Modulação pela progesterona da sensibilidade dolorosa a estímulos mecânicos e isquêmicos em mulheres saudáveis e jovens

BRUNO, S. S. ; SOUSA, M. B. C. . Modulação pela progesterona da sensibilidade dolorosa a estímulos mecânicos e isquêmicos em mulheres saudáveis e jovens. RBGO. Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia , v. 30, p. 306-311, 2008

Changes in peak expiratory flow and respiratory strength during the menstrual cycle

This study evaluated the spirometry and respiratory static pressures in 17 young women, twice a week for three successive ovulatory menstrual cycles to determine if such variables changed across the menstrual, follicular, periovulatory, early-tomid luteal and late luteal phases. The factors phases of menstrual cycle and individual cycles had no significant effect on the spirometry variables except for peak expiratory flow (PEF) and respiratory static pressures. Significant weak positive correlations were found between the progesterone:estradiol ratio and PEF and between estrogen and tidal volume (r = 0.37), inspiratory time (r = 0.22), expiratory time (r = 0.19), maximal inspiratory pressure (r = 0.25) and maximal expiratory pressure (r = 0.20) and for progesterone and maximal inspiratory pressure (r = 0.32) during the early-to-mid luteal phase. Although most parameters of the spirometry results did not change during the menstrual cycle, the correlations observed between sexual hormones and respiratory control variables suggest a positive influence of sexual female hormones controlling the thoracic pump muscles in the luteal phase

Contested dominance modifies the anovulatory consequences of social subordination in female marmosets

Dominance status among female marmosets is reflected in agonistic behavior and ovarian function. Socially dominant females receive submissive behavior from subordinates, while exhibiting normal ovulatory function. Subordinate females, however, receive agonistic behavior from dominants, while exhibiting reduced or absent ovulatory function. Such disparity in female fertility is not absolute, and groups with two breeding females have been described. The data reported here were obtained from 8 female-female pairs of captive female marmosets, each housed with a single unrelated male. Pairs were classified into two groups: “uncontested” dominance (UD) and “contested” dominance (CD), with 4 pairs each. Dominant females in UD pairs showed significantly higher frequencies (4.1) of agonism (piloerection, attack and chasing) than their subordinates (0.36), and agonistic behaviors were overall more frequently displayed by CD than by UD pairs. Subordinates in CD pairs exhibited more agonistic behavior (2.9) than subordinates in UD pairs (0.36), which displayed significantly more submissive (6.97) behaviors than their dominants (0.35). The data suggest that there is more than one kind of dominance relationship between female common marmosets. Assessment of progesterone levels showed that while subordinates in UD pairs appeared to be anovulatory, the degree of ovulatory disruption in subordinates of CD pairs was more varied and less complete. We suggest that such variation in female-female social dominance relationships and the associated variation in the degree and reliability of fertility suppression may explain variations of the reproductive condition of free-living groups of common marmosets

Avaliação da fidedignidade dos ensaios de esteróides fecais realizados no Laboratório de Medidas Hormonais do Departamento de Fisiologia da UFRN

NASCIMENTO, H. G. ; FERNANDES, L. C. ; SOUSA, M. B. C. . Avaliação da fidedignidade dos ensaios de esteróides fecais realizados no Laboratório de Medidas Hormonais do Departamento de Fisiologia da UFRN. Publica , v. 2, p. 39-48, 2006.

Caracterização comportamental endócrina das fases ontogenéticas de sagüi comum (Callithrix jacchus)

The use of animal models in biomedical research is ever increasing. Models that use primates might also have advantages in terms of low maintenance costs and availability of biological knowledge, thereby favoring their use in different experimental protocols. Many current stress studies use animal models at different developmental stages since biological response differs during ontogeny. The aims of this study were to perform a detailed characterization of the developmental stages of common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), a very important animal model used in biomedical research. Ten subjects, 6 females and 4 males, were followed from birth to initial adult age (16 months). Behavioral and fecal collection for measurement of adrenal (cortisol) and sex (progesterone, estradiol and androgens) hormones took place twice a week during the first month of life and once a week for the remainder of the study. Behavior was observed for 30 minutes in the morning (0700-09:00h) and afternoon (12:00-14:00h). Behavioral profile showed changes during ontogeny, characterizing the 4 developmental stages and the respective phases proposed by Leão et al (2009).. Differentiation of developmental stages was considered using the onset, end, change and stabilization of the behavioral profile parental care (weaning and carrying), ingestion (solid food), affiliation (social grooming) and autogrooming, agonism (scent marking and piloerection) and play behavior and endocrine profile. Infant weaning and carrying terminated within the infantile stage and the peak of solid food ingestion was recorded in the infantile III phase. Receiving grooming was recorded earlier than grooming performed by the infant and autogrooming. The first episode of scent marking was recorded in the 4th week and it was the least variable behavior, in terms of its onset, which, in almost all animals, was between the 5th and 7th week of life. Solitary play and play with the twin started around the 7th week and play with other members of the group started 8 weeks later. Sex hormone secretion started to differ from basal levels between the 21st and 23rd week of life, in males and females, suggesting that puberty occurs simultaneously in both sexes. Basal cortisol, even at an early age, was higher in females than in males. However, cortisol was not correlated with the juvenile stage, as expected, since this stage corresponds to the transition between infancy and adult age and most behaviors are intensified by this time. The behavioral and endocrine profile of subadult animals did not differ from that of the adults. These results provide more detailed parameters for the developmental process of C. jacchus and open new perspectives for the use of experimental approaches focused on the intermediate ontogenetic phases of this species

