Self-reported Measures of Function Compared to Lower Limb Motor Performance in People With and Without Imaging Evidence of Unilateral Lumbar Nerve Root Compression: A Cross-sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of the present study was to determine if imaging findings of unilateral lumbar nerve root compression (ULNRC) impact performance on a coordinated motor performance task and to determine if there were correlations between motor performance and self-reported clinical measures. METHODS: People with back pain (N = 45) were stratified into 3 groups based on combinations of: lumbar imaging; and clinical presentation for ULNRC. Group 1 included people with imaging of lumbar nerve root compression, who presented with neurological deficit. Group 2 people demonstrated imaging evidence of nerve compression, without motor, sensory or reflex change. Group 3 participants possessed only degenerative changes on lumbar imaging films, and were neurologically intact. Performance measures included behavioral and kinematic variables from an established lower limb Fitts' Task requiring movements to targets of different difficulties. Self-reported measures of disability, function and pain were collected. Analysis of variance for between and within group variables were conducted, and Pearson correlation compared performance with self-reported measures. RESULTS: All groups yielded main effects for movement time with increasing task difficulty as predicted by Fitts' Law. A main effect revealed Group 1 participants performed less accurately than Group 3 participants. Positive correlations were predominantly found between self-report measures and motor performance for Group 2 and Group 3. CONCLUSION: Imaging, and self-reported measures alone did not predict function, however, Fitts' task performance accuracy effectively differentiated groups.

Effects of acute cannabis inhalation on reaction time, decision-making, and memory using a tablet-based application.

BACKGROUND: Acute cannabis use has been demonstrated to slow reaction time and affect decision-making and short-term memory. These effects may have utility in identifying impairment associated with recent use. However, these effects have not been widely investigated among individuals with a pattern of daily use, who may have acquired tolerance. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of tolerance to cannabis on the acute effects as measured by reaction time, decision-making (gap acceptance), and short-term memory. METHODS: Participants (ages 25-45) completed a tablet-based (iPad) test battery before and approximately 60 min after smoking cannabis flower. The change in performance from before to after cannabis use was compared across three groups of cannabis users: (1) occasional use (n = 23); (2) daily use (n = 31); or (3) no current use (n = 32). Participants in the occasional and daily use group self-administered ad libitum, by smoking or vaping, self-supplied cannabis flower with a high concentration of total THC (15-30%). RESULTS: The occasional use group exhibited decrements in reaction time (slowed) and short-term memory (replicated fewer shapes) from before to after cannabis use, as compared to the no-use group. In the gap acceptance task, daily use participants took more time to complete the task post-smoking cannabis as compared to those with no use or occasional use; however, the level of accuracy did not significantly change. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are consistent with acquired tolerance to certain acute psychomotor effects with daily cannabis use. The finding from the gap acceptance task which showed a decline in speed but not accuracy may indicate a prioritization of accuracy over response time. Cognitive and psychomotor assessments may have utility for identifying impairment associated with recent cannabis use.

Linear growth beyond 24 months and child neurodevelopment in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: To synthesize available evidence on the association between change in linear growth (height for age z score, HAZ) beyond the first two years of life with later child neurodevelopment outcomes in Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). METHODS: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE for cohort studies on the association between change in HAZ after age two and neurodevelopment outcomes in middle or late childhood. Data extraction was done independently by two reviewers. RESULTS: A total of 21 studies, that included 64,562 children from 13 LMICs were identified. Each unit increase in change in HAZ above two years is associated with a + 0.01 increase (N = 8 studies, 27,393 children) in the cognitive scores at 3.5 to 12 years of age and a + 0.05-standard deviation (SD) increase (95% CI 0.02 to 0.08, N = 3 studies, 17,830 children) in the language score at 5 to 15 years of age. No significant association of change in HAZ with motor (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.04; 95% CI: -0.10, 0.18, N = 1 study, 966 children) or socio-emotional scores (SMD 0.00; 95% CI: -0.02, 0.01, N = 4 studies, 14,616 participants) was observed. CONCLUSION: Changes in HAZ after the first two years of life appear to have a small or no association with child neurodevelopment outcomes in LMICs.

Effects of Oxygen Prebreathing on Bubble Formation, Flow-Mediated Dilatation, and Psychomotor Performance during Trimix Dives.

