Cognitive stimulation as alternative treatment to improve psychological disorders in patients with mild cognitive impairment

(1) Background: Mild cognitive impairment is becoming one of the most common clinical manifestations affecting older people. For this reason, developing non-pharmacological strategies to help improve or maintain the physical condition of patients with mild dementia has become a priority. Therefore, the objective of this study is to provide evidence about the effects of a cognitive stimulation program on cognitive performance, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and aged > 70. (2) Methods: This study is a randomized clinical trial. A total of 72 elderly people with MCI participated: 35 in the control group who did not receive any intervention and 36 in the experimental group who received a cognitive stimulation program for 12 weeks. Cognitive performance, depression, anxiety and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale, the Hamilton Rating Scale, and the SF-12, respectively. (3) Results: In the experimental group, significant results were obtained on cognitive performance, depression, anxiety and general health, emotional role, social functioning, vitality, mental health and mental component summary domains of the SF-12. (4) Conclusions: a cognitive stimulation program of 12 weeks improves cognitive performance, anxiety, depression, and HRQoL in people with MCI aged > 70

Indoor-season changes in the stabilometry of sprinters and middle-distance runners

[eng] Objectives The purpose of the present study is to analyze the stabilometric differences in every training period of the indoor-season and evaluate the differences between sprinters and middle-distance runners. Equipment and methods Twenty-eight sprinters and twenty middle-distance runners took part in this study. All athletes were subject to four bipodal and monopodal stabilometries during the indoor-season: Pres.: pre-season; Volume: volume period; Precomp.: pre-competitive period; and Comp.: competitive period. Results Analysis of variance (P < 0.05) showed main time effects in length and area of bipodal support, in length of left-side monopodal support and in length, area and speed of right-side monopodal support. Generally, athletes showed higher values in Volume than in Pres., in Volume than in Precomp. and in Precomp. than in Comp. Furthermore, main group effects were found in the anteroposterior stability of both monopodal supports, which displayed worse values for middle-distance runners. Conclusion Our results suggest that athletes have worse postural stability in training periods with a higher volume of workload, and then improve in periods with a low-volume, high-intensity workload, without any influence from the athletic variety on these differences. However, sprinters display better monopodal stabilometry values regardless of the leg stance measured

Short-term effects of proprioceptive training with an unstable platform on the monopodal stabilometry of athletes

[eng] To analyze the short-term effects of a proprioceptive session on the monopodal stabilometry of athletes. [Subjects] Thirty-seven athletes were divided into a control group (n=17) and an experimental group (n=20). [Methods] Both groups performed a conventional warm-up, after which a 25-minute proprioceptive session on ustable platforms was carried out only by the experimental group. Before the training session, all athletes carried out a single-leg stabilometry test which was repeated just after training, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 6 hours and 24 hours later. [Results] Analysis of covariance (α=0.05) revealed that the experimental group had lower values than the control group in length and velocity of center of pressure (CoP) of left-monopodal stance and in velocity of CoP of right-monopodal stance in post-training measurements. Also, the experimental group had values closer to zero for the CoP position in the mediolateral and anteroposterior directions of left-monopodal stance (Xmeanl and Ymeanl) and the anteroposterior direction in on right-monopodal stance (Ymeanr) in post-training measurements. Within-group analysis of Xmeanl and Ymeanl, length and velocity of CoP in right-monopodal stance showed continuous fluctuations of values between sequential measurements in the control group. [Conclusion] Proprioceptive training on unstable platfoms after a warm-up stabilizes the position of CoP in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions and decreases CoP movements in short-term monopodal stability of athletes

QUERCETIN EFFECTS ON WEIGHT GAIN AND CALORIC INTAKE IN EXERCISED RATS

Quercetin is a flavonoid which activates oxidative metabolism. Quercetin may reduce weight gain by decreasing feed efficiency. The present study aims to evaluate weight gain, caloric intake and feed efficiency in exercised and sedentary rats supplemented with quercetin. Wistar rats were divided into four groups: quercetin-exercise training (QT), quercetin-sedentary (QS), placebo-exercise training (PT) and placebo-sedentary (PS). Rats were exercised and/or orally supplemented with quercetin (25 mg · kg-1 on alternate days) during six weeks. Weight gain of the QT group decreased when compared with the PT and PS groups. Exercised groups increased cumulative caloric intake during the experimental period. The QT group rats also reduced their feed efficiency when compared with the QS and PS groups. These results suggest that quercetin is not able to decrease weight gain because no differences were found between placebo and quercetin condition either in the sedentary or in the training condition

Short-term effects of anaerobic lactic exercise on knee proprioception of track and field athletes

[eng] BACKGROUND: Proprioception is affected during sports events, thus jeopardizing performance and even the well-being of athletes. To effectively control the injury risk and performance, sport professionals should find out how long the proprioceptive damage lasts. OBJECTIVE: To analyze acute effects of an anaerobic lactic exercise on the knee joint position sense of athletes and the duration of these effects until twenty-four hours later. METHODS: Fifteen athletes performed two training sessions one week apart: Warm-up: 30-minute warm-up; and Lactic Exercise: 30-minute warm-up and an anaerobic lactic exercise session. All athletes carried out a joint position sense test of knee, as well as a blood lactate and heart rate analysis before (Pre), just after (Post_{0Min}), thirty minutes after (Post_{30Min}) and 24 hours (Post_{24H}) after each training session. RESULTS: Absolute angular error in knee positioning increased just after Lactic Exercise with statistically higher values than after Warm-up Exercise (p=0.001) and gradually decreased toward 24 hours later. Relative angular error in knee positioning decreased statistically significant 24 hours after Lactic Exercise (p=0.021). CONCLUSION: Anaerobic lactic exercise immediately depletes the accuracy of knee joint position sense, although it is recovered 30 minutes later. After 24 hours, knee joint position sense is better than baseline

Effects of an anaerobic lactic training on the postural stability of athletes

[eng] AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze the short-term effects of a lactate-accumulation training session on postural stability. METHODS: Fifteen athletes performed two trainings sessions (warm-up and lactic-training session). Before training (Pre), immediately after (Post0min), thirty minutes later (Post30min) and after 24 hours (Post24h), athletes were subject to a bipodal and a monopodal stabilometries and a lactate blood analysis to ensure a high stress level. RESULTS: Variance analysis (α=0.05) showed that, in lactic training, athletes experienced an increase of length and velocity in post0min, a decrease at post30min and a new decrease at post24h, which was lower than basal values. In monopodal stability, left-leg support showed a decrease at post0min in anteroposterior plane of athletes after lactic training. Also, in both monopodal supports, athletes displayed higher values of length and velocity in post0min after lactic training, with a progressive decrease which was significant at Post24h, when they reached baseline. CONCLUSION: Right after anaerobic lactic training, center-of-pressure dispersion variables in bipodal stabilometry are worsened. Thirty minutes later, stabilometric variables are still deteriorated. At 24 hours, stabilometry is better than baseline. In monopodal support, dispersion values are worsened after lactic training and anteroposterior stability is impaired in left monopodal support, although the deterioration is less evident as time passes