Caracterização do ritmo de atividade motora durante a puberdade em sagüis (Callithrix jacchus) sob condições semi-naturais

Most of ontogenetic studies on circadian timing system have been developed on infants, adults and elderly. The puberty has not been a stage of life few studied, except for researches in human adolescents, that presents phase delay in sleep-wake cycle. However, few studies have focused on the basis of this circadian change due to methodological difficulties. Thus, an animal model to study the sleep-wake cycle at puberty is essential. In the common marmoset, a social primate, the circadian activity periodicity stabilizes around 4 months (juvenile stage) and the 8h period component has a seasonal variation. Puberty stage of this species begins near the 8th month of age in males and near the 7th month in females with 7 months of duration. With the aim to characterize the circadian motor activity rhythm during puberty in marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) the motor activity was continuous registered by actiwatches in 6 animals between 5-12 months. Since the social factor influence the behavior of this specie, behavioral observations were realized in 30 minutes windows twice/week to a general evaluation of the influence social interactions dynamic across experiment. Determination of puberty onset was done by fecal progesterone and estrogens in females, and androgens in males. From the analysis of the multiple regression test was selected a model that evaluate age and seasonal variables effect on the activity rhythm according to the higher explanation coefficient. The total activity was the only parameter influenced by age. Moreover, the activity onset was the parameter more explained by the model, and the sunrise was the factor that most influenced it. After the puberty onset, 2 dyads advanced the activity onset. The activity total decreased in 1 dyad and increased in 2 dyads. This increase may be related to the birth of infants in these families. The motor activity circadian component stabilized later in 1 dyad, coinciding with the puberty onset of these animals, while bimodality, caused by the 8 h component, was modulated by seasonality. The agonistic behavior was not evaluated due to reduced number of events. There were changes across ages in affiliative behavior of contact in 1 dyad, grooming done in 1 animal and grooming received in 2 animals. Although there is evidence of puberty effect on the activity motor rhythm, the photoperiodic fluctuations influenced the rhythm. Therefore is not possible to affirm if the puberty modulate the activity rhythm in marmosets

Estudo da preferência manual durante o desenvolvimento ontogenético em sagüi comum ( Callithix jacchus)

The study of manual preference is a widely used approach to investigate cerebral laterality in nonhuman primates. However, in New World primates, little is known about the ontogenesis of hand use asymmetry, in both forced and spontaneous activities, as well as how they correlate with sexual hormones. Accordingly, a longitudinal study was conducted on the manual preference of 6 female and 4 male common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). The study included the record of forced tests to reach for the food using only one hand (forced activity) and activities such as grooming (auto and social), scratching, grasping the food and hanging, in weekly sessions from the infantile (4 months) to the early adult phase (15 months). Feces samples were also collected, at least once a week, to evaluate the level of gonadal steroids and their influence on these behaviors. In the forced activity, the results confirm the influence of the development period on manual preference during feeding, shown by the increase in lateral stability when grasping the food between the juvenile and adult phases. During this period, a sexual hormone effect on development was also observed, mainly of progesterone in females and androgen in males, but no difference between sexes was found. In the females, progesterone also influenced the manual preference index, with a proportional increase in the degree of manual asymmetry during puberty. With respect to spontaneous activities, the animals showed proportional use of both hands when scratching, hanging, holding the food and grooming. A positive correlation was also found between the preference for holding the food in forced activities and in spontaneous activities

Papel de sinais cromáticos na identificação de parceiros sexuais em sagüi comum (callithrix jacchus)

