This study investigated differences in saccadic latency and absolute alpha power during eye movement preparation between young volleyball athletes and non-athletes. Two experimental paradigms were employed: fixed (memory-guided) and random (stimulus-guided) saccadic tasks. Thirty participants (15 athletes, 15 non-athletes) performed these tasks while electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was recorded from prefrontal and frontal cortical regions. Behaviorally, saccadic latency was significantly shorter in the random task compared to the fixed task; however, no significant group differences were observed. Electrophysiological analyses demonstrated that volleyball athletes consistently exhibited lower absolute alpha power at frontal and prefrontal electrode sites (Fp2, F7, F8, Fz, F4), suggesting heightened cortical engagement during visuomotor preparation. Both groups showed reduced alpha power in the random condition at lateral frontal sites (F7, F8), indicating enhanced attentional allocation to unpredictable stimuli. These findings imply that sports expertise may manifest as subtle neural adaptations not easily detected by behavioral measures like reaction time, thus underscoring the value of EEG in elucidating training-induced neurophysiological changes. Future research should utilize ecologically valid tasks and higher-density EEG recordings to further delineate the neural mechanisms underpinning sports expertise.

Methylphenidate (MPH) is a psychostimulant widely used to enhance attention and executive functions through increased dopaminergic and noradrenergic transmission. Although its effects on cognitive performance are well documented, its acute influence on cortical oscillatory activity, particularly α power, during tasks requiring simultaneous motor and cognitive processing remains poorly understood in healthy adults.To investigate the acute effects of 10 mg MPH on absolute α power (8-12 Hz) in frontal regions during a visuomotor task in healthy subjects.A total of 13 right-handed healthy adults (7 men; age 25.6 ± 4.5 years) participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. A 20-channel electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded before and after execution of the MIRA visuomotor task (joystick response when a moving target crosses a previously memorized position) under placebo and MPH (10 mg) conditions, with sessions 1 week apart. Absolute α power was compared using two-way ANOVA (condition vs. moment: pre- vs. post-joystick press), followed by paired t-tests when appropriate.Significant condition versus moment interactions were observed at F3 (p = 0.006), F4 (p = 0.003), and F8 (p = 0.023). The main effects of condition and/or moment occurred at Fp1, Fp2, and Fz (all p < 0.05). The use of MPH attenuated or reversed the typical task-related α desynchronization seen under placebo, especially in right frontal regions.A single 10 mg dose of MPH homogeneously modulates frontal α power during a visuomotor task, promoting sustained cortical activation. This paradigm emerges as a sensitive tool for studying motor-cognitive coupling and may contribute to understanding MPH mechanisms in both healthy and clinical populations.

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da execução da imagética motora e facilitação neuromuscular proprioceptiva nas atividades corticais cerebrais em homens saudáveis. Métodos: 18 homens hígidos participaram de um protocolo randomizado, com IM, onde o participante imaginava um movimento de FNP ou realizava o próprio ato motor, executando a diagonal de FNP. Atividade cortical cerebral foi medida através da eletroencefalografia em repouso em regiões frontais, centrais e occipitais do córtex cerebral durante repouso de 5 minutos antes e após tarefa de IM e FNP.: Não houve diferença na atividade cortical entre a tarefa de FNP e IM, demonstrando apenas grande efeito entre o acoplamento. Não houve interação entre associações estudadas e os momentos, observamos apenas o efeito principal entre áreas. Concluímos que os resultados revelaram diferença significativa somente entre as áreas nas bandas alfa e beta, refletindo uma maior exigência cognitiva da memória de trabalho na execução de tarefas cognitivas e motoras.

O estudo analisa o uso da realidade virtual (RV) como ferramenta complementar à fisioterapia tradicional na reabilitação pós-acidente vascular encefálico (AVE), uma das principais causas de limitação funcional no mundo. O objetivo foi comparar a eficácia das duas abordagens na recuperação funcional e qualidade de vida dos pacientes, por meio de uma revisão de escopo de ensaios clínicos randomizados e controlados, conduzida de acordo com a estratégia PICO, por meio de buscas nas bases PubMed, Cochrane Library e BVS, abrangendo estudos publicados entre 2014 e 2025. Após triagem, 38 estudos foram incluídos, envolvendo intervenções com diferentes tipos de RV (não imersiva, semi e totalmente imersiva). Os resultados mostraram que a RV proporcionou melhoras significativas na função motora, equilíbrio, coordenação, engajamento e adesão ao tratamento, principalmente com o uso de tecnologias como Oculus Quest 2, Leap Motion e Nintendo Wii. Entretanto, alguns estudos não encontraram diferenças estatísticas em relação à fisioterapia convencional, especialmente em protocolos de curta duração. Conclui-se que a RV é uma estratégia eficaz e promissora na reabilitação de pacientes pós-AVE, favorecendo o desempenho funcional e a motivação, embora sejam necessários novos estudos com amostras maiores e protocolos padronizados para confirmar sua efetividade clínica.

