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International Journal of Occupational... Jan 2016Previous studies have demonstrated that acute poisoning from exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides in agricultural workers causes adverse health effects. However,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Previous studies have demonstrated that acute poisoning from exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides in agricultural workers causes adverse health effects. However, neuropsychological and cognitive effects of chronic occupational exposure to OP pesticides remain controversial.
OBJECTIVE
To identify, evaluate, and systematize existing evidence regarding chronic exposure to OP pesticides and neuropsychological effects in farmworkers.
METHODS
Using the PubMed search engine, a systematic review process was implemented and replicated according to the PRISMA statement. Eligibility criteria included workers over 18 years of age exposed to OP pesticides as well as assessment of neuropsychological and cognitive functioning. Search terms were in English and Spanish languages and included organophosphate and workers.
RESULTS
Of the search results, 33 of 1,256 articles meet eligibility criteria. Twenty-four studies found an association between chronic occupational exposure to OP pesticides and low neuropsychological performance in workers. We classified nine of the studies to have study design limitations. Studies indicated occupational exposure to OP pesticides is linked to difficulties in executive functions, psychomotor speed, verbal, memory, attention, processing speed, visual-spatial functioning, and coordination. Nine studies find no relationship between OP pesticides exposure and neuropsychological performance.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, evidence suggests an association between chronic occupational exposure to OP pesticides and neuropsychological effects. However, there is no consensus about the specific cognitive skills affected.
Topics: Agricultural Workers' Diseases; Cognition; Farmers; Humans; Memory; Motor Skills; Neurotoxicity Syndromes; Occupational Exposure; Organophosphates; Pesticides
PubMed: 27128815
DOI: 10.1080/10773525.2015.1123848 -
European Journal of Pediatrics May 2018The NOMAS is by far the most used tool to screen early oral-motor skills in newborns. Here we provide an updated review of scientific literature on the use of the... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
The NOMAS is by far the most used tool to screen early oral-motor skills in newborns. Here we provide an updated review of scientific literature on the use of the Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS) to screen early oral-motor skills in newborns. An integrative review has been carried out consistent with PRISMA guidelines and standardized qualitative appraisal. Data abstracting and synthesis were executed by two independent co-authors who solved disagreement in conference. Twenty records have been included and reviewed. The efficacy of the NOMAS in screening and identifying precocious oral-motor skills received inconsistent support. Moderate validity and low reliability emerged. Moreover, despite the NOMAS' adequately screen efficient and inefficient feeders, limited evidence emerged for predictive value of NOMAS score on feeding and psychomotor developmental trajectories during the first 2 years of age.
CONCLUSION
The present review highlights benefits and limitations of the NOMAS. Future research is needed to develop observational and clinically-relevant tools to better identify newborns which are at lower- and higher-risk of developing less-than-optimal feeding behaviors and to guide with greater precision the diagnostic and therapeutic journey of these newborns. What is Known: • The assessment of oral-motor skills in newborns and infants is critical for early intervention • The NOMAS is the most adopted tool to assess oral-motor skills in newborns and infants What is New: • The ability of the NOMAS to target newborn at risk for feeding disorders is confirmed • Nonetheless, the capacity to predict long-term developmental outcomes is limited.
Topics: Feeding Behavior; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Motor Skills; Mouth; Neurologic Examination; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 29564628
DOI: 10.1007/s00431-018-3130-1 -
Journal of Endourology Feb 2016The advances in both video games and minimally invasive surgery have allowed many to consider the potential positive relationship between the two. This review aims to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The advances in both video games and minimally invasive surgery have allowed many to consider the potential positive relationship between the two. This review aims to evaluate outcomes of studies that investigated the correlation between video game skills and performance in laparoscopic surgery.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted on PubMed/Medline and EMBASE databases for the MeSH terms and keywords including "video games and laparoscopy," "computer games and laparoscopy," "Xbox and laparoscopy," "Nintendo Wii and laparoscopy," and "PlayStation and laparoscopy." Cohort, case reports, letters, editorials, bulletins, and reviews were excluded. Studies in English, with task performance as primary outcome, were included. The search period for this review was 1950 to December 2014.
