Enhancing Cognitive Processing Speed Through Two-Handed Sword Training in Thai Healthy University Students: A Pre-Experimental Study

Thanyawat Homsombat, Jiraporn Ngambang — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Introduction: Cognitive skills are one of the significant functions of being a healthy person. There are several approaches to improving human cognitive skills, including regular exercise. This pre-experimental research aimed to compare the two-handed sword training program on cognitive processing speed in healthy colleague students before training, during the 4th week, and after the 8th week of training.

Methods: Thirty-four healthy students (25 males and nine females) were chosen through systematic random sampling. The sample group performed a two-handed sword training program for eight weeks, three days a week. During the experiment, the researchers assessed the level of perceived exertion and took heart rate measurements after every training session. Data were collected by the simple reaction time test, which was employed to evaluate cognitive processing speed measured before, after four weeks, and after eight weeks by a computerized cognitive test battery. The descriptive statistics were analyzed by percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The inferential statistics were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance with repeated measures and the Friedman test. The significance level was set at 0.05.

Results: The comparison of cognitive processing speed before training and after the 8th week, specifically the response time in the choice reaction time test, showed a statistically significant decrease. The choice reaction time test also showed a statistically significant decrease in response time and accuracy rate when comparing the 4th and 8th weeks. The variation in cognitive processing speed after eight weeks of training showed a statistically significant difference in response time in the simple reaction time test. The choice reaction time test also showed a statistically significant difference in response time and accuracy rate.

Conclusion: The two-handed sword training improved cognitive processing speed, particularly in reaction time tests, but had no significant impact on other cognitive abilities, emphasizing the role of motor-based training in reaction-based decision-making.

Associations between Sensory of Fingertips and Hand Function in Individuals Post Stroke

Orisa Elfath, Anchalee Foongchomcheay — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0700

Introduction: Stroke is one of the major causes of death and disability worldwide. Sensory and motor abilities are significant contributors to ADL limitations as a consequence of stroke. The best somatosensory receptor area of the skin is the fingertip area because it has a high density of neurons. Two Point Discrimination (2PD) assesses participants' fingertips' ability, where the sensory aspect can support people's motor performance. This study investigated the association between hand sensory with 2PD, hand motor with grip strength, and hand function with FMA (UE-Hand).

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study. Stroke individuals with a chronic phase at least three months after stroke and no more than one year after stroke onset were recruited. All subjects had a normal peripheral nerve function with no previous injury or compression syndrome.

Results: Forty-two participants aged 40-79 (64.0% of the males and only two left-handed dominants) participated in the study post stroke. All participants had a single stroke attack (57.0% left-sided brain lesion), with 43.0% having a diabetic history, and 69.0% of participants having a normal body mass index (BMI). The FMA had a high positive correlation with the grip strength test. Both assessments of the 2PD test had a negligible correlation with FMA and grip strength. 2PD was better than static 2PD.

Conclusion: Findings highlight a strong correlation between grip strength and FMA-UE hand, but there is no correlation between 2PD and grip strength, or between 2PD and FMA-UE hand in stroke patients. It may help guide health professionals, especially physiotherapists, during rehabilitation, focusing on hand motor function. Further research may focus on the clinical assessment of hand sensory, which can be used as the gold standard to evaluate the progression and correlation with other assessments.

Journal of Health Science and Alternative Medicine

Enhancing Cognitive Processing Speed Through Two-Handed Sword Training in Thai Healthy University Students: A Pre-Experimental Study

Associations between Sensory of Fingertips and Hand Function in Individuals Post Stroke