This randomized controlled trial has shown that in the elderly undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery, the fast-track recovery programme resulted in a more rapid postoperative recovery, earlier discharge from hospital and fewer general complications compared with a conventional postoperative protocol.

The amygdala and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) play important roles in “emotion dysregulation,” which has a profound impact on etiologic research of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The present study analyzed both eyes-open and eyes-closed resting state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) of 43 subjects (21 GAD patients with medicine free and 22 matched healthy controls). The amygdala and the DLPFC were defined as regions of interest (ROI) to analyze functional connectivity (FC) in GAD patients compared with healthy controls. The main findings revealed GAD patients had increased FC between the amygdala and the temporal pole compared to healthy controls, which was found in both eyes-open and eyes-closed rs-fMRI. And altered FC between the ROIs and brain regions that mainly belonged to the default mode network (DMN) were found. These findings suggest that the abnormal FC between the amygdala and the temporal pole may contribute to the pathophysiology of GAD, and provide insights into the current understanding of the emotion dysregulation of anxiety disorders.

Magnetic seizure therapy (MST) is a potential alternative to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), but there is currently a lack of reports about MST in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Our objective was to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of add-on MST in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. Eight patients with schizophrenia were enrolled in a case series study to receive 10 sessions of add-on MST over 4 weeks. The MST was administrated using 25 Hz at 100% output with a titration duration ranging from 4 to 20 s by 4 s. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) were employed to measure the symptom improvements and the cognitive effects, respectively. Six patients completed at least one-half of the planned sessions. Five showed a reduction in PANSS total score, and three achieved clinical response (≥30% reduction). Three of the participants receiving the RBANS, showed either improvements or no changes in the memory function. Regarding the subjective complaints about MST, two reported dizziness, and only one reported memory loss. Approximately one-fourth of the treatment sessions produced only brief seizures (<15 s). Overall, employing MST to treat Chinese patients with schizophrenia appeared feasible and acceptable. However, further evidence is needed to determine the therapeutic efficacy and effects of MST on the cognitive functions of patients with schizophrenia.