Roger Ho

• National University of Singapore

Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) is a serious debilitating condition that develops after the resolution of an acute infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus 2. Some commonly reported symptoms include fatigue and cognitive deficits. Multiple lines of evidence have indicated fatigue to be associated with cognitive deficits i...

Objective: The variety and efficacy of biomarkers available that may be used objectively to diagnose major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults are unclear. This systematic review aims to identify and evaluate the variety of objective markers used to diagnose MDD in adults. Methods: The search strategy was applied via PubMed and PsycINFO over the p...

Background: Loneliness and suicidality are interrelated phenomena. Several studies suggest that they often co-exist, but the magnitude is unclear. This systematic review aims to analyze this association in general population samples of varying age groups and persons with depressive and bipolar disorders. Methods: Search terms in this review include...

Background Cariprazine, a D3/D2 partial agonist with preferential binding to D3 receptors, is one of the few treatment options for acute manic, mixed, and depressive episodes associated with bipolar 1 disorder (BP1D) that is approved by regulatory authorities in some countries including those from Southeast Asia. Aims and Objectives An expert pane...

Background Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a potentially irreversible, involuntary movement disorder induced by dopamine receptor blocking agents. TD may interfere with antipsychotic adherence and result in significant impairment of functioning and quality of life. In Southeast Asia (SEA), TD is not well recognized by clinicians and patients. As such, g...

Background Chronic insomnia disorder, a condition associated with frequent and persistent difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep, is one of the most common reasons for patients consulting general practitioners and psychiatrists in Singapore. Objectives The landscape for managing chronic insomnia disorder is constantly changing but a clear,...

Aim Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that may persist into adulthood, with no established objective diagnostic tool yet. This study aims to propose a multimodal objective assessment tool involving clinical assessments, functional neuroimaging, and oculomotricity measurement for ADHD in young adults....

There remains a scarcity of studies to evaluate the treatment effect of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) offers a cost-effective method to measure cerebral hemodynamics. This study used fNIRS to evaluate the effect of ECT in patients suffering from schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic phase). Thirty...

Depression treatment responses vary widely among individuals. Identifying objective biomarkers with predictive accuracy for therapeutic outcomes can enhance treatment efficiency and avoid ineffective therapies. This study investigates whether functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and clinical assessment information can predict treatment res...

Background Improving functioning in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) is a priority therapeutic objective. Methods This retrospective post hoc secondary analysis evaluated 108 patients with MDD or BD receiving the antidepressants vortioxetine, ketamine, or infliximab. The analysis aimed to determine if changes in...

Background Antidepressants are commonly prescribed for mood disorders. Epidemiological studies suggest antidepressant use may be associated with cataracts and glaucoma. We aim to investigate the association between antidepressants and cataracts and glaucoma. Methods Data was collected from the United States Food and Drug Administration Adverse Eve...

Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a prevalent psychiatric disorder, significantly impacts social, academic, and occupational functioning. However, it has been relatively less prioritized compared to childhood ADHD. This study employed a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) during verbal fluency tasks in conjunction wit...

Objective The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC) as the onset of symptoms within three months after resolution of an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, wherein symptoms persist for at least two months and cannot be explained by another medical/psychiatric condition. Persons living with PCC report debilitating symptom...

Objective Many psychotropic drugs are highly associated with related weight gain. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are established anti-obesity and glucose-lowering agents. Preliminary evidence also indicates they are fit for purpose in mitigating psychotropic drug-related weight gain (PDWG). This systematic review aims to synth...

Background Nicotine use and nicotine use disorder (NUD) are the leading causes of preventable death in the United States. Persons with mental disorders (e.g., bipolar disorder) are differentially susceptible to nicotine use. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are indicated for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity and show p...

Objective Postpartum depression (PPD), now referred to as perinatal depression, is a prevalent and debilitating mood disorder that reduces health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and psychosocial functioning. Esketamine, which is efficacious in adults with treatment-resistant depression and individuals with depression and suicidality, is also analge...

Background It remains unclear whether subjective and objective measures of cognitive function in Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC) are correlated. The extent of correlation has mechanistic and clinical implications. Methods This post-hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial contains baseline data of subjective and...

Background: Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC), also known as "long COVID," is characterized by persistent symptoms, negatively affecting the well-being of individuals with PCC. Anhedonia (i.e. reduced capacity for pleasure) and compromised psychosocial functioning are notable symptoms in those with PCC. We aimed to provide insights to understand the e...

