Power Of Alpha Waves Research Articles

Effects of Adjuvant Hydrotherapy on Functional Status and Mental Relaxation in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: Preliminary Study

Background: The aim of this study is to test if adjuvant hydrotherapy with viscosupplement is beneficial on management of pain, stiffness, function, and mental relaxation in knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Nineteen patients with OA were randomly assigned to hydrotherapy or control groups. All patients received viscosupplement injections once a week for 3 weeks. Hydrotherapy group (n=9) had a spa containing green tea, 3 days a week for 2 weeks. The control group (n=10) received only injections. All patients were assessed at baseline and after the third injection. All were assessed for pain (visual analog scale, VAS), pain severity, and functional status (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index, WOMAC), emotional status, quality of life (Euro quality of life health-related quality of life inventory five dimension, EQ-5D), and relative spectral power of alpha waves in electroencephalography (EEG). Results: Both groups reported a statistically significant reduction of pain at the end of treatment and detailed assessment of pain, and function in WOMAC and the relative power of alpha in electroencephalogram showed statistical significant difference only in the hydrotherapy group. However, there were no significant intergroup differences, except for VAS score. Conclusion: Adjuvant 2-week hydrotherapy to viscosupplement might have a modest role in the management of pain and functional disability and the mental relaxation in patients with knee OA. Larger, randomized controlled trials with intervention of long term period to determine efficacy in treating knee OA are warranted.

Comparison of the effects of transdermal and oral rivastigmine on cognitive function and EEG markers in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in older patients. Rivastigmine (RV, Exelon, Novartis), a reversible cholinesterase inhibitor, improves clinical manifestations of AD and may enhance ACh-modulated electroencephalogram (EEG) alpha frequency. This pilot study aimed to determine the effects of two formulations of RV [transdermal patch (RV-TDP) and oral capsules (TV-CP)] on alpha frequency, in particular the posterior dominant rhythm, and cognitive function [assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)] in patients with AD.Methods: Subjects with AD were assigned to receive either RV-TDP 10 cm2 or RV-CP 12 mg/day. All patients underwent EEG recordings at the beginning and end of the 18-month study period using P3, P4, O1, and O2 electrodes, each at high (10.5–13.0 Hz) and low (8.0–10.5 Hz) frequency. MMSE scores were determined at the start of the study (T0) and at three successive 6-month intervals (T1, T2, and T3).Results: RV-TDP administration (n = 10) maintained cognitive function as evidenced by stable MMSE scores from baseline to 18 months (21.07 ± 2.4–21.2 ± 3.1) compared with a decrease in MMSE score with RV-CP (n = 10) over 18 months [18.3 ± 3.6–13.6 ± 5.06 (adjusted for covariates p = 0.006)]. MMSE scores were significantly different between treatment groups from 6 months (p = 0.04). RV-TDP also increased the spectral power of alpha waves in the posterior region measured with electrode P3 in a significantly great percentage of patients than TV-CP from baseline to 18 months; 80% vs 30%, respectively [p = 0.025 (χ2 test)].Conclusions: RV-TDP was associated with a greater proportion of patients with increased posterior region alpha wave spectral power and significantly higher cognitive function at 18 months, compared with RV-CP treatment. Our findings suggest that RV-TDP provides an effective long-term management option in patients with AD compared with oral RV-CP. This study is a pilot, open-label study with a clear explorative purpose and with a small number of patients. Further randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial studies with a bigger sample size as well as healthy controls are needed to support these initial results.

Effects of Cell-Phone Radiation on the Electroencephalographic Spectra of Epileptic Patients [Telecommunications Health & Safety

Considerable concern has been expressed about the possible health risks of mobile-phone use. The brain has greater exposure to mobile-phone radiation (MPR) than the rest of the body, and there are experimental findings suggesting that electromagnetic fields may modulate the activity of neural networks. The tendency towards electrical instability of the neural networks of epileptics suggests that these persons may be especially sensitive to electromagnetic radiation. In this study, we determined the effects of mobile-phone radiation on the electroencephalographic (EGG) spectra of nine epileptic patients undergoing routine video-EEG monitoring. For each of nine scalp areas and four wavebands (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta), three spectral features were extracted from EEG segments recorded before, during, and after 20 minutes of continuous exposure to mobile-phone radiation. Statistical analyses showed associations between mobile-phone radiation and increased EEG activity in the alpha, beta, and gamma wavebands. The increase in alpha-wave power was similar to that reported for non-epileptic individuals. The increase in beta-and gamma-wave power may be related to epileptic alterations.

