Brazilian Journal of Motor Behavior

(135 Artigos indexados)

Fear of falls is associated with fear of COVID-19 in older adults - (2023)

Thaís M. Batagliotti, Renato Moraes

Volume: 17 - Issue: 1

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Individuals with a perception of their fragile health can potentiate the fear of COVID-19. AIM: We investigated the relationship between perceived functional capacity and fear of falls with fear of COVID-19 in older adults. METHOD: Thirty older adults (60-75 years) participated in this study. We applied two questionnaires to assess functional capacity: the Independence in Activities of Daily Living and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale. We also administered two questionnaires for fear of falling: the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale and Falls Efficacy Scale International. Finally, we used the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. RESULTS: The results showed a significant correlation between fear of COVID-19 and the ABC Scale (r = -0.548, p = 0.002) and FES-I (r = 0.466; p = 0.009). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the ABS Scale was the only predictor of fear of COVID-19 (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Fear of COVID-19 was related to a worsening perception of functional balance and fear of falls in older adults, suggesting a greater vulnerability for those more afraid of falls.

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Infographic: Neuroscientific approaches to increase motor automaticity - (2023)

Lucas E. A. Bicalho, Beatriz Couto-Fortuna, Tércio Apolinário-Souza, Guilherme M. Lage

Volume: 17 - Issue: 1

Resumo.

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Joint torque parameters of lower limbs and the relationship with postural balance in young adults: a cross-sectional study - (2023)

Alessandra P. C. Vidal, Leonardo A. Vieira, Jean L. Cruz, Natalia M. Rinaldi

Volume: 17 - Issue: 1

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Different factors can influence the performance of postural control (PC), one of them being muscle function, which emerges as the neuromuscular capacity to generate tension adaptable to postural disturbances in the lower limbs. AIM: To investigate the influence of joint torque parameters of the lower limbs (hip, knee, and ankle) on the variables of postural balance, analyzed by static posturography in young adults. METHOD: This study included 25 young adults (23.08 ± 4.44 years) who were submitted to motor tasks alternating: the base of support; the surface and vision conditions on a force plate. Joint torque was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. RESULTS: The hip-abduction, -adduction, and -extension torques were negatively associated with the variables of center of pressure displacement in several conditions, both the most challenging and the least challenging ones. The ankle torque (dorsiflexion and plantar flexion) was negatively associated with postural control only in the semi-tandem condition with a rigid surface and eyes open. On the other hand, the knee torque was positively associated with the center of pressure displacement. Power measurements were more associated with postural control than peak torque. CONCLUSION: In young adults, there seems to be a greater use of the hip strategy, with greater influence of hip torque in relation to ankle torque for postural balance control. Therefore, the strengthening of hip muscles could have an impact on postural control in young adults.

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Knowledge of physical education professionals and students about ADHD and its motor impairments - (2023)

Lucas E. Bicalho, Vítor E. B. Castro, Beatriz Couto-Fortuna, Sara E. S. A. Leão, Cristiani Junqueira, Guilherme M. Lage

Volume: 17 - Issue: 1

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity and includes one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood. Despite the high prevalence, many professionals who work with children and adolescents with this disorder do not have enough knowledge on the subject. Physical education professionals deal directly with these children and need the knowledge to choose which skills and/or motor criteria to emphasize in their classes. However, issues related to neurodevelopmental disorders are not frequently addressed in the physical education courses, which impairs proper dealing with this population. AIM: This study aims to verify the level of knowledge about ADHD and its motor impairments in professionals and students of physical education. METHOD: A questionnaire was developed by researchers of motor behavior and was applied to professionals and students of physical education. The participants' responses were then analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The results indicate that although the volunteers have basic notions about the subject, they do not have enough preparation to deal with children with ADHD. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the knowledge about ADHD is insufficient and a reformulation in the curriculum of physical education courses is recommended.

