Characteristics of cortical activation in older adults under cognition-balance dual tasks / 中国康复理论与实践

ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics of balance and cortical activation in older adults when performing cognition-balance dual tasks. MethodsFrom January to April, 2023, 20 healthy older adults were non-targeted recruited. They completed six tasks of close eyes & fixed platform (CF), close eyes & fixed platform & cognitive task (CFc), open eyes & sway-referenced platform (OS), open eyes & sway-referenced platform & cognitive task (OSc), close eyes & sway-referenced platform (CS), and close eyes & sway-referenced platform & cognitive task (CSc) on the Balance SD, wearing functional near-infrared spectroscopy caps. The overal stability index (OSI) was measured with Balance SD. The premotor cortex (PMC), sensorimotor cortex (SMC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) were as regions of interest (ROIs), and the β values were calculated. ResultsThe OSI was more as CFc than as CF (Z = -2.014, P < 0.05), and was less as CSc than as CS (Z = -2.063, P < 0.05). The β values of bilateral ROIs were all more as CFc than as CF (|Z| > 2.464, |t| > 3.733, P < 0.05), and as OSc than as OS (|t| > 2.308, P < 0.05); the β value of the right SMC was more as CSc than as CS (t = -2.912, P < 0.05). The number of correct counts was less as CSc than as CFc and OSc (|Z| > 3.643, P < 0.001). ConclusionBalance has been impaired under dual tasks for older adults, while activation of cerebral cortex increases. However, for more difficult balance task, older adults would preferentially maintain postural balance under dual tasks, while cognitive performance decreases, which may be the results from no more activation of cerebral cortex under dual tasks.

Relación entre la activación cortical y los estados de ánimo en judocas de alto rendimiento / Relação entre ativação cortical e estados de humor em jogadores de judô de alto desempenho / Relationship between cortical activation and moods in judo high performance female athletes

RESUMEN La evaluación de la activación cortical e, indicador de fatiga central, constituye un demandado proceder del control psicológico del entrenamiento en deportistas de alto rendimiento en Cuba. Sin embargo, la mayoría de los estudios realizados no abordan la relación entre esta variable y los estados de ánimo, aunque se ha demostrado el impacto que poseen estos últimos en el rendimiento del deportista, en su estado de salud, entre otras variables. El incipiente conocimiento al respecto ha limitado la realización de intervenciones psicopedagógicas más integrales durante el control psicológico del entrenamiento. El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo comprobar la relación entre el nivel de activación cortical y los estados de ánimo. La muestra estuvo compuesta por diez judocas del equipo nacional de judo femenino de Cuba. La activación cortical fue medida durante seis sesiones de entrenamiento mediante el uso del Flicker, antes y después de suministradas las cargas. Los estados de ánimo fueron evaluados antes de comenzar cada sesión de entrenamiento con el perfil interactivo de estados de ánimo. Se procesaron los datos mediante la T de Student para muestras relacionadas, el coeficiente de correlación de Pearson y Spearman, distribuciones de frecuencias y estadígrafos descriptivos. Los principales resultados arrojaron que en la variable estados de ánimos prevalece el vigor cuya evaluación fue alta antes de iniciar las sesiones de entrenamiento, también se evidenció presencia de fatiga, mientras que el nivel de activación cortical mostró el comportamiento esperado que produjo un aumento significativo de la misma poscarga, constatándose una correlación muy débil entre ambas variables.

RESUMO A avaliação da ativação cortical e, um indicador de fadiga central, constitui um procedimento exigido no controle psicológico do treinamento de atletas de alto rendimento em Cuba. Entretanto, a maioria dos estudos realizados não aborda a relação entre esta variável e o humor, embora o impacto deste último no desempenho e estado de saúde do atleta, entre outras variáveis, tenha sido demonstrado. O conhecimento incipiente a este respeito tem limitado a implementação de intervenções desde psicopedagogias mais abrangentes durante o controle psicológico do treinamento. O objetivo do presente estudo era testar a relação entre o nível de ativação cortical e os estados de humor. A amostra consistiu de 10 judocas da equipe nacional feminina de judô de Cuba. A ativação cortical foi medida durante seis sessões de treinamento usando o Flicker, antes e depois que as cargas foram administradas. Os estados de humor foram avaliados antes do início de cada sessão de treinamento com o Perfil de humor interativo. Os dados foram processados usando o teste t de Student para amostras relacionadas, o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson e Spearman, distribuições de frequência e estatísticas descritivas. Os principais resultados mostraram que no variável humor prevaleceu o vigor, cuja avaliação foi alta antes de iniciar as sessões de treinamento, a presença de fadiga também foi evidenciada, enquanto o nível de ativação cortical mostrou o comportamento esperado que produziu um aumento significativo na mesma pós-carga, mostrando uma correlação muito fraca entre as duas variáveis.