Introduction: This research was performed to examine the effects of air and oxygen prebreathing on bubble formation, flow-mediated dilatation, and psychomotor performance after scuba dives. Methods: Twelve scuba divers performed two dives using a gas mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, and helium (trimix). In a randomized protocol, they breathed air or oxygen 30 min before the trimix dives. Venous bubble formation, flow-mediated dilatation, and psychomotor performance were evaluated. The participants solved three psychomotor tests: determining the position of a light signal, coordination of complex psychomotor activity, and simple arithmetic operations. The total test solving time, minimum single-task solving time, and median solving time were analyzed. Results: The bubble grade was decreased in the oxygen prebreathing protocol in comparison to the air prebreathing protocol (1.5 vs. 2, p < 0.001). The total test solving times after the dives, in tests of complex psychomotor coordination and simple arithmetic operations, were shorter in the oxygen prebreathing protocol (25 (21-28) vs. 31 (26-35) and 87 (82-108) vs. 106 (90-122) s, p = 0.028). Conclusions: In the oxygen prebreathing protocol, the bubble grade was significantly reduced with no change in flow-mediated dilatation after the dives, indicating a beneficial role for endothelial function. The post-dive psychomotor speed was faster in the oxygen prebreathing protocol.

Extended-Duration Work Shifts in Surgical Specialties: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: There has been widespread international implementation of duration-hour restrictions to prevent surgical resident burnout and promote patient safety and wellbeing of doctors. A variety of Extended-Duration Work Shifts (EDWS) have been implemented, with a variety of studies examining the effect of shift systems on both surgical performance and the stress response unestablished in the literature. METHODS: This was a systematic review evaluating the impact of extended working hours on surgical performance, cognitive impairment, and physiological stress responses. The review used PubMed, Ovid Medline, Embase, and Google Scholar search engines between September and October 2021 in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Filters including studies carried out after 2002 and published in the English language were applied. RESULTS: In total, 30 studies were included for analysis. General surgery was the most commonly studied rotation, with Neurosurgical, Orthopedic, and ear, nose and throat specialties also included. The majority of studies found no difference or a significant improvement in post-EDWS on simulated performance. EDWS appeared to have the greatest impact on physiological stress markers in junior surgical trainees. CONCLUSIONS: Experience appears to confer a protective element in the postcall period, with preservation of skill demonstrated. More experienced clinicians yielded lower levels of physiological markers of stress, although variability in hierarchical workload should be considered. Heterogeneity of findings across physiological, cognitive, and psychomotor assessments highlights the need for robust research on the optimum shift pattern prevents worker burnout and promotes patient safety. Future research to evaluate correlation between stress, on-call workload, and performance in the postcall period is warranted.

Diferencias por sexo y edad en la coordinación motora en escolares de la ciudad de Cúcuta

Fundamento: la coordinación motriz ha sido y será uno de los componentes más importantes en el área de educación física, pues permite sincronizar y coordinar los movimientos de los músculos y de las extremidades del cuerpo, a fin de posibilitar la realización de diversas actividades. Objetivo: determinar el nivel de coordinación motora diferenciada por edades y sexos en escolares. Métodos: investigación realizada en la Institución Educativa Mariano Ospina Rodríguez, que incluyó escolares de seis a once años de edad, a los que se aplicó el test 3JS, el cual consta de una batería de siete pruebas para determinar el nivel de coordinación motora en los niños. Resultados: existieron diferencias muy significativas al comparar la coordinación motora de los niños con respecto a todos los rangos de edades estudiados (6-7 años vs 8-9 años; 6-7 años vs 10-11 años; 8-9 años vs 10-11 años) (p<0,01). Las niñas obtuvieron diferencias muy significativas al comparar los grupos de 6-7 años con respecto al de 8-9 años y 10-11 años (p<0,01); sin embargo, al comparar niños y niñas por rangos de edades, solamente el grupo de 10-11 años presentó diferencias significativas en la coordinación motora (p<0,01). Conclusiones: los resultados permiten inferir que es importante evaluar y desarrollar actividades acordes a la etapa de maduración del niño y determinar trabajos más específicos para las niñas, puesto que en este trabajo y en muchos estudios realizados se identificó una diferencia significativa en cuanto a su desarrollo motor.