Aim. The aim was to study motivation functions and the psycho-emotional reaction to participation in volunteering in Polish and Ukrainian volunteers who assisted Ukrainian refugees at the beginning of the war in Ukraine in 2022. Methods. For the empirical study of volunteers, the team of authors developed the questionnaire. The Volunteer Functions...

Objective: Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC) is a prevalent, persistent and debilitating phenomenon occurring three or more months after resolution of acute COVID-19 infection. Fatigue and depressive symptoms are commonly reported in PCC. We aimed to further characterize PCC by assessing the relationship between fatigue and depressive symptom severity...

Background: Package inserts for the FDA-approved dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs) suvorexant, lemborexant and daridorexant state that suicide risk should be monitored. It remains unknown whether suicidality is attributed to DORAs. We aim to evaluate suicidality associated with DORAs reported to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS...

Background Emotional urgency, defined as a trait concept of emotion-based impulsivity, is at least moderately associated with general psychopathology. However, its clinical significance and associations with clinically relevant features of bipolar disorder remain unclear. This scoping review aims address this gap by determining the extent of eviden...

Prescription of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitors, valbenazine, deutetrabenazine, and tetrabenazine, is becoming increasingly common in persons treated with antipsychotics. Reported suicidality and parkinsonism are safety concerns with VMAT2 inhibitors. Herein, we aim to evaluate the aforementioned safety outcomes using the FDA A...

Due to legal, political, and cultural changes, the use of cannabis has rapidly increased in recent years. Research has demonstrated that the cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) inhibit and induce cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes. The objective of this review is to evaluate the effect of CBD and THC on the activity of CY...

Background Individuals who have recovered from the acute stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection may be at risk of developing post-COVID-19 condition (PCC), characterized by a spectrum of persisting, non-specific, and functionally impairing symptoms across multiple organ systems. Obesity has been implicated as a risk factor for PCC, mediated by chronic syste...

Amidst the growing concerns about mental health issues among urban dwellers, there has been increased attention to the restorative potential (RP) of urban landscapes. However, research into the relevant landscape features tends to lack the integration of quantifiable methodologies, which are essential for practical imple- mentation in urban plannin...

To date, there are no therapeutics that have gained regulatory approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of post-COVID-19 condition (PCC), a debilitating condition characterized by cognitive impairment and mood symptoms. Additionally, persistent inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, and risks associated with...

Introduction: We systematically reviewed extant studies evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of xanomeline and xanomeline-trospium (KarXT) for treatment of adults with schizophrenia. Methods: In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, articles were systematically searched for in databases and clinical trial registries. Results: A total of 4 pre...

Background Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC) is a common and debilitating condition with significant reports of fatigue and psychosocial impairment globally. The extent to which cognitive symptoms and fatigue contribute to reduced quality of life in affected individuals remains clear. Methods This is a post-hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind, p...

Background It remains unclear whether subjective and objective measures of cognitive function in Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC) are correlated. The extent of correlation has mechanistic and clinical implications. Methods This post-hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial contains baseline data of subjective and o...

With the growing concern for the psychological well-being of urban dwellers, there has been a recognized need to explore the role of green environments in facilitating mental restorative benefits from the demands of city life. However, a significant gap exists in quantitatively modeling the restorative potential of urban environments, especially in...

Background Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC), as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), currently lacks any regulatory-approved treatments and is characterized by persistent and debilitating cognitive impairment and mood symptoms. Additionally, metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation and the associated risks of elevated body mass index (BM...

Background. Emotional urgency, defined as a trait concept of emotion-based impulsivity, is at least moderately associated with general psychopathology. However, its clinical significance and associations with clinically relevant features of bipolar disorder is unclear. This scoping review aims address this gap by determining the extent of evidence...

Background This study aimed to report the prevalence of COVID-19 over-concern and its associated factors after the relaxation of the health-protective measures in China. Methods A team of seven experts in psychiatry and psychology specializing in COVID-19 mental health research from China, Hong Kong, and overseas reached a consensus on the diagnos...

Introduction: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common and debilitating mental illness. Postpartum depression (PPD) impacts women globally and is one of the most common complications of childbirth that is underdiagnosed and undertreated, adversely impacting the mental health of women, children, and partners.Available antidepressant medications...

Objective The prevention of HIV/AIDS is not making sufficient progress. The slow reduction of HIV/AIDS infections needs to prioritise hesitancy towards service utilisation, including treatment duration, social support and social stigma. This study investigates HIV-positive patients’ avoidance of healthcare services and its correlates. Design A cro...

