BackgroundThe effectiveness of physical activity (PA) as an intervention against anxiety disorder... more BackgroundThe effectiveness of physical activity (PA) as an intervention against anxiety disorders and depression is undeniable in clinical psychology. Therefore, the question arose whether these effects also occur when a fear stimulus, like the COVID-19 pandemic, affects otherwise healthy adolescents. Boredom is closely linked to symptoms of fear and anxiety, but the connection between PA, boredom and fear is partly unclear.MethodsA cross-sectional online study was conducted that involved 122 students. Participants were 13–19 years old (Mage = 15.83, SD = 1.73). The survey was available online from April 27th to May 3rd, 2020. At this time, schools in Germany had already been closed for 6 weeks. A self-report questionnaire was used to measure physical activity, boredom, and fear of COVID-19. A multiple linear regression model was conducted.ResultsThe reported fear of COVID-19 significantly correlates with total PA, quantity of strenuous PA, and boredom. Furthermore, a significant r...
The immune system's response against SARS-Cov-2 seems crucial to control viral infection, sin... more The immune system's response against SARS-Cov-2 seems crucial to control viral infection, since this system is homeostatic, dynamic and promotes immunoprotection of the organism through the activation of the innate and adaptive immune system via activation of cellular and chemical complexes that recognize, neutralize, metabolize and eliminate heterologous substances, with or without tissue damage. An obesogenic microenvironment can further increase the risk of disease complications, and cause a more virulent viral strain and a more lethal virus. Moreover, physical inactivity as well as poor eating habits impairs the body's energy metabolism and immune cells due to low-grade chronic inflammation. Studies suggest that light to moderate exercise, as well as mild calorie restriction, as an effective approach to relieve obesity and therefore an interesting strategy to strengthen the immune response during the outbreak of COVID-19, while a vaccine is not developed. Some studies ha...
It is well recognized that regular physical exercise has positive effects on physical and mental ... more It is well recognized that regular physical exercise has positive effects on physical and mental health. To use the beneficial health effects of physical exercise, there are worldwide movements encouraging health care providers to include physical exercise in their care and treatments strategies. However, a crucial point in administering the “exercise polypill” is the dosing and, in turn, the prescription of the physical intervention (PI). In this perspective article, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to prescribe PI. In this context, we also highlight outstanding questions and potential areas of opportunity for further investigations.
Physical interventions are used to increase physical (sports) performance and considered as effec... more Physical interventions are used to increase physical (sports) performance and considered as effective low-cost strategies in the fields of healthcare, disease or injury prevention, and medical treatment. In general, a considerable amount of evidence buttress the application of physical interventions in various fields as it has been demonstrated to contribute to the maintenance and recovery of physical performance, cognitive function, and overall state of health. To implement physical interventions effectively, it is essential to provide an appropriate exercise and training prescription. Exercise and training prescription are key for “dose” specification and for the individualization (personalizing) of physical exercise and training, precisely adjusted and controlled like medication. Since the physiological response to physical interventions is demonstrably individual and dependent on many influencing factors, individualization is an emerging approach aiming to maximize the efficienc...
... Sergio Machado, Marlo Cunha, Bruna Velasques, Daniel Minc, Silmar Teixeira, Clayton A. Doming... more ... Sergio Machado, Marlo Cunha, Bruna Velasques, Daniel Minc, Silmar Teixeira, Clayton A. Domingues, Julio G. Silva, Victor H. Bastos, Henning Budde ... Los autores encon traron que, cuando los sujetos no podían ver su mano en movimiento, la precisión y la velocidad de los ...
Whereas aerobic training has found to be beneficial for inhibitory control, less is known on the ... more Whereas aerobic training has found to be beneficial for inhibitory control, less is known on the efficiency of other exercise types in children. The present study compared the effects of aerobic and coordinative training on behavioral and neurophysiological measures of inhibitory control. Forty-five children were randomly assigned (1:1:1 ratio) to groups performing aerobic training, coordinative training or assisted homework sessions over 10 weeks. Before and after intervention, all participants completed a Flanker task. The P300 component of event-related potentials elicited from the task was recorded via electroencephalography. Additionally, aerobic fitness and gross-motor skills were assessed using 20 m Shuttle Run and Heidelberg Gross-Motor Test, respectively. Statistical analyses revealed no time by group interactions for the P300 component (amplitude, latency), p = 0.976, η2 = 0.007, and behavioral performance (reaction time, accuracy), p = 0.570, η2 = 0.045. In contrast, ther...
The abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that impairs health is one of the criteria that fulfil... more The abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that impairs health is one of the criteria that fulfills obesity. According to epidemiological data, obesity has become a worldwide public health problem that in turn would trigger additional pathologies such as cardiorespiratory dysfunctions, cancer, gastrointestinal disturbances, depression, sleep disorders, just to mention a few. Then, the search for a therapeutical intervention aimed to prevent and manage obesity has been the focus of study during the last years. As one can assume, the increased prevalence of obesity has translated to search of efficient pharmaceuticals designed to manage this health issue. However, to further complicate the scenario, scientific literature has described that obesity is the result of interaction between multiple events. Therefore, pharmacological approaches have faced a serious challenge for develop the adequate treatment. Here, we argue that a wide range of non-pharmacological/invasive techniques can be...
Cannabis sativa is a plant that contains more than 500 components, of which the most studied are ... more Cannabis sativa is a plant that contains more than 500 components, of which the most studied are Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Several studies have indicated that CBD displays neurobiological effects, including wake promotion. Moreover, experimental evidence has shown that injections of CBD enhance wake-related compounds, such as monoamines (dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine, and norepinephrine). However, no clear evidence is available regarding the effects of CBD on additional wake-related neurochemicals such as acetylcholine (ACh). Here, we demonstrate that systemic injections of CBD (0, 5, 10 or 30 mg/kg, i.p.) at the beginning of the lights-on period, increase the extracellular levels of ACh collected from the basal forebrain and measured by microdialysis and HPLC means. Moreover, the time course effects on the contents of ACh were present 5 h post-injection of CBD. Altogether, these data demonstrate that CBD increases ACh levels in a brain region related ...
Clinical practice and epidemiology in mental health : CP & EMH, 2018
The effects of the aerobic exercise on anxiety symptoms in patients with Panic Disorder (PD) rema... more The effects of the aerobic exercise on anxiety symptoms in patients with Panic Disorder (PD) remain unclear. Thus, the investigation of possible changes in EEG frontal asymmetry could contribute to understand the relationship among exercise, brain and anxiety. To investigate the acute effects of aerobic exercise on the symptoms of anxiety and the chronic effects of aerobic exercise on severity and symptoms related to PD, besides the changes in EEG frontal asymmetry. Ten PD patients were divided into two groups, Exercise Group (EG; n=5) and Control Group (CG; n=5), in a randomized allocation. At baseline and post-intervention, they submitted the psychological evaluation through Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), EEG frontal asymmetry, and maximal oxygen consumption (VOmax). On the second visit, the patients of EG being submitted to the aerobic exercise (treadmill, 25 minutes, and 50-55% of heart rate reserve) and...
Modafinil (MOD) is a drug used for the management of excessive daytime sleepiness observed in sev... more Modafinil (MOD) is a drug used for the management of excessive daytime sleepiness observed in several sleep disturbances such as shift work sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy. Additionally, a wide scope of medical uses of MOD have been described such as fatigue in subjects with depression as well as patients under chemotherapy. Moreover, there also appear to be a cognitive enhancer drug. In contrast, recent reports have indicated the risk of developing addiction to MOD. Furthermore, interest of studying potential long-term effects of MOD have raised. Here, we highlight the evidence concerning the medical uses of MOD in the management of sleepiness, fatigue associated with depression and cancer as well as combat depletion.
Panic disorder (PD) is characterized by repeated and unexpected attacks of intense anxiety, which... more Panic disorder (PD) is characterized by repeated and unexpected attacks of intense anxiety, which are not restricted to a determined situation or circumstance. The coherence function has been used to investigate the communication among brain structures through the quantitative EEG (qEEG). The objective of this study is to analyze if there is a difference in frontoparietal gamma coherence (GC) between panic disorder patients (PDP) and healthy controls (HC) during the Visual oddball paradigm; and verify if high levels of anxiety (produced by a computer simulation) affect PDP's working memory. Nine PDP (9 female with average age of 48.8, SD: 11.16) and ten HC (1 male and 9 female with average age of 38.2, SD: 13.69) were enrolled in this study. The subjects performed the visual oddball paradigm simultaneously to the EEG record before and after the presentation of computer simulation (CS). A two-way ANOVA was applied to analyze the factors Group and the Moment for each pair of electrodes separately, and another one to analyze the reaction time variable. We verified a F3-P3 GC increased after the CS movie, demonstrating the left hemisphere participation during the anxiety processing. The greater GC in HC observed in the frontal and parietal areas (P3-Pz, F4-F8 and Fp2-F4) points to the participation of these areas with the expected behavior. The greater GC in PDP for F7-F3 and F4-P4 pairs of electrodes assumes that it produces a prejudicial "noise" during information processing, and can be associated to interference on the communication between frontal and parietal areas. This "noise" during information processing is related to PD symptoms, which should be better known in order to develop effective treatment strategies.
