RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Children with Down syndrome (DS) demonstrate poorer performance in locomotor and ball skills than children with typical development. During motor assessment, keeping children's attention and motivation is challenging, especially for children with DS, which may affect the test outcomes. This study aimed first to examine the impact of examiner and App-animation demonstrations during the assessment on the performance of fundamental motor skills, focus of attention and intrinsic motivation for children with DS and neurotypical development (NTD). The secondary aim was to examine the differences in those outcomes between children with DS and neurotypical development. METHODS: A sample of 24 children (10 with DS and 14 with NTD) aged between 3 and 10 years were subjected to two motor performance assessment protocols: a traditional protocol using the Gross Motor Development Test-3 (TGMD-3) and a protocol using animations from an application as support for TGMD-3 (AppP). The focus of attention was obtained from video recordings during protocol instruction (number of eye shifts, eye shift time, instruction focus time, number of instructions required and total instruction time). Intrinsic motivation was assessed by the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) at the end of each protocol. RESULTS: The results showed no significant differences between the protocols for locomotor skills, ball skills and gross motor index. However, children with NTD outperformed those with DS in these skills. When analysing the focus of attention, children with DS showed greater ocular deviations and longer instruction time requested in the traditional protocol compared with AppP, even when compared with NDT children. When comparing protocols in both groups, AppP demonstrated fewer ocular deviations and shorter ocular deviation times. Regarding intrinsic motivation, children with DS in the traditional protocol had lower motivation scores than those with NTD. Regarding the purchase of protocols, in both groups, the AppP presented higher scores for interest/pleasure, perceived competence and general motivation, with lower pressure/tension. CONCLUSION: The animated application (AppP) proved effective as a visual support during the TGMD-3 assessment, particularly benefiting children with DS by enhancing motivation and attention.
Asunto(s)
Atención , Síndrome de Down , Motivación , Destreza Motora , Humanos , Síndrome de Down/fisiopatología , Motivación/fisiología , Niño , Masculino , Femenino , Atención/fisiología , Destreza Motora/fisiología , Preescolar , Desarrollo Infantil/fisiologíaRESUMEN
The effect of physical exercise on the treatment of depressive elderly adults has not been investigated thus far in terms of changes in cortical hemispheric activity. The objective of the present study was to identify changes in depressive symptoms, quality of life, and cortical asymmetry produced by aerobic activity. Elderly subjects with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (DSM-IV) were included. Twenty patients (70 percent females, 71 ± 3 years) were divided into an exercise group (pharmacological treatment plus aerobic training) and a control group (undergoing pharmacological treatment) in a quasi-experimental design. Pharmacological treatment was maintained stable throughout the study (antidepressants and anxiolytics). Subjects were evaluated by depression scales (Beck Depression Inventory, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) and the Short Form Health Survey-36, and electroencephalographic measurements (frontal and parietal alpha asymmetry) before and after 1 year of treatment. After 1 year, the control group showed a decrease in cortical activity on the right hemisphere (increase of alpha power), which was not observed in the exercise group. The exercise group showed a significant decrease of depressive symptoms, which was not observed in the control group. This result was also accompanied by improved treatment response and remission rate after 1 year of aerobic exercise associated with treatment. This study provides support for the effect of aerobic training on alpha activity and on depressive symptoms in elderly patients. Exercise facilitates the treatment of depressive elderly adults, leading to clinical and physical improvement and protecting against a decrease in cortical activity.
