-
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Sep 2023In recent decades, new virtual reality (VR)-based protocols have been proposed for the rehabilitation of Unilateral Spatial Neglect (USN), a debilitating disorder of... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
In recent decades, new virtual reality (VR)-based protocols have been proposed for the rehabilitation of Unilateral Spatial Neglect (USN), a debilitating disorder of spatial awareness. However, it remains unclear which type of VR protocol and level of VR immersion can maximize the clinical benefits. To answer these questions, we conducted a systematic review of the use of VR for the rehabilitation of USN.
METHOD
Studies between 2000 and 2022 that met the inclusion criteria were classified according to their research design and degree of immersion (non-immersive, NIVR; semi-immersive, SIVR; immersive, IVR).
RESULTS
A total of 375 studies were identified, of which 26 met the inclusion criteria. Improvements were found in 84.6% of the reviewed studies: 85.7% used NIVR, 100% used SIVR and 55.6% used IVR. However, only 42.3% of them included a control group and only 19.2% were randomized control trials (RCT).
CONCLUSION
VR protocols may offer new opportunities for USN rehabilitation, although further RCTs are needed to validate their clinical efficacy.
Topics: Humans; Stroke; Stroke Rehabilitation; Perceptual Disorders; Treatment Outcome; Virtual Reality
PubMed: 37247829
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105248 -
Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD Aug 2023Educational interventions are a key element in the care of young patients with feeding and eating disorders, forming part of the majority of therapeutic approaches. The... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Educational interventions are a key element in the care of young patients with feeding and eating disorders, forming part of the majority of therapeutic approaches. The aim of this review is to evaluate the impact of educational interventions in adolescents with feeding and eating disorders.
METHODS
Following the PRISMA recommendations electronic databases were searched up to 29 June 2023. Studies related to educational interventions in young population diagnosed with feeding and eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, bulimia nervosa, pica and ruminative disorders and binge- eating disorder) in Spanish and English language, without temporal limitation, were located in the databases: PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, CUIDEN, DIALNET, and ENFISPO. A search in the databases of grey literature was performed in OpenGrey and Teseo. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020167736).
RESULTS
A total of 191 articles were selected from the 9744 citations screened. Ten publications were included. The results indicated variability between educational programs, including individual and group interventions, learning techniques and various research methodologies. Variables such as learning, attitudinal and perceptual changes, anthropometric parameters, symptom improvement, normalization of eating patterns, evaluation of the program and cognitive flexibility were identified. The risk of bias was high due to the low methodological quality of a large number of studies analyzed.
CONCLUSION
The results indicate that educational interventions can influence the improvement of knowledge level and have a positive effect on health outcomes. Although education is a common practice in the treatment of these pathologies, high-quality studies were not identified. Thus, this review concludes that additional evidence is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs, with further research studies, especially randomized controlled trials, to confirm these results.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level I: Systematic review.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Feeding and Eating Disorders; Anorexia Nervosa; Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder; Binge-Eating Disorder; Bulimia Nervosa
PubMed: 37608142
DOI: 10.1007/s40519-023-01594-9 -
PloS One 2023During the COVID-19 pandemic, personal protective equipment such as facial masks and coverings were mandated all over the globe to protect against the virus. Although...
During the COVID-19 pandemic, personal protective equipment such as facial masks and coverings were mandated all over the globe to protect against the virus. Although the primary aim of wearing face masks is to protect against viral transmission, they pose a potential burden on communication. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify the state of the evidence of the effect of facial coverings on acoustic and perceptual speech outcomes. The scoping review followed the framework created by Arksey & O'Malley (2005) and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines (PRISMA-ScR; Tricco et al., 2018). The search was completed in May 2021 across the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. A total of 3,846 records were retrieved from the database search. Following the removal of duplicates, 3,479 remained for the title/abstract screen and 149 were selected for the full-text review. Of these, 52 were included in the final review and relevant data were extracted. The 52 articles included in the final review consisted of; 11 studied perceptual outcomes only, 16 studied acoustic outcomes only, and 14 studied both perceptual and acoustic outcomes. 13 of these investigated acoustic features that could be used for mask classification. Although the findings varied from article to article, many trends stood out. Many articles revealed that face masks act as a low pass filter, dampening sounds at higher frequencies; however, the frequency range and the degree of attenuation varied based on face mask type. All but five articles that reported on perceptual outcomes showed a common trend that wearing a face mask was associated with poorer speech intelligibility. The findings of the scoping review provided evidence that facial coverings negatively impacted speech intelligibility, which is likely due to a combination of auditory and visual cue degradation. Due to the continued prevalence of mask use, how facial coverings affect a wider variety of speaker populations, such as those with communication impairments, and strategies for overcoming communication challenges should be explored.