The post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) is characterized by persistent, distressing symptoms following an acute COVID-19 infection. These symptoms encompass various domains, including hedonic tone, which is critical for overall well-being. Furthermore, obesity is both a risk factor for COVID-19 and PCC and associated with impaired hedonic tone. This stud...

Neurological manifestations have been widely reported in adults with COVID-19, yet the extent of involvement among the pediatric population is currently poorly characterized. The objective of our systematic review is to evaluate the association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with neurological symptoms and neuroimaging manifestations in the pediatric popul...

Introduction Emotional urgency is an emotion-based subdimension of trait impulsivity that is more clinically relevant to psychopathology and disorders of emotion dysfunction than non-emotional subdimensions (i.e., lack of perseverance, sensation seeking, lack of premeditation). However, few studies have examined the relative effects of emotional ur...

The Russo-Ukrainian War has led to a humanitarian crisis, and many people volunteered to help affected refugees. This cross-sectional survey study investigates the relationships between the psychological impact of participation, coping mechanisms, and motivational functions of volunteering during the Russo-Ukrainian War among 285 Ukrainian and 435...

Highlights: Vortioxetine improves Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC)-related cognitive function in individuals with high baseline inflammation, metabolic disruption and BMI. Significant between-group difference in favor of vortioxetine over placebo at week 8. Significant time and treatment effects in the vortioxetine-treated group at endpoint. These fin...

Objective Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) provides direct and quantitative assessment of cortical hemodynamic response. It has been used to identify neurophysiological alterations in medication-naïve adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Hence, this study aimed to distinguish both medication-naïve and medicated...

Introduction: The challenges posed by treatment-resistant schizophrenia and depressive symptoms have led to ongoing difficulties despite the availability of antipsychotics and antidepressants. This review addresses the potential of amisulpride analogs, particularly SEP-4199, in addressing these challenges through enhanced efficacy and reduced side...

Background In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the distribution of social support for mental health problems has likely become unequal. Family- and community-based social support has been recognized as a promising approach for mental disorders; however, limited global frameworks have been applied to developing countries such as Vietnam. Objective T...

A significant proportion of adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not respond to treatments which are currently used in clinical practice such as first-generation monoamine-based antidepressants. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action of AXS-05, a combination of the NMDA-recepto...

Treatment‐resistant depression (TRD) is common and associated with multiple serious public health implications. A consensus definition of TRD with demonstrated predictive utility in terms of clinical decision‐making and health outcomes does not currently exist. Instead, a plethora of definitions have been proposed, which vary significantly in their...

1) Objective Many studies confirmed the association between low levels of vitamin D and symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as lower immunity. COVID-19 pandemic mobility restrictions and avoidance of going outside to dimmish the possibility to contract the virus could lead to hypovitaminosis D3 in individuals if it was not accompanied by ap...

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common mental disorder with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Dysfunctional signaling of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been implicated in some studies in the etiology of MDD. Zuranolone (SAGE-217) is a novel, oral neuroactive steroid and an investigational positive allosteric modulator of synaptic and...

Importance: A cancer diagnosis and treatment may result in highly traumatic periods with lasting psychological consequences for children, adolescent, and young adult patients with cancer (CYACs). Early identification and management may prevent long-term psychological morbidity and suicide. Objective: To analyze risk, severity, and risk factors f...

Background Traditionally, the effect of assessment item types including true/false questions (TFQs), multiple-choice questions (MCQs), short answer questions (SAQs), and case scenario questions (CSQs) is examined through psychometric qualities or student interviews. However, brain activity while answering such questions or items remains unknown. Fu...

Mitigating the impacts of Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and substance use requires comprehensive and systematic thinking in designing interventions and developing policies. This study describes the growth of research publications from 1991 to 2021 in the Web of Science database and points out current re...

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are widely used for glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and are primarily indicated for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). GLP-1 receptor agonists have also been shown to have neuroprotective and antidepressant properties. Replicated evidence suggests that individuals with DM are...

Background: The latent monkeypox outbreak has become the most emergent public health challenge globally. This study was conducted to assess the acceptability, and willingness to take and pay for a hypothetical Monkeypox vaccine among the Vietnamese general public as well as investigate preference for individual vaccine attributes. Methods: An on...

Introduction: During COVID-19 pandemic, it was noticed that it was students who were mostly affected by the changes that aroused because of the pandemic. The interesting part is whether students’ well-being could be associated with their fields of study as well as coping strategies. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to assess 1) the mental health...