Foundation: motor coordination has been and will be one of the most important components in the physical education area, since it allows synchronizing and coordinating the muscles movements and extremities of the body, in order to enable the performance of various activities. Objective: to determine the motor coordination level differentiated by age and sex in schoolchildren. Methods: research carried out at the Mariano Ospina Rodríguez Educational Institution, which included schoolchildren from six to eleven years of age, to whom the 3JS test was applied, which consists of seven tests battery to determine the motor coordination level in children. Results: there were very significant differences when comparing the children motor coordination regarding all the age ranges studied (6-7 years vs 8-9 years; 6-7 years vs 10-11 years; 8-9 years vs 10 -11 years) (p<0.01). The girls obtained very significant differences when comparing the groups of 6-7 years with respect to that of 8-9 years and 10-11 years (p<0.01); however, when comparing boys and girls by age range, only the 10-11 year old group presented significant differences in motor coordination (p<0.01). Conclusions: the results allow us to infer that it is important to evaluate and develop activities according to the child maturation stage to determine more specific jobs for girls, since in this work and in many studies carried out, a significant difference was identified in terms of their motor development.

Use of a Composed Simulator by Veterinarian Non-Experts in Minimally Invasive Surgery for Training and Acquisition of Surgical Skills for Laparoscopic Ovariectomy in Dogs.

This study aims to assess the acquisition of surgical skills for laparoscopic ovariectomy (LOE) in dogs by veterinary surgeons with no experience in minimally invasive surgery using the CALMA Veterinary Lap-trainer simulator (CVLTS) in an experimental and analytical setting. Veterinary surgeons with no experience in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) (experimental, n = 5), and MIS experts (experts, n = 3) were evaluated. Experimental and expert group participants watched an instructional video (initial time) before practicing the LOE on uterine tissues and ovaries freshly reconstituted after elective ovariohysterectomy (initial time evaluation). Then, the experimental group practiced five training sessions on the composite simulator with permanent feedback and then performed the LOE again (final time evaluation). Surgical performances in initial and final evaluations were video recorded and further evaluated by three external MIS experts using Global objective assessment of laparoscopic skills (GOALS) and LOE-specific rating scales (SRSs) in a double-blinded schedule. In addition, a hands movement assessment system (HMAS) attached to the back of the hands was used to quantitatively measure completion time, angularity, and movement smoothness. Data were analyzed with one-factor ANOVA and Tukey's contrast test. No statistically significant differences were found between the novice group's performance after training and the expert group's performance according to the GOALS (p < 0.01) and SRS (p < 0.05) scores. Moreover, the novices had significantly improved time, number of movements, and angularity in the final time compared with the initial time (p < 0.05), with no significant differences compared to the expert group (p > 0.05). LOE training using a composed simulator resulted in significantly improved laparoscopic skills and time, number, and angularity of movements data, providing evidence of the usefulness and reliability of CVLTS in training LOE.

The Impact of Acute Mild Normobaric Hypoxia and a Single Bout of Exercise to Volitional Exhaustion on Cognitive Performance in Endurance and Strength-Trained Athletes: The role of BDNF, EP-1, Catecholamines and Lactate.

The aim of the study was to examine whether a single bout of exercise to volitional exhaustion, performed under moderate normobaric hypoxia (H), would affect psychomotor performance (PP) in differently trained athletes. For this purpose, ten strength-trained (S) athletes, ten endurance-trained (E) athletes and ten healthy men leading a sedentary lifestyle as a control (C) group performed voluntarily two graded exercise tests until volitional exhaustion (EVE) under normoxia (N) and H (FiO2 = 14.7%). We measured the peripheral level of the brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), choice reaction time (CRT) and the number of correct reactions (NCR) as indices of PP. Psychomotor tests were performed at rest, immediately after the EVE and 3 minutes after the EVE. Venous blood samples were collected at rest, immediately after cessation of each EVE, and 1 h after each EVE. The results showed that the EVE significantly (p < 0.05) impaired CRT under N and H, and NCR under H only in the E group. The higher WRmax in the E compared to the S and C groups was associated with a significant (p < 0.005) increase in adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline (NA). There were no significant differences between conditions (N vs. H) in the BDNF at rest and after exercise. The EVE impaired cognitive function only in the E group; higher involvement of the sympathetic nervous system, A and NA may also play a role in this phenomenon. Therefore, it can be concluded that exposure to H did not have a negative impact on CRT or NCR. Moreover, BDNF did not improve cognitive function.

Effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on human psychomotor performance: A review.

