Editor's Note
VOLUME 42, NO. 1 • March 2025
Fei Sun, IPA Bulletin Editor-in-Chief
June is particularly exciting time as the IPA gears up for the International Congress program in Kanazawa, Japan, taking place from September 25–27, 2025. As Editor-in-Chief, I warmly invite you to join this year’s Congress, not only for its compelling presentations, but also engage with two newly formed task forces and a range of networking opportunities highlighted by IPA President Dr. Anne Margriet Pot.
In the Research and Practice section of this issue, we present four thought-providing articles that introduced non-invasive treatments for persons living with neurological diseases and risk factors for mental health challenges in older adults.
Dr. Wu (U.S.A.) introduces Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) as a promising, non-invasive technique that stimulates the vagus nerve via the ear or neck. Preliminary evidence suggests tVNS may alleviate both motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, and potentially improve speech impairments, such as hypokinetic dysarthria, especially when combined with traditional therapy. The second article by Drs. Sader and Khoury (Lebanon) present another non-invasive brain stimulation---Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), used to reduce apathy in Alzheimer’s’ patients. They also pointed out larger, well-controlled studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness and refine treatment approaches.
The third article by Merx and colleagues (the Netherlands) proposes the Vital Community Pyramid to conceptualize how vital communities—especially for older adults with mental health needs in long-term care—are built through four hierarchical levels: interaction, activation, community creation, and resilience. Each level represents essential building blocks that progressively transform individual participation into a cohesive, resilient, and sustainable community. The last article by Wongpakaran and colleagues (Thailand) explore the association between mild cognitive impairment and the risk of suicidality in older adults with depression. They suggest systemic inflammation as a potential link, underscoring the importance of early detection and intervention to reduce suicide risk in this population.
In the Around the World section, we feature three notable submissions.
The first two submission from mainland China. The first one, led by Dr. Li and associates (China) from the Geriatric Psychiatry Department at Shanghai Mental Health Center, introduces an innovative initiative to study how sleep disorders, mental health, and cognitive decline interact in aging populations. Through large-scale cohort studies, neuroimaging, metabolomics, and machine learning, the project aims to uncover biological mechanisms and develop personalized interventions to promote healthy aging and cognitive well-being in older adults. Mr. Chen (China) analyzes the implementation of the China’s long-term care insurance pilot program. Its three-tiered care network aimed at pursuing coordinated, targeted, and sustainably financed care strategies has shown some effects in improve access and reduce financial stress in older adults. Finally, Javier González-Castaño and colleagues (Spain) introduce Celia, an AI-based conversational assistant developed by Universidade de Vigo, designed to support older adults through companionship and cognitive assessments. Launched in 2023 and integrated with WhatsApp, Celia facilitates early detection of neurodegenerative diseases and improving digital accessibility.
As I reflect on completing my first year as Editor-in-Chief, I want to thank you all for your continued support. I invite you to submit your research, clinical updates, policy insights, or requests for collaboration to future issues of the Bulletin. Your contributions help enrich our global network and foster meaningful exchange in psychogeriatrics.
Please feel free to reach out with submissions or questions at sunfei@msu.edu, or contact other editors of the IPA Bulletin.
Fei Sun (Ph.D., MSW, MA)
IPA Bulletin Editor-in-Chief
