and whether children with ASD show different immunological biomarkers and brain-derived...

Background The clinical effects and neurophysiological mechanisms of prefrontal tDCS and concurrent cognitive remediation training in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remain unclear. Objective This two-armed, double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of tDCS combined with concurrent...

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perform poorly in working memory (WM) tasks, with some literature suggesting that their impaired performance is modulated by WM load. While some neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies have reported altered functional connectivity during WM processing in individuals with autism, it remains largely...

Previous studies have shown that immunological factors are involved in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The present study examined whether immunological abnormalities are associated with cognitive deficits and problem behaviors in children with ASD and whether children with ASD show different immunological biomarkers and brain-...

Some studies have found a relationship between negative emotional symptoms and decreased lateral PFC functioning during a cognitive control task in healthy younger adults. Here, we asked whether this relationship is also present in the general older population and across different functional domains of the lateral PFC. Thirty-six older people (13 m...

Background Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) perform poorly in working memory (WM) tasks, with some literature suggesting that their impaired performance is modulated by WM load. While some neuroimaging and neurophysiological studies have reported altered functional connectivity during WM processing in these individuals, it remains la...

A positive effect of photoneuromodulation (PNM) has been found on cognitive and emotional functions in healthy populations. However, the hemodynamic changes associated with improved cognitive functions (i.e., memory and executive functions) are unexplored. Therefore, the present study investigated the hemodynamic changes associated with PNM using f...

The n-back task is one of the most commonly used working memory (WM) paradigms in cognitive neuroscience. Converging evidence suggests activation in the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and pupil dilation [a proxy for locus coeruleus (LC) activation] during this task. However, it remains unclear whether the lateral PFC and the LC are functionally as...

Given the association between deviated inflammatory chemokines, the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and our previous findings of the Chanwuyi Lifestyle Medicine Program regarding improved cognitive and behavioral problems in ASD, the present study aims to explore if this intervention can alter pro-inflammatory chemokines concentrat...

Background: Recent studies of photobiomodulation (PBM) in patients with cognitive or psychological disorders (including traumatic brain injury, stroke, and dementia) have yielded some encouraging results. Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of a single stimulation on memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment...

Disinhibition is a common sign among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study examined the effect of computerized eye-tracking training to improve inhibitory control in ADHD children. Thirty-two ADHD children (mean age = 8.4 years) were recruited. Half of the participants underwent 240 min of eye-tracking tra...

Positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown that healthy aging is associated with functional brain deterioration that preferentially affects the prefrontal cortex. This article reviews the application of an alternative method, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), to the study of a...

The prefrontal-subcortical model of emotion regulation postulates that decreased prefrontal cortex (PFC) functioning may underlie the emergence of clinical affective disorders. In addition, accumulated evidence suggests that there is considerable variability in negative affect in the nonclinical population. This study examined whether negative affe...

Abnormal saccadic eye movements, such as longer anti-saccade latency and lower pro-saccade accuracy, are common in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study aimed in investigating the effectiveness of computerized eye-tracking training on improving saccadic eye movements in children with ADHD. Eighteen childre...

Effortful control (EC) is an important dimension of temperament, but impaired in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Whereas EC is associated with prefrontal cortex (PFC) functioning in typically developing (TD) children, it is unclear whether EC deficits are associated with PFC dysfunction in ASD. This study examined the relationship between EC and PF...

To investigate the effects of the Dejian mind-body intervention (DMBI), on depressive symptoms and electroencephalography (EEG) changes in relation to emotional processing in patients with depression. Seventy-five age-, gender-, and education-matched participants with depression were randomly assigned to receive either Cognitive Behavior Therapy (C...

The abilities to resolve flanker and Stroop interference, which are primarily mediated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC), have been shown to be dissociable at the individual difference level. However, the relationship between the neurocognitive development of these two aspects of interference control remains unclear. This study examined developmental...

Background Several neurocognitive theories have been put forward to explain autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, the specificity of executive cognitive, motivational (i.e., reward-related), and emotion-recognition impairments in ASD, and the role of early language delay in these impairments remain largely unclear. Aim This study aimed to exami...

Accumulating studies have reported facial emotion recognition or facial perception impairments in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To clarify the specificity of the emotion recognition impairment, this study examined the relationships between facial emotion recognition and facial perception abilities in ASD. Twenty-two adolescents with high-function...

Nuclear medicine and functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), are characterized by changes in cerebral blood flow. This article reviews the application of an alternative method, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), to the study of cerebr...

Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit altered frontal lobe activation during working memory (WM) processing despite relatively intact WM updating ability. To determine whether this alteration reflects compensation and is also present in adolescents, this study examined prefrontal activation during WM updating in adolescents with ASD us...