RESULTS
There were 57 abstracts identified: 4 of these were found to be duplicates; 32 were found to be nonrelevant to the research question. Overall, 21 full texts were assessed; 15 were excluded according to the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument quality assessment criteria. The five studies included in this review were randomized controlled trials. Playing video games was found to reduce error in two studies (P 0.002 and P 0.045). For the same studies, however, several other metrics assessed were not significantly different between the control and intervention group. One study showed a decrease in the time for the group that played video games (P 0.037) for one of two laparoscopic tasks performed. In the same study, however, when the groups were reversed (initial control group became intervention and vice versa), a difference was not demonstrated (P for peg transfer 1 - 0.465, P for cobra robe - 0.185). Finally, two further studies found no statistical difference between the game playing group and the control group's performance.
CONCLUSION
There is a very limited amount of evidence to support that the use of video games enhances surgical simulation performance.
Topics: Clinical Competence; Computer Simulation; Education, Medical; Humans; Laparoscopy; Simulation Training; Task Performance and Analysis; Video Games
PubMed: 26414043
DOI: 10.1089/end.2015.0425 -
BMC Geriatrics Jul 2016Numerous daily activities require simultaneous application of motor and cognitive skills (dual-tasking). The execution of such tasks is especially difficult for the... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Numerous daily activities require simultaneous application of motor and cognitive skills (dual-tasking). The execution of such tasks is especially difficult for the elderly and for people with (neuro-) degenerative disorders. Training of physical and cognitive abilities helps prevent or slow down the age-related decline of cognition. The aim of this review is to summarise and assess the role of combined physical-and-cognitive-training characteristics in improving cognitive performance and to propose an effective training scheme within the frame of a suitable experimental design.
METHODS
A systematic electronic literature search was conducted in selected databases. The following criteria were compulsory for inclusion in the study: 1. A (Randomized) Controlled Trial (RCT or CT) design; 2. Implementation of combined physical and cognitive training, either simultaneously (dual task) or subsequently - at least one hour per weekly over four weeks or more; 3. Cognitive outcomes as a study's endpoint.
RESULTS
Twenty articles met the inclusion criteria. It appears that either simultaneous or subsequently combined physical and cognitive training is more successful compared to single physical or single cognitive exercise. Training characteristics like length, frequency, duration, intensity and level of task difficulty seem to determine cognitive performance. However, the articles show that cognitive improvement seems to remain somewhat confined to trained cognitive functions rather than generalising to other cognitive or daily-living skills.
CONCLUSION
Due to methodological heterogeneity among studies, results need to be treated with caution. We critically discuss the role of training characteristics and propose a potentially effective training intervention within an appropriate experimental design.
Topics: Aged; Cognition; Cognition Disorders; Exercise; Humans; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 27431673
DOI: 10.1186/s12877-016-0315-1 -
European Journal of Sport Science May 2023Previous research has explored the demands of amateur boxing-specific activity; however, no holistic review of the acute responses to such activity currently exists.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Previous research has explored the demands of amateur boxing-specific activity; however, no holistic review of the acute responses to such activity currently exists. This paper aimed to provide a systematic review of the available literature on the acute physiological, endocrine, biochemical, and performance responses to amateur boxing-specific activity. Following a search of EBSCOhost, SPORTDiscus, PubMed and Google Scholar databases, 25 studies were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria for the review. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed via a modified Downs and Black checklist. Random-effects meta-analysis of standardised mean differences (SMD) revealed large (SMD = 4.62) increases in pre-post blood lactate (BLa), cortisol (SMD = 1.33), myoglobin (Mb) (SMD = 1.43), aspartate transaminase (AST) (SMD = 1.37), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (SMD = 0.97), in addition to moderate increases in creatine kinase (CK) (SMD = 0.65). Small pre-post increases in counter-movement jump (CMJ) height (SMD = 0.33) were observed. Consistently greater pre-post alterations were observed in competitive bouts, followed by sparring, and less so in boxing-specific simulations. Considerable physiological, endocrine, and biochemical responses are elicited following amateur boxing. Interestingly, neuromuscular and task-specific performance may not deteriorate following boxing-specific activity. The findings of the review may assist in the designing and periodising of boxing-specific training, dependent on the desired physical adaptations, training phase, and recovery status of the amateur boxer.Amateur boxing elicits a considerable acute physiological, hormonal, and biochemical response.Such responses are typically greater in competitive bouts, followed by sparring, and less so in simulated activity.The considerable demands of amateur boxing-specific activity do not appear to negatively affect neuromuscular or task-specific performance.Amateur boxers may be conditioned to preserve performance despite the acute demands of the sport, or the lack of performance decrement may reflect the short duration of amateur boxing.