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Learning of a postural control task in a virtual environment with Parkinson´s disease individuals - (2023)

Tatiana B. Freitas, Jéssica M. R. Bacha, Rosemeyre A. Nuvolini, Keyte G. Silva, Marika Demers, Flávia Doná, José E. Pompeu, Camila Torriani-Pasin

Volume: 17 - Issue: 1

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are able to learn tasks with postural control demand, however, they need more practice, more sensory information, and extrinsic feedback for this improvement. These aspects could be provided by task performance on virtual environment. In addition, the retention interval found in these studies was short.   AIM: To investigate the extent to which the learning of tasks involving a high demand for postural control is impacted in individuals with PD, and to determine the impact of the learning process on both cognition and postural control. METHOD: The Experimental Group comprised 13 participants with PD and the Control Group comprises 14 healthy elderly. Participants took part in 13 one-hour sessions, which involved four Kinect system games, with high postural and cognitive demands. The short-term retention test was performed one week after the post-test, whereas the long-term retention test was performed one month after the post-test. RESULTS: Individuals with PD learned the tasks with a high demand of postural control and demonstrated both short and long-term retention. The skill learning of the four tasks led to an improvement in cognitive functions specifically in memory. There was an improvement of reactive aspects of postural control in the elderly and with the individuals with PD, also better gait stability in the elderly. CONCLUSION:Despite the degeneration in striatum, responsible of consolidation of motor learning, individuals with PD are able to learn motor skills with a high demand for postural control, retaining them in the long term.

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Long-term functional performance changes and detraining in community-dwelling older adults participating in a group-based multicomponent training program - (2023)

Eliane C. Guadagnin, Emmanuel S. da Rocha, Marcos R. Kunzler, Liver A. A. Priário, Felipe P. Carpes

Volume: 17 - Issue: 1

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity and includes one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders in childhood. Despite the high prevalence, many professionals who work with children and adolescents with this disorder do not have enough knowledge on the subject. Physical education professionals deal directly with these children and need the knowledge to choose which skills and/or motor criteria to emphasize in their classes. However, issues related to neurodevelopmental disorders are not frequently addressed in the physical education courses, which impairs proper dealing with this population. AIM: This study aims to verify the level of knowledge about ADHD and its motor impairments in professionals and students of physical education. METHOD: A questionnaire was developed by researchers of motor behavior and was applied to professionals and students of physical education. The participants' responses were then analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The results indicate that although the volunteers have basic notions about the subject, they do not have enough preparation to deal with children with ADHD. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the knowledge about ADHD is insufficient and a reformulation in the curriculum of physical education courses is recommended.

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Pre-crastination: Extra Physical Effort for Mind-Clearing in Reaching, Walking, and Other Activities - (2023)

David A. Rosenbaum, Hunter B. Sturgill, Iman Feghhi

Volume: 17 - Issue: 1

Resumo. Background: In this opinion we consider the roles of physical and cognitive effort in choosing between actions that make different physical and cognitive demands. View of the past: In choosing between a less or more demanding physical task, the cognitive effort of each was not expected to have a large effect. Current state: However, people are willing to expend extra physical effort to clear their minds (to avoid cognitive effort), a phenomenon called pre-crastination. Future perspective: Because pre-crastination can lead to premature decisions, a new priority is to understand the tradeoffs between physical and mental effort.

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The influence of athletic background, lower limb dominance and cutting angle on the center of mass kinematics during a sidestep cutting task - (2023)

Bruno L. S. Bedo, Guilherme M. Cesar, Wodyson T. E. Soares, Danilo S. Catelli, João B. Marques, Matheus M. Gomes, Paulo R. P. Santiago

Volume: 17 - Issue: 1

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Successful performance in futsal depends on athletes' ability to change direction efficiently. AIM: To investigate the effect of athletic background on COM kinematics during sidestep cutting maneuver performed at different cutting angles towards both sides. METHOD: Eighteen futsal athletes participated, comprised of nine high-level training (Group high-level) and nine recreational (Group Control, GC). Twenty reflective markers were placed on the participant's trunk and upper and lower limbs. Participants performed acceleration at maximum speed and in a straight line for 10 meters, followed by a change of direction (30º, 60º, and 90º). The whole body's COM trajectory was identified using a body model for each trial. Differences in angular error and COM speed were evaluated with a three-way analysis of variance [Group (GH vs. GC) X Cutting angle (30º vs. 60º vs. 90º) X Side (dominant and non-dominant), with repeated measures for the last two factors]. RESULTS: The main results indicated that the angular error increased as the cutting angle increased. The high-level futsal athletes performed a cutting task for the dominant side with greater speed and higher angular errors than the control group. These findings provided important information for understanding the trajectory of the center of mass at different angles and velocities and the possible repercussions on body dynamics. CONCLUSION: Athletic background affected the kinematic patterns of the center of mass during sidestep cutting maneuvers; when sidestep is performed with the dominant side, high-level futsal athletes changed direction faster with more significant angular error than recreational athletes.

