Are the EEG microstates correlated with motor and non-motor parameters in patients with Parkinson's disease?

OBJECTIVES: This study compared electroencephalography microstates (EEG-MS) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) to healthy controls and correlated EEG-MS with motor and non-motor aspects of PD. METHODS: This cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted with patients with PD (n = 10) and healthy controls (n = 10) matched by sex and age. We recorded EEG-MS using 32 channels during eyes-closed and eyes-open conditions and analyzed the four classic EEG-MS maps (A, B, C, D). Clinical information (e.g., disease duration, medications, levodopa equivalent daily dose), motor (Movement Disorder Society - Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale II and III, Timed Up and Go simple and dual-task, and Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test) and non-motor aspects (Mini-Mental State Exam [MMSE], verbal fluency, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 [PDQ-39]) were assessed in the PD group. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare groups, and Spearman's correlation coefficient to analyze the correlations between coverage of EEG-MS and clinical aspects of PD. RESULTS: The PD group showed a shorter duration of EEG-MS C in the eyes-closed condition than the control group. We observed correlations (rho = 0.64 to 0.82) between EEG-MS B, C, and D and non-motor aspects of PD (MMSE, verbal fluency, PDQ-39, and levodopa equivalent daily dose). CONCLUSION: Alterations in EEG-MS and correlations between topographies and cognitive aspects, quality of life, and medication dose indicate that EEG could be used as a PD biomarker. Future studies should investigate these associations using a longitudinal design.

The Effects of Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation on Quantitative EEG in Patients With Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms, aside from alterations in the electroencephalogram (EEG) already registered. Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques have been suggested as an alternative rehabilitative therapy, but the neurophysiological changes associated with these techniques are still unclear. We aimed to identify the nature and extent of research evidence on the effects of NIBS techniques in the cortical activity measured by EEG in patients with PD. A systematic scoping review was configured by gathering evidence on the following bases: PubMed (MEDLINE), PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and cumulative index to nursing & allied health (CINAHL). We included clinical trials with patients with PD treated with NIBS and evaluated by EEG pre-intervention and post-intervention. We used the criteria of Downs and Black to evaluate the quality of the studies. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), electrical vestibular stimulation, and binaural beats (BBs) are non-invasive stimulation techniques used to treat cognitive and motor impairment in PD. This systematic scoping review found that the current evidence suggests that NIBS could change quantitative EEG in patients with PD. However, considering that the quality of the studies varied from poor to excellent, the low number of studies, variability in NIBS intervention, and quantitative EEG measures, we are not yet able to use the EEG outcomes to predict the cognitive and motor treatment response after brain stimulation. Based on our findings, we recommend additional research efforts to validate EEG as a biomarker in non-invasive brain stimulation trials in PD.

Cuidados paliativos ao paciente com esclerose lateral amiotrófica: vivência de fisioterapeutas no âmbito hospitalar / Palliative care to patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: experiences of physiotherapists in a hospital setting / Cuidados paliativos al paciente con esclerosis lateral amiotrófica: vivencia de fisioterapeutas en el ámbito hospitalario

Objetivo: Investigar a vivência de fisioterapeutas na atenção a pacientes com esclerose lateral amiotrófica (ELA) sob cuidados paliativos no âmbito hospitalar. Métodos: Estudo descritivo, exploratório, com abordagem qualitativa, realizado com fisioterapeutas das enfermarias clínica médica e cirúrgica de um hospital público do município de João Pessoa-Paraíba-Brasil, mediante entrevista semiestruturada e material empírico submetido à técnica de análise de conteúdo. Resultados: Foram entrevistados oito fisioterapeutas e, da análise dos dados, emergiram quatro categorias temáticas: I- Compreensão dos cuidados paliativos; II- Estratégias dos fisioterapeutas na promoção dos cuidados paliativos a esses pacientes; III- Interação dos fisioterapeutas com a equipe multiprofissional promovendo os cuidados paliativos na ELA; IV- Vivência dos fisioterapeutas ao assistir esses pacientes. Conclusão: Os fisioterapeutas discorreram seus argumentos com base em sua vivência profissional, destacando-se a necessidade de maiores discussões e aprofundamentos sobre a temática entre esses profissionais para articular a teoria e a prática

Objective: The study's main purpose has been to investigate the experiences of physiotherapists caring for patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) undergoing palliative care in a hospital setting. Methods: It is a descriptive-exploratory study with a qualitative approach, which was performed with physiotherapy professionals from the internal medicine and surgical wards of a public hospital in João Pessoa city, Paraíba State, Brazil, using a semi-structured interview and empirical material subjected to the content analysis technique. Results: After interviewing eight physiotherapists and based on data analysis, the following four thematic categories were elaborated: I- Physical therapists' understanding in regard to palliative care; II- Strategies used by physical therapists to promote palliative care for ALS patients; III- Interaction of physical therapists with the patient care team promoting palliative care for ALS patients; IV- Experience of physical therapists when assisting the patient with ALS undergoing PC. Conclusion: The physiotherapists based their arguments on their professional experience, underlining the need for further discussions and a better understanding of the subject amongst these professionals aiming to align theory with practice

Objetivo: Investigar la vivencia de fisioterapeutas en atención a los pacientes con esclerosis lateral amiotrófica (ELA) en cuidados paliativos en ámbito hospitalario. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo, exploratorio, con abordaje cualitativo, realizado con fisioterapeutas de las enfermerías clínica médica y quirúrgica de un hospital público de la ciudad de João Pessoa-Paraíba-Brasil, por medio de entrevista semiestructurada y material empírico sometido a la técnica de análisis de contenido. Resultados: Fueron entrevistados ocho fisioterapeutas y, del análisis de los datos, emergieron cuatro categorías temáticas: I- Comprensión de cuidados paliativos; II- Estrategias de fisioterapeutas en la promoción de cuidados paliativos para eses pacientes; IIIInteracción de los fisioterapeutas con el equipo multiprofesional promoviendo los cuidados paliativos en ELA; IV- Vivencia de los fisioterapeutas al asistir eses pacientes. Conclusión: los fisioterapeutas hablaron sus argumentos con base en su vivencia profesional, se destacando la necesidad de mayores discusiones y profundizaciones sobre la temática entre eses profesionales para articular teoría y práctica