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Journal of Neurology Apr 2024Visual auras in migraine have been extensively studied, but less is known about multisensory hallucinations or other unusual sensory experiences, including whether these... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE AND BACKGROUND
Visual auras in migraine have been extensively studied, but less is known about multisensory hallucinations or other unusual sensory experiences, including whether these should be diagnostically considered as part of aura symptoms. The current study aimed to conduct a systematic review and synthesis to bring together existing empirical evidence on these non-visual perceptual experiences, focusing on their phenomenological descriptions and clinical correlates.
METHODS
Forty-eight relevant studies were included based on a systematic search across PsycINFO APA and Web of Science, for peer-reviewed publications in the English language, from 1980 to the present. These comprised a mix of case reports/series (n = 19) and group design studies (n = 29).
RESULTS
Reports of complex multisensory hallucinations, beyond typical established aura symptoms, were numerous and varied in nature. Yet there were limited data on how this related to patient distress and functional interference. Other sensory distortions or hypersensitivities across non-visual domains were also evident, and generally more common in those with established aura symptoms.
CONCLUSION
Our findings provide preliminary evidence that multisensory hallucinations and other unusual perceptual experiences in migraine are likely more common than previously believed. Further investigations are needed to appropriately account for these symptoms within current nosological systems. Increased clinician-patient awareness is important for managing distress (where necessary), and potentially for offering a holistic therapeutic approach to migraine management.
Topics: Humans; Migraine with Aura; Migraine Disorders; Hallucinations; Epilepsy
PubMed: 38236395
DOI: 10.1007/s00415-023-12144-9 -
Journal of Voice : Official Journal of... Mar 2024The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic and wearing face mask is recommended across the globe to break the transmission chain of infection.... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing global pandemic and wearing face mask is recommended across the globe to break the transmission chain of infection. The masks available in the market are of different types and materials and tend to alter the voice characteristics of the speaker. This can therefore impair optimal communication and the present study is a systematic review exploring the effect of various masks on voice production parameters.
STUDY DESIGN
Systematic review.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The titles and abstracts screening was carried out for the inclusion of articles using eight electronic databases spanning the period from 1st January 2020 to 30th April 2021. 10 articles (8 published & 2 in pre-print) that met the inclusion criteria were considered for this systematic review and the pooled age range was 18 -69 years.
RESULTS
Three primary studies from the USA, 2 each from Australia & Italy, one each from Brazil, China, and Germany were found to have investigated the influence of wearing N95, KN95, surgical and fabric masks on voice related measures. The users significantly reported vocal fatigue, discomfort, and also perceived voice problems. Attenuation of speech sound amplitude was highest for the transparent mask followed by cloth mask, N95, KN95, and surgical mask.
CONCLUSION
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been repeatedly endorsing the need to use a face mask in the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, for an unintruded voice production, the surgical mask is recommended for everyone, including healthcare professionals when they are not in close contact with patients, and not involved in aerosol-generating procedures. For teachers, doing direct teaching (offline classes), 'surgical mask' can reduce the vocal load of teachers, smoothen the teacher-student interaction and thereby facilitate better learning by the students. Additionally, it would be useful to protect oneself from the risk of developing voice problems by following standard vocal healthcare tips.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Young Adult; Adult; Middle Aged; Aged; Pandemics; Masks; COVID-19; Voice; Voice Disorders
PubMed: 34802856
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.09.027 -
Transcranial direct current stimulation in neglect rehabilitation after stroke: a systematic review.Journal of Neurology Dec 2022Hemispatial neglect is one of the most frequent attention disorders after stroke. The presence of neglect is associated with longer hospital stays, extended... (Review)
Review
Hemispatial neglect is one of the most frequent attention disorders after stroke. The presence of neglect is associated with longer hospital stays, extended rehabilitation periods, and poorer functional recovery. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a new technique with promising results in neglect rehabilitation; therefore, the objective of this systematic review, performed following the PRISMA guidelines, is to evaluate the effectiveness of tDCS on neglect recovery after stroke. The search was done in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and BioMed Central databases. A total of 311 articles were found; only 11 met the inclusion criteria, including 152 post-stroke patients in total. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed for all the studies, and methodological characteristics of the studies, sample sizes, methods, main results, and other relevant data were extracted. tDCS intervention ranged from one to twenty sessions distributed in 1 day to 4 weeks, with intensity ranged from 1 to 2 mA. We found moderate evidence for the efficacy of tDCS in the rehabilitation of hemispatial neglect after a stroke, being more effective in combination with other interventions. Nonetheless, the limited number of studies and some studies' design characteristics makes it risky to draw categorical conclusions. Since scientific evidence is still scarce, further research is needed to determine the advantage of this treatment in acute, sub-acute and chronic stroke patients. Future studies should include larger samples, longer follow-ups, and broader neurophysiological assessments, with the final aim of establishing the appropriate use of tDCS as an adjuvant intervention in neurorehabilitation settings.