Anthropometric measurements are used for numerous biomedical applications, such as the management of dietary, medication, and orthopedic treatments. However, for some patients, these measures can be impaired due to the high complexity of their clinical condition with limitations and difficulties related to immobilization. Human Pose Estimation (HPE) models can be useful as an alternative anthropometric method that allows measuring individual body segments. This study aimed to compare the performance of HPE models for assessing limb length. A physiotherapist evaluated arms, forearm, trunk, and legs lengths in fifty-nine participants using both tape and five HPE models: PoseNet and four variations of MoveNet. Participants were positioned standing in front of a backdrop while photos were captured using the NLMeasurer mobile application. NLMeasurer is a smartphone application able to record postural, goniometric, and limb length assessments based on the identification of Key Joint Points (KJPs) performed by HPE models. The bias and error measures were employed to evaluate the difference and agreement between measurement methods. Results indicated that the performance of the models was similar, with an average error of 3.5 cm across most segments. However, the models' performance declined for hip-knee distance measurements, with errors ranging from 7.34 to 13.57 cm. HPEs showed promise for facilitating limb length assessments in an automated way, but they have not proven to be accurate enough to be incorporated into clinical practice and used without any human intervention.

Introduction: PNF is a global treatment method with a positive therapeutic approach. The primary objective of this technique is to improve the patient’s functionality through patterns of diagonal and spiral movements, stimulating muscle and joint proprioceptors. Through the principle of irradiation, it is possible to amplify the response of synergistic muscles of the same joint and adjacent joints through active muscle contraction triggered by appropriate resistance, giving patients numerous benefits. Objective: To compile and synthesize the findings of the scientific literature published in the last decade regarding irradiation by Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation. Methods: The data search was carried out in December 2024. Three databases were used: Pubmed, Embase and Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS). Results: The results of the review highlight the effects of the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation technique on the induction of muscle irradiation in different contexts and clinical conditions. One of the studies demonstrated that the application of PNF patterns resulted in significant muscle recruitment during the sit-to-stand task. Another study indicated that force irradiation was more effective during maximum effort tasks and it varies according to the diagonal and gender of the participants. Two studies obtained positive results from the application of irradiation in post-stroke patients, although they had a limited sample for the research. Discussion: Studies show the effectiveness of PNF in inducing muscle irradiation and improving muscle recruitment. Although the effectiveness of PNF has been demonstrated in several studies, there are limitations in its methodologies, such as small samples and lack of control groups, and the need for more research is mentioned to confirm and deepen the results and better understand the effectiveness of PNF in different populations and contexts. Conclusion: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation is highlighted as an effective technique to promote contralateral force irradiation, improve muscle activation and contribute to rehabilitation after neuromuscular injuries.

Objective: To identify, through a systematic literature review, the role of Neurofunctional Physiotherapy in assessing the functional capacity of spinal cord injured patients. Methods: The search was coordinated in the SciELO, PubMed, LILACS databases and on the Google Academic platform, selecting articles published in Portuguese, English and Spanish between 2011 and 2021. The PRISMA methodology model was followed and the PEDro scale was used to analyze the articles found. The following instruments were considered and accepted in the review: Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM), Modified Ashworth Scale, Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury II (WISCI II), Medical Outcomes Study 36 - Item Short - Form Health Survey (SF-36), Berg Balance Scale, Barthel Index and American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA). Results: The score obtained by the PEDro scale ranged from 0 to 10, it was noted that among the studies included in the review, the average obtained was approximately 6.42. Conclusion: Health care for patients with spinal cord trauma is a process for reintegration into the community, as well as a means of providing an emotional boost in order to stimulate the search for and confidence in achieving a satisfactory functional recovery. The articles investigated show the effectiveness of Neurofunctional Physiotherapy in these patients. The number of visits the patient receives seems to be relevant; the more visits the better for their recovery. Keywords: Spinal cord injury; physiotherapy; international classification of functioning; scale; assessment; functional status.

