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Prof. SO Kwok-fai, Director of GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration at Jinan University, Guangzhou, China, delivered the 37th PAIR Distinguished Lecture titled “Mental Health and Lifestyle Intervention” on 17 April 2025 on the PolyU campus. The lecture attracted about 100 participants to join in person and captivated an online audience of over 13,300 from different countries and regions who watched the live broadcast on multiple social media platforms, including Bilibili, WeChat, Weibo and YouTube.

The lecture commenced with a warm welcome by Prof. ZHANG Weixiong, Associate Director of PAIR, followed by an introduction of the speaker by Prof. WONG Kwok-yin, Vice President (Education). Prof. So kickstarted his presentation by emphasising the importance of disease prevention in safeguarding human health. He highlighted that rapid economic development, an increasingly fast-paced lifestyle, heightened social competition and other factors have contributed to a rise in mental health challenges, chronic conditions, sub-health syndromes and aging-related diseases.

Prof. So elaborated on several neuropathological mechanisms, such as monoamine neurotransmitters, neural circuits, and neuroglial cells. In addition to these central factors, he also discussed how circulating hormones, including glucocorticoids, profoundly influence mental functions, suggesting the interplay between peripheral tissues and central nervous system nuclei.

Additionally, he highlighted the antidepressant effects of light therapy, underscoring the role of the nucleus reuniens in mediating the spatial memory-enhancing outcomes of such treatment. Furthermore, Prof. So presented evidence that taking glucagon-like peptides can alleviate symptoms of depression and reduce the side effects of traditional treatments on the body.

Last but not least, Prof. So underscored the need for healthcare focus to shift from curative to preventive medicine, advocating lifestyle strategies such as regular exercise, light therapy and using supplements derived from goji glycopeptide as effective preventive measures.
The event concluded with a dynamic question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Sylvia CHEN, Interim Director of Mental Health Research Centre (MHRC) and Associate Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences (FHSS), where attendees engaged in in-depth discussions with Prof. So.