Topics: Humans; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Stroke; Stroke Rehabilitation; Perceptual Disorders; Recovery of Function
PubMed: 36138161
DOI: 10.1007/s00415-022-11338-x -
Clinical Psychology Review Nov 2022Trials of psychological interventions targeting distressing voices have used a range of variables to measure outcomes. This has complicated attempts to compare outcomes... (Review)
Review
Trials of psychological interventions targeting distressing voices have used a range of variables to measure outcomes. This has complicated attempts to compare outcomes across trials and to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. Therefore, this review aimed to identify the variables that have been used to measure the longitudinal course and impact of voice hearing under these interventions and to evaluate how these variables change over time. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, resulting in a total of 66 articles. Of these, 60 studies (28 RCTs, 23 uncontrolled, 9 non-randomised) were published in peer-reviewed journals, whilst 6 were recently completed or currently ongoing. The findings of this review suggest that a range of variables that are not directly relevant to psychological interventions have been used (e.g., depression, characteristics of voice hearing experience), whilst those directly impacted by psychological interventions (e.g., voice-related distress), broader concepts of outcome (e.g., functioning) and specific associated processes (e.g., self-schema) have received less attention. Findings also showed that the majority of variables demonstrated improvements, but effect sizes varied considerably across trials. This may be attributed to methodological differences such as statistical power, blinding, control groups and different methods of measurement. Our review highlights the importance of determining a set of outcomes that are directly targeted and should change under psychological interventions. Recommendations include the use of voice-related distress as a primary outcome. This can ultimately facilitate comparisons across studies and inform the development of psychological interventions.
Topics: Hallucinations; Hearing; Humans
PubMed: 35995024
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102191 -
Journal of Psychiatric Research Nov 2021Through imaging studies, a significant increase in cerebral activity has been detected in fronto-temporal areas in patients experiencing auditory verbal hallucinations.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation for auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Through imaging studies, a significant increase in cerebral activity has been detected in fronto-temporal areas in patients experiencing auditory verbal hallucinations. Therefore, non-invasive neuromodulation, in particular transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), has been considered as a therapeutic intervention for medication-resistant auditory verbal hallucinations in schizophrenia. We aimed to synthesize results from randomized trials on either rTMS or tDCS versus placebo in patients with schizophrenia by including five recently published trials in the field. A systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant literature was conducted. Studies were included on the basis of pre-defined selection criteria. The quality of the studies was assessed by the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Controlled Trials. RevMan 5.3 was used to conduct the statistical analysis. Including 465 and 960 patients, respectively, 12 tDCS and 27 rTMS studies were included. Regarding treatment of medication refractory auditory verbal hallucinations, no significant effect of tDCS (-0.23 [-0.49, 0.02], p = 0.08) or rTMS (-0.19 [-0.50, 0,11], p = 0.21) was found compared to sham in this meta-analysis. The current study found that it cannot be concluded that rTMS and tDCS are efficacious in treating medication-resistant auditory verbal hallucinations. Larger randomized controlled tDCS trials of a higher quality should be conducted in the future to establish substantial evidence of tDCS. The interventions appear safe and may have beneficial effects on other outcomes.
