Results

The study investigates the relationship between cardiovascular fitness, functional brain connectivity, and mental health in middle-aged adults. Data from 418 participants from the BBHI were analyzed, revealing that higher cardiovascular fitness was associated with lower symptoms of anxiety and stress. Additionally, it was found that functional connectivity within the Default Mode Network (DMN) and between the Frontoparietal Network (FPN) and the Salience Network (SN) mediated the relationship between cardiovascular fitness and stress. These findings suggest that cardiovascular fitness can positively impact mental health in middle age through functional brain connectivity.

Our study aimed to identify trajectories for different components of mental health during a two-year follow-up of the COVID-19 pandemic, contextualizing them according to pandemic periods. We investigated the associations between mental health trajectories and various exposures, determining if differences existed among different mental health outcomes regarding these associations. We identified three latent trajectories for the studied outcomes, distinguishing between 'resilient' and 'chronic-worsening.' Overall, global health, cognitive health, and coping strategies were identified as common protective factors. Our results support heterogeneity in reactions to the pandemic and the need to study different mental health components over a longer follow-up. Understanding modifiable protective and risk factors associated with these trajectories would allow targeted interventions for specific population segments.

The study examines the relationship between Repetitive Negative Thinking (RNT), which encompasses negative thoughts about the future and past, and the segregation of brain networks in middle-aged adults. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, the study investigated the Anterior Salience Network (ASN), Default Mode Network (DMN), and Executive Control Network (ECN). Results indicate that RNT is associated with depression, emotional stability, cognitive complaints, and the segregation of the left Executive Control Network (LECN) and ASN. Additionally, the ventral DMN (vDMN) exhibits increased connectivity with the ASN and decreased connectivity with the LECN in relation to RNT. These findings suggest that higher levels of perseverative thinking are linked to increased segregation of the LECN and reduced segregation of the ASN, potentially contributing to poorer cognitive control and increased self-referential processes in RNT.

This study explores the connection between episodic memory (EM) decline, a common feature of cognitive aging and early Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis, and DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns. The research uses data from buccal and blood samples collected from 1019 participants for cross-sectional analysis and 626 individuals for longitudinal changes in EM performance over an average of 5.4 years. The study identifies 21 loci with suggestive associations related to EM, including genes previously linked to AD and Parkinson's disease. In summary, this research reveals potential candidate loci where differential DNAm patterns in peripheral tissues relate to EM performance in humans.

The COVID-19 pandemic provides a unique opportunity to investigate the psychological impact of a global major adverse situation. Our aim was to examine, in a longitudinal prospective study, the demographic, psychological, and neurobiological factors associated with interindividual differences in resilience to the mental health impact of the pandemic.

Psychosocial hardships associated with the COVID-19 pandemic led many individuals to suffer adverse mental health consequences, however, others show no negative effects. We hypothesized that the electroencephalographic (EEG) response to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) could serve as a toy-model of an individual's capacity to resist psychological stress, in this case linked to the COVID-19 pandemic.