Zhonghe District

This research aims to evaluate the effects of a music-based dance program on executive function and physical performance in middle-aged and older adults with cognitive impairment. It focuses on mild cognitive impairment, a condition that affects memory, judgment, and motor skills, often reducing independence and quality of life. Dance, combining music, rhythmic movement, and cognitive-motor coordination, offers dual-task training that may improve both cognitive and motor functions simultaneously through social interaction and partner guidance. Participants are assigned to either the music-based dance intervention group or a control group. The intervention group takes part in a nine-week, twice-weekly group dance program with 40-minute sessions featuring rhythmic movement, fixed choreography, and mutual physical guidance to stimulate memory, attention, balance, and lower limb mobility. The control group follows a nine-week, twice-weekly lower limb exercise program delivered by non-musical instructional videos focusing on strength and balance training. Participants are assessed at three points before the intervention, mid-intervention at week 5, and one week after completion at week 10. Evaluations include cognitive tests like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Stroop Color and Word Test, as well as physical performance tests such as the Four-Square Step Test, Timed Up and Go - Cognitive, and Functional Reach Test. Feedback is also collected after the program. Data analysis examines changes within and between groups to understand the interventions feasibility and preliminary effects.

Researchers are studying how mindfulness-based interventions can help reduce stress, depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbances in healthcare staff and older adults. The study focuses on groups that have been less studied, aiming to improve mental health, self-awareness, and psychological well-being in these populations. The project also aligns with Taiwans goals for social support and long-term care in aging societies. Participants will join two mindfulness intervention sessions, each lasting four months. The main treatment is an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction MBSR program involving weekly 2.5-hour sessions, daily home practice, and a full-day silent retreat. Certified instructors guide meditation, yoga, and gratitude practices. This approach uses tools like non-invasive fiber optic monitoring, Garmin smartwatches, and functional MRI scans to study changes in brain and body functions. During the study, participants will complete questionnaires on depression, sleep quality, and well-being before and after interventions. Sleep assessments include polysomnography and Belun Ring monitoring. Continuous physiological data will be collected with wearable devices. The study involves 40 participants and includes assessments within one month before and after the mindfulness courses, aiming to understand how mindfulness affects mental health and sleep in medical staff and elderly adults over the study period.

This research aims to explore the potential prebiotic effects of mulberry fruit juice on children and adolescents with atopic dermatitis. It will investigate how consuming mulberry juice might influence the severity of the skin condition, gut microbiota, and metabolites. The study will enroll up to 120 participants aged 6 to under 18 years, focusing on those diagnosed with atopic dermatitis for more than six months. The project is supported by Taipei Medical University Hospital and commissioned by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a control group receiving standard atopic dermatitis treatment, including Mometasone furoate 0.1% cream, or an experimental group receiving the same standard therapy plus 200 ml of mulberry fruit juice daily. The intervention lasts three months, with five clinical assessments and three stool collections scheduled during this period. The study will compare changes in atopic dermatitis severity, gut microbiota composition, and metabolites between the two groups. During the study, participants will undergo regular evaluations including clinical assessments of skin condition and quality of life. Stool samples will be collected to analyze changes in gut bacteria and metabolic products. Researchers will measure changes in metabolism starting from six days after beginning juice intake and track atopic dermatitis severity and life quality over the full 12 weeks. The study includes monitoring for safety and adherence, with total participation lasting three months.