Alterations of Audiovisual Integration in Alzheimer's Disease / 神经科学通报·英文版

Audiovisual integration is a vital information process involved in cognition and is closely correlated with aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this review, we evaluated the altered audiovisual integrative behavioral symptoms in AD. We further analyzed the relationships between AD pathologies and audiovisual integration alterations bidirectionally and suggested the possible mechanisms of audiovisual integration alterations underlying AD, including the imbalance between energy demand and supply, activity-dependent degeneration, disrupted brain networks, and cognitive resource overloading. Then, based on the clinical characteristics including electrophysiological and imaging data related to audiovisual integration, we emphasized the value of audiovisual integration alterations as potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis and progression of AD. We also highlighted that treatments targeted audiovisual integration contributed to widespread pathological improvements in AD animal models and cognitive improvements in AD patients. Moreover, investigation into audiovisual integration alterations in AD also provided new insights and comprehension about sensory information processes.

Effect of visual occlusion and light touch on dynamic postural balance on an unstable platform in elderly and young adult women / Efeito da oclusão visual e do toque suave no equilíbrio postural dinâmico em plataforma instável de idosas e de adultas jovens

ABSTRACT Aging causes the detriment of sensory information that reflects the quality of postural control. The use of light touch has been suggested as a strategy to reduce postural sway even in the absence of vision. However, the effects of this strategy in unstable situations on the support base are unclear. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of visual occlusion and light touch on the balance of elderly and young adult women on an unstable platform. Twenty elderly women (69.4±6.7 years) and twenty young adult women (20.6±3.2years) performed three attempts at the task which consisted of maintaining balance on an unstable platform on a bipedal base for twenty seconds, with medial-lateral perturbation, in four conditions. The Mann-Whitney U test showed that the elderly women presented worse balance compared to the young adult women in all conditions (p<0.05). The Friedman and Wilcoxon tests demonstrated worse balance with visual occlusion in both groups (p<0.05). On the other hand, there was an improvement in balance using light touch for both vision and no vision conditions (p<0.05). Both groups were able to use the haptic sensory information through light touch to assist in balance maintenance.

RESUMO O envelhecimento causa detrimento nas informações sensoriais que refletem na qualidade do controle postural. O uso do toque suave tem sido sugerido como estratégia para diminuir a oscilação postural mesmo na ausência de visão. Porém, ainda não está claro este efeito em situação de instabilidade da base de suporte. O objetivo do presente estudo foi analisar o efeito da oclusão visual e do toque suave no equilíbrio em plataforma instável de idosas e adultas jovens. Vinte idosas (69,4±6,7 anos) e vinte adultas jovens (20,6±3,2 anos) realizaram três tentativas da tarefa que consistiu em manter o equilíbrio postural dinâmico em plataforma instável, em base bipodal durante vinte segundos, com perturbação médio-lateral em 4 condições. O teste de Mann-Whitney U demonstrou que as idosas apresentaram pior desempenho no equilíbrio em comparação às adultas jovens em todas as condições (p<0,05). Os testes de Friedman e Wilcoxon demonstraram pior desempenho no equilíbrio com a oclusão visual em ambos os grupos (p<0,05). Por outro lado, houve melhora no equilíbrio com o toque tanto na condição com visão quanto sem visão (p<0,05). Ambos os grupos foram capazes de utilizar as informações sensoriais hápticas por meio do toque suave para auxiliar na manutenção do equilíbrio.

Utilização da informação visual no controle postural de crianças com paralisia cerebral / Use of visual information on the postural control of children with cerebral palsy

INTRODUÇÃO: As limitações impostas pela paralisia cerebral (PC) levam à persistência de distúrbios dos movimentos e da postura. Sendo assim, o controle postural tem um papel importante, pois a capacidade de manter a orientação postural é fundamental para realização das atividades de vida diária. OBJETIVOS: Investigar a utilização da informação visual no controle postural de crianças com PC e de crianças neurologicamente normais (NN). MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foram avaliadas nove crianças com PC diplégica e nove crianças NN de ambos os sexos, entre 6 e 12 anos de idade. Todas as crianças permaneceram em pé e paradas dentro de uma sala móvel nas seguintes condições experimentais: sem movimento da sala com olhos abertos e com olhos fechados e com movimento da sala nas frequências de 0,2 e 0,5 Hz. O registro dos movimentos da sala e das crianças foi realizado por marcadores ativos afixados entre as escápulas das crianças e na parede da sala, respectivamente, e do sistema OPTOTRAK. RESULTADOS: As crianças com PC oscilaram mais em relação às crianças NN, e o movimento da sala influenciou a oscilação corporal de todas as crianças de maneira similar, sendo que todas elas foram influenciadas pela frequência em que a sala foi movimentada. CONCLUSÃO: Crianças com PC e NN são influenciadas pela manipulação da informação visual durante a manutenção da postura ereta e quieta e pela frequência em que o estímulo visual é apresentado.