Topics: Humans; Acoustics; COVID-19; Masks; Pandemics; Speech Intelligibility
PubMed: 37624795
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285009 -
PM & R : the Journal of Injury,... Nov 2023Nerve pain frequently develops following amputations and peripheral nerve injuries. Two innovative surgical techniques, targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) and... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Nerve pain frequently develops following amputations and peripheral nerve injuries. Two innovative surgical techniques, targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) and regenerative peripheral nerve interfaces (RPNI), are rapidly gaining popularity as alternatives to traditional nerve management, but their effectiveness is unclear.
LITERATURE SURVEY
A review of literature pertaining to TMR and RPNI pain results was conducted. PubMed and MEDLINE electronic databases were queried.
METHODOLOGY
Studies were included if pain outcomes were assessed after TMR or RPNI in the upper or lower extremity, both for prophylaxis performed at the time of amputation and for treatment of postamputation pain. Data were extracted for evaluation.
SYNTHESIS
Seventeen studies were included, with 14 evaluating TMR (366 patients) and three evaluating RPNI (75 patients). Of these, one study was a randomized controlled trial. Nine studies had a mean follow-up time of at least 1 year (range 4-27.6 months). For pain treatment, TMR and RPNI improved neuroma pain in 75%-100% of patients and phantom limb pain in 45%-80% of patients, averaging a 2.4-6.2-point reduction in pain scores on the numeric rating scale postoperatively. When TMR or RPNI was performed prophylactically, many patients reported no neuroma pain (48%-100%) or phantom limb pain (45%-87%) at time of follow-up. Six TMR studies reported Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores assessing pain intensity, behavior, and interference, which consistently showed a benefit for all measures. Complication rates ranged from 13% to 31%, most frequently delayed wound healing.
CONCLUSIONS
Both TMR and RPNI may be beneficial for preventing and treating pain originating from peripheral nerve dysfunction compared to traditional techniques. Randomized trials with longer term follow-up are needed to directly compare the effectiveness of TMR and RPNI with traditional nerve management techniques.
Topics: Humans; Phantom Limb; Amputation, Surgical; Neurosurgical Procedures; Neuroma; Peripheral Nerves; Muscles; Muscle, Skeletal; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 36965013
DOI: 10.1002/pmrj.12972 -
Journal of Psychiatric Research Dec 2023Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is an innovative noninvasive technique in brain stimulation that involves applying a low-intensity electrical current... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is an innovative noninvasive technique in brain stimulation that involves applying a low-intensity electrical current to the scalp. And increasing evidence has revealed its potential in schizophrenia treatment.
OBJECTIVE
This systematic review aimed to evaluate the efficacy of tACS as a novel neurostimulation technique for improving cognitive impairment and alleviating psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia. Additionally, this review attempted to explore the impact of stimulation parameters on the effectiveness of tACS treatment.
METHODS
A systematic literature search was conducted across five databases, including Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, CENTRAL, and PsycINFO, to identify studies investigating the use of tACS in schizophrenia. Only studies that involved the experimental use of tACS in patients with schizophrenia were included in this review.
RESULTS
Nineteen studies were included in this review. The most frequently used current intensities were 2 mA and 1 mA, and the most commonly used frequencies were alpha (10 Hz), theta (4.5 Hz and 6 Hz), and gamma (40 Hz). Some studies showed that tACS may have a potential therapeutic effect by improving cognitive functions in various cognitive domains and/or ameliorating negative symptoms, hallucinations, and delusions in patients with schizophrenia, while others showed no significant change. These studies also implicated that tACS treatment is safe and well tolerated.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, this systematic review suggests that tACS has promise as a novel, effective, and adjunctive treatment approach for treating schizophrenia. Future research is needed to determine the optimal parameters of tACS for treating this complex disorder.
