Volumetric alterations in the basal ganglia in autism Spectrum disorder: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Recent research indicates that some brain structures show alterations in conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Among them, are the basal ganglia that are involved in motor, cognitive and behavioral neural circuits. OBJECTIVE: Review the literature that describes possible volumetric alterations in the basal ganglia of individuals with ASD and the impacts that these changes have on the severity of the condition. METHODOLOGY: This systematic review was registered in the design and reported according to the PRISMA Items and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023394787). The study analyzed data from published clinical, case-contemplate, and cohort trials. The following databases were consulted: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, using the Medical Subject Titles (MeSH) "Autism Spectrum Disorder" and "Basal Ganglia". The last search was carried out on February 28, 2023. RESULTS: Thirty-five eligible articles were collected, analyzed, and grouped according to the levels of alterations. CONCLUSION: The present study showed important volumetric alterations in the basal ganglia in ASD. However, the examined studies have methodological weaknesses that do not allow generalization and correlation with ASD manifestations.

Brain Neuroplasticity after Treatment with Antiseizure: A Review.

Epilepsy is a disease characterized by the periodic occurrence of seizures. Seizures can be controlled by antiseizure medications, which can improve the lives of individuals with epilepsy when given proper treatment. Therefore, this study aimed to review the scientific literature on brain neuroplasticity after treatment with antiseizure drugs in different regions of the brain. According to the findings, that several antiseizure, such as lamotrigine, diazepam, levetiracetam, and valproic acid, in addition to controlling seizures, can also act on neuroplasticity in different brain regions. The study of this topic becomes important, as it will help to understand the neuroplastic mechanisms of these drugs, in addition to helping to improve the effectiveness of these drugs in controlling the disease.

Thalassotherapy for fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial comparing aquatic exercises in sea water and water pool.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of aerobic exercise in water pool compared with aerobic exercise performed in sea by women with fibromyalgia (FM). A total of 46 patients were randomly allocated into two groups: pool group (23 patients) and sea group (23 patients) that performed the same aerobic exercise program. Patients were evaluated baseline and after 12 weeks using: VAS, number of tender points, FIQ, SF-36, PSQI, and BDI. Both groups improved significantly in post-treatment for all the evaluated variables. There were no significant differences between two groups, except for BDI (F=2.418, P<0.0001). Aerobic exercise program performed in water (pool or sea) was effective for patients with FM. However, sea water exercises have been shown to bring more advantages related to emotional aspects. Then, exercise performed sea water (thalassotherapy) is an option for effective treatment with low cost for patients with FM.