INTRODUCTION: The limitations imposed by cerebral palsy lead to persistence of disorders of movement and posture, therefore postural control plays an important role, since the ability to maintain postural orientation is fundamental to perform activities of daily living. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the use of visual information in postural control of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and neurologically normal children (NN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated eight children with diplegic CP and eight NN children of both genders, aged 6 to 12 years old, as they remained standing still inside of a moving room in the following experimental conditions: no movement of the room with eyes open and eyes closed during movement of the 30s and 60s in the room for frequencies 0.2 and 0.5 Hz. Registration of movements of the room and children was performed by active markers fixed on the front wall of the room, and on the trunk between the scapulae of children, through the OPTOTRAK system. RESULTS: Children with CP swayed more than NN children in the two movement conditions of the room, and all children swayed more with no vision than with vision on the condition that the room was moved. Moreover, the movement of the moving room influenced children with PC and NN and similarly all children were influenced by the frequency at which the room has been moved. CONCLUSION: Children with CP and NN are influenced by the manipulation of visual information during maintenance of upright stance and by the frequency at which the visual stimulus is presented.

Controle postural e uso de informação visual em crianças praticantes e não praticantes de ginástica artística / Postural control and use of visual information in children practitioners and non-practitioners of gymnastics / Control postural y uso de la información visual en niños practicantes y no practicantes de gimnasia artística

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o desempenho e a contribuição da informação visual no controle postural de crianças praticantes e não praticantes de ginástica artística (GA). Quarenta e três meninas, 23 praticantes de GA e 20 não praticantes de GA, idade 5 a 7 e 9 a 11 anos, permaneceram em pé sobre uma plataforma de força em três bases de apoio: bipodal, semi-tandem stance e base reduzida, com olhos abertos e com olhos fechados. A área de deslocamento do centro de pressão e o índice de contribuição visual foram calculados. Os resultados indicaram que a prática de GA melhora o controle postural de crianças nos anos iniciais de desenvolvimento. Ainda, crianças praticantes de GA utilizam melhor informação visual que crianças não praticantes de GA para manter a postura ereta mais estável.

The purpose of this study was to investigate postural control and the importance of visual information in gymnastics and non-gymnastics children. Forty-three female children, 23 gymnastics and 20 non-gymnastics, age 5 to 7 and 9 to 11 years, stood upright on a force platform in bipodal, semi-tandem, and reduced bases, with and without vision. The area of center of pressure oscillation and the visual contribution index were calculated. The results indicated that practice of gymnastic improves postural control in younger children. Finally, gymnastic children use more properly visual information than non-gymnastic children in order to maintain the upright stance more steadily.

El objetivo de este trabajo fue investigar el desempeño y la contribución de la información visual en el control postural en niños practicantes e no practicantes de gimnasia artística (GA). Cuarenta y tres niñas, 23 practicantes de GA y 20 no practicantes de GA, de 5 a 7 y de 9 a 11 años de edad, permanecieron en pie sobre una plataforma de fuerza con tres bases de apoyo: bipodal, semi-tandem stance y base reducida, con los ojos abiertos y con los ojos cerrados. El área de desplazamiento del centro de presión y el índice de contribución visual fueron calculados. Los resultados indicaron que la práctica de GA mejora el control postural de los niños en los primeros años de desarrollo evolutivo. Los niños practicantes de GA utilizan mejor la información visual para mantener la postura erecta más estable que los niños no practicantes de GA.

Effects of Sensory Information on Preoperative Anxiety of Day-Case Surgery Patients / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: Preoperative anxiety is described as an unpleasant state of uneasiness or tension that may adversely influence the quality of anesthesia and outcome of surgery. This study was designed to assess the effects of sensory information on preoperative anxiety of outpatients for day-case surgery. METHODS: One hundred healthy patients scheduled for elective day-case surgery were randomly assigned to one of two groups. A leaflet consisting of sensory information describing what they could expect to feel during anesthesia, surgery, and recovery time was provided by a trained nurse to the patients in information group (n = 50) in the preparation room before the operation. However, no information was provided to the patients in control group (n = 50). All patients were requested to complete the Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory on the day before the operation in the clinic, and at the conclusion of the sensory information or standard interview in the preparation room before the induction of anesthesia. Blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate were recorded during the observational period. RESULTS: Although no significant difference existed between the two groups on the pre and postintervention anxiety scores and vital signs, the question about feeling of objective anxiety in the information group was significantly higher than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Implications are presented for identifying the patients at risk for preoperative anxiety and coping styles and for designing effective interventions to enhance the patient's sense of control.