ABSTRACT The evaluation of cortical e activation, an indicator of central fatigue, constitutes a demanded procedure for the psychological control of training in high-performance athletes in Cuba. However, most of the studies carried out do not address the relationship between this variable and moods, although the impact that the latter have on the performance of the athlete, on their health status, among other variables, has been demonstrated. The incipient knowledge in this regard has limited the performance of more comprehensive psychopedagogical interventions during the psychological control of training. The present work aimed to verify the relationship between the level of cortical activation and moods. The sample consisted of 10 judokas from the Cuban women's national judo team. Cortical activation was measured during six training sessions using the Flicker, before and after the loads were delivered. Moods were assessed before beginning each training session with the Interactive Moods Profile. Data were processed using Student's T for related samples, Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficient, frequency distributions, and descriptive statistics. The main results showed that in the moods variable, vigor prevails, which evaluation was high before starting the training sessions, the presence of fatigue was also evidenced, while the level of cortical activation showed the expected behavior that produced a significant increase in the same after load, confirming a very weak correlation between both variables.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation can improve upper limb function after a stroke / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective To explore any changes in the patterns of cortical activation after repetitive transcra-nial magnetic stimulation ( rTMS) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy when rTMS is used to treat paralyzed upper limbs. Methods Thirty hemiplegic stroke survivors were randomly divided into a treatment group and a con-trol group, each of 15. Those in the treatment group received 1 Hz rTMS on the M1 area of the unaffected hemisphere for 21 days, while the control group was given sham stimulation. The Fugl-Meyer motor assessment ( FMA-UE) was used to assess the paralyzed upper limbs before the treatment and after 7, 14 and 21 days of treatment. Oxy-hemoglo-bin ( HbO2 ) levels were measured in the premotor cortex, the supplementary motor area and the sensorimotor areas ( SMCs) of the affected and unaffected hemispheres before and after the treatment using the functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Results Before the treatment there was no significant difference between the two groups in their aver-age FMA-UE scores. The average FMA-UE scores of both groups increased significantly after 14 and 21 days of treat-ment, with the average scores at 21 days significantly better than after 14 days for both groups. But after 14 and 21 days the treatment group's average score was significantly better than that of the control group. The average HbO2 level in the SMC area of the unaffected hemisphere in the treatment group had decreased significantly after 21 days of treat-ment, and it was then significantly lower than the same level in the control group. Conclusion Twenty-one days of rTMS of the unaffected hemisphere can decrease cortical activation in the unaffected SMC area and promote the recov-ery of upper limb function.

Electroencephalographic Characteristics of Alcohol Dependent Patients: 3-Dimensional Source Localization

OBJECTIVES: The power spectral analysis of electroencephalogram has been widely used to reveal the pathophysiology of the alcoholic brain. However, the results were not consistent and the three dimensional study can be hardly found. The purpose of this study was to investigate characteristics of the three dimensional electroencephalographic (EEG) activity of alcohol dependent patients using standardized low resolution electromagnetic tomography (sLORETA). METHODS: The participants consisted of 30 alcohol dependent patients and 30 normal healthy controls. All the participants were males who had refrained from alcohol at least one month and were not taking any medications. Thirty two channel EEG data was collected in the resting state with eyes-closed condition during 30 seconds. The three dimensional data was compared between two groups using sLORETA for delta, theta, alpha, beta1, beta2, and beta3 frequency bands. RESULTS: sLORETA revealed significantly increased brain cortical activity in alpha, beta1, beta2, and beta3 bands each in alcohol dependent patients compared to normal controls. The voxels showing the maximum significance were in the left transverse temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left anterior cingulate, and left fusiform gyrus in alpha, beta1, beta2, and beta3 bands respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that chronic alcohol intake may cause neurophysiological changes in cerebral activity. Therefore, the measuring of EEG can be helpful in understanding the pathophysiology of cognitive impairements in alcohol dependence.