Psychomotor performance is the coordination of a sensory or ideational (cognitive) process and a motor activity. All sensorimotor processes involved in planning and execution of voluntary movements need oxygen supply and seem to be significantly disrupted in states of hypoxia. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has become a widely used treatment in routine medicine and sport medicine due to its beneficial effects on different aspects of human physiology and performance. This paper presents state-of-the-art data on the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on different aspects of human psychomotor function. The therapy's influence on musculoskeletal properties and motor abilities as well as the effects of hyperbaric oxygenation on cognitive, myocardial and pulmonary functions are presented. In this review the molecular and physiological processes related to human psychomotor performance in response to hyperbaric oxygen are discussed to contribute to this fast-growing field of research in integrative medicine. Please cite this article as: Olex-Zarychta D. Effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy on human psychomotor performance: A review. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(5): 430-440.

El desarrollo psicomotor en niños menores de 5 años con cardiopatía congénita, Madre de Dios-Perú

A nivel mundial, la cardiopatía congénita en los niños es la malformación más común que puede tener un bebé al nacer. Objetivo. Analizar el comportamiento del desarrollo psicomotor de los niños menores a 5 años con cardiopatía congénita en la región de Madre de Dios, Perú. Materiales y métodos. Se consideró un enfoque cuantitativo, de tipo observacional analítica con diseño de cohorte prospectivo, con muestreo no probabilístico y una muestra de 6 infantes a quienes se aplicó el instrumento de recolección de información "observación del desarrollo psicomotor en niños con cardiopatía congénita". Resultados. El género del paciente varón en promedio es de 33.33%, la edad en promedio de los pacientes con cardiopatía congénita es de 2 años; el tipo de cardiopatía congénita de los pacientes es atresia pulmonar y estenosis aortica, mostrando un desarrollo psicomotor promedio de nivel medio; el tipo de cirugía desarrollado en el paciente en promedio es de tipo definitivo; alcanzando de esta manera una estancia hospitalaria de 16 a 30 días en promedio y alcanzando un estado nutricional promedio de desnutrición severa. Además, la relación entre el tipo de cardiopatía congénita con el desarrollo psicomotor es positiva, toda vez que, ante un incremento del desarrollo psicomotor de los pacientes, entonces los casos de cardiopatía congénita incrementan (ρ de Pearson =0.6919). Conclusiones. Se determinó que, en los pacientes estudiados el desarrollo psicomotor es de nivel medio; la misma que está relacionado por el tipo de cardiopatía congénita que tiene, donde el 33.33% de los pacientes presentan atresia pulmonar y el 16.67% tiene estenosis aortica; lo que demuestra que la relación entre el tipo de cardiopatía congénita con el desarrollo psicomotor es positiva o directa.

Worldwide, congenital heart disease in children is the most common malformation that an infant may have at birth. Objective. To analyze the behavior of psychomotor development in children under 5 years of age with congenital heart disease in the region of Madre de Dios, Peru. Materials and methods. A quantitative, analytical observational approach with prospective cohort design was considered, with non-probabilistic sampling and a sample of 6 infants to whom the data collection instrument "observation of psychomotor development in children with congenital heart disease" was applied. Results. The average gender of the male patient is 33.33%; the average age of the patients with congenital heart disease is 2 years; the type of congenital heart disease of the patients is pulmonary atresia and aortic stenosis, showing an average psychomotor development of medium level; the type of surgery developed in the patient on average is of definitive type; thus reaching a hospital stay of 16 to 30 days on average and reaching an average nutritional status of severe malnutrition. In addition, the relationship between the type of congenital heart disease and psychomotor development is positive, since, with an increase in the psychomotor development of the patients, the cases of congenital heart disease increase (Pearson's ρ =0.6919). Conclusions. It was determined that, in the patients studied, psychomotor development is of medium level; the same is related to the type of congenital heart disease they have, where 33.33% of the patients present pulmonary atresia and 16.67% have aortic stenosis; which shows that the relationship between the type of congenital heart disease and psychomotor development is positive or direct.

