The enigmatic role of cholinergic reflex in the pathogenesis of Chagas disease

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Auditory stimulation with music influences the geometric indices of heart rate variability in response to the postural change maneuver

It is poor in the literature the behavior of the geometric indices of heart rate variability (HRV) during the musical auditory stimulation. The objective is to investigate the acute effects of classic musical auditory stimulation on the geometric indexes of HRV in women in response to the postural change maneuver (PCM). We evaluated 11 healthy women between 18 and 25 years old. We analyzed the following indices: Triangular index, Triangular interpolation of RR intervals and Poincar plot (standard deviation of the instantaneous variability of the beat-to beat heart rate [SD1], standard deviation of long-term continuous RR interval variability and Ratio between the short - and long-term variations of RR intervals [SD1/SD2] ratio). HRV was recorded at seated rest for 10 min. The women quickly stood up from a seated position in up to 3 s and remained standing still for 15 min. HRV was recorded at the following periods: Rest, 0-5 min, 5-10 min and 10-15 min during standing. In the second protocol, the subject was exposed to auditory musical stimulation (Pachelbel-Canon in D) for 10 min at seated position before standing position. Shapiro-Wilk to verify normality of data and ANOVA for repeated measures followed by the Bonferroni test for parametric variables and Friedmans followed by the Dunns posttest for non-parametric distributions. In the first protocol, all indices were reduced at 10-15 min after the volunteers stood up. In the protocol musical auditory stimulation, the SD1 index was reduced at 5-10 min after the volunteers stood up compared with the music period. The SD1/SD2 ratio was decreased at control and music period compared with 5-10 min after the volunteers stood up. Musical auditory stimulation attenuates the cardiac autonomic responses to the PCM.

Benefits of Multimodal Exercise Intervention for Postural Control and Frontal Cognitive Functions in Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease: A Controlled Trial

Objective To verify the effects of a systematized multimodal exercise intervention program on frontal cognitive function, postural control, and functional capacity components of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD).DesignNonrandomized controlled trial with pre- and posttraining tests in a training group and a control group.SettingKinesiotherapy program for seniors with AD, SAo Paulo State University.ParticipantsConvenience sample of older adults with AD (n=30) were assigned to a training (n=14; aged 78.67.1) and a control (n=16; aged 77.06.3) group.InterventionThe intervention program was structured with the aim of simultaneously promoting better balance and frontal cognitive capacity. The participants attended a 1-hour session three times a week for 16weeks, whereas the control group did not participate in any activity during the same period.MeasurementsFrontal cognitive function was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Clock Drawing Test, the Frontal Assessment Battery, and the Symbol Search Subtest. Postural control (center of pressure area) was analyzed under four dual-task conditions. Functional capacity components were analyzed using the Timed Up and Go Test, the 30-second sit-to-stand test, the sit-and-reach test, and the Berg Functional Balance Scale.ResultsIntervention group participants showed a significant increase in frontal cognitive function (P<.001, partial (2)=0.838), with less body sway (P=.04, partial (2)=0.04) during the dual tasks, and greater functional capacity (P=.001, partial (2)=0.676) after the 16-week period.ConclusionIntervention participants performed better on dual-task activities and had better postural balance and greater functional capacity than controls.

Explicit and implicit knowledge of environment states induce adaptation in postural control

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of explicit and implicit knowledge about visual surrounding manipulation on postural responses. Twenty participants divided into two groups, implicit and explicit, remained in upright stance inside a moving room. In the fourth trial participants in the explicit group were informed about the movement of the room while participants in the implicit group performed the trial with the room moving at a larger amplitude and higher velocity. Results showed that postural responses to visual manipulation decreased after participants were told that the room was moving as well as after increasing amplitude and velocity of the room, indicating decreased coupling (down-weighting) of the visual influences. Moreover, this decrease was even greater for the implicit group compared to the explicit group. The results demonstrated that conscious knowledge about environmental state changes the coupling to visual information, suggesting a cognitive component related to sensory re-weighting. Re-weighting processes were also triggered without awareness of subjects and were even more pronounced compared to the first case. Adaptive re-weighting was shown when knowledge about environmental state was gathered explicitly and implicitly, but through different adaptive processes. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Visual Re-Weighting in Children's Postural Control