Introdução. A doença de Parkinson (DP) consiste em uma condição clínica neurodegenerativa com etiologia desconhecida. Essa doença apresenta diferentes sintomas visomotores que ainda são pouco investigados e tratados na rotina neurológica clínica e na fisioterapia neurofuncional. A insuficiência de convergência (IC) ocular faz parte dos sintomas visomotores presentes na DP com alta prevalência. Entretanto, até o presente momento, poucos são os estudos que propõem a avaliação e tratamento da IC nos portadores da DP. Objetivo. Discutir a relação entre a IC e a DP. Método. Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática abrangendo todas as publicações pertinentes ao tema indexadas em diferentes bases de dados. Resultados. Foram selecionados 18 artigos sobre o tema, que apresentaram um nível de evidencia Oxford 2B para a maioria. Conclusão. As evidências sugerem que: (1) ocorre uma alta prevalência e sintomatologia de IC na população com a DP; (2) ocorre uma maior IC no grupo com a DP, quando comparado ao grupo controle e (3) na medida em que o estágio da DP avança, parece que a IC aumenta. Mais estudos são necessários para investigar os efeitos dos exercícios ortópticos nos portadores da DP com IC associada.

O Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção/Hiperatividade é um transtorno mental caracterizado pela presença de sintomas de desatenção e/ou hiperatividade/impulsividade que levam a prejuízos significativos na vida dos indivíduos afetados. O mesmo é tido como a condição mais comumente diagnosticada na infância e na adolescência, mas podendo persistir na vida adulta, em uma grande proporção dos casos iniciados na infância. Somado a tudo isso muito tem se visto a respeito deste tema, com predominância para as crianças e adolescentes, mais um déficit para a população adulta. Considerando esta lacuna, e em observância a baixa efetividade dos tratamentos convencionais na população adulta, e com os avanços das novas tecnologias e tendo a realidade virtual sido utilizada para uso terapêutico nas mais diversas neurodesordens esse trabalho tem como objetivo verificar os efeitos da realidade virtual em pacientes adultos com traços de TDAH. Para isso, 10 adultos com traços de TDAH, foram submetidos voluntariamente a realidade virtual por dias alternados com intervalos de 24 horas, além da aplicação do teste ETDAH-AD. Como resultado observou-se que em dias e condições alternadas apresentou-se pequenas melhoras mais nada significativo.

Aim: To investigate attention and working memory, comparing children practice Karate and non-Karate practitioners at different stages of biological maturation through the amplitude and latency of the P300 component during the execution of a Go/No-Go paradigm. Material and Methods: The P300 was analyzed for Fz, Cz, and Pz electrodes in 80 participants separated in two groups: an Karate practitioners group comprising Karate practitioners and comprising non-Karate practitioners. Each group was further subdivided according to the biological maturation range defined by Peak Height Velocity. In addition, the participants performed a Go/No-Go paradigm to measure amplitude and latency. Results: The EEG analysis showed Ffr electrodes Pz and Cz, an interaction was found between group and Peak Height Velocity for the amplitude variable (respectively: F = 45.858; d = 0.38; p < 0.001 / F = 10.411; d = 0.17; p = 0.004). For the Fz electrode, a main effect was found between group and Peak Height Velocity (respectively: F = 40.330; d = 0.34; p = 0.010 / F = 36.730; d = 0.30; p = 0.012) for the variable amplitude and latency. main effect between group and Peak Height Velocity (respectively: F = 7.719; d = 0.14; p = 0.012 / F = 38.370; d = 0.31; p = 0.010). Conclusions: In general, it is possible to conclude that participants in the Karate practitioners group exhibited electrocortical measures corresponding to greater efficiency in decision-making and attention processes, motor planning, working memory, attention allocation, motor execution, and greater attentional engagement. It was also demonstrated that, despite the children being at very close chronological ages, their biological maturation differed. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.

