Non-invasive brain stimulation for patients and healthy subjects: Current challenges and future perspectives.

Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques have a rich historical background, yet their utilization has witnessed significant growth only recently. These techniques encompass transcranial electrical stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation, which were initially employed in neuroscience to explore the intricate relationship between the brain and behaviour. However, they are increasingly finding application in research contexts as a means to address various neurological, psychiatric, and neurodegenerative disorders. This article aims to fulfill two primary objectives. Firstly, it seeks to showcase the current state of the art in the clinical application of NIBS, highlighting how it can improve and complement existing treatments. Secondly, it provides a comprehensive overview of the utilization of NIBS in augmenting the brain function of healthy individuals, thereby enhancing their performance. Furthermore, the article delves into the points of convergence and divergence between these two techniques. It also addresses the existing challenges and future prospects associated with NIBS from ethical and research standpoints.

The dopaminergic system supports flexible and rewarding dyadic motor interactive behaviour in Parkinson's Disease.

Studies indicate that the dopaminergic system (DAS) supports individual flexible behaviour. While flexibility is quintessential to effective dyadic motor interactions, whether DAS mediates adaptations of one's own motor behaviour to that of a partner is not known. Here, we asked patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) to synchronize their grasping movements with those of a virtual partner in conditions that did (Interactive) or did not (Cued) require to predict and adapt to its actions. PD performed the task during daily antiparkinsonian treatment ('On' condition) or after drug-withdrawal ('Off' condition). A group of healthy individuals also served as control group. In the Interactive condition, PDs performed better and found the interaction more enjoyable when in 'On' than in 'Off' condition. Crucially, PD performance in the 'On' condition did not differ from that of healthy controls. This pattern of results hints at the key role of the DAS in supporting the flexible adaptation of one's own actions to the partner's during motor interactions.

[Observational study on interruptions during nurses work in two surgical wards of a hospital in Liguria]. / Work interruption: indagine in due reparti chirurgici di un ospedale ligure sulle interruzioni a cui gli infermieri sono sottoposti durante le attività assistenziali.

INTRODUCTION: Interrumption that occur during nursing practice are hazardous for patient safety, resulting in a heavy cognitive load for the health care professionals and increases the risk of making mistakes. METHODS: An observational study was carried out in UU.OO operation of Neurosurgery and Vascular Surgery at a hospital in Liguria. The observation lasted one months, from July 1st, 2012 to August 1st, 2012. For data collection were used three form, one for each work shift, in which each health care professional had to report what activity was interrupted and why. RESULTS: A total of 7744 interruptium (in 5676 in Neurosurgery and 2068 Vascular Surgery). The major source of interruption was the bell, followed by the phone and relatives' questions. In general, activities interrupted were mainly made beds / hygiene care, administration and preparation of medication, handover and completion of the nursing documentation CONCLUSIONS: Interrumption will be an inevitable part of nursing practice, because of its very nature. It is therefore necessary to intervene on interruptions deemed avoidable and organizational variables that generate them, in order to increase patient safety and improve care activities.