Browsing by Author "Abreu, Ana Maria"
Now showing 1 - 10 of 24
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Aerobic physical exercise versus dual-task cognitive walking in cognitive rehabilitation of people with stroke: a randomized clinical trialPublication . Maeneja, Reinaldo; Silva, Cláudia R.; Ferreira, Inês S.; Abreu, Ana MariaIntroduction: Stroke is a neurological deficit caused by an acute focal injury to the central nervous system due to vascular injury that can result in loss of neurological function, lasting brain damage, long-term disability and, in some cases, death. The literature reports that aerobic physical exercise, as well as dual-task cognitive walking, are used for the cognitive recovery of people with stroke. We aimed to assess whether aerobic physical exercise influences post-stroke cognitive recovery, namely performance on selective and sustained attention. We tested the hypothesis that post-stroke aerobic physical exercise leads to more significant gains than post-stroke dual-task cognitive walking. Methods: We used a Randomized Clinical Trial, single-blind, parallel group, to verify the existence of differences between two groups. A total of 34 patients with subacute to chronic stroke were divided into two groups to train three times a week for 12 weeks: the aerobic physical exercise (PE) group engaged in 20 min on a treadmill, 20 min on a stationary bicycle and 5 min on a desk bike pedal exerciser per session; the dual-task (DT) gait exercise group walked for 45 min while simultaneously performing cognitive tasks per session. All participants were assessed on cognitive functioning with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and d2 Test of Attention before acute interventions and post interventions. We have also applied a Visual Analog Scale to monitor the participants’ perceived difficulty, pre-, post-acute, and post-chronic interventions. Participants also responded to a Borg Scale of perceived exertion following the acute and the final session of chronic training. Results: A mixed model ANOVA revealed a significant interaction effect with a large effect size for most of the cognitive variables under study. The variables associated with the d2 Test of Attention showed significant differences between the groups, mainly from T0 to T2. Also for MMSE, an ANOVA revealed a significant interaction effect with significant improvements from T0 to T2. Our results strongly suggest that aerobic physical exercise is more beneficial than dual-task cognitive-gait exercise since in the PE group, cognitive attention scores increase, and cognitive impairment and perception of exertion decrease, compared to the DT group. Conclusion: These findings support that PE provides more significant benefits for patients post-stroke when compared to DT.
- Cognitive benefits of exercise: is there a time-of-day effect?Publication . Maeneja, Reinaldo; Ferreira, Inês S.; Silva, Cláudia R.; Abreu, Ana MariaIt is well established that physical activity benefits cognition. Further, the time of day one engages in physical activity has been suggested to influence cognition. Here, we aimed to understand if there is a time-of-day effect (morning or afternoon) of physical activity on cognition, i.e., if exercising in the morning or afternoon might bring greater cognitive benefits. A total of 56 participants were allocated to one of two groups with the same baseline cognitive performance as well as fitness level (International Physical Activity Questionnaire—IPAQ): 27 to the morning intervention (M) group; and 29 to the afternoon intervention (A) group. In both groups, the participants engaged in an intermittent recovery test (Yo-yo), 4 times a week for 12 weeks. All participants were assessed with the d2 Test of Attention and the Borg scale of perceived exertion pre- and post- acute and chronic intervention. After the first bout of exercise and after 12 weeks, we observed cognitive improvements both in the M and A groups. Surprisingly, we do not find differences between the time of day regarding cognitive benefits. Our results do not support the existence of a time-of-day effect for the attentional cognitive benefits of exercise.