BACKGROUND In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the distribution of social support for mental health problems has likely become unequal. Family- and community-based social support has been recognized as a promising approach for mental disorders; however, limited global frameworks have been applied to developing countries such as Vietnam. OBJECTIVE T...

Background Neurological manifestations have been widely reported in adults with COVID-19, yet the extent of involvement among the pediatric population is currently poorly characterized. The objective of our systematic review is to evaluate the association of SARS-CoV-2 infection with neurological symptoms and neuroimaging manifestations in the pedi...

Abstract Ukraine has been embroiled in an increasing war since February 2022. In addition to Ukrainians, the Russo-Ukraine war has affected Poles due to the refugee crisis and the Taiwanese, who are facing a potential crisis with China. We examined the mental health status and associated factors in Ukraine, Poland, and Taiwan. The data will be used...

Empirical evidence addressing the association between SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and long COVID would guide public health priorities and inform personal health decisions. Herein, the co-primary objectives are to determine the differential risk of long COVID in vaccinated versus unvaccinated patients, and the trajectory of long COVID following vaccinati...

Clinicians are expected to provide accurate and useful mental health assessments, sometimes in emergency settings. The most urgent challenge may be in calculating suicide risk. Unfortunately, existing instruments often fail to meet requirements. To address this situation, we used a sustainable scale development approach to create a publicly availab...

Background: Illness perception has long been hypothesized to be linked to psychological well-b eing in patients with rheumatic diseases, although substantial evidence is lacking, and the contribution of ruminative coping style to this relationship is unclear. Aim: To investigate the roles of illness perception and rumination in predicting fatigu...

Importance: Hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline. However, it is unclear if hearing restorative devices may have a beneficial effect on cognition. Objective: To evaluate the associations of hearing aids and cochlear implants with cognitive decline and dementia. Data sources: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases for studies publi...

Ketamine is a NMDA receptor antagonist that has a rapid acting antidepressant effect with high efficacy in treatment-resistant patients. Ketamine is a beneficial antidepressant for many individuals with depression, but not all of the patients respond, and some even exhibit symptom deterioration. The discovery of repeatable and mechanistically relev...

Previous studies have evaluated the relationship between anhedonia and suicidality; however, to our knowledge, there has been no quantitative synthesis evaluating the foregoing association to date. Herein, this meta-analysis aims to provide a quantitative synthesis of the extant literature reporting on the association between levels of anhedonia ac...

Background Post-acute coronary syndrome (ACS) depression is a common but not well understood complication experienced by ACS patients. Research on the effectiveness of various therapies remains limited. Hence, we sought to conduct a network meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of different interventions for post-ACS depression in improving patient...

There is an established consensus among researchers that contact with nature improves mental health, wellbeing, and quality of life in urbanised environments. Studies tend to examine the health impacts of nature without identifying specific physical and spatial landscape features that could guide health-promoting design of urban green spaces. A gro...

Background: Since the onset of COVID-19, public health policies and public opinions changed from stringent preventive measures against spread of COVID-19 to policies accommodating life with continued, diminished risk for contracting COVID-19. Poland is a country that demonstrated severe psychological impact and negative mental health. The study ai...

Objectives: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the treatment outcomes of patients treated with Group cognitive behavioural therapy (GCBT) or group psychoeducation (GPE) as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy. Methods: Systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CENTRAL from inception till 1 March 2022 was conducted. Randomized-controlled-trials (...

Burnout is an important public health issue at times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Current measures which focus on work-based burnout have limitations in length and/or relevance. When stepping into the post-pandemic as a new Norm Era, the burnout scale for the general population is urgently needed to fill the gap. This study aimed to develop a COVID-19...

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a severe, debilitating mood disorder with consequences for both mothers and children, highlighting the need for rapid-acting and effective treatments for PPD. The aim of this narrative review is to synthesize the available literature on the administration of ketamine for PPD and propose ketamine as a viab...

Over the past two decades, ketamine has emerged as a novel effective and safe rapid-acting antidepressant. While the vast majority of studies on ketamine have focused on its ability to reduce the severity of depression broadly, its effectiveness in specific domains such as cognition, anhedonia, suicidality, and workplace/social/scholastic functiona...

Despite the vaccine against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) being reported to be safe and effective, the unwillingness to vaccinate and doubts are still common. The aim of this international study was to assess the major reasons for the unwillingness to vaccinate in a group of students from Poland (n = 1202), Bangla...