---

Background and Aim: This study examined the effect of empowerment programs on geriatric depression in daily rehabilitation center Farzanegan of Khorramabad city. 

Materials and Methods: In this interventional study, 40 elderly subjects were participated in the city of Khoramabad with a mean age of 65 years old.  They were 8 men and 12 women in each group.

These people have the ability to perform common tasks without dependence on others and they had no systemic and restrictive disease.Subjects randomly divided into two groups (case and control).In case group, empowerment programs was performed for 40 days and 3 hours in a day. Empowerment program included lifestyle education, rehabilitation services, support services, cultural, sports, arts, tourism and leisure services. Part of the program was general such as training of healthy lifestyle and daily exercise and another part of services was presented based on assessment and diagnosis of treatment and rehabilitation team. This program was produced by designers and experts from the office of country welfare  elderly. Depression scores in both group, before the intervention and at the end of intervention was assessed by the beck depression inventory.

Results: Using the empowerment program, depression scores were reduced after intervention (P≤0.047 ), however in the control group did not make significant changes in depression scores.

Conclusion: The date showed that that regular and consistent application of empowerment program can an effective and complementary method in conjunction with other treatments as well as a non-drug therapy in improving depression.

---

Background and Aim: The normal response of H-reflex depression (HD) was reduced in chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. The reduction of this normal response can lead to increase the muscle tone and spasticity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of tripolar cathodal stimulation on HD in SCI patients.

 

Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in 10 volunteered SCI patients and 13 healthy male and female aged 28.91 ± 5.78 years. H-reflexes were elicited at 0.2, 5 and 0.2 Hz and intensity of 65-70 percent of the maximum H-reflex amplitude, before and after tripolar cathodal electrical stimulation of the spinal cord at T₁₁ level.

 

Results : Before trioplar stimulation, H-reflex amplitude decreased with increasing stimulation frequency only in healthy group. H-reflex amplitude decreased from 2.60 ± 1.48 to 1.34 ± 1.30 by 5Hz frequency (P=0.000). After trioplar stimulation in SCI patients group, HD increased with increasing stimulation frequency and H-reflex amplitude decreased significantly from 2.21 ± 1.98 by 0.2 Hz frequency to 1.29 ± 1.50 by 5Hz frequency(P=0.014).

Conclusion: Application of one session of cathodal trioplar stimulation can result the returning of normal HD in SCI patients. Cathodal trioplar stimulation is a non-invasive, without side effects, and an inexpensive method that may be a valuable tool to return the normal inhibition and modulating behavior of the spinal cord circuits.

  

Keywords: Spinal cord injury , Tripolar stimulation, H-reflex depression, Soleus muscle

---

Background and Aim: Depression is one of the most important threats to psychological well-being of individuals in the 21^st century. Individuals experiencing depression will have unpleasant feelings of sadness and discouragement. This feeling stops individuals, especially students, to have the ability of experiencing fun and joyfulness in life. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of short-term resistance exercises on occupational performance areas and depression severity in students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

 

Materials and Methods: Convenience sampling was used in this study. Participants included 40 freshmen of medical sciences in experimental group and a matching group as control group (40 participants). The Beck Depression Inventory (second edition) and Canadian Occupational Performance Measurement were tested before and after implementing the designed protocols. Participants in experimental group performed resistance exercises 3 days a week, each session last 90 minutes over an 8-weeks period. SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis.

 

Results: The paired t test expressed that there are significant differences in performance (P<.001), satisfaction (P<.001) and depression (P<.001) regarding experimental group before and after intervention of the study. The independent t test suggests significant differences in performance (P<.001), satisfaction (P<.001) and depression (P<.001) among both groups after implementing exercise program.

 

Conclusion: Short-term resistance exercises can effectively reduce depression severity and improve performance and satisfaction among students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

 

Keywords: Resistance exercises, Occupational performance areas, Depression, Students