The literature concerning color vision shows a trichromatic advantage in detecting ripe fruits and young leaves, but there are contradictory results. There is also the suggestion of this type of vision being adapted to perceive socio-sexual signals. Indeed, Old World primates utilize the skin color of conspecifics as a factor of attraction. But in New World primates there is no record of a coloration signal in the body that can be utilized by other group members. The present study aims to: 1- test whether there is a relation between coloration of body regions and ovulatory cycle in female Callithrix jacchus; 2- Determine if this species uses visual signals to choose mates that are sexually receptive. We collected feces from six females during one month to quantify progesterone concentration by EIA. Body region coloration was measured using a portable spectrometer and modeled to obtain the quantum catch of each photoreceptor, the opponency channels and chromatic distance between the points in units of JND. We recorded the behavior of six males exposed to three pairs of females with a cycling and a non-cycling female in each pair using a transparent plexiglass apparatus. The color of different body regions presented a correlation between progesterone concentration and the yellow-blue and red-green visual axes, with the genitalia as the region showing the highest correlation. The visual axis more apt to see the color variations was the yellow-blue in dichromats, and in trichromats were the red-green to face, yellow-blue to abdomen and both chromatic axes to genitalia. There was no difference in the signal detectability between trichromats and dichromats, but the perception pattern differed between the phenotypes, with a better signal detection by the dichromat phenotype 562 and the trichromat phenotype 543/562. During the behavioral experiments males presented longer gaze duration in periods of experimental manipulation and gaze duration was always longer towards cycling females compared to non-cycling females. Male locomotion during experimental manipulation was greater than in the control only during the periovulatory period of the female, indicating greater excitement. The behavior of cycling females was more active than the behavior of the non-cycling ones regarding locomotion and touching of the plexiglass division of the apparatus. Male gaze duration to cycling females increased with decreasing progesterone concentration, but none of the coloration parameters was correlated to the mate preference exhibited. This coloration signal can transmit information to animals of the group about fertility of female. Different from the intense red of the genitalia swellings of Old World primates, marmoset female genitalia became more bluish-green in the fertile period. Males chose fertile females and were able to visually identify the periovulatory period of females. Choice is related to progesterone concentration, but our results do not show relation between coloration and mate preference. Maybe some behavioral measure is associated with the choice

Influência do ciclo estral no efeito do diazepam na ansiedade e memória de ratas

Memory and anxiety are related phenomena. Several evidences suggest that anxiety is fundamental for learnining and may facilitate or impair the memory formation process depending of the context. The majority of animal studies of anxiety and fear use only males as experimental subjects, while studies with females are rare in the literature. However, the prevalence in phobic and anxiety disorders is greater in women than in men. Moreover, it is known that gender maybe influence benzodiazepine effects, the classic drugs used for anxiety disorders treatment. In this respect, to further investigate if fear/anxiety aspects related to learning in female subjects would contribute to the study of phobic and anxiety disorders and their relationship with learning/memory processes, the present work investigates (a) the effects of benzodiazepine diazepam on female rats performance in a aversive memory task that assess concomitantly anxiety/emotionality, as the interaction between both; (b) the influence of estrous cycle phases of female rats on diazepam effects at aversive memory and anxiety/emotionality, and the interaction between both and (c) the role of hormonal fluctuations during estrous cycle phases in absence of diazepam effects in proestrus, because female rats in this phase received or not mifepristone, the antagonist of progesterone receptor, previously to the diazepam treatment. For this purpose, the plus maze discriminative avoidance task, previously validated for studies of anxiety concomitantly to learning/memory, was used. The apparatus employed is an adaptation of a conventional plus maze, with two opens arms and two closed arms, one of which presenting aversive stimulation (noise and light). The parameters used were: time in non-aversive arm compared to time in aversive and percentage of time in aversive arm on several temporal divisions, in order to evaluate memory; percentage of time in open arms, risk assessment, head dipping and end exploring to evaluate anxiety ; and distance traveled for locomotion. In experiment I, we found anxiolytic effect of diazepam only for 4 mg/kg dose, however the amnestic effect appear at a dose of 2 mg/kg. In second experiment, rats were divided in groups according estrous cycle phase (metaestrus/diestrus, proestrus e estrus). In this experiment, when we considered estrous cycle phase or diazepam treatment, the results did not demonstrate any differences in anxiety/emotionality parameters. The amnestic effects of diazepam occur in female rats in metestrus/diestrus and estrus and is absent in proestrous rats. Proestrous female rats that received mifepristone exhibited the amnestic effect of diazepam and also anxiolytic effects, that it was not previously observed in this dose. The results have demonstrated dissociation of anxiolytic and amnestic diazepam effects, not previously observed in males; the absence of amnestic effect of diazepam in proestrous phase; and the possible role of progesterone in aversive memory over diazepam effect, because the mifepristone, associated with diazepam, caused amnestic effect in proestrus