BackgroundThe effectiveness of physical activity (PA) as an intervention against anxiety disorder... more BackgroundThe effectiveness of physical activity (PA) as an intervention against anxiety disorders and depression is undeniable in clinical psychology. Therefore, the question arose whether these effects also occur when a fear stimulus, like the COVID-19 pandemic, affects otherwise healthy adolescents. Boredom is closely linked to symptoms of fear and anxiety, but the connection between PA, boredom and fear is partly unclear.MethodsA cross-sectional online study was conducted that involved 122 students. Participants were 13–19 years old (Mage = 15.83, SD = 1.73). The survey was available online from April 27th to May 3rd, 2020. At this time, schools in Germany had already been closed for 6 weeks. A self-report questionnaire was used to measure physical activity, boredom, and fear of COVID-19. A multiple linear regression model was conducted.ResultsThe reported fear of COVID-19 significantly correlates with total PA, quantity of strenuous PA, and boredom. Furthermore, a significant r...
The immune system's response against SARS-Cov-2 seems crucial to control viral infection, sin... more The immune system's response against SARS-Cov-2 seems crucial to control viral infection, since this system is homeostatic, dynamic and promotes immunoprotection of the organism through the activation of the innate and adaptive immune system via activation of cellular and chemical complexes that recognize, neutralize, metabolize and eliminate heterologous substances, with or without tissue damage. An obesogenic microenvironment can further increase the risk of disease complications, and cause a more virulent viral strain and a more lethal virus. Moreover, physical inactivity as well as poor eating habits impairs the body's energy metabolism and immune cells due to low-grade chronic inflammation. Studies suggest that light to moderate exercise, as well as mild calorie restriction, as an effective approach to relieve obesity and therefore an interesting strategy to strengthen the immune response during the outbreak of COVID-19, while a vaccine is not developed. Some studies ha...
It is well recognized that regular physical exercise has positive effects on physical and mental ... more It is well recognized that regular physical exercise has positive effects on physical and mental health. To use the beneficial health effects of physical exercise, there are worldwide movements encouraging health care providers to include physical exercise in their care and treatments strategies. However, a crucial point in administering the “exercise polypill” is the dosing and, in turn, the prescription of the physical intervention (PI). In this perspective article, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to prescribe PI. In this context, we also highlight outstanding questions and potential areas of opportunity for further investigations.
Physical interventions are used to increase physical (sports) performance and considered as effec... more Physical interventions are used to increase physical (sports) performance and considered as effective low-cost strategies in the fields of healthcare, disease or injury prevention, and medical treatment. In general, a considerable amount of evidence buttress the application of physical interventions in various fields as it has been demonstrated to contribute to the maintenance and recovery of physical performance, cognitive function, and overall state of health. To implement physical interventions effectively, it is essential to provide an appropriate exercise and training prescription. Exercise and training prescription are key for “dose” specification and for the individualization (personalizing) of physical exercise and training, precisely adjusted and controlled like medication. Since the physiological response to physical interventions is demonstrably individual and dependent on many influencing factors, individualization is an emerging approach aiming to maximize the efficienc...
... Sergio Machado, Marlo Cunha, Bruna Velasques, Daniel Minc, Silmar Teixeira, Clayton A. Doming... more ... Sergio Machado, Marlo Cunha, Bruna Velasques, Daniel Minc, Silmar Teixeira, Clayton A. Domingues, Julio G. Silva, Victor H. Bastos, Henning Budde ... Los autores encon traron que, cuando los sujetos no podían ver su mano en movimiento, la precisión y la velocidad de los ...
Whereas aerobic training has found to be beneficial for inhibitory control, less is known on the ... more Whereas aerobic training has found to be beneficial for inhibitory control, less is known on the efficiency of other exercise types in children. The present study compared the effects of aerobic and coordinative training on behavioral and neurophysiological measures of inhibitory control. Forty-five children were randomly assigned (1:1:1 ratio) to groups performing aerobic training, coordinative training or assisted homework sessions over 10 weeks. Before and after intervention, all participants completed a Flanker task. The P300 component of event-related potentials elicited from the task was recorded via electroencephalography. Additionally, aerobic fitness and gross-motor skills were assessed using 20 m Shuttle Run and Heidelberg Gross-Motor Test, respectively. Statistical analyses revealed no time by group interactions for the P300 component (amplitude, latency), p = 0.976, η2 = 0.007, and behavioral performance (reaction time, accuracy), p = 0.570, η2 = 0.045. In contrast, ther...
The abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that impairs health is one of the criteria that fulfil... more The abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that impairs health is one of the criteria that fulfills obesity. According to epidemiological data, obesity has become a worldwide public health problem that in turn would trigger additional pathologies such as cardiorespiratory dysfunctions, cancer, gastrointestinal disturbances, depression, sleep disorders, just to mention a few. Then, the search for a therapeutical intervention aimed to prevent and manage obesity has been the focus of study during the last years. As one can assume, the increased prevalence of obesity has translated to search of efficient pharmaceuticals designed to manage this health issue. However, to further complicate the scenario, scientific literature has described that obesity is the result of interaction between multiple events. Therefore, pharmacological approaches have faced a serious challenge for develop the adequate treatment. Here, we argue that a wide range of non-pharmacological/invasive techniques can be...
Cannabis sativa is a plant that contains more than 500 components, of which the most studied are ... more Cannabis sativa is a plant that contains more than 500 components, of which the most studied are Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Several studies have indicated that CBD displays neurobiological effects, including wake promotion. Moreover, experimental evidence has shown that injections of CBD enhance wake-related compounds, such as monoamines (dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine, and norepinephrine). However, no clear evidence is available regarding the effects of CBD on additional wake-related neurochemicals such as acetylcholine (ACh). Here, we demonstrate that systemic injections of CBD (0, 5, 10 or 30 mg/kg, i.p.) at the beginning of the lights-on period, increase the extracellular levels of ACh collected from the basal forebrain and measured by microdialysis and HPLC means. Moreover, the time course effects on the contents of ACh were present 5 h post-injection of CBD. Altogether, these data demonstrate that CBD increases ACh levels in a brain region related ...
Clinical practice and epidemiology in mental health : CP & EMH, 2018
The effects of the aerobic exercise on anxiety symptoms in patients with Panic Disorder (PD) rema... more The effects of the aerobic exercise on anxiety symptoms in patients with Panic Disorder (PD) remain unclear. Thus, the investigation of possible changes in EEG frontal asymmetry could contribute to understand the relationship among exercise, brain and anxiety. To investigate the acute effects of aerobic exercise on the symptoms of anxiety and the chronic effects of aerobic exercise on severity and symptoms related to PD, besides the changes in EEG frontal asymmetry. Ten PD patients were divided into two groups, Exercise Group (EG; n=5) and Control Group (CG; n=5), in a randomized allocation. At baseline and post-intervention, they submitted the psychological evaluation through Panic Disorder Severity Scale (PDSS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), EEG frontal asymmetry, and maximal oxygen consumption (VOmax). On the second visit, the patients of EG being submitted to the aerobic exercise (treadmill, 25 minutes, and 50-55% of heart rate reserve) and...
Modafinil (MOD) is a drug used for the management of excessive daytime sleepiness observed in sev... more Modafinil (MOD) is a drug used for the management of excessive daytime sleepiness observed in several sleep disturbances such as shift work sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy. Additionally, a wide scope of medical uses of MOD have been described such as fatigue in subjects with depression as well as patients under chemotherapy. Moreover, there also appear to be a cognitive enhancer drug. In contrast, recent reports have indicated the risk of developing addiction to MOD. Furthermore, interest of studying potential long-term effects of MOD have raised. Here, we highlight the evidence concerning the medical uses of MOD in the management of sleepiness, fatigue associated with depression and cancer as well as combat depletion.
Panic disorder (PD) is characterized by repeated and unexpected attacks of intense anxiety, which... more Panic disorder (PD) is characterized by repeated and unexpected attacks of intense anxiety, which are not restricted to a determined situation or circumstance. The coherence function has been used to investigate the communication among brain structures through the quantitative EEG (qEEG). The objective of this study is to analyze if there is a difference in frontoparietal gamma coherence (GC) between panic disorder patients (PDP) and healthy controls (HC) during the Visual oddball paradigm; and verify if high levels of anxiety (produced by a computer simulation) affect PDP's working memory. Nine PDP (9 female with average age of 48.8, SD: 11.16) and ten HC (1 male and 9 female with average age of 38.2, SD: 13.69) were enrolled in this study. The subjects performed the visual oddball paradigm simultaneously to the EEG record before and after the presentation of computer simulation (CS). A two-way ANOVA was applied to analyze the factors Group and the Moment for each pair of electrodes separately, and another one to analyze the reaction time variable. We verified a F3-P3 GC increased after the CS movie, demonstrating the left hemisphere participation during the anxiety processing. The greater GC in HC observed in the frontal and parietal areas (P3-Pz, F4-F8 and Fp2-F4) points to the participation of these areas with the expected behavior. The greater GC in PDP for F7-F3 and F4-P4 pairs of electrodes assumes that it produces a prejudicial "noise" during information processing, and can be associated to interference on the communication between frontal and parietal areas. This "noise" during information processing is related to PD symptoms, which should be better known in order to develop effective treatment strategies.
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