Em todo o mundo, a doença cardíaca congênita em crianças é a malformação mais comum que um bebê pode ter ao nascer. Objetivo. Analisar o comportamento do desenvolvimento psicomotor em crianças com menos de 5 anos de idade com cardiopatia congênita na região de Madre de Dios, no Peru. Materiais e métodos. Foi considerada uma abordagem observacional quantitativa e analítica, com um projeto de coorte prospectivo, amostragem não probabilística e uma amostra de 6 bebês aos quais foi aplicado o instrumento de coleta de dados "observação do desenvolvimento psicomotor em crianças com cardiopatia congênita". Resultados. O sexo médio do paciente masculino é de 33,33%, a idade média dos pacientes com cardiopatia congênita é de 2 anos; o tipo de cardiopatia congênita dos pacientes é atresia pulmonar e estenose aórtica, apresentando um desenvolvimento psicomotor médio de nível médio; o tipo de cirurgia desenvolvida no paciente é, em média, do tipo definitiva; atingindo, assim, uma permanência hospitalar de 16 a 30 dias, em média, e atingindo um estado nutricional médio de desnutrição grave. Além disso, a relação entre o tipo de cardiopatia congênita e o desenvolvimento psicomotor é positiva, pois, com o aumento do desenvolvimento psicomotor dos pacientes, aumentam os casos de cardiopatia congênita (ρ de Pearson = 0,6919). Conclusões. Foi determinado que, nos pacientes estudados, o desenvolvimento psicomotor é de nível médio; isso está relacionado com o tipo de cardiopatia congênita que eles têm, onde 33,33% dos pacientes têm atresia pulmonar e 16,67% têm estenose aórtica; o que mostra que a relação entre o tipo de cardiopatia congênita e o desenvolvimento psicomotor é positiva ou direta.

Manual Abilities and Cognition in Children with Cerebral Palsy: Do Fine Motor Skills Impact Cognition as Measured by the Bayley Scales of Infant Development?

Manual ability may be an important consideration when measuring cognition in children with CP because many items on cognitive tests require fine motor skills. This study investigated the association of fine motor dependent (FMD) and fine motor independent (FMI) items within the cognitive domain (COG) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Third Edition (Bayley-III) and Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) in children with cerebral palsy. Children aged 2 to 8 (3.96 ± 1.68) years were included in this study. MACS levels were assigned at baseline. COG was administrated at baseline (n = 61) and nine months post-baseline (n = 28). The 91 items were classified into FMD (52) and FMI (39). Total raw score, FMD, and FMI scores were calculated. The association between MACS and cognitive scores (total, FMD, and FMI) were evaluated using linear regression and Spearman correlation coefficients. We found total, FMD, and FMI scores decrease significantly as the MACS level increases at the baseline. Both FMD and FMI scores decreased as MACS levels increased (worse function). There was a significant difference between the two slopes, with the FMD scores having a steeper slope. Similar patterns were observed nine months post-baseline. Children with lower manual ability scored lower in the cognitive domain at baseline and 9 months post-baseline. The significant difference in the performance of FMD items and FMI items across MACS levels with a steeper slope of changes in FMD items suggests fine motor skills impact cognition.

Influence Of Rehacom System Programme On Hand Function In Spastic Hemiplegic Children.

Objectives: To assess the impact of cognitive therapy with the rehacom visual-motor module on the hand function in hemiplegic cerebral palsy children. METHODS: The randomised case-control study was conducted at Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt, from September 2021 to February 2022, and comprised children aged 6-8 years with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. They were randomised into control group A and intervention group B. Subjects in group A received designed physical therapy and hand function training, while those in group B additionally received visual-motor coordination training with the help of rehacom system. The groups were evaluated for both visual-motor coordination and fine motor skills at baseline and after 6-month training. SPSS version 26 was used to analyse the raw data of the current study. RESULTS: Of the 40 subjects, 20(50%) were in each of the two groups. There were 13(65%) boys and 7(35%) girls with mean age 66±4.01 monthsin group A, and 9(45%) boys and 11(55%) girls with mean age 67±4.06 monthsin group B (p>0.05). Both groups showed improvement related to grasping, visual-motor integration and fine motor quotient post-intervention, but improvement in group B was significantly higher on each count(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of visual-motor integration programme by rehacom system wasfound to be more effective than the effect of routine physiotherapy training alone.

A Latent Variable Analysis of Psychomotor and Neurocognitive Performance After Acute Cannabis Smoking.