Mindfulness meditation has shown very promising results in modulating experiential awareness of the present moment. These results have sparked interest in research into this technique in the experience or awareness of the passage of time (time perception). However, there is a lack of studies that systematically examine its effects in healthy people. The objective of this systematic review is to summarize the studies that evaluated the effectiveness of mindfulness in the perception of time in healthy people. A search in the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and LILACs databases was carried out from 2013 to 2024, using the following key words: meditation, mindfulness, time perception, Underestimation and overestimation of subjective time. 239 studies were found, of which 10 met the eligibility criteria. Limitations of this study encompass a number of aspects including the paucity of data available for certain categories of outcomes, suggesting a significant gap in existing research. Regarding temporal perception, no homogeneity of results was found that expresses the relationship between mindfulness and overestimation, underestimation or stabilization of time.

This research letter presents the co-design process for RG4Face, a mime therapy–based serious game that uses computer vision for human facial movement recognition and estimation to help health care professionals and patients in the facial rehabilitation process.

BACKGROUND:Studies of non-invasive treatments such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can contribute in an alternative way to the symptoms treatment and changes in sleep patterns in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), due to some scientific evidence of action on cognition and clinical characteristics. AIM:The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate studies of non-invasive brain stimulation using rTMS and tDCS on symptoms and sleep parameters in people with ADHD, in order to synthesize the main findings on intervention effects. METHODOLOGY:A systematic review was carried out using the PRISMA protocol in the PubMed/Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, CINAHL, PEDro and Central-Cochrane library databases were initially carried out on 14 March 2024 and repeated until September 2024. Randomized clinical trials evaluating the effect of rTMS and tDCS on symptoms and changes in sleep pattern in people with ADHD were included. Primary outcomes were total severity of ADHD symptoms and sleep quality assessed by questionnaires and instrument measures. RESULTS:The review evidenced only positive findings in five studies for tDCS in some cognitive functions, ADHD symptoms and improvement in sleep parameters, being results with reduced efficacy due to the high heterogeneity in the experimental protocols. CONCLUSION:The findings show limited evidence; however, it is suggested that the combined use of non-invasive stimulation with other approaches, such as cognitive training, may improve the intervention effect. It is also important to consider limitations such as heterogeneity in clinical protocols, selection of participants with ADHD, including dosage and frequency. These factors should be explored in future research to optimize the application of these therapies.

Introdução: A obesidade é considerada uma desordem multifatorial influenciada por fatores hormonais, dietéticos, comportamentais, emocionais, atencionais e controle cognitivo que interferem no equilíbrio ingestão e gasto energético. A influência da obesidade no declínio cognitivo e prejuízos a funções e estruturas cerebrais além de sua associação com processos neurodegenerativos precoces tem sido observada. Objetivo: Esta revisão buscou identificar as áreas corticais mais ativadas em indivíduos obesos, investigar a existência de comprometimento cognitivo e a possível interferência no comportamento alimentar. Além disso, buscou-se identificar os métodos de neuroimagem mais utilizados para avaliação desses processos. Buscou-se estudos publicados 2006 e 2021. Foram pesquisadas as bases de dados indexadas PUBMED, LILACS e SCIELO. Foram selecionados estudos observacionais que comparassem indivíduos obesos (IMC > 30 kg/m²) e não obesos. Foi utilizado o Quality Assessment of Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies da National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH) para análise de qualidade metodológica. Resultados: Foram reportados 22.484 títulos. Após a aplicação dos critérios de elegibilidade, foram selecionados 154 artigos. Desses, onze foramincluídos para análise nesta revisão. Nesta análise, diferenças foram encontradas quanto ao tempo de reação, acurácia ou áreas cerebrais inativadas durante os testescognitvosou estímulos com figuras de comida entre os grupos estudados. Conclusão: Mudanças estruturais compatíveis com prejuízos na performance cognitiva a longo prazo foram identificadas, assim como alterações estruturais e funcionais que podem auxiliar o entendimento de comportamento alimentar compulsivo presente em indivíduos obesos.