Influência da prática de yoga sobre os sintomas da menopausa

Yoga has been studied and practiced for over three thousand years and nowadays it is widely adopted as a mean to assist the health of individuals. Additionally, numerous benefits to the health rehabilitation and quality of life of elderly individuals has been attributed to this set of techniques. In women, the aging process is characterized by the interruption on ovarian follicular activity (menopause) characterized by a number of neuroendocrine and physiologic changes. Those changes are frequently accompanied by uncomfortable and occasionally debilitating symptoms. Although there is profuse clinical information about menopause, studies on the potential therapeutic application of yoga during the climacteric period are scarce. The objective of this research was to investigate the psychophysiological effects of 12 weeks of yoga practice in 88 postmenopausal women. The volunteers were divided into a control group (no intervention), exercise group and yoga group. Instruments were applied for the evaluation of climacteric syndrome, stress, depression, quality of life, and anxiety. In addition, the determination of hormonal levels of FSH, LH, estradiol, cortisol and progesterone, and biochemical levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, urea, creatinine, AST and ALT were conducted. Our results showed that the yoga group had significantly lower scores after the regular practice of yoga for menopausal symptoms. Besides, those changes were accompanied by a statistical significant improvement in the stress levels, decrease in depression scores, and higher scores in quality of life when compared with the control group and the exercise group. As well, the regular practice of yoga promoted the maintenance of cortisol levels compared to control group after 12 weeks. Regarding the biochemical parameters yoga practitioners presented lower levels of LDL in the blood. These results are supported by previous studies which found that regular practice of yoga improves quality of life of subjects, Thus, herein we propose that yoga can be a non-pharmacological alternative to management of menopausal symptoms and stress in postmenopausal women

Modulação pela progesterona da sensibilidade dolorosa a estímulos mecânicos e isquêmicos em mulheres saudáveis e jovens

BRUNO, S. S. ; SOUSA, M. B. C. . Modulação pela progesterona da sensibilidade dolorosa a estímulos mecânicos e isquêmicos em mulheres saudáveis e jovens. RBGO. Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia , v. 30, p. 306-311, 2008

Changes in peak expiratory flow and respiratory strength during the menstrual cycle

This study evaluated the spirometry and respiratory static pressures in 17 young women, twice a week for three successive ovulatory menstrual cycles to determine if such variables changed across the menstrual, follicular, periovulatory, early-tomid luteal and late luteal phases. The factors phases of menstrual cycle and individual cycles had no significant effect on the spirometry variables except for peak expiratory flow (PEF) and respiratory static pressures. Significant weak positive correlations were found between the progesterone:estradiol ratio and PEF and between estrogen and tidal volume (r = 0.37), inspiratory time (r = 0.22), expiratory time (r = 0.19), maximal inspiratory pressure (r = 0.25) and maximal expiratory pressure (r = 0.20) and for progesterone and maximal inspiratory pressure (r = 0.32) during the early-to-mid luteal phase. Although most parameters of the spirometry results did not change during the menstrual cycle, the correlations observed between sexual hormones and respiratory control variables suggest a positive influence of sexual female hormones controlling the thoracic pump muscles in the luteal phase

Contested dominance modifies the anovulatory consequences of social subordination in female marmosets

Dominance status among female marmosets is reflected in agonistic behavior and ovarian function. Socially dominant females receive submissive behavior from subordinates, while exhibiting normal ovulatory function. Subordinate females, however, receive agonistic behavior from dominants, while exhibiting reduced or absent ovulatory function. Such disparity in female fertility is not absolute, and groups with two breeding females have been described. The data reported here were obtained from 8 female-female pairs of captive female marmosets, each housed with a single unrelated male. Pairs were classified into two groups: “uncontested” dominance (UD) and “contested” dominance (CD), with 4 pairs each. Dominant females in UD pairs showed significantly higher frequencies (4.1) of agonism (piloerection, attack and chasing) than their subordinates (0.36), and agonistic behaviors were overall more frequently displayed by CD than by UD pairs. Subordinates in CD pairs exhibited more agonistic behavior (2.9) than subordinates in UD pairs (0.36), which displayed significantly more submissive (6.97) behaviors than their dominants (0.35). The data suggest that there is more than one kind of dominance relationship between female common marmosets. Assessment of progesterone levels showed that while subordinates in UD pairs appeared to be anovulatory, the degree of ovulatory disruption in subordinates of CD pairs was more varied and less complete. We suggest that such variation in female-female social dominance relationships and the associated variation in the degree and reliability of fertility suppression may explain variations of the reproductive condition of free-living groups of common marmosets

Avaliação da fidedignidade dos ensaios de esteróides fecais realizados no Laboratório de Medidas Hormonais do Departamento de Fisiologia da UFRN

NASCIMENTO, H. G. ; FERNANDES, L. C. ; SOUSA, M. B. C. . Avaliação da fidedignidade dos ensaios de esteróides fecais realizados no Laboratório de Medidas Hormonais do Departamento de Fisiologia da UFRN. Publica , v. 2, p. 39-48, 2006.