Event-related potential (P300): the effects of levetiracetam in cognitive performance.

BACKGROUND: The current study is a reanalysis in the time domain of EEG data collection in healthy adults during an oddball paradigm using levetiracetam (LEV) vs. placebo acute administration. Specifically, the event-related potential (ERP) technique provides a tool for exploring the EEG responses to a specific event/stimulus. One of the ERP components widely studied is the P300 component, which is associated with the last stage of information processing and a general measurement of "cognitive efficiency." METHODS: The sample was composed of thirteen healthy right-handed individuals randomized to participate under two conditions: LEV and placebo. Electrophysiological measures were collected before and after drug intake. We explored the oddball paradigm, which is commonly used with healthy individuals to investigate the stages of information processing. RESULTS: The electrophysiological results showed a main effect of condition on P300 amplitude for the frontal (F3, Fz, F4), central (C3, Cz, C4), and parietal electrodes (P3, Pz, P4). The post hoc comparisons (Scheffé's test) demonstrated the significant differences between electrodes. Regarding P300 latency, all regions represented a main effect of condition. A P300 latency reduction was observed during LEV condition compared with placebo. CONCLUSION: Our study observed the ERP component-P300-through the variation of its amplitude and latency to evaluate a supposed higher CNS efficiency when participants were under the LEV effect. Our findings sustain this premise, mainly due to reducing in P300 latency for the LEV condition, supporting the neural efficiency hypothesis.

The influence of levetiracetam in cognitive performance in healthy individuals: neuropsychological, behavioral and electrophysiological approach.

OBJECTIVE: The present study sought to analyze the influence of Levetiracetam (LEV) in cognitive performance by identifying the changes produced by LEV in reaction time, in neuropsychological assessment of attention and memory and in absolute theta power in frontal activity. METHODS: Twelve healthy subjects (5 men and 7 women; mean age, 30.08 years, standard deviation, 4.71) were recruited for this study. The neuropsychological tests: Trail Making Test (A and B), Digit Span (direct and indirect numerical orders/working memory); Stroop test (inhibitory control of attention); Tower of London (planning and decision-making) and a quantitative electroencephalography were applied in 2 different days after and before the participants ingested the capsule of placebo or 500 mg LEV. RESULTS: A two-way-ANOVA was implemented to observe the interaction between conditions (placebo or LEV 500 mg) and moments (pre- and post-ingestion of LEV or placebo). The data were analyzed by the SPSS statistical package (p<0.05). For the neuropsychological parameter, the Trail Making Test (A) was the only test that showed significant difference for condition in the task execution time (p=0.026). Regarding the reaction time in the behavioral parameter, an interaction between both factors (p=0.034) was identified through a two-way-ANOVA (condition versus moment). Electrophysiological measures showed a significant interaction for electrodes: F7, F3, and FZ. CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed that LEV promotes an important cognitive enhancement in the executive functions.

[The impact of risk factors of non-communicable chronic diseases on quality of life]. / Impacto dos fatores de risco para doenças crônicas não transmissíveis na qualidade de vida.

Quality of life has become an important yardstick of the impact on health. Its evaluation related to diseases and associated risk factors has increased in the population in general. This article seeks to assess the quality of life and the presence of the association with risk factors for non-communicable chronic diseases in the urban population of the city of Montes Claros in the State of Minas Gerais. It is a population-based cross-sectional study. The sample was calculated considering the prevalence of risk factors of overweight of 30% and corrected for a variation of 30%. Cluster sampling was conducted on urban census sectors. Seventeen census sectors were selected and 648 residents aged e" 18 years were interviewed. The risk factors for non-communicable chronic diseases as well as the quality of life were verified using the SF-36 questionnaire. Some risk factors were associated with the lowest scores on the SF-36 questionnaire. The presence of some risk factors for chronic diseases has an impact on quality of life.

Impacto dos fatores de risco para doenças crônicas não transmissíveis na qualidade de vida / The impact of risk factors of non-communicable chronic diseases on quality of life

A qualidade de vida tornou-se uma importante medida de impacto em saúde. Sua avaliação relacionada às doenças e seus fatores de risco tem acrescido na população em geral. Objetivo: Verificar a qualidade de vida e a presença de associação com fatores de risco para as doenças crônicas não transmissíveis na população urbana do município de Montes Claros, Minas Gerais. Métodos: Estudo transversal de base populacional. A amostra foi calculada considerando-se a prevalência do fator de risco sobrepeso de 30% e corrigida para um efeito de delineamento de 30%. Amostragem por conglomerados de setores censitários urbanos. Sorteou-se 17 setores censitários e entrevistou-se 648 moradores de idade maior ou igual a 18 anos. Os fatores de risco para as doenças crônicas não transmissíveis foram verificadas e a qualidade de vida também através do SF-36. Resultados: Alguns dos fatores de risco foram associados a piores escores no questionário SF-36. Conclusão: a presença de alguns fatores de risco para as doenças crônicas tem impacto na qualidade de vida.

Quality of life has become an important yardstick of the impact on health. Its evaluation related to diseases and associated risk factors has increased in the population in general. This article seeks to assess the quality of life and the presence of the association with risk factors for non-communicable chronic diseases in the urban population of the city of Montes Claros in the State of Minas Gerais. It is a population-based cross-sectional study. The sample was calculated considering the prevalence of risk factors of overweight of 30% and corrected for a variation of 30%. Cluster sampling was conducted on urban census sectors. Seventeen census sectors were selected and 648 residents aged e" 18 years were interviewed. The risk factors for non-communicable chronic diseases as well as the quality of life were verified using the SF-36 questionnaire. Some risk factors were associated with the lowest scores on the SF-36 questionnaire. The presence of some risk factors for chronic diseases has an impact on quality of life.

Prótese fixa livre de metal: uma alternativa estética para o clínico geral / Metal-free fixed bridge: an aesthetic choice for general practice

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar um caso clínico de resoluçäo estética anterior, utilizando uma prótese fixa adesiva livre de metal, confeccionada com resina composta laboratorial, reforçada com fibras