Effects of Attention Training on Interference Effect of Dual-task Paradigm in Poststroke Nonfluent Aphasiacs:A Functional Magnet-ic Resonnce Imaging Study / 中国康复理论与实践

Objective To investigate the effect of attention training on cortical activation area and lateralization index in interference ef-fect of dual-task paradigm as the poststroke nonfluent aphasiacs processing the Chinese character tasks. Methods 20 cases with nonfluent aphasia after stroke were divided into the training group and the control group, who accepted attention training and cognitive training respec-tively, 30 min a time, 5 times a week, for 4 weeks. They were investigated the cortical activation area and lateralization index caused by in-terference effect of dual-task paradigm under block design. Results The right inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral parietal and cerebellar cortex were activated before training in both groups, and more activated after attention training, but no change after cognitive training. Lateraliza-tion index suggested that the right brain was more activated before training, while the left side was activated after attention training, but no change after cognitive training. Conclusion The right inferior frontal gyrus, bilateral parietal and cerebellar cortex are very important in solv-ing the dual task interference in the attention stage, and they are activated after attention training. It indicates that attention training makes a significant functional reorganization on Chinese character processing in poststroke nonfluent aphasiacs.

Effects of the Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy on Cortical Reorganization in Patients with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of modified constraint- induced movement therapy (CIMT) on motor function and cortical activation in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). METHOD: Five children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy were studied with Jebsen hand function test and quality of upper extremity skills test (QUEST), dynamic electromyography (EMG), and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) at rest before and after the CIMT period. Children were treated with a 4-week protocol of modified CIMT, consisting of twice-weekly 2-hour sessions of structured activities and a home program for non-treatment days. Children wore orthoses on their less affected upper extremities for 6 hours per day, during which time they were engaged in play, functional activities and 2-hour protocol of motor tasks. RESULTS: Improvements in upper-extremity function were found in Jebsen hand function test and QUEST. Increased muscle activities in elbow extensors were observed in dynamic EMG during affected hand grip. In right hemiplegic patients, regional cerebral perfusion increased in right Brodmann area (BA) 3 and lentiform nucleus. In left hemiplegic patients, regional cerebral perfusion increased in right BA 6, 9, 21, left BA 19 and left cerebellum, but decreased in left BA 11. CONCLUSION: Modified CIMT appears to change local cerebral perfusion in areas known to participate in movement planning and execution. These changes might be a sign of cortical activation after CIMT in the children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Results of this study suggest that modified CIMT may be an effective way of treating children with hemiplegic CP.

Beta and alpha electroencephalographic activity changes after acute exercise

Exercise has been widely related to changes in cortical activation and enhanced brain functioning. Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) is frequently used to investigate normal and pathological conditions in the brain cortex. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to observe absolute power alterations in beta and alpha frequency bands after a maximal effort exercise. Ten healthy young volunteers were submitted to an eight-minute resting EEG (eyes closed) followed by a maximal exercise test using a mechanical cycle ergometer. Immediately after the exercise, another identical eight-minute EEG was recorded. Log transformation and paired student's t-test compared the pre and post exercise values (p<0.05). Results indicated a significant absolute power increase in beta after exercise at frontal (Fp1, F3 and F4) and central (C4) areas, which might be related to increased cortical activation.

A atividade física vem sendo relacionada com ativação cortical e melhor funcionamento do cérebro. A eletrencefalografia quantitativa (EEGq) é freqüentemente usada para investigar condições normais e patológicas do córtex cerebral. Sendo assim, o objetivo do presente estudo foi observar alterações na potência absoluta nas bandas de freqüência alfa e beta após um exercício de esforço máximo. Dez voluntários jovens e saudáveis foram submetidos a oito minutos de EEG antes e após um teste de esforço máximo em cicloergômetro. As transformações para o log e o teste t de Student foram utilizados para comparar as respostas eletrencefalográficas entre os momentos pré e pós exercício. Foi observado aumento significativo na potência absoluta de beta após o exercício nos eletrodos frontais (Fp1, F3, F4) e centrais (C4). Este resultado pode estar associado a alterações fisiológicas e ao aumento da ativação cortical.