Validity, Reliability, and Sensitivity to Exercise-Induced Fatigue of a Customer-Friendly Device for the Measurement of the Brain's Direct Current Potential.

ABSTRACT: Valenzuela, PL, Sánchez-Martínez, G, Torrontegi, E, Vázquez-Carrión, J, Montalvo, Z, and Kara, O. Validity, reliability, and sensitivity to exercise-induced fatigue of a customer-friendly device for the measurement of the brain's direct current potential. J Strength Cond Res 36(6): 1605-1609, 2022-This study aimed to determine the validity, reliability, and sensitivity to exercise-induced fatigue of the brain's direct current (DC) potential measured with a commercially available and customer-friendly electroencephalography (EEG) device and Omegawave (OW). The study was composed of 3 different experiments as follows: (a) we compared the DC potential values obtained simultaneously in 31 subjects with both OW and a research-quality EEG system; (b) 3 consecutive DC potential measurements with OW were taken at rest on the same day in 25 subjects for reliability analyses; and (c) sensitivity to fatigue was assessed in 9 elite badminton players through the measurement of the DC potential with OW-as well as other fatigue-related measures (e.g., Hooper's index, heart rate variability, jump ability, and simple and complex reaction times)-24 hours after both a day of rest and of strenuous exercise, which were performed in a crossover and randomized design. The DC potential measured with OW was reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.97) and significantly correlated to that of EEG (r = 0.55, p = 0.001), although significant differences were observed between systems (p < 0.001). Compared with the rest day, strenuous exercise resulted in an impaired Hooper's index (p = 0.010) and jump ability (p = 0.008), longer simple (p = 0.038) and complex reaction times (p = 0.011), and a trend toward sympathetic dominance (standard deviation of normal to normal R-R intervals, p = 0.042; root mean square of differences between consecutive R-R intervals, p = 0.068). In turn, no significant differences were found between sessions for the DC potential (p = 0.173). In summary, the DC potential measured with OW was reliable and modestly correlated to that measured with EEG, but no differences were observed in response to the delayed fatigue (after 24 hours) elicited by strenuous exercise in elite athletes.

Event-Related Potentials for Diagnosing Children and Adults With ADHD.

Objective: The diagnosis of ADHD is based on behavioral criteria, which allow for subjective variability and invite criticism regarding the reality of the disorder. In this situation, more objective criteria would be desirable. We review the scientific literature for diagnostic tests based on event-related potentials (ERPs). Method: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria of reporting the sensitivity and specificity of an ERP-based classifier discriminating participants with ADHD from healthy controls. Study quality was rated using the second version of the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) system. Results: Overall, study quality was acceptable. The largest biases were lack of representativeness and overfitting. Sensitivities and specificities ranged from 57% to 96%, and 63% to 92%, respectively. However, no two studies used the same diagnostic test. Conclusion: There is a serious lack of coordination in worldwide efforts to find more objective ERP-based criteria for the diagnosis of ADHD. Concerted action is needed.