- Correspondence between language performance of children in formal alternative care and the placement environment: preliminary data from a systematic reviewPublication . Capinha, Ana Carolina; Mineiro, Ana; Moita, Mara; Abreu, Ana MariaAn estimated 2.7 million children live in formal alternative care (FAC). FAC varies in living conditions and care provided. However, research has shown that living in FAC adversely afects child development. This should be cautiously interpreted as studies reporting these efects have mainly been conducted in the northern hemisphere, in psychosocially deprived settings. Conversely, due to socio-economic factors, FAC compares favorably to domestic care in low-income countries. Here, we sought to understand the correspondence between children’s language performance in FAC and the placement setting (residential, foster, and kinship care), a query subset from a more extensive main study aiming to investigate children’s language development in formal alternative care. Materials and methods We systematically searched APA PsycInfo, Cochrane Library, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases between October and November 2021. The search was not circumscribed to a period. Only primary English reports published in peerreviewed journals investigating the language performance of children up to age 18 in FAC were included. Results We identifed ten reports that matched these criteria. Eight reports (80%) described changes in the setting in FAC leading to variations in children’s linguistic performance. We found that children who transition from low-quality settings (i.e., settings in which some aspect of care is substantially lower than suggested by best practice) to higherquality environments show a "catch-up efect" in their linguistic performance. When this change happens early, children in FAC have equivalent language performances to the comparison groups (children living with their biological parents). Conversely, children who stay with their families in situations of abuse or exposure to war show lower linguistic performance scores than children in FAC. Conclusions Thus, not all settings, even if family-based, can be linguistically enriching; there needs to be reciprocity in interactions between carers and children to promote this development. Training and support for carers in all care settings are essential to ensure responsiveness and developmentally appropriate environments for children in FAC.
- Country indicators moderating the relationship between phubbing and psychological distress: a study in 20 countriesPublication . Błachnio, Agata; Przepiórka, Aneta; Gorbaniuk, Oleg; McNeill, Monika; Bendayan, Rebecca; Durak, Mithat; Senol-Durak, Emre; Ben-Ezra, Menachem; Benvenuti, Martina; Angeluci, Alan; Abreu, Ana Maria; Makita, Meiko; Blanca, María J.; Brkljacic, Tihana; Babič, Nenad; Gorbaniuk, Julia; Holdoš, Juraj; Ivanova, Ana; Malik, Sadia; Milanovic, Anita; Musil, Bojan; Pantic, Igor; Rando, Belén; Seidman, Gwendolyn; D’Souza, Lancy; Abeele, Mariek M. P. Vanden; Wołońciej, Mariusz; Wu, Anise M.S.; Yu, Shu; Mazzoni, ElvisProblematic mobile phone use can be related to negative mental states. Some studies indicate that behavioural dependency is related to variables associated with the country of origin. The aim of our study was to investigate if country indicators moderated the relationship between phubbing and psychological distress. Our sample consisted of 7,315 individuals from 20 countries, who completed the Phubbing Scale and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). The analyses also included country indicators: the Gender Gap Index (GGI), the Human Development Index (HDI), the Social Progress Index (SPI), Hofstede’s dimensions of culture, and the World Happiness Index (WHI). Our results showed that psychological distress was related to at least one dimension of phubbing (i.e., to communication disturbance or phone obsession) in all countries, which means this relationship is culturally universal. The results of the study demonstrate the importance of testing measurement invariance to determine what type of analysis and what type of conclusion are valid in a given study or comparison. Moreover, the increasing or decreasing correlation between phubbing and distress is related to some culture-level indices.