Objective: This paper evaluated a novel, tablet-based neurocognitive and psychomotor test battery for detecting impairment from acute cannabis smoking using advanced quantitative methods. The study was conducted in a state with legal, recreational cannabis use and included participants who use cannabis occasionally or daily, and a no use comparison group. Methods: Participants completed a tablet-based test assessing reaction time, decision making, working memory and spatial-motor performance. The test was completed before and after participants smoked cannabis (or after a rest period in the case of controls). An Exploratory Factor Analysis approach was implemented to reduce dimensionality and evaluate correlations across the four assessed domains. Linear regression models were utilized to quantify associations between factor scores and cannabis use groups (daily vs. occasional vs. no use). Results: Seven factors were identified explaining 56.7% of the variance among the 18 measures. Regression models of the change in factors after cannabis smoking indicated those who use cannabis daily demonstrated poorer performance on a latent factor termed Displaced and Delayed (standardized coefficient 0.567, 95% CI: 0.178, 0.955; P = 0.005) compared to those with no use. Those who use cannabis occasionally exhibited a decline in performance on a latent factor termed Recall and Reaction (standardized coefficient 0.714, 95% CI: 0.092, 1.336; P = 0.025) compared to no use. Conclusions: This analysis demonstrates an innovative, quantitative approach to study how cannabis consumption affects neurocognitive and psychomotor performance. Results demonstrated that acute cannabis use is associated with changes in neurocognitive and psychomotor performance, with differences based on the pattern of occasional or daily use.

Brain endurance training improves shot speed and accuracy in grassroots padel players.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence that mental fatigue impairs sport performance has created a demand for countermeasures. We examined the effects of brain endurance training, a form of fatigue-inoculation, on shot performance in grassroots padel players. DESIGN: A pre-, mid- and post-test design, with participants randomized to brain endurance training (n = 30) or control (n = 31) groups. METHODS: During testing, participants completed a Padel Stroke Performance Test, before and after a demanding 30-min cognitive task (Stroop). Training comprised 3 sessions/week for 6 weeks. In each training session, participants completed 10-min warm-up, 15-min technical drills, 15-min tactical drills, and 20-min simulated games. These physical activities were intermixed with short 4-min periods of Stroop (brain endurance training group) or rest (control group) totaling 20-min. Performance was measured by shot speed and accuracy of padel strokes. Mental fatigue indices were measured before and after the Stroop task using a visual analog scale rating, a psychomotor vigilance task, and a go/no-go task. RESULTS: During testing, the 30-min Stroop task elicited a state of mental fatigue, confirmed by higher subjective ratings, slower responses during the psychomotor vigilance task, and slower saccade latencies during the go/no go task. Compared to pre-testing, in mid- and post-testing, the brain endurance training group hit progressively faster and more accurate padel shots after the Stroop task compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Brain endurance training enhanced skill-based psychomotor performance when fatigued compared to standard padel training. Brain endurance training is a countermeasure that promotes mental fatigue durability.

Sex differences in change of direction deficit and asymmetries in footballers with cerebral palsy.

The aims of this study were (1) to describe and examine differences in change of direction (COD) performance and the magnitude of asymmetries in para-footballers with cerebral palsy (CP) and controls and (2) to evaluate the association between COD outcomes and linear sprint performance. Twenty-eight international para-footballers with CP and thirty-nine non-impaired football players (control group) participated in this study. All participants completed a 10-m sprint and two attempts of the 505 COD test with the dominant and non-dominant leg. The COD deficit was calculated using the difference between the 505 test and the 10-m sprint time, while the asymmetry index was determined by comparing each leg's completion time and COD deficit. Players across groups showed interlimb asymmetries between the dominant and non-dominant legs in COD outcomes and deficit (p < 0.05, dg = -0.40 to -1.46), although these asymmetries imbalance were not significantly different between the sexes with and without impairment. Males with CP exhibited a faster directional COD speed and a shorter COD deficit than their female counterparts (p < 0.01, dg = -1.68 to -2.53). Similarly, the control group had faster scores than the CP groups of the same sex (p < 0.05, dg = 0.53 to 3.78). Lastly, the female CP group and male control groups showed a significant association between sprint and the COD deficit in the dominant leg (p < 0.05, r = -0.58 to 0.65). Therefore, the use of directional dominance, the COD deficit, and asymmetry outcomes could be helpful for classification purposes to assess the impact of the impairment on sport-specific activity testing according to sex.

Psychomotor Performance after 30 h of Sleep Deprivation Combined with Exercise.