Investigation of alpha-wave frequency characteristics in the patients with chronic tension headache and its modification during electromyographic-temperature training

Chronic tension headache is the most commonly experienced headache. Low effectiveness of its treatment is connected with lack of understanding of this disorder pathogenensis. It was shown that electromyographic-temperature training provoked modification of alpha-wave power and frequency: power of alpha increased, frequency of maximal increased as well.

Evaluation of Driver's Temporary Arousal Level of Driver with a Facial Blood Image

This research examined the relevance of the face skin temperature change and the amount change of face blood flows by the degree fall of transient awakening of a driver. First, the data of face expression evaluation, alpha wave power, and LF/HF were compared with the data of precedence research on the basis of nasal part skin temperature. The data of face expression evaluation, alpha wave power, and LF/HF was mostly in agreement. Next, comparison of the amount of face blood flows and nasal part skin temperature was performed using the proved data. A result -- the amount of face blood flows, and nasal part skin temperature every subject some although there was a difference, it detected negative high correlation This was the result of differing from the conventional view. Since the result was summarized this time using the hypothesis of the relation nature of the amount of face blood flows, and nasal part skin temperature.

Effect of emotional changes induced by sounds on human frontal alpha-wave during verbal and non-verbal tasks

Our performance is often affected by temporal emotional changes. To improve the task-efficiency, we investigated the brain activity for the interaction between emotion induced by sounds and cognitive function, using the Stroop task with EEG measurements. The music leading pleasure increased the upper alpha-wave power of the frontal and parietal brain regions, relative to hearing the unpleasant white noise. The alpha activity decreased during the cognitive tasks. Interestingly, the frontal alpha suppression was reduced in the non-verbal task with the pleasant music and the verbal task with the unpleasant noise, like the task performance, which would indicate the interference between emotion and cognition.

Effects of Short-Term Exposure to Whole-Body Vibration on Wakefulness Level

To investigate the relationships between whole-body vibration and changes in wakefulness, We measured the change of a subjective wakefulness level and electroencephalogram (EEG). Subjects are ten healthy male university students. The subjects were exposed to whole-body vibration with frequency (10 Hz) and acceleration level (0.6 ms(-2) r.m.s.) for 12 min in the seated position. Subjective wakefulness level was evaluated using the questionnaire of VASS (Visual Analog Sleepiness Scale) and KSS (The Kwansei Gakuin Sleepiness Scale). For the electroencephalogram (EEG) measurement, AAT (Alpha Attenuation Test) which repeats three times each opened and closed eye for 1 min was conducted. Wakefulness levels were defined as the ratio of mean alpha-wave power during eyes closed versus eyes opened. VASS and KSS increased and subjective level of wakefulness decreased from pre- to post exposure in all subjects, regardless of vibration exposure. The objective wakefulness levels of AAT were reduced at the post-exposure test in all subjects. In the case with exposure to whole-body vibration was a significant difference from the case without exposure to whole-body vibration. It is suggested that a short-term exposure to whole-body vibration may cause a reduction of wakefulness level.

室内の窓や植栽・絵画が脳波等に及ぼす影響 : 執務空間における視環境の生理心理的影響に関する研究

This study was conducted to evaluate physiological and psychological effects of visual environments in windowless office spaces. A series of experiments were carried out in an experimental office space. The experimental factors were a window, potted plants and paintings. There were four experimental patterns made up of combination of these factors. The measurements used were electroencephalogram(EEG), finger photoelectric plethysmogram(PTG), heart rate, critical flicker frequency, and subjective appraisals of impression of the visual environments, etc. The results are summarized as follows. 1) These factors especially caused the power of alpha-waves, beta-waves and PTGs to increase. This means that these factors not only make the subjects relaxed but also activate them mentally. 2) Three psychological factors were extracted from the subjective appraisals. "Variety" and "ease" were related to the potted plants and paintings, while "spaciousness" was related to the window. It was demonstrated that these factors create feelings of variety, ease and spaciousness, cause people to relax,and activate them mentally.