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Understanding the role of cognitive effort within contextual interference paradigms: Theory, measurement, and tutorial - (2023)

Nancy Getchell, Patricia Shewokis

Volume: 17 - Issue: 1

Resumo. BACKGROUND:“Contextual interference” (CI) describes a counterintuitive phenomenon related to practice organization when learning multiple tasks that are presented in a non-repetitive order. In CI, the lack of repetitiveness introduces a high level of interference within the learning context such that task performance during initial skill acquisition is frequently poorer than if tasks are practiced in a repetitive fashion. However, these learners often perform better on retention and transfer tasks than individuals who learn within a low CI environment.  AIM:We provide a tutorial on several novel ways in which researchers can investigate brain activity in a CI paradigm using functional near-infrared spectroscopy: Relative neural efficiency (RNE), relative neural involvement (RNI), and laterality index (LI). METHOD:RNE integrates measures of cognitive effort and behavioral performance; in high CI learning environments, RNE should initially be poor (high cognitive effort, low behavioral performance), then improve during retention and transfer. RNI provides an index of the relationship among motivation, mental effort, and performance. Finally, LI allows for the exploration of lateralization between the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex.  RESULTS:Significant differences were found for total hemoglobin, RNE and LI for the right and left prefrontal cortex regions. The differences were accompanied by moderate-to-large effect size with random using less effort, better performance and was more oriented to goal orientation and learning processes than blocked who focused more on visuomotor attentional components and used more effort with lower behavioral performance scores. CONCLUSION:RNE, RNI, and LI provide innovative methods to better understand cognitive effort within CI paradigms.

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Dual-task performance in seniors with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease: a longitudinal study - (2022)

Danielle C. P. S. Silva, Juliana H. Ansai, Laura M. Melo, Ana Carolina V. Ferreira, Paulo G. Rossi, Francisco A. C. Vale, Larissa P. Andrade

Volume: 16 - Issue: 5

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Motor performance in older adults with cognitive impairment is worse under dual task conditions, increasing the risk of falls. However, there is a lack of studies that analyze this performance over time in people with different cognitive profiles. AIM: This study aimed to compare the performance of an isolated task and a dual task in people with preserved cognition (PrC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer`s disease (AD). METHOD: Data were collected on two occasions (T1; T2), thirty-two months apart. Participants (n=51) were separated between groups: PrC (n=22), MCI (n=19) and AD (n=10). They were analyzed in three situations: 1) isolated motor task - Timed up and go test (TUGT); 2) cognitive-motor test (CMT)– dialing on the phone; 3) dual task (DT). To compare the performance of the dual task between the groups, delta was calculated and the ANCOVA test was applied. RESULTS: Although the cost of the dual task was not significantly different over time in any group, we found increases in the time required to complete the TUGT (p<0.01) and TUGT-DT (p>0.01) after 32 months in the AD group and a reduction in time in the PrC and MCI groups.  A greater number of steps in the TUGT-DT (p<0.01) and an increase in cadence in the TUGT (p=0.01) and TUGT-DT (p<0.01) were also found in the AD group. CONCLUSION:We suggest that a more functional task, such as walking while typing on the phone, may be considered a more sensitive way of assessing older adults with AD.

