Eduardo Borba Neves

Potencial de ação: do estímulo à adaptação neural

INTRODUCTION: The action potential (AP) arises due to a disturbance of the resting state of the cell membrane with consequent flow of ions across the membrane and ion concentration changes in intra and extra cellular space. OBJECTIVES: This article aims to summarize the scientific knowledge accumulated to date on the action potential and neural adaptation in the process of applying a constant stimulus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a literature review on the bases Springer, ScienceDirect, PubMed, IEEE Xplore, Google Scholar, Capes Periodicals Portal as well as books on the topic. The selected preferred language was English with the keywords: action potential; adaptation, accommodation; rheobase; chronaxy; nerve impulse. We conducted a search of articles with a wide time window from 1931 to 2010 and books from 1791 to 2007. RESULTS: In the selected studies was extracted information about the following topics: action potential and its stages; nerve conduction; rheobase; chronaxie, accommodation, and adaptation. CONCLUSION: A stimulus that creates AP, if applied consistently, can reduce the frequency of depolarization as a function of time and, consequently, to adapt the cell. The time it takes the cell in the absence of stimuli, to recover its original frequency, is defined as a disadaptation.

Quality of Life and low back pain in primary caregivers of children with cerebral palsy

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a qualidade de vida dos cuidadores primarios de criancas com PC, correlacionando-a com a presenca de dor lombar e o nivel de comprometimento motor da crianca. Para a realizacao dessa pesquisa houve a participacao de 55 cuidadores primarios com o preenchimento dos questionarios de Roland & Morris (QRM) e WHOQOL-Bref. A avaliacao do comprometimento motor das criancas foi verificada pelo Gross Motor function Classification System (GMFCS). Os resultados demonstram que os cuidadores primarios de criancas com PC apresentaram um prejuizo na qualidade de vida, especialmente no dominio ambiente e nas facetas: dor e desconforto (30,45), sentimentos negativos (34,09) e recreacao e lazer (37,27). Nao foram observadas correlacoes significativas entre o comprometimento motor de criancas com PC, a qualidade de vida de seus cuidadores primarios e os sintomas de dor lombar. Entretanto, observou-se que a media de sintomas de dor lombar e menor em cuidadores de criancas com menor comprometimento motor (p=0,488) e uma correlacao negativa significativa (r=-0,508; p<0,001) entre os sintomas de dor lombar e a qualidade de vida do cuidadores.

Alteração da temperatura nos tecidos biológicos com a aplicação do ultrassom terapêutico: uma revisão

INTRODUCTION: The therapeutic ultrasound act in biological tissues by means of vibration can produce physiological effects of thermal and non-thermal. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the parameters that affect the heating of biological tissues by ultrasound. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a literature research based on ISI Web and SCOPUS database. We selected the articles in the English language that have studied the temperature variation after the application of ultrasound in humans. RESULTS: There are significant variations related to tissue-temperature rise. For the 3MHz ultrasound, there is an average increase of 2.6 oC in superficial tissues, and to the 1MHz US, there is an average increase of 1.7 oC in deep tissues. There is a higher heating of the treated tissue when an area twice the ERA (effective radiating area) size, the shorter the higher the heating, there is an increase in temperature relative intensities. Intensities ranging from 0.5 to 3 W/cm2 have a significant increase in temperature. Regarding the mode of application, the gel provides an improved coupling, generating more heat with an application time of five minutes - the application time depends on the treatment area and power density. However, the speed of application appears to modify the heating up to 7-8 cm/s. Also, different commercial devices produce heat differently. CONCLUSION: Parameters for ultrasound application must be controlled and adjusted to generate deep heating of tissues considering that it may vary among devices.

Etapa puberal en niños con parálisis cerebral

This study evaluates the pubertal development of children diagnosed with cerebral palsy and identifies the gender with the highest incidence of early maturation of primary and secondary sexual characteristics. We assessed 25 Caucasians children between the age of 5 and 10 diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. The children’s stage of sexual maturation was evaluated and classified according to the Tanner Stages. In the collected data, precocious maturation of secondary sexual characteristics was observed in three girls and nine boys. Statistically, there was a significant difference between the development of genitalia in boys and breasts in girls (p = 0.01). The boys presented a higher maturation speed of genitalia than the girls’ in their breasts (thelarche). The girls showed a higher development of hair (pubarche) than boys (p = 0.05). The direct relationship between neurological disorders and precocious maturation of the secondary sexual characteristics in children with cerebral palsy was concluded.