Topics: Hallucinations; Humans; Schizophrenia; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 34500345
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.09.001 -
The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Aug 2015This is the first update of a Cochrane review published in Issue 5, 2010 on transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for phantom pain and stump pain following... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
This is the first update of a Cochrane review published in Issue 5, 2010 on transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for phantom pain and stump pain following amputation in adults. Pain may present in a body part that has been amputated (phantom pain) or at the site of amputation (stump pain), or both. Phantom pain and stump pain are complex and multidimensional and the underlying pathophysiology remains unclear. The condition remains a severe burden for those who are affected by it. The mainstay treatments are predominately pharmacological, with increasing acknowledgement of the need for non-drug interventions. TENS has been recommended as a treatment option but there has been no systematic review of available evidence. Hence, the effectiveness of TENS for phantom pain and stump pain is currently unknown.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the analgesic effectiveness of TENS for the treatment of phantom pain and stump pain following amputation in adults.
SEARCH METHODS
For the original version of the review we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AMED, CINAHL, PEDRO and SPORTDiscus (February 2010). For this update, we searched the same databases for relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from 2010 to 25 March 2015.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We only included RCTs investigating the use of TENS for the management of phantom pain and stump pain following an amputation in adults.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. We planned that where available and appropriate, data from outcome measures were to be pooled and presented as an overall estimate of the effectiveness of TENS.
MAIN RESULTS
In the original review there were no RCTs that examined the effectiveness of TENS for the treatment of phantom pain and stump pain in adults. For this update, we did not identify any additional RCTs for inclusion.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
There were no RCTs to judge the effectiveness of TENS for the management of phantom pain and stump pain. The published literature on TENS for phantom pain and stump pain lacks the methodological rigour and robust reporting needed to confidently assess its effectiveness. Further RCT evidence is required before an assessment can be made. Since publication of the original version of this review, we have found no new studies and our conclusions remain unchanged.
Topics: Adult; Amputation Stumps; Humans; Pain Management; Phantom Limb; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation
PubMed: 26284511
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007264.pub3 -
Journal of Neurology Jun 2019Musical hallucinations are poorly understood phenomena. Their relation with epilepsy was first described over a century ago, but never systematically explored. We,...
Musical hallucinations are poorly understood phenomena. Their relation with epilepsy was first described over a century ago, but never systematically explored. We, therefore, reviewed the literature, and assessed all descriptions of musical hallucinations attributed to epileptic activity. Our search yielded 191 articles, which together describe 983 unique patients, with 24 detailed descriptions of musical hallucinations related to epilepsy. We also describe six of our own patients. Based on the phenomenological descriptions and neurophysiological data, we distinguish four subgroups of epilepsy-related musical hallucination, comprising auras/ictal, inter-ictal and post-ictal phenomena, and phenomena related to brain stimulation. The case descriptions suggest that musical hallucinations in epilepsy can be conceptualised as lying on a continuum with other auditory hallucinations, including verbal auditory hallucinations, and-notably-tinnitus. To account for the underlying mechanism we propose a Bayesian model involving top-down and bottom-up prediction errors within the auditory network that incorporates findings from EEG and MEG studies. An analysis of phenomenological characteristics, pharmacological triggers, and treatment effects suggests wider ramifications for understanding musical hallucinations. We, therefore, conclude that musical hallucinations in epilepsy open a window to understanding these phenomena in a variety of conditions.
Topics: Auditory Perception; Epilepsy; Hallucinations; Humans; Music
PubMed: 30972497
DOI: 10.1007/s00415-019-09289-x -
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2020Pain and body perception are essentially two subjective mutually influencing experiences. However, in the field of musculoskeletal disorders and rheumatic diseases we...
Pain and body perception are essentially two subjective mutually influencing experiences. However, in the field of musculoskeletal disorders and rheumatic diseases we lack of a comprehensive knowledge about the relationship between body perception dysfunctions and pain or disability. We systematically mapped the literature published about the topics of: (a) somatoperception; (b) body ownership; and (c) perception of space, analysing the relationship with pain and disability. The results were organized around the two main topics of the assessment and treatment of perceptual dysfunctions. This scoping review followed the six-stage methodology suggested by Arksey and O'Malley. Ten electronic databases and grey literature were systematically searched. The PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews was used for reporting results. Two reviewers with different background, independently performed study screening and selection, and one author performed data extraction, that was checked by a second reviewer. Thirty-seven studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The majority of studies (68%) concerned the assessment methodology, and the remaining 32% investigated the effects of therapeutic interventions. Research designs, methodologies adopted, and settings varied considerably across studies. Evidence of distorted body experience were found mainly for explicit somatoperception, especially in studies adopting self-administered questionnaire and subjective measures, highlighting in some cases the presence of sub-groups with different perceptual features. Almost half of the intervention studies (42%) provided therapeutic approaches combining more than one perceptual task, or sensory-motor tasks together with perceptual strategies, thus it was difficult to estimate the relative effectiveness of each single therapeutic component. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to systematically map and summarize this research area in the field of musculoskeletal disorders and rheumatic diseases. Although methodological limitations limit the validity of the evidence obtained, some strategies of assessment tested and therapeutic strategies proposed represent useful starting points for future research. This review highlights preliminary evidence, strengths, and limitations of the literature published about the research questions, identifying key points that remain opened to be addressed, and make suggestions for future research studies. Body representation, as well as pain perception and treatment, can be better understood if an enlarged perspective including body and space perception is considered.
