Background: Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is one of the most frequent dementia types in patients under 65 years of age. Currently, no therapy can effectively improve the cognitive deficits associated with FTD. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a noninvasive method of inducing brain plasticity with therapeutic potential in neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of rTMS on cognitive, behavioral, and emotional function in FTD. Methods: Nine patients (seven women, four men, mean age 61.7±10.1 years) with the behavioral variant of FTD, one with nonfluent/agrammatic variant primary progressive aphasia, and one with progressive nonfluent aphasia (subtypes of FTD) underwent 10 daily sessions of 10 Hz rTMS over the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Cognitive and behavioral assessments were administered before and after therapy. Results: After rTMS, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and letter and digit cancellation test scores, as well as reading time and error number in the Stroop test improved. The caregivers’ impression of the daily functioning of patients improved in the Frontal Behavioral Inventory scores. These changes were not paralleled by an improvement of mood. Conclusion: The results indicate that rTMS may improve the cognitive performance of patients with FTD and warrant sham-controlled trials.

We sought to investigate whether regular balance training of moderate intensity (BT) has an effect on changes in selected cytokines, neurotrophic factors, CD200 and fractalkine in healthy older adults and participants with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Sixty-two subjects were divided into groups depending on experimental intervention: (1) group of people with PD participating in BT (PDBT), (2) group of healthy older people participating in BT (HBT), (3,4) control groups including healthy individuals (HNT) and people with PD (PDNT). Blood samples were collected twice: before and after 12 weeks of balance exercise (PDBT, HBT), or 12 weeks apart (PDNT, HNT). The study revealed significant increase of interleukin10 (PDBT, p = 0.026; HBT, p = 0.011), β-nerve growth factor (HBT, p = 0.002; PDBT, p = 0.016), transforming growth factor-β1 (PDBT, p = 0.018; HBT, p < 0.004), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (PDBT, p = 0.011; HBT, p < 0.001) and fractalkine (PDBT, p = 0.045; HBT, p < 0.003) concentration only in training groups. In PDBT, we have found a significant decrease of tumor necrosis factor alpha. No training effect on concentration of interleukin6, insulin-like growth factor 1 and CD200 was observed in both training and control groups. Regular training can modulate level of inflammatory markers and induce neuroprotective mechanism to reduce the inflammatory response.

We sought to investigate whether systematic balance training modulates brain area activity responsible for postural control and influence brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA protein expression. Seventy-four older adults were randomly divided into three groups (mean age 65.34 ± 3.79 years, 30 females): Classic balance exercises (CBT), virtual reality balance exercises (VBT), and control (CON). Neuroimaging studies were performed at inclusion and after completion of the training or 12 weeks later (CON). Blood samples were obtained to measure BDNF expression. The study revealed significant interaction of sessions and groups: In the motor imagery (MI) condition for supplementary motor area (SMA) activity (F_{at peak} = 5.25, p < 0.05); in the action observation (AO) condition for left and right supramarginal gyrus/posterior insula (left: F_{at peak} = 6.48, p < 0.05; right: F_{at peak} = 6.92, p < 0.05); in the action observation together with motor imagery (AOMI) condition for the middle occipital gyrus (laterally)/area V5 (left: F_{at peak} = 6.26, p < 0.05; right: F_{at peak} = 8.37, p < 0.05), and in the cerebellum–inferior semilunar lobule/tonsil (F_{at peak} = 5.47, p < 0.05). After the training serum BDNF level has increased in CBT (p < 0.001) and in CBT compared to CON (p < 0.05). Systematic balance training may reverse the age-related cortical over-activations and appear to be a factor mediating neuroplasticity in older adults.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of physical exercise on gait pattern disorders, based on three-dimensional gait analysis in the sagittal plane in a group of people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Methods: 32 subjects with PD (14 women and 18 men; age: 50-75 years) were qualified for the study which ran for 3 weeks and included 18 therapeutic sessions. 35 control subjects were included in the research (13 women and 19 men; age: 52-77 years). Gait analysis using the Vicon 3D system took place in the Biokinetics Laboratory. The research group were tested before and after treatment, the control group was tested once. Results: Comparing the average peak angle changes and average standard time results (%gait cycle) corresponding with angles of movement in the lumbar and cervical spine, elbow and shoulder joint, statistically significant changes were observed. The study results are indicative of differences in spatio-temporal parameters and angular changes of gait for both groups. After therapeutic treatment we observed improvement in the angular range of changes for thorax tilting, but there were no difference between the most affected and less affected side. For the cervical spine a significant reduction in flexion during dual support was observed. The angular range of changes for shoulder joint were significant only in less affected shoulder during the Initial Contact (F1), Terminal Stance (F4) and Terminal Stance (F8) phases of gait (p<0,05). After therapeutic treatment significant angle and setting changes for the most affected limb of the elbow joint occurred during the Initial Contact and Terminal Swing phases (F1, F8). In the Terminal Stance phase (F4) an increase in range of motion by about ±4° was observed (p<0,05). Conclusions: Exercise therapy slightly increased the range of movement in the examined joints of PD’s patients. Results of pathological walking patterns occurring prior to treatment improved after treatment and moved closer to the physiological gait pattern. Key words: Vicon 3D system, PD, gait, physical exercise

The aim of this study was to assess how the influence of intense physical effort changes the morphological, rheological, and biochemical blood indicators in triathletes. The study group comprised 10 triathletes aged 30-45 years, members of the Active Side of Life Association (Krakow, Poland). Venous blood was collected from the study participants twice, before and after the DiablakBeskid Extreme Triathlon 2016 (the Carpathians, Poland), and once from the control group for analysis of the selected blood indicators. Statistically significant changes were observed in the study group before and after the triathlon in morphological blood indicators, in the elongation index at the shear stress of 0.30 and 0.58 Pa, in levels of electrolytes, creatinine (mmol/1), serum protein parameters, and high-sensitivity troponin (ng/l). No such differences were reported for the remaining parameters. In turn, when comparing the study group before the triathlon with the control group, statistically significant differences were recorded in MCHC (g/dl), in the elongation index at the shear stress of 0.30 and 0.58 Pa, and CI (mmol/1) levels. No such differences were reported for the remaining parameters. Blood haematological and biochemical indicators in individuals that participate in triathlons characterize the actual range and direction of effort-related changes well and allow for the diagnosis of transient adaptive effects. Rheological parameters, involving the evaluation of erythrocyte deformability and aggregation, are useful for monitoring the particularly undesirable, short- and long-term effects of practicing extreme sports such as triathlons.

Objective: The purpose of the work was to establish whether systematic balance training of moderate intensity influences postural control measurements in older adults. Methods: Seventy-nine healthy older adults (mean age 65.33 ±3.83 years) were randomly divided into 3 groups: classic balance training (CBT, n=32, mean age 66.03 ±3.19 years), virtual reality balance training (VBT, n=16, mean age 65.31 ±3.46 years), and control (CON, n=31, mean age 64.61 ±4.54 years). Postural control was measured at inclusion, and after completion of the 12 weeks training cycle or—CON—with an interval of 12 weeks. Results: The study revealed that both forms of applied BT caused significant changes in the examined parameters assessing balance. CBT improved reduced trunk deflection in the test with closed eyes condition, while in the VBT group, improvement was noted mainly regarding parameters assessing static balance with open eyes.