Background The saccadic eye movement is responsible for providing focus to a visual object of interest to the retina. In sports like volleyball, identifying relevant targets quickly is essential to a masterful performance. The training improves cortical regions underlying saccadic action, enabling more automated processing in athletes.Objective We investigated changes in the latency during the saccadic eye movement and the absolute theta power on the frontal and prefrontal cortices during the execution of the saccadic eye movement task in volleyball athletes and non-athletes. We hypothesized that the saccade latency and theta power would be lower due to training and perceptual-cognitive enhancement in volleyball players.Methods We recruited 30 healthy volunteers: 15 volleyball athletes (11 men and 4 women; mean age: 15.08 +/- 1.06 years) and 15 non-athletes (5 men and 10 women; mean age: 18.00 +/- 1.46 years). All tasks were performed simultaneously with electroencephalography signal recording.Results The latency of the saccadic eye movement presented a significant difference between the groups; a shorter time was observed among the athletes, associated with the players' superiority in terms of attention level. During the experiment, the athletes observed a decrease in absolute theta power compared to non-athletes on the electrodes of each frontal and prefrontal area.Conclusion In the present study, we observed the behavior of reaction time and absolute theta power in athletes and non-athletes during a saccadic movement task. Our findings corroborate the premise of cognitive improvement, mainly due to the reduction of saccadic latency and lower beta power, validating the neural efficiency hypothesis.

Objetivo: Compreender a aplicabilidade dos jogos sérios no

Purpose Research describes the existence of a relationship between cortical activity and the regulation of bulbar respiratory centers through the evaluation of the electroencephalographic (EEG) signal during respiratory challenges. For example, we found evidences of a reduction in the frequency of the EEG (alpha band) in both divers and non-divers during apnea tests. For instance, this reduction was more prominent in divers due to the greater physiological disturbance resulting from longer apnea time. However, little is known about EEG adaptations during tests of maximal apnea, a test that voluntarily stops breathing and induces dyspnea. Results Through this mini-review, we verified that a protocol of successive apneas triggers a significant increase in the maximum apnea time and we hypothesized that successive maximal apnea test could be a powerful model for the study of cortical activity during respiratory distress. Conclusion Dyspnea is a multifactorial symptom and we believe that performing a successive maximal apnea protocol is possible to understand some factors that determine the sensation of dyspnea through the EEG signal, especially in people not trained in apnea.

A doença de Parkinson (DP) é uma condição neuropática de etiologia desconhecida, que cursa com deficiência nos níveis de dopamina e afeta os circuitos inibitórios dos núcleos da base, resultados em: rigidez; bradicinesia; tremor em repouso; micrografia; instabilidade postural; marcha em pequenos passos e o freezing da marcha. Além disso, recentemente, tem sido descrita alterações oculomotoras nestes pacientes, principalmente a insuficiência de convergência (IC). Investigar, por meio de uma revisão narrativa, a relação entre a IC e a DP. Foi realizada uma revisão da literatura do tipo narrativa, com busca nas diferentes bases de dado utilizando as palavras-chave listadas a seguir. Foram encontrados 146 estudos, sendo incluídos no total 20 artigos pertinentes ao tema. Das referências pesquisadas, foram encontrados 17 estudos observacionais e 3 estudos de caso ou series de caso. No contexto geral, parece que existe uma relação relevante entre a IC e a DP em diferentes contextos, envolvendo o equilíbrio, a marcha, a qualidade e vida, na cognição e na memória. Os exercícios ortópticos parecem modificar a IC nos pacientes com a DP. Entretanto, os benefícios desta correção oculomotora ainda não estão claros na literatura e carecem de mais estudos.

The saccadic eye movement provides the focus of a visual object of interest to the retina. In sports like volleyball, identifying relevant targets as quickly as possible is essential to a skillful performance. The training improves cortical regions underlying saccadic action, enabling more automated processing in athletes. We investigated changes in the latency during the saccadic eye movement and the absolute theta power on the frontal and prefrontal cortex during the execution of the saccade eye movement task in athletes and non-volleyball athletes. We hypothesized that the saccade latency and theta power would be lower in athletes as a result of training and the perceptual-cognitive enhancement in volleyball players. Thirty healthy volunteers were recruited for this study: 15 volleyball athletes (11 men and 4 women, mean age: 15.08 ± 1.06) and 15 non-athletes (5 men and 10 women, mean age: 18.00 ± 1.46). All tasks were performed simultaneously with electroencephalography signal recording. The result of the saccade latency of the saccadic eye movement presented a significant difference between the groups, a shorter time was observed among the athletes, associated with the superiority of the players in the attention level. Our results of saccade latency and the absolute theta power evidenced the specificity of the group the athletes. A decrease in absolute theta power was observed in the athletes compared to non-athletes on the electrodes of each frontal and prefrontal area during the experiment.