Asunto(s)
Anciano , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Ritmo alfa , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/terapia , Terapia por Ejercicio/métodos , Calidad de Vida , Ansiolíticos/uso terapéutico , Antidepresivos/uso terapéutico , Terapia Combinada , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/psicología , Electroencefalografía , Estudios de Seguimiento , Escalas de Valoración PsiquiátricaRESUMEN
The effect of physical exercise on the treatment of depressive elderly adults has not been investigated thus far in terms of changes in cortical hemispheric activity. The objective of the present study was to identify changes in depressive symptoms, quality of life, and cortical asymmetry produced by aerobic activity. Elderly subjects with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder (DSM-IV) were included. Twenty patients (70% females, 71 +/- 3 years) were divided into an exercise group (pharmacological treatment plus aerobic training) and a control group (undergoing pharmacological treatment) in a quasi-experimental design. Pharmacological treatment was maintained stable throughout the study (antidepressants and anxiolytics). Subjects were evaluated by depression scales (Beck Depression Inventory, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale) and the Short Form Health Survey-36, and electroencephalographic measurements (frontal and parietal alpha asymmetry) before and after 1 year of treatment. After 1 year, the control group showed a decrease in cortical activity on the right hemisphere (increase of alpha power), which was not observed in the exercise group. The exercise group showed a significant decrease of depressive symptoms, which was not observed in the control group. This result was also accompanied by improved treatment response and remission rate after 1 year of aerobic exercise associated with treatment. This study provides support for the effect of aerobic training on alpha activity and on depressive symptoms in elderly patients. Exercise facilitates the treatment of depressive elderly adults, leading to clinical and physical improvement and protecting against a decrease in cortical activity.
Asunto(s)
Ritmo alfa , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/terapia , Terapia por Ejercicio/métodos , Calidad de Vida , Anciano , Ansiolíticos/uso terapéutico , Antidepresivos/uso terapéutico , Terapia Combinada , Trastorno Depresivo Mayor/psicología , Electroencefalografía , Femenino , Estudios de Seguimiento , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Escalas de Valoración PsiquiátricaRESUMEN
Caffeine is the most consumed psychoactive substance in the world. The effects of caffeine have been studied using cognitive and motor measures, quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) and event-related potentials. However, these methods are not usually employed in combination, a fact that impairs the interpretation of the results. The objective of the present study was to analyze changes in electrophysiological, cognitive and motor variables with the ingestion of caffeine, and to relate central to peripheral responses. For this purpose we recorded event-related potentials and eyes-closed, resting EEG, applied the Stroop test, and measured reaction time. Fifteen volunteers took caffeine (400 mg) or placebo in a randomized, crossover, double-blind design. A significant reduction of alpha absolute power over the entire scalp and of P300 latency at the Fz electrode were observed after caffeine ingestion. These results are consistent with a stimulatory effect of caffeine, although there was no change in the attention (Stroop) test or in reaction time. The qEEG seems to be the most sensitive index of the changes produced by caffeine in the central nervous system since it proved to be capable of detecting changes that were not evident in the tests of cognitive or motor performance.
Asunto(s)
Cafeína/farmacología , Estimulantes del Sistema Nervioso Central/farmacología , Sistema Nervioso Central/efectos de los fármacos , Cognición/efectos de los fármacos , Electroencefalografía/efectos de los fármacos , Desempeño Psicomotor/efectos de los fármacos , Adulto , Análisis de Varianza , Estudios Cruzados , Método Doble Ciego , Electrofisiología , Potenciales Relacionados con Evento P300/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Tiempo de ReacciónRESUMEN
Caffeine is the most consumed psychoactive substance in the world. The effects of caffeine have been studied using cognitive and motor measures, quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) and event-related potentials. However, these methods are not usually employed in combination, a fact that impairs the interpretation of the results. The objective of the present study was to analyze changes in electrophysiological, cognitive and motor variables with the ingestion of caffeine, and to relate central to peripheral responses. For this purpose we recorded event-related potentials and eyes-closed, resting EEG, applied the Stroop test, and measured reaction time. Fifteen volunteers took caffeine (400 mg) or placebo in a randomized, crossover, double-blind design. A significant reduction of alpha absolute power over the entire scalp and of P300 latency at the Fz electrode were observed after caffeine ingestion. These results are consistent with a stimulatory effect of caffeine, although there was no change in the attention (Stroop) test or in reaction time. The qEEG seems to be the most sensitive index of the changes produced by caffeine in the central nervous system since it proved to be capable of detecting changes that were not evident in the tests of cognitive or motor performance.