Topics: Humans; Schizophrenia; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Hallucinations; Cognition
PubMed: 37897837
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.10.021 -
Psychopharmacology May 2024Synthetic cathinones (SC), commonly referred to as "bath salts", are stimulants resembling the natural alkaloid cathinone found in the khat plant. These substances have... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
RATIONALE
Synthetic cathinones (SC), commonly referred to as "bath salts", are stimulants resembling the natural alkaloid cathinone found in the khat plant. These substances have the potential to induce serious health risks such as hallucinations, delusions, paranoia and agitation which can lead to substance-induced psychotic disorders. Despite growing concerns, there is a limited understanding of the association between SC consumption and the devolvement of such psychopathologies.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review to investigate the frequency of substance-induced psychotic disorder (SIPD) and associated conditions in humans following synthetic cathinone consumption. We qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed SC exposure cases.
RESULTS
A total of 32 studies were included, with a diverse range of demographics, synthetic cathinone types, and consumption patterns. The proportion of individuals developing psychotic symptoms was reported at 0.380 (Random-effects model, 95% CI 0.289 - 0.475). Additionally, the significant heterogeneity in diagnostic approaches limited our ability to provide a precise estimate of prevalence.
CONCLUSIONS
Synthetic cathinone consumption is associated with the risk of developing psychotic symptoms as indicated by the prevalence of hallucinations and/or delusions. Due to the lack of information on classifying factors, particularly duration of symptoms, we are unable to conclude synthetic cathinone-induced psychosis. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanism linking synthetic cathinone consumption and psychosis. This review underscores the urgency of addressing the growing health risks posed by synthetic cathinone use. Additionally, it highlights the necessity of proper quantification of psychotic symptoms through scales and reporting of classification criteria to accurately diagnose SIPD.
Topics: Humans; Synthetic Cathinone; Central Nervous System Stimulants; Substance-Related Disorders; Psychoses, Substance-Induced; Hallucinations
PubMed: 38446172
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06569-x -
Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Dec 2023The effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on cognition has been investigated in recent years to determine the therapeutic potential of this cannabinoid for a broad gamut of... (Review)
Review
The effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on cognition has been investigated in recent years to determine the therapeutic potential of this cannabinoid for a broad gamut of medical conditions, including neuropsychiatric disorders. The aim of the present study was to perform a systematic review of studies that analyzed the effects of the acute and chronic administration of CBD on cognition in humans and animals both to assess the cognitive safety of CBD and to determine a beneficial potential of CBD on cognition. The PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases were searched in December of 2022 for relevant articles using the following combinations of keywords: ("cannabidiol" OR "CBD") AND ("cognition" OR "processing cognitive" OR "memory" OR "language" OR "attention" OR "executive function" OR "social cognition" OR "perceptual motor ability" OR "processing speed"). Fifty-nine articles were included in the present review (36 preclinical and 23 clinical trials). CBD seems not to have any negative effect on cognitive processing in rats. The clinical trials confirmed these findings in humans. One study found that repeated dosing with CBD may improve cognitive in people who use cannabis heavily but not individuals with neuropsychiatric disorders. Considering the context of neuropsychiatric disorders in animal models, CBD seems to reverse the harm caused by the experimental paradigms, such that the performance of these animals becomes similar to that of control animals. The results demonstrate that the chronic and acute administration of CBD seems not to impair cognition in humans without neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition, preclinical studies report promising results regarding the effects of CBD on the cognitive processing of animals. Future double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials with larger, less selective samples, with standardized tests, and using different doses of CBD in outpatients are of particular interest to elucidate the cognitive effects of CBD.
Topics: Humans; Rats; Animals; Cannabidiol; Cognition; Cannabinoids; Hallucinogens; Executive Function; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37792394
DOI: 10.1089/can.2023.0086 -
Harvard Review of PsychiatrySexual hallucinations are little known, yet often extremely burdening, phenomena. In this systematic review, we summarize what is known about their phenomenology,...