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação Postural em Sujeitos com Disfunção Temporomandibular Submetidos a Tratamento de Terapia Manual

Individuals with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) often have signs and symptoms such as intra-articular pain, muscle spasm, neck pain radiating from others who interfere with this balance. Over time can lead to postural changes and correction of the cervical spine, anterior head and shoulder asymmetry. The aim was to verify the effects of manual therapy on posture in subjects with TMD. Materials and methods: 30 volunteers (mean: 21.43± SD:1.43) of both sexes who had TMD classified according to axis I of the Research Diagnostic Criteria participated in this study. These were photographed in the anterior frontal and sagittal planes for analysis of the following angles (acromion clavicular joint, sternoclavicular joint, orbicular external, corners of the mouthand and protruding head). After, the volunteers were divided into groups ATM (manual therapy in the treatment of temporomandibular joint), Cervical (manual therapy in the treatment of cervical joint) and Control. The Kolmogokov-Smirnov test, followed by ANOVA, considering a significance level of 5% was used. Results: Groups ATM, Cervical and Control were considered homogeneous with respect to the values of the angles measured. These also showed no significant difference between the 1st, 5th and 10th sessions, so the manual therapy techniques applied to the TMJ and Cervical groups were not sufficient to change postural alignment. Conclusion: The postural alignment, the TMD patients evaluated in this study did not change after attending the sessions proposals with manual therapy techniques in the cervical and TMJ.

Avaliação do controle postural e do tipo do pé de pessoas com deficiência visual

The balance changing in the visually impaired is target of investigations, as balance and vision are interrelated. Also, another important factor in the maintenance of postural control is the biomechanical aspect of the feet. This study aimed to evaluate postural control and feet type of individuals with visual impairments. For then 17 adults with visual impairment participated in this study and have been evaluated by the baropodometry system. The oscillation of the center of pressure data were analyzed using the software Conformat Research 5.8, and subjected to Mann-Whitney’s statistical test. The results showed no statistically significant difference in postural control when comparing individuals with and without visual residue and which normal and foot with biomechanical alterations, which demonstrates that the visual impairment was the main factor of changes in postural control for the participants of this study.

Efeitos da Reeducação Postural Global na Hipercifose e nas Variáveis Respiratórias de Idosos Relato de Dois Casos

Examine the effects Global Postural Reeducation, (GPR) in hyperkyphosis and respiratory variables in the elderly was the objective in the research. For this, two elderly participated, one is 62 years old (voluntary 1) and another is 66 years old (voluntary 2), without lung, heart, kidney and/or skeletal-muscle diseases diagnosed. The volunteer have been assessed for Quality of Life (QOL) through the questionnaire SF-36, the degree of toracic kyphosis, the muscular respiratory strength and the thoracic-abdominal mobility. The GRP treatment consisted in eight sessions applied, once one hour each session. After the eight sessions the volunteer were reevaluated. The data concerning assessments before and after treatment were analysed describly. According to the results there was an improvement in the degree of kyphosis in both volunteers, highlighting voluntary 2. Respiratory variables also improvements after treatment. In relation to the Quality of life in most areas there has been an increase in scores indicating improved QOL. These data showed that the GPR has been effective to decrease the level of kyphosis, improves respiratory variables and the quality of life in the elderly treated. However, further work with a greater number of subjects must be carried out to analyze the effectiveness of therapy in the elderly.