Topics: Humans; Boxing; Athletes; Physical Examination; Movement; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 35380916
DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2022.2063072 -
Acta Ophthalmologica Nov 2022The aim of this study was to review the available scientific literature on the possible relationship between the visual system and motor development in children. (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to review the available scientific literature on the possible relationship between the visual system and motor development in children.
METHODS
This study was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) statement recommendations. The review protocol is available in PROSPERO (CRD42021245341). Four different databases, namely Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL and Web of Science, were assessed from April 2005 to February 2021. To determine the quality of the articles, we used the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) Quality Appraisal Scale, and a protocol was followed to define the levels of evidence on the basis of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine Levels of Evidence. The search strategy included terms describing motor development in children and adolescents with visual disorders.
RESULTS
Among the identified studies, 23 were included in the study. All selected articles examined the relationship between the visual system and development in children. The quality of most of the studies was moderate-high, and they were between evidence levels 2 and 4.
CONCLUSIONS
Our systematic review revealed that all included studies established a relationship between the visual system and development in children. However, the methods for measuring the visual system and motor skills lacked uniformity.
Topics: Adolescent; Child; Child Development; Humans; Motor Skills; Vision, Ocular
PubMed: 35118800
DOI: 10.1111/aos.15111 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Jul 2021The increasing legal availability of cannabis has important implications for road safety. This systematic review characterised the acute effects of Δ-THC on driving... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The increasing legal availability of cannabis has important implications for road safety. This systematic review characterised the acute effects of Δ-THC on driving performance and driving-related cognitive skills, with a particular focus on the duration of Δ-THC-induced impairment. Eighty publications and 1534 outcomes were reviewed. Several measures of driving performance and driving-related cognitive skills (e.g. lateral control, tracking, divided attention) demonstrated impairment in meta-analyses of "peak" Δ-THC effects (p's<0.05). Multiple meta-regression analyses further found that regular cannabis users experianced less impairment than 'other' (mostly occasional) cannabis users (p = 0.003) and that the magnitude of oral (n = 243 effect estimates [EE]) and inhaled (n = 481 EEs) Δ-THC-induced impairment depended on various factors (dose, post-treatment time interval, the performance domain (skill) assessed) in other cannabis users (p's<0.05). The latter model predicted that most driving-related cognitive skills would 'recover' (Hedges' g=-0.25) within ∼5-hs (and almost all within ∼7-hs) of inhaling 20 mg of Δ-THC; oral Δ-THC-induced impairment may take longer to subside. These results suggest individuals should wait at least 5 -hs following inhaled cannabis use before performing safety-sensitive tasks.