Sleep deprivation (SD) usually impairs psychomotor performance, but most experiments are usually focused on sedentary conditions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of 30 h of complete SD combined with prolonged, moderate exercise (SDE) on human psychomotor performance. Eleven endurance-trained men accustomed to overnight exertion were tested twice: in well-slept and non-fatigued conditions (Control) and immediately after 30 h of SDE. They performed a multiple-choice reaction time test (MCRT) at rest and during each workload of the graded exercise test to volitional exhaustion. At rest, the MCRT was shorter after SDE than in the Control (300 ± 13 ms vs. 339 ± 11 ms, respectively, p < 0.05). During graded exercise, there were no significant differences in MCRT between groups, but the fastest reaction was observed at lower workloads after SDE (158 ± 7 W vs. 187 ± 11 W in Control, p < 0.05). The total number of missed reactions tended to be higher after SDE (8.4 ± 0.7 vs. 6.3 ± 0.8 in Control, p = 0.06). In conclusion, SDE is different from SD alone; however, well-trained men, accustomed to overnight exertion can maintain psychomotor abilities independently of the extent of central fatigue. Exercise can be used to enhance psychomotor performance in sleep-deprived subjects in whom special caution is required in order to avoid overload.

Influencia del estado nutricional en el desarrollo psicomotor infantil: una revisión sistemática / The influence of nutritional status on child psychomotor development: a systematic review

Fundamentos: La desnutrición infantil es una problemática que se desenvuelve con gran preponderancia en el mundo, una situación que genera preocupación, debido a que la infancia es la etapa donde se comienzan a establecer diferentes procesos que determinan el desarrollo del aprendizaje cognitivo y emocional de losinfantes. El propósito de este trabajo fue estudiar la influencia que tiene el estado nutricional en el desarrollo psicomotor infantil en Latinoamérica durante el periodo (2008-2022). Métodos: Se empleó una metodología Prisma 2020, mediante la cual se realizó una búsqueda literaria en diferentes bases de datos, considerando criterios de inclusión y exclusión relacionados a la temática de estudio. A partir de ello, se obtuvo un muestreo final de 21 artículos, material que fue analizado de manera objetiva e interdependiente a través del programa Microsoft Excel 2019. Resultados: Dichos resultados determinaron que la mayoría de estudios evidencian una influencia directa entre el estado nutricional y el desarrollo psicomotor, en donde existe una alta tasa de casos de desnutrición global y severa, así como una prevalencia por problemas de sobrepeso. Una situación que termina afectando el aprendizaje del desarrollo infantil en las áreas de coordinación, lenguaje y cognición. Conclusiones: La desnutrición infantil es una temática de gran prevalencia en América Latina, en especial en la población que presenta bajos ingresos económicos y educacionales, motivos por los cuales se debe seguir trabajando y fortaleciendo los programas sociales dedicados a mermar esta problemática. (AU)

Background: Child malnutrition is a problem that develops with great preponderance in the world, a situation that generates concern, because childhood is the stage where different processes that determine the development of cognitive and emotional learning of infants begin to be established. The purpose of this work was to study the influence of nutritional status on child psychomotor development in Latin America during the period (2008-2022).Methods: A Prisma 2020 methodology was used, through which a literary search was carried out in different databases, considering inclusion and exclusion criteria related to the subject of study. From this, a final sampling of 21 articles was obtained, material that was analyzed objectively and interdependently through the Microsoft Excel program 2019. Results: These results determined that most studies show a direct influence between nutritional status and psychomotor development, where there is a high rate of cases of global and severe malnutrition, as well as a prevalence of overweight problems. A situation that ends up affecting the learning of child development in the areas of coordination, language and cognition. Conclusions: Child undernutrition is a highly prevalent issue in Latin America, especially in the populationwith low economic and educational income, which is why it is necessary to continue working and strengthening social programs dedicated to reducing this problem. (AU)

The Associations between Results in Different Domains of Cognitive and Psychomotor Abilities Measured in Medical Students.

