The Relationship between Restrictions on Going Out and Motor Imagery among Medical University Students in Japan-Research with Small Samples.

Motor imagery is often used as a training method to improve physical performance. Previous studies have often reported that reduced motor imagery is more likely to occur in older adults and stroke patients. However, it has also been reported that it is difficult to imagine exercises that cannot be performed. Therefore, we hypothesized that this may also have occurred in young people who were physically able to exercise but who were restricted by COVID-19 lockdowns, however, we could find no studies that investigated the impact of restricting outings. In this study, 83 healthy young people were measured for physical performance (maximum walking speed, grasp strength, Timed Up and Go test, imagined Timed Up and Go test, functional reach test, and five chair stand test). It was found that, while restricting outings did not influence physical performance in the subjects, it did influence motor imagery. Therefore, it should be borne in mind that training with motor imagery may not generate adequate actual motor imagery when restrictions are imposed on activities.

Are the Physical and Cognitive Functions of Older Adults Affected by Having a Driver's License?-A Pilot Study of Suburban Dwellers.

Previous studies have frequently reported that those with a driver's license have better physical and cognitive functions than those without. However, there are many people in the world who do not need or who cannot have a driver's license. We hypothesized that if the non-driver's license group had the same or better physical and cognitive functioning as the driver's license group, they could lead healthy lives without the risk of functional decline or loss of functioning due to surrendering their licenses or giving up driving. The subjects were 47 community-dwelling older adults. We measured their physical function and cognitive function and performed psychological assessment via the following tests: grip strength, Timed Up and Go test, walking speed, Five Times Sit to Stand test, Functional Reach test, Two-Step Test, Mini-Mental State Examination, Trail Making Test, Modified Falls Efficacy Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, and University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale. In previous studies, it has been said that having a driver's license provides good physical, cognitive, and psychological functions. However, in this study, loneliness and executive function were strongly influenced by age and sex, and no direct relationship to a driver's license was suggested. Rather, non-driver license holders may be relieved because there is no risk of accidents due to driving, and there is no possibility of a suddenly decline in physical or cognitive function due to revocation of a driver's license.

Chronic Lumbar Pain and Insomnia in College-Aged Students.

Insomnia in college students has a significant impact on academic performance and mental health (e.g., depression). Although the mechanisms underlying insomnia and chronic pain are becoming clearer, only a few studies on college students have examined these factors by their location in the body. The purpose of the present study was to identify the location of chronic pain in the body most associated with insomnia in college students. A web-based survey was used to collect information pertaining to nine questions from 494 university students: sex, age, presence of chronic pain, intensity of chronic pain, location of chronic pain, and duration of chronic pain, as well as scores from the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. To examine the association between insomnia and the site of chronic pain, stepwise logistic regression analysis was conducted with AIS as the target variable. The results showed a significant positive correlation between chronic pain in the lumbar region and AIS scores. Future longitudinal studies including multiple factors are necessary to clarify the causal relationship between insomnia and chronic lower back pain.