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Editorial: Effects of aging on locomotor patterns - (2022)

Paulo C. R. Santos, Diego Orcioli-Silva

Volume: 16 - Issue: 5

Resumo. Aging and age-associated neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, may impair walking performance. Changes in walking performance are related to an increase in fall risk, institutionalization, hospitalization, survival rate, and mortality. Due to the increase in the older population, especially age-related diseases, the number of research aiming at understanding the mechanisms behind such changes and tools (interventions) to improve walking performance has increased substantially. In this special issue, we target to compile information and strengthen the discussion about whether and how aging and AD, and PD affect walking (the most common way of human locomotion), and potential interventions to improve walking in these populations. A total of 5 studies composed this special issue, including 4 original papers and 1 review

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Gait velocity and stability are correlated to muscle and bone mass loss in people with Parkinson’s disease: a preliminary study - (2022)

Fabio A. Barbieri, Murilo H. Faria, Lucas Simieli, Tiago Penedo, Carlos A. Kalva Filho, Victor S. Beretta

Volume: 16 - Issue: 5

Resumo. Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) exacerbates muscle and bone mass loss, which is associated with several negative outcomes such as falls and disability. Thus, muscle and bone mass loss may be one mechanism for the mediator role between gait impairments and PD. Aim: To verify the relationship between the spatial-temporal gait parameters and the body composition of the lower limbs in people with PD. Method: Thirteen people with PD were evaluated on two different days: i) clinical and gait evaluation; ii) body composition evaluation. The step length, width, duration and speed, the percentage in double support, and gait velocity during walking at self-selected velocity. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry technique was used to measure fat mass, lean mass, bone mass, and the total mass, for whole body, and separately for each limb. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were applied between the spatial-temporal gait parameters and the variables of body composition of lower limbs. Results: Reduced lean and bone mass of both legs were related to faster gait velocity (r=0.6, p<0.03 and r=0.7, p<0.01, respectively) and step speed (r=0.5, p<0.05 and r=0.65, p<0.02, respectively). Also, narrower step width was related to the higher bone mass of both legs (r=0.6, p<0.03). However, muscle and bone mass did not correlate with step length and duration, and percentage of double support. Interpretation:Our findings suggest that the muscle and bone mass of the lower limbs are important body characteristics for gait impairments in people with PD and should be monitored over the disease.

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Inadvertent obstacle contacts when older adults step over obstacles: Effect of sex, self-reported fatigue, gait parameters, and prescription medications - (2022)

Timothy Becker, Shirley Rietdyk

Volume: 16 - Issue: 5

Resumo. Background: Tripping is a common cause of falls, but the factors that are associated with trip risk are understudied. Aim: To quantify inadvertent trips with a stationary, visible obstacle in older adults, and to determine how inadvertent trips are related to fatigue, sex, gait measures, and prescription medications. Methods: Forty-one subjects walked on a 6 m walkway and stepped over a visible, stationary obstacle (height: 25% of leg length) 100 times; inadvertent trips with the obstacle were documented. We also collected gait measures on a clear walkway, self-reported fatigue every 25 obstacle crossing trials, and number of prescription medications. Participants were categorized as: 0 contacts or ≥1 contact. Results: The obstacle was contacted by 15 participants (37%) in 29 trials (0.7% of all trials); 52% of contacts were with the lead limb. Self-reported fatigue increased during the obstacle crossing protocol (p<0.001). Participants in the ≥1 contact group had slower gait speed, shorter stride length, and higher gait cycle time variability (p≤0.041). They also reported higher maximum fatigue (p=0.022) and a higher number of prescription medications (p=0.019). Males and females were not different in contact frequency (p=0.93). Interpretation: Inadvertent trips were not uncommon in older adults, even with a visible, stationary obstacle. Lead limb contacts indicate that older adults will have more difficulty recovering their balance after a trip. The strong association between fatigue (induced by walking) and impaired gait is highly relevant when quantifying gait in older adults, and also when developing fall prevention programs.

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Mechanisms that stabilize human walking - (2022)

Moira van Leeuwen, Sjoerd Bruijn, Jaap van Dieën

Volume: 16 - Issue: 5

Resumo. In this paper we review what mechanisms are used to stabilize human bipedal gait. Based on mechanical reasoning, potential mechanisms to control the body center of mass trajectory are modulation of foot placement, stance leg control consisting of modulation of ankle moments and push-off forces, and modulations of the body’s angular momentum. The first two mechanisms and especially the first are dominant in controlling center of mass accelerations during gait, while angular momentum control plays a lesser role, but may be important to control body alignment and orientation. The same control mechanisms stabilize both steady-state and perturbed gait in both the mediolateral and antero-posterior directions. Control is at least in part active and is affected by proprioceptive, visual and vestibular information. Results support that this reflects a feedback process in which sensory information is used to obtain an estimate of the center of mass state based on which foot placement and ankle moments are modulated. These active feedback mechanisms suggest training approaches for populations at risk of falling, such as augmenting their effective use by means of augmented feedback, or using their complementary nature to train one mechanism by constraining the other mechanisms.