We aimed to investigate the associations between intelligence quotient test scores obtained using the Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices (APM) and psychomotor testing using the Complex Reactionmeter Drenovac (CRD) test battery, while taking into account previous theoretical approaches recognizing intelligent behavior as the cumulative result of a general biological speed factor reflected in the reaction time for perceptual detections and motor decisions. A total of 224 medical students at the University of Split School of Medicine were recruited. Their IQ scores were assessed using Raven's APM, while the computerized tests of CRD-series were used for testing the reaction time of perception to visual stimulus (CRD311), psychomotor limbs coordination task (CRD411), and solving simple arithmetic operations (CRD11). The total test-solving (TTST) and the minimum single-task-solving (MinT) times were analyzed. On the CRD11 test, task-solving times were shorter in students with higher APM scores (r = -0.48 for TTST and r = -0.44 for MinT; p < 0.001 for both). Negative associations between task-solving times and APM scores were reported on CRD311 (r = -0.30 for TTST and r = -0.33 for MinT, p < 0.001 for both). Negative associations between task-solving times in CRD411 and APM scores (r = -0.40 for TTST and r = -0.30 for MinT, p < 0.001 for both) were found. Faster reaction time in psychomotor limbs coordination tasks, the reaction time of perception to visual stimulus, and the reaction time of solving simple arithmetic operations were associated with a higher APM score in medical students, indicating the importance of mental speed in intelligence test performance. However, executive system functions, such as attention, planning, and goal weighting, might also impact cognitive abilities and should be considered in future research.

Effects of a maximal cycling all-out anaerobic test on visual performance.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: All-out exercise may not impair all central nervous system processes, such as those related to visual-motor abilities, and may actually prove stimulatory to such tasks allowing athletes and sports conditioning specialists to develop strategies to take advantage of/mitigate the effects of such exercise on athletic performance. BACKGROUND: Despite research indicating that visual-motor abilities play a critical role in athletic performance, research has primarily focused on the effect of all-out exercise on processes along the motor pathway, such as resultant force production or simple cognitive tasks. Such research has neglected to investigate the effect of all-out exercise on visual tasks. When investigations on visual tasks are forthcoming, they focus on prolonged aerobic exercise, which is not the primary metabolic pathway for all, or even the majority of sports. METHODS: Sixty untrained males (experimental group; N = 30, control group; N = 30) completed a standardised six-item baseline sports vision test battery and one week later, the experimental participants returned to undertake a 30-second Wingate anaerobic test (30-WAnT) immediately followed by the same test battery. RESULTS: Significant (P < 0.05) improvements were found in accommodation facility, saccadic eye movement, speed of recognition, peripheral awareness and hand-eye coordination (P < 0.001 for all), but not visual memory (P = 0.242) following the 30-WAnT. CONCLUSIONS: Although the mechanisms underlying these improvements in visual task performance have not yet been studied, this study suggests that simple anaerobic all-out exercise does not cause central- or brain-based fatigue impairing the oculomotor system but may rather provide "excitability" of the underlying motor cortex, motoneurons and/or corticofugal connections utilised in visual task response. It appears that the sweeping improvements in visual task performance elucidate the need for an intense anaerobic warm-up when training visual skills and when visual skills form an integral part of athletic performance.

Psychometric properties of the Action Research Arm Test using decision rules for skipping items in hemiparetic patients after stroke: a retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Important properties have been studied using the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT) in patients with stroke. However, whether the ARAT subtests constitute a Guttman scale (i.e., items hierarchically ordered according to difficulty) remains unclear. Guttman scales can define decision rules for skipping items in patients with low endurance. This study investigated the psychometric properties of the ARAT when applying decision rules for post-stroke hemiparetic patients. METHODS: A retrospective, single-institution study was conducted between 2020 and 2021. Datasets of 30 patients with stroke-induced hemiparesis were collected from a previous study which employed the ARAT without decision rules, Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), Box and Block Test (BBT), and Motor Activity Log (MAL). The ARAT was rescored with decision rules for this study, and inter-rater reliability/agreement, parallel forms reliability, and construct validity were assessed. RESULTS: Parallel forms reliability (Spearman's rho) was 0.99 (95% CI, 0.99-0.99) for both raters. The lower 95% CI limits of the sum and individual item scores in the reliability analysis exceeded the planned value (0.8). Construct validity values exceeded the planned value (0.8) for FMA, BBT, and MAL. CONCLUSION: Decision rules can be used to skip ARAT items when assessing upper extremity motor function in stroke patients.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThe Action Research Arm Test with decision rules for skipping items was valid and reliable for measuring upper extremity motor function in hemiparetic patients after stroke.The decision rules may reduce the burden of both patients and evaluators by decreasing the number of Action Research Arm Test items to be administrated.