Previous exposure to musical auditory stimulation immediately influences the cardiac autonomic responses to the postural change maneuver in women

Background: Chronic exposure to musical auditory stimulation has been reported to improve cardiac autonomic regulation. However, it is not clear if music acutely influences it in response to autonomic tests. We evaluated the acute effects of music on heart rate variability (HRV) responses to the postural change maneuver (PCM) in women. Method: We evaluated 12 healthy women between 18 and 28 years old and HRV was analyzed in the time (SDNN, RMSSD, NN50 and pNN50) and frequency (LF, HF and LF/HF ratio) domains. In the control protocol, the women remained at seated rest for 10 minutes and quickly stood up within three seconds and remained standing still for 15 minutes. In the music protocol, the women remained at seated rest for 10 minutes, were exposed to music for 10 minutes and quickly stood up within three seconds and remained standing still for 15 minutes. HRV was recorded at the following time: rest, music (music protocol) 0–5, 5–10 and 10–15 min during standing. Results: In the control protocol the SDNN, RMSSD and pNN50 indexes were reduced at 10–15 minutes after the volunteers stood up, while the LF (nu) index was increased at the same moment compared to seated rest. In the protocol with music, the indexes were not different from control but the RMSSD, pNN50 and LF (nu) were different from the music period. Conclusion: Musical auditory stimulation attenuates the cardiac autonomic responses to the PCM.

Fractal correlation property of heart rate variability in response to the postural change maneuver in healthy women

Background: We evaluated the effects of the PCM on the fractal analysis of the HRV in healthy women Method: We evaluated healthy women between 18 and 30 years old. HRV was analyzed in the time (SDNN, RMSSD, NN50 and pNN50) and frequency (LF, HF and LF/HF ratio) domains as well as short and long-term fractal exponents (alpha-1 and alpha-2) of the detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). HRV was recorded at rest for ten minutes at seated rest and then the women quickly stood up from a seated position in up to three seconds and remained standing for 15 minutes. HRV was recorded at the following time: rest, 0–5 min, 5–10 min and 10–15 min during standing. Results: We observed decrease (p < 0.05) in the time-domain indices of HRV between seated and 10–15 minutes after the volunteer stood up. The LF (ms2) and HF (ms2) indices were also reduced (p < 0.05) at 10–15 minutes after the volunteer stood up compared to seated while the LF (nu) was increased at 5–10 min and 10–15 min (p < 0.05). The short-term alpha-1 exponent was increased (p < 0.05) at all moments investigated compared to seated. Increase in the properties of short-term fractal correlations of heart rate dynamics accompanied by a decrease in the parasympathetic modulation and global HRV was observed in response to the postural change maneuver. Conclusion: We suggest that fractal analysis of HRV is more sensitive than frequency and time-domain analysis of HRV during the postural change maneuver.

Origin and function of short-latency inputs to the neural substrates underlying the acoustic startle reflex

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Controle postural em pacientes com doença de Parkinson: influência da tarefa de alcance frontal e da informação sensorial

OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar o comportamento oscilatório de cada membro inferior na tarefa de alcance frontal. Além disso, verificar a influência da informação visual nestas tarefas, em pacientes com doença de Parkinson. MÉTODO: Participaram deste estudo 8 pacientes com doença de Parkinson idiopática, de ambos os sexos, classificados entre os estágios 1 a 3 da escala de Hoehn e Yahr e 8 sujeitos controle. Para avaliar o comportamento oscilatório, foi aplicada a tarefa de alcance frontal que consistiu em elevar os braços a 90º, posicionar uma mão sobre a outra, estender os dedos e tentar alcançar à frente o mais longe possível sem retirar ou mover os pés da posição inicial. Os pés foram posicionados sobre duas plataformas de força, próximas uma da outra. Para aquisição dos dados de comportamento oscilatório foi utilizado o software AMTI Net Force, com freqüência de coleta de 100 Hz. Foram realizadas 3 tentativas para cada condição (com e sem informação visual), totalizando 6 tentativas com duração de 30 segundos cada. As avaliações clínica e postural foram realizadas no estado on do medicamento. Variáveis do COP analisadas: Trajetória, Velocidades Ântero-posterior e Médio-lateral e Limite de Estabilidade. RESULTADOS: Plataforma 1- MANOVA revelou apenas efeito de momento, Wilk’s Lambda= 0,04, F(8,6)=18,74, p≤0,01. Testes univariados apontaram diferença significativa para as variáveis Trajetória (F=31,62, p<0,001), Velocidade média médio-lateral (F=83,24, p<0,001) e para Limite de estabilidade (F=27,36, p<0,001). Plataforma 2- MANOVA revelou apenas efeito de momento, Wilk’s Lambda=0,026, F(8,6)=28,23, p<0,01. Análises univariadas apontaram diferenças no Momento para trajetória F(2,26)=104,07, p<0,01, velocidade média ântero-posterior...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)