Converging evidence suggests that human aging is associated with structural, functional, and cognitive deteriorations that preferentially affect the frontal lobe of the brain. Because a decline in frontal cognitive functions may be associated with subsequent declines in global cognitive function and functional activities, interventions that effecti...

There is substantial evidence of word retrieval impairment as indicated by poor performance on the category fluency test in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying this impairment. Functional neuroimaging studies have shown that the lateral frontal cortex plays a key role in flexible word retr...

Objectives The frontal lobe hypothesis of age‐related cognitive decline suggests that the deterioration of the prefrontal cortical regions that occurs with aging leads to executive function deficits. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a newly developed, non‐invasive technique for enhancing brain function, which has shown promising effects on cognitive fun...

Background: There has been much research devoted to examining the short-term effects of different interventions for improving memory functioning of older adults with memory complaints. Nevertheless, very few studies have examined the long-term effects of these interventions. Thus, the present study compared the sustained effects of a conventional m...

Individuals with partial sleep deprivation may have working memory (WM) impairment, but the underlying neural mechanism of this phenomenon is relatively unknown. The present study examined neural processing during WM performance in individuals with and without partial sleep deprivation using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Forty college students...

Objective: The American Psychological Association (APA) celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2017. As part of this celebration, the APA journal Neuropsychology has published in its November 2017 issue 11 papers describing some of the advances in the field of neuropsychology over the past 25 years. Method: The papers address three broad topics: as...

There is growing interest in the adoption of lifestyle interventions to remediate agerelated declines in memory functioning and physical and psychological health among older adults. This study aimed to investigate whether a Chinese Chan-based lifestyle intervention, the Dejian Mind-Body Intervention (DMBI), leads to positive benefits for memory fun...

Music training can improve cognitive functions. Previous studies have shown that children and adults with music training demonstrate better verbal learning and memory performance than those without such training. Although prior studies have shown an association between music training and changes in the structural and functional organization of the...

Previous studies have shown that immunological factors are involved in the pathogen-esis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, this research has been conducted almost exclusively in Western contexts, and only a handful of studies on immune measures have been conducted in Asian populations, such as Chinese populations. The present study exam...

The present study examined the executive function and cortical connectivity of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and investigated whether the executive function deficits exhibited by these children were differentially affected and associated with the cortical connectivity. The present study compared high-functioning (HFA) and low-functi...

Background: Some functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have reported altered activations in the frontal cortex during working memory (WM) performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), but the findings have been mixed. The objective of the present study was to utilize near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), an alternative imag...

Objective: To review the development, application, and value of neuropsychology, and the standard education and training pathway for neuropsychologists or clinical neuropsychologists in Hong Kong. Method: The information provided here was gathered via a literature review of the status of neuropsychology and the validity of commonly adopted neuro...

Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have been consistently found to have category fluency deficits. However, little is known about the neural basis of these deficits. A diversity of neuroimaging studies has revealed left-lateralized prefrontal activations due to verbal processing and control functions during the performance of category...

Objective: Deficits in cognitive flexibility have been suggested to underlie the repetitive and stereotyped behavior in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Because cognitive flexibility is primarily mediated by the frontal lobe, where structural and functional abnormalities have been extensively found in these individuals, it is conc...

The memory deficits found in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be caused by the lack of an effective strategy to aid memory. The executive control of memory processing is mediated largely by the timely coupling between frontal and posterior brain regions. The present study aimed to explore the potential effect of a Chinese mind–bo...

Children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulty interacting with others both verbally and behaviorally. In addition, they display impaired temper and behavior control. These two impairments hamper the daily functions required for independent living. The current study evaluated a patented intranasal herbal formula including borneol as...

To examine the electrophysiological effects of microcurrent stimulation at the Shenmen acupoint, 40 healthy normal subjects were randomly assigned to a placebo group (sham stimulation) and an experimental group (bilateral electrocutaneous stimulation at the Shenmen). The following two electroencephalographic indicators were used to measure brain ac...

A growing body of evidence suggests that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is associated with altered functional connectivity of the brain and with impairment in recognizing others’ emotions. To better understand the relationships among these neural and behavioral abnormalities, we examined cortical connectivity which was indicated by theta coherence...

Our animal and human studies have provided empirical evidence that a patented intranasal herbal medicine alters brain functions and neurophysiology. In particular, it reduces clinical symptoms and immunological anomalies in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The present study explored whether the herbal formula can improve executive fun...

Dovepress 727 O r I g I n A l r e s e A r C h open access to scientific and medical research Open Access Full Text Article http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S59985 A Chinese Chan-based mind–body intervention improves psychological well-being and physical health of community-dwelling elderly: a pilot study

The aim of this study was to explore the potential benefits of the Dejian mind-body intervention (DMBI) for psychological and physical health in older Chinese adults. After confirmation of eligibility, the subjects were invited to receive DMBI once a week for 12 weeks. The intervention involved components of learning self-awareness and self-control...