PubMed: 32327984
DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00083 -
Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation... Apr 2023Although most research on spatial neglect (SN) has focused on spatial perception deficits with regard to the lateral (left-right) axis, deficits of spatial perception... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Although most research on spatial neglect (SN) has focused on spatial perception deficits with regard to the lateral (left-right) axis, deficits of spatial perception with regard to the vertical (up-down) axis, such as disturbances in the perception of verticality (e.g., judgement of vertical orientations), have also been suggested.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to systematically analyse reported associations between SN and characteristics of verticality perception while considering the time post-stroke.
METHODS
PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, PubPsych and PsycArticles databases were searched on May 24, 2022 for articles written in English that evaluated the association between SN and verticality perception (i.e., the subjective visual vertical [SVV], subjective postural vertical [SPV] and subjective haptic vertical [SHV]) in adults after stroke. Left and right SN were considered and had to be assessed using standardized methods. Data were manually extracted, and risk of bias was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The tilt of the line/chair relative to the gravitational vector and its direction, together with uncertainty (i.e., variability across measurements), were evaluated.
RESULTS
Thirteen studies were included (431 participants after stroke); at least 191 participants exhibited SN. Mainly the first 3 to 6 months post-stroke were evaluated. SN was associated with SVV misperception, which resulted in larger SVV tilts (mostly in the contralesional direction) and uncertainty in participants with than without SN. SVV tilt magnitudes ranged from a mean/median of -8.9° to -2.3° in SN participants and from -1.6° to 0.6° in non-SN participants, the latter falling within normative ranges. For SPV and SHV measurements, the magnitude of tilt and the uncertainty were insufficiently assessed or results were inconclusive.
CONCLUSIONS
SN was associated with larger SVV tilts and uncertainty, which suggests that SVV misperception is a key feature of SN. This observation highlights the importance of regular SVV assessment in people with SN in clinical practice.
PROSPERO
CRD42019127616.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Space Perception; Stroke; Orientation; Perceptual Disorders; Visual Perception
PubMed: 35963568
DOI: 10.1016/j.rehab.2022.101700 -
Iranian Journal of Public Health Jan 2022This review compare different Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTD) versions. This comparison is based on their validity and reliability parameters in the translation and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
This review compare different Vocal Tract Discomfort (VTD) versions. This comparison is based on their validity and reliability parameters in the translation and adaptation process. We aimed to prepare numerical evidence to prove the validity of this easy screening tool. VTD is able to perform an accurate diagnosis of voice discomforts, particularly in primary stages.
METHODS
Articles were selected from databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct and Scopus. Our relevant papers were gathered by searching the phrase: VTD in titles, abstracts, and keys. Studies not followed an adaptive procedure were excluded. Based on the selection criteria, out of 23 collected articles, eight were studied in this review.
RESULTS
Standard psychometric protocol steps were followed in all selected articles and simultaneously high reliability and validity were reported in their translation procedure. Such analogous results may confirm the efficacy of this research tool.
CONCLUSION
This review affirms VTD, perceptual patient-based scale, as a valuable evaluation tool to investigate the occurrence of voice disorders. Based on its structure and performance, VTD can work as a quick and precise source for predicting vocal discomforts. Moreover, this capability can help professional therapists to plan more efficient treatment procedures. The other important advantage of VTD is its diagnostic and prognostic capacity to inform patients about their current and future conditions so that they would be motivated to follow treatment procedures more consistently.
PubMed: 35223624
DOI: 10.18502/ijph.v51i1.8290