Avaliação Postural de Criança com Paralisia Cerebral Através do Software de Avaliação Postural (SAPO)

O presente estudo, que aborda a avaliação postural de crianças com Paralisia Cerebral (PC), teve como objetivos: avaliar o alinhamento da postura e controle postural nessas crianças e descrever o posicionamento dos segmentos corporais na postura ereta em vista anterior, posterior, lateral direita e esquerda. Foram avaliados, através do SAPO, 7 indivíduos com PC que se mantinham na posição ortostática sem apoio. Foi feita estatística descritiva e uma comparação dos valores de referência (teste t-Student) com nível de significância 5% para todas variáveis. No ângulo Q esquerdo (vista anterior), houve diferença significativa do valor de referência p=0,476. O ângulo perna/retropé direito (vista posterior) apresentou p=0,0257. Para a vista lateral direita: Alinhamento horizontal da cabeça (C7) obteve p<0,001; Ângulo do quadril (tronco e coxa), p=0,0126; Alinhamento horizontal da pelve, p=0,0043 e o Ângulo do Tornozelo p<0,001. Para a vista lateral esquerda: Alinhamento horizontal da cabeça (C7), p<0,001; Alinhamento horizontal da pelve p=0,0332 e o Ângulo do tornozelo obteve p-valor<0,001. Houve evidente anteversão pélvica dos sujeitos com possível aumento da lordose lombar, alterações relacionadas a joelhos e tornozelos que podem ser causadas por assimetrias das forças atuantes em seguimentos superiores e anteriorização da cabeça. Seis das sete crianças apresentaram seu centro de gravidade deslocado para o lado contralateral ao hemicorpo afetado. Sendo a PC uma desordem do movimento e postura e, levando em consideração que alterações posturais decorrentes desta desordem podem interferir no desempenho motor, sugerimos estudos que relacionem esses fatores, promovendo uma intervenção em crianças com PC baseada em evidências

Controle postural e informação sensorial em idosos diabéticos praticantes e não praticantes de atividade física

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o desempenho dos sistemas sensoriais e do controle postural de idosos diabéticos e investigar a relação entre as alterações destes sistemas e do controle postural desta população. Participaram deste estudo dez idosos diabéticos ativos (62±4,4 anos) (GDA), 10 diabéticos sedentários (65,5±7,4 anos) (GDS) e 10 idosos saudáveis ativos (63,2±4.5anos) (GCA) foram submetidos a avaliações sensoriais e de controle postural. As avaliações sensoriais foram compostas por avaliação somatossensorial (sensibilidade cutânea e sensibilidade ao movimento passivo). Para avaliar o controle postural foram analisadas medidas de oscilação corporal durante manutenção da postura ereta (em tandem stance e bipodal). Os resultados indicaram pior desempenho do GDS na avaliação do movimento passivo e de controle postural. Nas avaliações de controle postural, o GDS apresentou uma maior amplitude média de oscilação (AMO) (cm) nas condições de manutenção da postura ereta na posição tandem stance na direção médio-lateral. No teste de sensibilidade ao movimento passivo, o GDS precisou, em média, de um maior deslocamento angular para perceber o movimento das articulações do joelho e tornozelo. Estes resultados indicam, portanto, que as alterações estruturais e fisiológicas decorrentes do diabetes, resultam em piora do desempenho dos sistemas sensoriais e de controle postural. Além disso, a maior deterioração do sistema proprioceptivo em idosos diabéticos pode interferir negativamente no desempenho de controle postural dos mesmos. Desta forma, a atividade física minimiza a perda sensorial e ainda ajuda no controle postural dos diabéticos.