EEG coherence has been widely used to investigate brain activity and learning. However, relatively little is known about the relationship between resting-state EEG coherence and academic performance. The present study investigated this relationship with 140 healthy, normal participants. EEG was recorded during resting periods, with eyes open for 3...

This study aims to explore the potential benefits of a Chinese Chan-based lifestyle intervention on enhancing memory in older people with lower memory function. Forty-four aged 60-83 adults with various level of memory ability participated in the study. Their memories (including verbal and visual components) were assessed before and after 3 months...

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as a neurodevelopmental disorder, is to date incurable and has pervasive impact on cognitive, social, behavioral, and physical aspects of affected individuals. Recently, interest has been aroused in scientifically studying and clinically applying various complementary and alternative intervention methods for children...

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of lifelong developmental disorders characterized by poor social interaction with others, repetitive stereotyped behavior, and cognitive impairments including executive function. Although the cause of ASD is not well understood, increasing evidence suggests that the dysregulation of the immune system may...

Mind-body exercise, a form of physical exercise originating in the East with increasing popularity in the West, has a unique characteristic that requires conscious control of each body movement and concurrently maintaining a peaceful and relaxed state of mind during practice. With the ultimate goal of training both the body and the mind, there have...

Self-control problems commonly manifest as temper outbursts and repetitive/rigid/impulsive behaviors, in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which often contributes to learning difficulties and caregiver burden. The present study aims to compare the effect of a traditional Chinese Chan-based mind-body exercise, Nei Yang Gong, with that o...

Trial protocol. (DOC)

CONSORT checklist. (DOC)

Previous studies have shown that children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have impaired executive function, disordered neural connectivity, and abnormal immunologic function. The present study examined whether these abnormalities were associated. Seventeen high-functioning (HFA) and 17 low-functioning (LFA) children with ASD, aged 8–17 years,...

Despite the increased use of sex appeal in advertising, little is known about the influence of individual personality differences on responses to sexual information. This study examines the effects of the “sexual self-schema” personality trait on Chinese women's responses to advertisements using sex appeal. Regardless of the type of sexual informat...

Our previous studies have reported the therapeutic effects of 10-session Chinese Chan-based Dejian mind-body interventions (DMBI) in reducing the intake of antidepressants, improving depressive symptoms, and enhancing the attentional abilities of patients with depression. This study aims to explore the possible neuroelectrophysiological mechanisms...

When a company takes its products into a foreign market, one of its important decisions is the choice of a suitable brand name. Many multinational companies from developed countries in the West often use their original English brand names. However, given that some consumers prefer brands in their own language, it is now common for companies to use...

BACKGROUND: Given the recent growing interest and encouraging findings in studies of alternative treatments for depression, the present randomized controlled trial study aimed to compare the effect of a newly developed Chinese Chan-based Dejian Mind-Body Intervention (DMBI) with the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on improving depressive symptom...

Executive dysfunctions have been found to be related to repetitive/disinhibited behaviors and social deficits in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). This study aims to investigate the potential effect of a Shaolin-medicine-based dietary modification on improving executive functions and behavioral symptoms of ASD and exploring the possible underlying...

Sleep disturbance is a common problem associated with depression, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a more common behavioral intervention for sleep problems. The present study compares the effect of a newly developed Chinese Chan-based intervention, namely Dejian mind-body intervention (DMBI), with the CBT on improving sleep problems of pat...

Neuropsychology was first brought into China by young Chinese scholar-researchers trained in North America, who returned to their homeland in the mid-1990s. This group of young, Western-trained neuropsychologists, is still the main driving force in the development of the field today, and it has been very active in advancing clinical research and pr...

Increasing evidence suggests that immunological factors are involved in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The present study examined whether immunological abnormalities are associated with cognitive deficits in children with ASD. Eighteen high-functioning (HFA) and 19 low-functioning (LFA) children with ASD, aged 8–17 years, were...

Previous studies showed that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is activated when individuals engage in attention and inhibitory control tasks. The present study examined whether ACC activity is associated with behavioral performance of the two tasks. Twenty normal and 20 children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) were subjected to neuropsycho...

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a short-term mind-body intervention program on improving the depressive mood of an adult community sample. Forty adult volunteers with various degrees of depressive mood were randomly assigned to the experimental group (Dejian Mind-Body Intervention, DMBI) and control group (Cognitive-Behavioral Ther...

The present study examined the neuro-electrophysiological activity of the brain associated with the application of a herbal remedy developed by a Shaolin monk based upon the Chan healing principle of clearing the orifices (i.e., the nasal cavities). A repeated-measures design was used. Fourteen normal adults were administered herbal remedy and sali...