Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation with Body Weight-supported Treadmill Training Enhances Independent Walking of Individuals with Chronic Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with body weight-support treadmill training (BWSTT) for improving walking function of individuals with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI). A 4-week, double-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled pilot study involved 12 sessions of real (10 Hz, 1800 pulses) or sham rTMS combined with BWSTT (15-20 min, moderate intensity). Walking independence was assessed using the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury II (WISCI-II). Lower extremity motor function (lower extremity motor score [LEMS]) and spasticity, sensory function, functional independence (Spinal Cord Injury Measure III [SCIM-III]), and quality of life were also assessed. Walking independence (WISCI-II) after the 6th session was higher in the BWSTT/rTMS real (n = 7) (median change (IQR): 3 (1.5 to 3.5)) than in the sham group (n = 8) (median change (IQR): 0 (0 to 0.25), but there was no difference between groups after 12th session (BWSTT/rTMS real median change (IQR): 4 (2 to 5); BWSSTT/rTMS sham median change (IQR): 0 (0 to 3.25). Compared to baseline, LEMS and SCIM-III mobility scores were increased after 12 sessions in the BWSTT/rTMS real but not in the sham group. Within- and between-group sensory function, functional independence, and quality of life remained similar. This preliminary result suggests that combining BWSTT with rTMS could lead to earlier gait improvement in patients with chronic iSCI.

Do Higher Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Doses Lead to Greater Gains in Upper Limb Motor Function in Post-Stroke Patients?

Objective: To investigate whether a higher number of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) sessions results in a greater improvement in upper limb function in chronic post-stroke patients. Materials and methods: A randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind clinical trial was conducted in 57 chronic post-stroke patients (≥ 3 months after their injuries). The patients were allocated to receive sessions of tDCS combined with physiotherapy and divided into three groups (anodal, cathodal, and sham). The Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) was used to assess the sensorimotor impairment of the patients' upper limbs before (baseline) and after five and ten sessions. The percentage of patients who achieved a clinically significant improvement (> five points on the FMA-UE) was also analyzed. Results: The FMA-UE score increased after five and ten sessions in both the anodal and cathodal tDCS groups, respectively, compared to the baseline. However, in the sham group, the FMA-UE score increased only after ten sessions. When compared to the sham group, the mean difference from the baseline after five sessions was higher in the anodal tDCS group. The percentage of individuals who achieved greater clinical improvement was higher in the stimulation groups than in the sham group and after ten sessions when compared to five sessions. Conclusions: Our results suggest that five tDCS sessions are sufficient to augment the effect of standard physiotherapy on upper limb function recovery in chronic post-stroke patients, and ten sessions resulted in greater gains.

Type of sexual contact and precoital sexual experience in Spanish adolescents / Tipo de contacto sexual y experiencia sexual precoital en adolescentes españoles

El objetivo de este estudio era evaluar algunas características de las conductas sexuales precoitales y el tipo de contacto sexual en adolescentes españoles. Participó una muestra representativa de 4.456 estudiantes españoles de enseñanza secundaria obligatoria. Se administró un cuestionario sobre conducta sexual. Se trata de un estudio transversal descriptivo de poblaciones mediante encuestas con muestras probabilísticas. Los adolescentes fueron seleccionados mediante un muestreo aleatorio estratificado en función del tipo de centro educativo y de la comunidad autónoma. En comparación con las mujeres, los varones comenzaron las experiencias sexuales sin penetración a una edad más temprana, tenían un mayor número de parejas y un mayor porcentaje de varones manifestó tener parejas ocasionales. Este estudio no solo contribuye al conocimiento sobre la conducta sexual de los adolescentes antes del inicio de las relaciones sexuales con penetración sino que en él se destaca la importancia de desarrollar estrategias de prevención sexual en los adolescentes.

The aim of this study was to examine characterisctics of precoital sexual behaviors and types of sexual contact in adolescent. A representative sample of 4,456 Spanish high school students participated. These participants were selected by means of a stratified random sampling procedure. They completed a questionnaire about their sexual behaviour. It is a cross-sectional survey study. Differences according to age and gender in characteristics of sexual behaviour before the onset of sexual intercourse were found. Compared to females, males started non penetrative sexual experiences earlier, had a higher number of sexual partners and a higher percentage of males reported having had casual sexual partner. This study not only adds to knowledge about sexual behaviour before the initiation of sexual intercourse among adolescents, it also highlights the importance of developing sexual prevention strategies for young adolescents.