The journal retracts the article titled “The Impact of COVID-19 on Cognitive Development and Executive Functioning in Adolescents: A First Exploratory Investigation” [...]
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:Postural control depends on the integration and reweighting of visual, somatosensory, vestibular, and contextual sensory information. Stable auditory cues may support balance, whereas complex musical stimulation may impose additional sensory-cognitive demand during multisensory conflict. This study examined the acute effects of relative device-output music intensity on virtual-reality-based postural control in trained athletes and explored whether responses differed by sport background. METHODS:Forty-eight athletes from tennis, combat sports, swimming, football, and volleyball completed the Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction in Balance delivered through virtual reality (CTSIB-VR) and Limits of Stability (LOS) assessments under four auditory conditions: routine/no sound and low (+10 dB), moderate (+20 dB), and high (+30 dB) relative device-output increments. Linear mixed-effects models included sport, auditory condition, and their interaction as fixed effects and participant-specific random intercepts and random linear condition slopes. Model-based estimated marginal means, Bonferroni-adjusted contrasts, 1.5×IQR sensitivity analyses, and robust generalized estimating equations were calculated. RESULTS:Auditory condition affected all five CTSIB-VR outcomes (Wald χ2(3) = 16.773-94.404, all p < 0.001). The routine condition exceeded the high-intensity condition for composite score (adjusted mean difference = 6.05, 95% CI 3.99-8.10; Bonferroni-adjusted p < 0.001) and somatosensory score (8.62, 95% CI 6.78-10.46; adjusted p < 0.001). Sport × condition interactions were significant for all CTSIB-VR outcomes (χ2(12) = 54.869-98.953, all p < 0.001), but sport-stratified findings were exploratory. For LOS, auditory-condition effects were detected for endpoint excursion (p = 0.004), maximum excursion (p < 0.001), and directional control (p = 0.002), whereas reaction time (p = 0.648) and movement velocity (p = 0.056) did not show clear main effects. Sensitivity analyses supported the endpoint-excursion, maximum-excursion, and directional-control findings; movement-velocity inference was method-sensitive. CONCLUSIONS:Relative device-output music intensity was associated with consistent changes in CTSIB-VR sensory-organization measures and outcome-specific changes in LOS performance. Sport-related patterns require confirmation in adequately powered, balanced samples.
Hearing impairment is among the most prevalent sensory disorders worldwide, affecting far more than just auditory thresholds [...].
Objective: Previous studies of deep brain stimulation-related (DBS) artifacts in magnetoencephalography (MEG) have largely focused on the sensor level. In contrast, far less is known about their effects at the source level, where neuroscientific interpretations are typically derived. This study aims to quantify how DBS artifacts distort source-level MEG imaging. Methods: The study used a phantom-based experimental setup to assess dipole-fitting accuracy while systematically varying the stimulation amplitude, DBS electrode configuration, and the distance between the dipole and the DBS electrode. Results: Dipole location, angle, and amplitude errors remained within modest ranges, with the largest location and angle errors occurring at 5 mA ring-electrode stimulation (6.19 mm and 8.31 deg, respectively) and the largest amplitude errors at 15 mA ring electrodes (13.05 nAm). Location and angle errors increased significantly as the dipole moved closer to the DBS electrode, while amplitude error showed no such relationship. Continuous head position indicator coil signal quality remained stable and reliable at DBS on condition, compared to DBS off. Conclusions: The stimulation itself does not significantly impair MEG dipole estimation, as fitting errors are similar with DBS on and off. The study introduces a quantitative framework to systematically assess DBS-related distortion via dipole-fitting error, which can also be extended to evaluate noise from other implanted or external devices.
Background/Objectives: Spirituality is increasingly recognised as a core dimension of holistic and palliative care. Neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease involve prolonged trajectories of loss, uncertainty and relational change, which may heighten spiritual and existential needs for patients, particularly among those involved in caregiving, such as family caregivers and, to a lesser extent, healthcare professionals. However, evidence on how spirituality is understood, experienced and addressed within neurodegenerative palliative care remains fragmented and conceptually heterogeneous. This scoping review aimed to map the literature on caregivers’ spiritual needs and challenges. Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA ScR). Searches were conducted across PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), APA PsycINFO, and Scopus, with no date or geographical restrictions. Grey literature was searched through Google Scholar and relevant organisational and policy sources in the field of palliative care and spirituality. Reference list screening of included studies and relevant reviews was also conducted. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies published in English or Italian were included. Results: Twenty-four studies published between 2007 and 2025 were included. Findings were organised into three interconnected domains: spiritual needs, spiritual processes and spiritual care. Spirituality emerged as a dynamic, relational and context-dependent dimension of caregiving, encompassing meaning, identity, connection and coping with vulnerability and loss. Spiritual needs and processes were widely described, while spiritual care was inconsistently recognised within healthcare systems. Conceptual ambiguity, under-representation of end-of-life dementia and cultural imbalances were evident. The evidence predominantly focused on family caregivers, with limited representation of healthcare professionals. Conclusions: This scoping review highlights a persistent gap between caregivers’ lived spiritual experiences and system-level responses in neurodegenerative palliative care in caregiving contexts globally. The findings support integrated, caregiver-inclusive and culturally responsive approaches to spiritual care.