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Proactive control to navigate our daily environments - (2022)

Bradford McFadyen, Anouk Lamontagne, Olivier Anne-Helene, Julien Pettré, Michael Cinelli, Fabio A. Barbieri

Volume: 16 - Issue: 5

Resumo. Safely navigating our environment is crucial to daily living, but the study of locomotor navigational control in relation to the complex interaction of personal and environmental factors is still in its infancy. Work to now has proposed different proactive control variables for collision avoidance based on visual information. Such control has more recently been shown to be specific to personal (e.g., age, neurological diseases) and environmental (e.g., obstacle type) characteristics. Continued study of the complex person-environment interaction is required along with continued theorization on combined proactive and reactive control factors.

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Quiet eye training alleviates the yips in golf putting: a research proposal - (2022)

Joan N. Vickers

Volume: 16 - Issue: 5

Resumo. A case study is presented of a professional golfer (AB) who in her 13th LPGA season suffered from the psychological form of the YIPS. She had increased anxiety about her technique and eye movements that made focusing difficult. After a quiet eye (QE) training program she overcame the YIPS and had her 2nd best season. However, her improvement was temporary for reasons that may have been due to how the treatment was delivered. Due to the pandemic, she was given a QE training program that used email, phone calls, videos showing the quiet eye of elite golfers, counseling, and research papers. Her QE and coupled stroke kinematics were not recorded, as normally occurs, thus the paper concludes with suggestions for a QE training program that may lead to permanent improvements in golf or other sports where this stressful disorder occurs.

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The trajectory of Lilian Teresa Bucken Gobbi (1956-2022): An eminent researcher of gait and posture - (2022)

Renato Moraes, Veronica Miyasike-daSilva, Diego Orcioli-Silva, Rodrigo Vitório, Fabio A. Barbieri, Carolina Silveira

Volume: 16 - Issue: 5

Resumo.

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Walking speed does not affect age-differences in ankle muscle beta-band intermuscular coherence during treadmill walking - (2022)

Paulo C. R. Santos, Inge Zijdewind, Claudine Lamoth, Lilian T. B. Gobbi, Tibor Hortobágyi

Volume: 16 - Issue: 5

Resumo. Background: By examining whether age and speed each differently affects beta-coherence during walking, we can extend the limited evidence on age-related impairment in neural control of walking. We determined the effects of age and walking speed on intermuscular beta band coherence between lower limb muscle pairs and the association between stride characteristics and intermuscular beta band coherence between these muscle pairs. Methods: Older (n=12) and younger (n=14) individuals walked on a treadmill at fixed (1.2 m/s) and fast (~1.3x preferred) speeds for 3min. For 100 dominant leg strides, we measured length, width, stance, swing time, cadence and intermuscular beta-coherence (15-35Hz) for the synergistic (biceps femoris (BF)-semitendinosus, rectus femoris (RF)-vastus lateralis (VL), gastrocnemius lateralis (GL)-soleus (SL), Tibialis anterior (TA)-peroneus longus (PL)) and the antagonistic (RF-BF and TA-GL) muscle pairs at swing and stance. Results: Comparing fast vs. fixed speed, participants walked with increased length (21%), cadence (12%), and coefficient of variation (CV) of stride length (14%), decreased stride width (-20%), and stance (-5%) and swing time (-14%) and with stronger TA-GL beta-coherence during early stance (69%, all p<0.01). Older vs. Younger individuals walked with slower fast gait speed (~9%), higher CV of stride length (21%), weaker GL-SL (-47%) and TA-PL (-60%) beta-coherences during the late swing and early stance phase, respectively (all p<0.01). No Group*Condition interactions occurred Conclusion: Oscillatory coupling between synergistic ankle muscle pairs during walking is lower in older vs. young individuals, but this difference is independent of walking speed while walking on a treadmill.

