Chapters authored
Uncertainty, Sex and Sexuality during the Pandemic: Impact on Psychosocial Resilience
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been a global unprecedented health threat. Besides the myriad of effects on public health, the psychosocial implications of the outbreak have been far-fetched. Though the increased prevalence of psychiatric disorders, reduced access to care and social vulnerabilities have been highlighted in literature, the immense impact on sexuality and psychosexual health tends to be silent. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines sexual health as “a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity.” Sexual practices and intimacy have been influenced by more ways than one, namely fear of infection, ambiguity about viral spread, misinformation, physical distancing, travel restrictions, intimate partner violence and deprivation of ‘social touch’. The frontline workers, socio-economically impoverished groups, age and sexual minorities are especially affected. Sexual and reproductive rights are compromised due to reduced help-seeking, panic and stigma related to the outbreak. Psychological resilience helps one navigate through stressful situations and assumes a special importance during the ongoing crisis. This chapter reviews the multi-faceted intersections between sexual health and resilience, highlights the possible roles of pandemic-related uncertainty and advocates for certain guidelines to promote and preserve healthy expressions of sexuality for coping during COVID-19.
Part of the book: Anxiety, Uncertainty, and Resilience During the Pandemic Period
Perspective Chapter: Nutraceuticals as a Therapeutic Promise in Healthy Aging and Neurocognitive Disorders
The world is facing a rapid population ageing. Noncommunicable disorders (NCDs) form the bulk of present-day morbidity. Besides dealing with neurodegeneration and neurocognitive disorders, modern-day therapeutics have also geared toward healthy ageing and preventive approaches. Several chemical substances belonging to classes of natural dietary origin display protective properties against some age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative ones. These compounds, known as nutraceuticals, differ structurally, acting on different pathways. There has been a paradigm shift in the understanding of dementias toward neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, immunomodulation, and gut-brain axis dysregulation. This offers promise for the nutraceuticals as a novel approach in the field of neurocognitive disorders and healthy ageing. However, the collective evidence is still evolving and as of yet not robust enough for nutraceuticals to be a part of clinical guidelines. The other caveats are lack of subjective understanding of use, and individual constituents of a product showing differential effects, which lead to ambiguous outcomes in clinical trials. This chapter critically looks at the role of various nutraceuticals in promoting healthy aging and management of neurodegenerative conditions (especially Alzheimer’s disease). The evidence so far is highlighted with the challenges in their use and future directions of research.
Part of the book: Geriatric Medicine and Healthy Aging