Sexual hallucinations are little known, yet often extremely burdening, phenomena. In this systematic review, we summarize what is known about their phenomenology, prevalence, etiopathology, ensuing distress, and treatment options. Sexual hallucinations can be experienced as genital or orgasmic sensations, although other sensory modalities can also be involved. With the notable exception of orgasmic auras in the context of epilepsy, sexual hallucinations tend to be distressing and embarrassing in nature. Our analysis of 79 studies (together describing 390 patients) indicates that sexual hallucinations are more frequent in women than in men, with a sex ratio of 1.4:1, and that they are most prevalent in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, with rates ranging from 1.4% in recently admitted patients to 44% in chronically hospitalized patients. Other underlying conditions include epilepsy, the incubus phenomenon (possibly the most prevalent cause in the general population, associated with sleep paralysis), narcolepsy, and sedative use. As regards the sedative context, we found more medicolegal than purely medical cases, which sadly underlines that not all sexually explicit sensations experienced in anesthesia practice are indeed hallucinations. In the absence of evidence-based treatment protocols for sexual hallucinations, practice-based guidelines tend to focus on the underlying condition. Further research is needed, especially in the fields of substance abuse, posttraumatic stress disorder, and borderline personality disorder, where only anecdotal information on sexual hallucinations is available. Moreover, awareness of sexual hallucinations among health professionals needs to be improved in order to facilitate counseling, diagnosis, and treatment.
Topics: Female; Humans; Male; Borderline Personality Disorder; Epilepsy; Hallucinations; Health Personnel; Hypnotics and Sedatives; Sexual Arousal
PubMed: 38181099
DOI: 10.1097/HRP.0000000000000388 -
Child: Care, Health and Development Nov 2023Children with specific learning disorders (SLD) may have issues in cognitive, motor, and academic skills, affecting their mental health and level of participation in... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Children with specific learning disorders (SLD) may have issues in cognitive, motor, and academic skills, affecting their mental health and level of participation in academic and nonacademic activities at school and in everyday life. Research shows that perceptual-motor (PM) exercises and physical activities can improve the cognitive and motor skills of typically developing children. To use PM exercises as an intervention in clinical practice for children with learning disorders, or to use it in future research, it seems necessary to discuss and summarize the existing documents in this group of children.
OBJECTIVES
We aimed to appraise the extent, and the quality of studies about PM interventions for enhancing cognitive, motor, and academic skills in children with learning disorders.
METHODS
The search was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Articles published between January 2000 and June 2022 were searched in the following scientific databases: PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane library, Science direct, and Google Scholar. The study eligibility criteria were previously established according to the PICOS model. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies, and the Cochrane Collaboration tool (ROB2) was used to assess the risk of bias.
RESULTS
The initial search yielded 2160 studies among which 10 studies were systematically reviewed. The total number of participants was 483 children (intervention: 251; control: 232). Findings showed significant improvements in cognitive skills (n = 7/8) such as working memory, attention, and information processing speed. In addition, studies showed that PM and physical activity interventions could increase academic performance (n = 4/5) and motor skills (n = 5/5) in children with LD. Results regarding the mental health effects of PM exercises (n = 1/3) are few in number and contradicting.
DISCUSSION
PM exercises may positively affect cognitive, motor, and academic skills in children with SLD; However, due to the small number of studies, fair methodological quality, and high risk of bias, caution should be taken when interpreting the results.
Topics: Child; Humans; Exercise; Cognition; Academic Performance; Learning Disabilities; Schools; Motor Skills
PubMed: 36872844
DOI: 10.1111/cch.13111 -
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and... Nov 2023The literature on predictors of persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) following peripheral vestibular insults has not been systematically reviewed.
BACKGROUND
The literature on predictors of persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) following peripheral vestibular insults has not been systematically reviewed.
METHODS
We systematically reviewed studies on predictors of PPPD and its four predecessors (phobic postural vertigo, space-motion discomfort, chronic subjective dizziness and visual vertigo). Investigations focused on new onset chronic dizziness following peripheral vestibular insults, with a minimum follow-up of 3 months. Precipitating events, promoting factors, initial symptoms, physical and psychological comorbidities and results of vestibular testing and neuroimaging were extracted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
RESULTS
We identified 13 studies examining predictors of PPPD or PPPD-like chronic dizziness. Anxiety following vestibular injury, dependent personality traits, autonomic arousal and increased body vigilance following precipitating events and visual dependence, but not the severity of initial or subsequent structural vestibular deficits or compensation status, were the most important predictors of chronic dizziness. Disease-related abnormalities of the otolithic organs and semi-circular canals and age-related brain changes seem to be important only in a minority of patients. Data on pre-existing anxiety were mixed.
CONCLUSIONS
After acute vestibular events, psychological and behavioural responses and brain maladaptation are the most likely predictors of PPPD, rather than the severity of changes on vestibular testing. Age-related brain changes appear to have a smaller role and require further study. Premorbid psychiatric comorbidities, other than dependent personality traits, are not relevant for the development of PPPD.
PubMed: 36941047
DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-330196