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An exploratory study on the effect of a four-week stroboscopic vision training program on soccer dribbling performance - (2022)

Tim Palmer, Aaron J. Coutts, Job Fransen

Volume: 16 - Issue: 3

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Perceptual-cognitive skill is a crucial component of expert performance in sport as expert athletes rely on the integration and processing of sensory information to execute complex actions. One of the topics of interest to skill acquisition researchers is therefore how the perceptual-cognitive system can be trained, and how that affects sport skill performance. One of the methods suggested to be able to aid in the training of perceptual-cognitive skill is restricted visual feedback training.  Recently, stroboscopic vision glasses have been proposed as a tool that can restrict visual feedback during sport training and may therefore provide a useful tool for training sport-specific skills.However, despite its use in practice, evidence for the beneficial effect of stroboscopic vision on sport-specific performance across youth athletes with a range of performance levels is currently lacking. AIM: Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of a four-week soccer training program with (experimental group) or without (control group) stroboscopic vision on the dribbling performance of relatively fast and slow dribblers. METHOD: To measure dribbling performance, this study used the Ugent Soccer dribbling task. RESULTS: A Repeated Measures MANOVA revealed that four weeks of stroboscopic vision training did not improve soccer dribbling skill measured through the time taken to complete the dribbling task as well as the number of touches of the ball while dribbling. CONCLUSION: While stroboscopic vision can likely lead to short term changes in perceptual-cognitive skill, it is likely not related to persistent changes in soccer dribbling performance in youth soccer players.

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Does the hippocampus exhibit offline reactivation of neural activity following motor sequence learning? - (2022)

Bradley R. King, Anke Van Roy, Ainsley Temudo, Kaitlyn Dwenger, Mareike A. Gann, Genevieve Albouy

Volume: 16 - Issue: 3

Resumo. Memory consolidation in the declarative memory domain is known to be supported by the replay or reactivation of learning-related hippocampal activity during subsequent offline epochs (i.e., during post-encoding rest). Examinations into an analogous hippocampal reactivation process following motor learning have, until recently, been non-existent. This gap in the literature has been fueled by the traditional – yet outdated - view that the hippocampus is not involved in motor learning. Here, we discuss recent research in the motor memory domain that provides evidence in support of hippocampal reactivation following motor sequence learning. We conclude by highlighting several areas that warrant examination in future research, including experimentally manipulating post-learning hippocampal reactivation in an effort to enhance the motor memory consolidation process.

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Electrocortical activity prior to predictable and unpredictable stimuli requiring a motor response - (2022)

Tércio Apolinário-Souza, Juliana O. Parma, Vinícius R. Carvalho, Maicon R. Albuquerque, Guilherme M. Lage, Lidiane A. Fernandes

Volume: 16 - Issue: 3

Resumo. BACKGROUND: The fronto-central slow-wave known as the contingent negative variation (CNV) is an electroencephalographic measure related to the ability of the motor system to extract spatial-temporal regularities to produce a motor response. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the levels of electrocortical activity prior to predictable and unpredictable stimuli in a motor control task, and the association between CNV and reaction time (RT). METHOD: Seventeen participants performed a task that consisted of removing the right index finger from the space bar as fast as possible after stimulus onset. All participants practiced under both a predictable (PC) and an unpredictable (UC) context.  RESULTS: Results indicated that RT under the unpredictable context was slower than under the predictable context. However, CNV levels under predictable and unpredictable contexts did not differ. CONCLUSION: The certainty of stimulus appearance in the UC may have produced effects similar to those under the PC, resulting in similar CNV levels. However, the use of this mechanism under the UC was suboptimal to motor performance.

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Functional capacity components do not predict fall risk in people with Parkinson's disease - (2022)

Gabriel A. G. Moraca, Diego Orcioli-Silva, Victor S. Beretta, Vinicius C. Zampier, Paulo C. R. Santos, Lilian T. B. Gobbi