Topics: Attention; Cognitive Dysfunction; Dronabinol; Humans; Marijuana Smoking; Psychomotor Performance
PubMed: 33497784
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.003 -
Preventive Medicine Feb 2022The present systematic review aimed to investigate the methodological quality and the effects of fundamental motor skills and physical activity interventions on... (Review)
Review
The present systematic review aimed to investigate the methodological quality and the effects of fundamental motor skills and physical activity interventions on cognitive and academic skills in typically developing 3 to 7-year-old children. The review was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. A literature search was carried out in April 2020 using seven electronic databases. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed with the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool. Cohen's d effect size calculations and post hoc power analyses were conducted for the included studies. A total of 35 studies, representing 2472 children met the inclusion criteria. Two of the studies demonstrated a strong methodological quality, while 24 were considered as methodologically weak. The majority (71%) of the included studies demonstrated the beneficial effects of the intervention on cognitive and academic skills. The most evidence was found for executive functions, language, and numeracy, and the effects were largest in enhancing memory. The effects were larger on cognitive and academic skills in the combined interventions compared to only fundamental motor skill and physical activity interventions, while fundamental motor skill interventions had larger effects than physical activity interventions. These findings indicate that it may be possible to support typically developing preschoolers' cognitive and academic learning with fundamental motor skill and physical activity interventions. However, most of the studies in this field have a weak methodological quality and thus, the presented evidence was considered weak in nature.
Topics: Child; Child, Preschool; Cognition; Executive Function; Exercise; Frailty; Humans; Motor Skills
PubMed: 34974071
DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106948 -
Scandinavian Journal of Occupational... Jul 2017There is a lack of evidence-based knowledge about the effectiveness of home-based OT for older adults aimed at improving occupational performance by practicing... (Review)
Review
What are the short-term and long-term effects of occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy in the home on older adults' occupational performance? A systematic review.
BACKGROUND
There is a lack of evidence-based knowledge about the effectiveness of home-based OT for older adults aimed at improving occupational performance by practicing activities and tasks.
AIM
This review synthesizes and discusses evidence for the effectiveness of occupation-focused and occupation-based OT for older adults at home.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Peer-reviewed quantitative papers were included.
PARTICIPANTS
≥ 60-year-old adults with functional limitations.
INTERVENTION
OT aiming at improving occupational performance, primarily through the practice of activities and tasks.
OUTCOME
Occupational performance.
CONTEXT
Home. Three reviewers critically appraised 13 of 995 detected papers. Extracted data were presented and summarized descriptively.
RESULTS
Eight high-quality papers showed that occupation-focused and occupation-based OT using cognitive, behavioral and environmental strategies may significantly improve occupational performance in older, home-dwelling adults with physical health problems. Maintaining achieved improvements was a consistent challenge.
CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE
Evidence suggests that older adults' occupational performance can be significantly improved through low-intensity occupation-focused and occupation-based intervention. It is recommended to develop and test high-intensity OT programs and maintenance programs.
Topics: Activities of Daily Living; Adult; Humans; Independent Living; Occupational Therapy; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 27769123
DOI: 10.1080/11038128.2016.1245357 -
Journal of Sports Sciences Apr 2018The three aims of this systematic review are to describe: (1) use of the term fundamental motor/movement skills (FMS) in published articles; (2) the quality of... (Review)
Review
The three aims of this systematic review are to describe: (1) use of the term fundamental motor/movement skills (FMS) in published articles; (2) the quality of definitions; and (3) relative use of process- and product- oriented assessments to measure FMS. The inclusion criteria included: (a) peer-reviewed article, (b) printed in English, (c) published between January 2000 and 31 December 2015, (d) presence of either the term "fundamental motor or movement skill" in the title and/or abstract, and (e) FMS were a measured outcome. There has been an increase in the number of publications on FMS in recent years, with the majority of studies conducted in Australia (n = 41, 33%). Approximately 24% of studies (n = 30) did not provide any explicit definition of FMS. A majority of studies reported the use of process-oriented measures (n = 98, 79%) compared to product-oriented measures (n = 23, 19%), and few studies used both (n = 6, 5%). We recommend that researchers provide: (1) an operational definition of FMS that states FMS are the "building blocks" (or similar terminology) of more advanced, complex movements; (2) specific categories of skills that compose FMS; and (3) at least one specific example of a FMS.
Topics: Humans; Motor Skills; Movement; Research; Semantics; Terminology as Topic
PubMed: 28636423
DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2017.1340660