- Determinants and effects of mobile phone addiction and phubbing: a study in 17 countriesPublication . Błachnio, Agata; Przepiórka, Aneta; Gorbaniuk, Oleg; Ivanova, Ana; Abreu, Ana Maria; Angeluci, Alan; Bendayan, Rebecca; Ben-Ezra, Menachem; Benvenuti, Martina; Blanca, Maria J.; Brkljacic, Tihana; Babić, Nenad Čuš; D'Souza, Lancy; Makita, Meiko; Malik, Sadia; Mazzoni, Elvis; Milanovic, Anita; Musil, Bojan; Pantic, Igor; Rando, Belén; Seidman, Gwendolyn; Vandenabeele, Mariek; Wu, Anise M. S.; Yu, Shu
- Duration and efficiency of combined versus isolated aerobic training interventions in post-stroke cognition: a systematic reviewPublication . Maeneja, Reinaldo; Ferreira, Inês Saraiva; Abreu, Ana MariaBackground: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of physical activity on the cognition of patients with stroke, comparing the effectiveness of using isolated or combined rehabilitation, as well as the duration and intensity of training, to identify the characteristics of optimal training programs for post-stroke cognitive rehabilitation. Methods: For this systematic review, we followed PRISMA guidelines and searched Web of Science, Scopus, PEDRo, SPORTdiscus, PubMed, Trial Registries, and Google Scholar for studies published between 2013 and April 12, 2023. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions that measured the effect of physical activity on cognition in patients with stroke. We restricted our search to reports published in the English language. Evidence from the RCTs was synthesized. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results: Of the 1,755 records identified, 34 were eligible, and data were available, with mainly low to moderate risk of general bias. The combined rehabilitation training programs proved more efficient when compared with isolated rehabilitation training programs in several cognitive domains. A moderate-intensity, 12-week intervention duration, with three weekly sessions, proved adequate. Discussion: It seems that combined rehabilitation training programs are efficient for patients with stroke as these alter neuroplastic conditions due to synergistic or additional onset of action. Future research should investigate combined rehabilitation training programs, with follow-up, to assess how long the recorded improvements last. The protocol of this study is registered in PROSPERO, number CRD42021248533.
- E-learning is a burden for the deaf and hard of hearingPublication . Rodrigues, Filipa M.; Abreu, Ana Maria; Holmström, Ingela; Mineiro, AnaWhen considering deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) population, research recognizes that fatigue due to communication challenges and multi-focal attention allocation is a significant concern. Given the putative heightened demands of distance learning on deaf and hard of hearing students, we investigate how an online environment might differently affect deaf and hard of hearing participants, compared to hearing participants, Portuguese Sign Language (PSL) users and non-users. Our findings show that the deaf and hard of hearing group present higher values in the post-task fatigue rates with significant differences from the hearing group (non-PSL users). Furthermore, our results revealed an association between post-task fatigue rates and lower performance scores for the deaf and hard of hearing group, and the gap is significantly bigger when compared with the hearing group (non-PSL users). We also found evidence for high levels of post-task fatigue and lower performance scores in the hearing group PSL users. These novel data contribute to the discussion concerning of the pros and cons of digital migration and help redesign more accessible and equitable methodologies and approaches, especially in the DHH educational field, ultimately supporting policymakers in redefining optimal learning strategies.
- EditorialPublication . Abreu, Ana Maria
- External and model validity in a systematic review of game-based interventionsPublication . Coelho, Franz; Gonçalves, Daniel; Abreu, Ana MariaGame-based learning, training, exercises, serious games, and gamification represent distinct approaches, integrating games into diverse contexts. Lately, interventions based on these approaches have gained popularity due to their potential to enhance cognitive outcomes. The term game-based intervention (GBI) was adopted to describe the use of all these playful processes with the goals of cognition and behavior promotion. Here, we present complementary research originating from a comprehensive systematic review examining the influence of GBI on adult cognition. This additional research evaluates the external and model validity of the original studies included in a systematic review, adhering to a registered PROSPERO protocol and PRISMA guidelines. Our systematic methodology covered various databases, resulting in 1398 articles. Following examination, 42 studies (26 randomized control trials and 16 non-randomized control trials) were selected. External and model validity were assessed using the External Validity Assessment Tool (EVAT©). Half of the studies inadequately described recruitment (48%), and most poorly outlined participation (71%) in terms of external validity, obscuring the results' generalizability. However, most studies adequately described model validity (88%), clarifying the comprehension of staff, places, and facilities used. While the systematic review showcased encouraging results regarding the impact of GBI on adult cognition, the evaluation of external and model validity conducted here revealed challenges in generalizing these findings to real-world settings and other populations beyond the laboratory context. However, it underscored that the contextual environment and operational procedures are conducive to replicability
- Geração digital: como as tecnologias afetam o potencial humano?Publication . Coelho, Franz; Abreu, Ana Maria
- «
- 1 (current)
- 2
- 3
- »