Volume: 16 - Issue: 3

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Falls are an impactful problem for people with Parkinson's disease (PwPD), impairing the functional capacity and quality of life. Although some predictors of fall risk have been evidenced, the investigation of functional capacity components individual and combined is needed to a more detailed approach to identify fall risk prediction. AIM: To verify the ability of individual and combined functional capacity components in predicting fall risk in PwPD. METHOD: Ninety-six individuals participated in this cohort study. Functional capacity was assessed by Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up and Go, Six-Minute Walk, and Sit-to-Stand tests. The participants who fell at least once during the prospective follow-up of 12 months were considered fallers. A trained evaluator registered the fall’s occurrence weekly. Mann-Whitney U, t-tests, and chi-square tests were used to compare fallers versus non-fallers. Receiver Operating Characteristics curves of functional capacity components (individual and combined) were performed to predict fall risk. RESULTS: Thirty-six (37.5%) PwPD were classified as fallers, being recorded 56 falls, and 60 (62.5%) as non-fallers. There are no differences in functional capacity components between groups. The combined functional capacity components were not able to predict fall risk in PwPD (area under the curve = 0.52; p = 0.77). These components were also unable to predict fall risk when analyzed individually. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that functional capacity components, individual and combined, are not good predictors of fall risk in PwPD. The multifactorial characteristics of falls and the falls classification might affect the fall risk prediction and should be further investigated.

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Infographic: Development of postural control - (2022)

Jose A. Barela

Volume: 16 - Issue: 3

Resumo.

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MINI-REVIEW: Contribution of early intervention models to child motor development - (2022)

Tayná A. Tabosa, Letícia H. M. Ferreira, Kátia V. Viana-Cardoso, Marcela C. Ferracioli-Gama

Volume: 16 - Issue: 3

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Early intervention (EI) is a specific service for children in early childhood (up to two years old), in which the main objective is to promote the emergence of skills or abilities. AIM: To identify the scientific production about EI programs and their contribution to child motor development. METHOD: A mini-review of the literature in the PubMed, Scielo and Lilacs databases during November-December 2019, using the descriptors “early intervention” and “motor development”. Randomized clinical trials (RCT), quasi-experimental studies and case series were included. Descriptive analyses were applied. RESULTS: Fourteen studies were selected. Some interventions were found to be effective: “Tummy time” (adoption of the prone position for a certain time) and the use of a treadmill for children with Down syndrome. Other results’ studies reinforced the importance of parents acting in their children’s environment and those strategies considering the insertion of the family in the intervention are able to modulate the risks to children motor development, even biological risks. The insertion of the family in early interventions was verified, highlighting the models of parental intervention and home visits. CONCLUSION: Most EI models with positive effects on motor development are focused only on the execution of some determined technique, without considering the different aspects of the child development. However, family participation is undeniable even in these models. Strategies that show positive contribution to motor development seek to assist the family in the task of promoting environmental enrichment.

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Photobiomodulation effects on Achilles tendon pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials - (2022)

Emmanuel S. Rocha, Esthevan Machado, Francesca C. Sonda, Klauber D. Pompeo, Patrícia F. Santos, Mariane B. Scheeren, Jeam M. Geremia, Marco A. Vaz

Volume: 16 - Issue: 3

Resumo. BACKGROUND: Achilles tendon pain is present in tendons’ non-rupture injuries usually exacerbated by mechanical loading (i.e., overuse injury).Photobiomodulation is a light therapy that may reduce pain in tendinopathy. AIM: This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials tested the acute and chronic effects of photobiomodulation on Achilles tendon pain. METHOD: Randomized clinical trials were included comparing photobiomodulation with a control group in patients with Achilles tendon pain.The search included MEDLINE (Pubmed), SCOPUS, EMBASE, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane CENTRAL), LILACS, and Science Direct databases, and manual search until November 2021.The bias’s risk was assessed by the Cochrane Collaboration bias risk assessment tool and PEDro scale, while the level of evidence strength by the GRADE. Quantitative analysis through meta-analyzes was performed. The protocol was registered (PROSPERO-CRD42018091509). RESULTS: The search yielded 3.239 papers in the seven databases. Five studies were included after screening, eliminating duplicates, and applying eligibility criteria, and three were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis (n=79) showed no photobiomodulation acute and chronic effects compared with control group on Achilles tendon pain (p= 0.45, SMD: 0.28). In the qualitative analysis, three studies showed a high risk, and two studies a low risk of bias in all characteristics. GRADE analysis showed very low- to low-quality evidence of the studies. CONCLUSION: There is no photobiomodulation effect in Achilles tendon pain. Due to the very low and low strength of evidence, new studies with better methodological quality should be conducted to improve the level of evidence.

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