17 resultados para Locomotor sensitization
em Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte(UFRN)
Resumo:
The locomotion is one of the most important capabilities developed by the animals, whose improvement is dependent on several neural centers, including the spinal cord. This activity promotes a lot of spinal modifications that enable it to adapt and improve their connections. This study aimed to observe the morphological changes occurring in the spinal cord after locomotor training in intact rats. For that we used male Wistar rats, which were submitted to locomotor training in wheel activity in protocols 1, 3 and 7 days (30min/day), and the results were compared to a control group not subjected to exercise. Coronal sections of 40 μm of the lumbosacral spinal cord were subjected to immunohistochemical techniques anti-Egr1, anti-NMDA and anti-SP, to characterize the spinal plasticity related to these substances. Egr1-immunoreactive cells were increased in all laminas, essentially in those more intensely activated by locomotion, laminas IV-X levels L4-S3. All observed sections expressed NMDA-immunoreactivity. Analysis of SP in the spinal dorsal horn resulted no significant variations of this neuropeptide related to locomotion. The results suggest that locomotor training provides synaptic plasticity similar to LTP in all laminas of the lumbosacral spinal cord, in different intensities. However, the SP appears do not participate of this process in the spinal dorsal horn. This work will contribute for consolidating and characterization of synaptic plasticity in the spinal cord
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The processing of spatial and mnemonic information is believed to depend on hippocampal theta oscillations (5–12 Hz). However, in rats both the power and the frequency of the theta rhythm are modulated by locomotor activity, which is a major confounding factor when estimating its cognitive correlates. Previous studies have suggested that hippocampal theta oscillations support decision-making processes. In this study, we investigated to what extent spatial decision making modulates hippocampal theta oscillations when controlling for variations in locomotion speed. We recorded local field potentials from the CA1 region of rats while animals had to choose one arm to enter for reward (goal) in a four-arm radial maze. We observed prominent theta oscillations during the decision-making period of the task, which occurred in the center of the maze before animals deliberately ran through an arm toward goal location. In speed-controlled analyses, theta power and frequency were higher during the decision period when compared to either an intertrial delay period (also at the maze center), or to the period of running toward goal location. In addition, theta activity was higher during decision periods preceding correct choices than during decision periods preceding incorrect choices. Altogether, our data support a cognitive function for the hippocampal theta rhythm in spatial decision making
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Study, a descriptive-like one, is guided by ethnographic principles which have analyzed the elderly within the familiar context in his/her process of health and aging, in the neighborhood called Felipe Camarão, located in the western administrative region of Natal, RN, a Northeastern city of Brazil. The participants are elders aging 61 to 84 years old, living in this referring neighborhood, whose majority is constituted of migrants from the rural region of the state of the RN, retired, including widows, widowers and married couples, with low school-educational degree. For the information gathering it was utilized a semi-structured interview, the participant observation and the field diary, being put into effect, in majority, in the houses and in the Family Health Unit, in a period between March and October of 2006. For the results discussion it was utilized an analysis of thematic content and the program ALCESTE (In Portuguese, Análise Léxica por Contexto de um Conjunto de Segmentos de Texto or Lexical Analysis by Context of a Set of Text Segments), which through have emerged two corpus: the corpus I, Family and the elderly, and corpus II, The elderly and the aging within society. The analysis of the results has permitted to conclude that the family, also used by the public policies as a strategy of their practices in health, it is a necessary base support for the elderly citizen in his/her process of aging and of health. The elders familiar contexts have allowed this study to identify the existence of minimal social conditions of life, of new rearrangements of the current families by means of the plurigenerational acquaintanceship and the active presence of the elderly woman as a maintainer of this family; also by means of conflicted relationships among one another but in a bearable level of acquaintanceship. Different conceptions about the aging and the elderly generate disagreement and divergency however the family support and help for the solving of these problems and the attention to health are proceeding from the family components. However, it is noticed that loneliness is something present in these elder s everyday lives. About the attention to health, in a basic level of it, it was noticed that there are still a lot of gaps, mainly concerning promotional and preventing actions, deserving a higher sensitization and effort by the local health institutions
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The present work aimed the elaboration of an environmental study focused on the hotel sector in order to present an analysis of the environmental aspects of Ponta Negra Beach, in Natal, RN, Brazil and also the aspects of the small and medium hotels existing in this area. By means of this work, it is possible to elaborate a model of a simplified System of Environmental Management which can attend to the exigencies required by NBR ISO 14001: 2004, as well as to present economical viability and possibility to be implemented in a way that hotels may converge to the sustainable environmental development of the tourism in Ponta Negra Beach. The research methodology presents itself divided into three items: execution of the environmental characterization of Ponta Negra Beach, by way of technical visits and interpretation of satellite images and cartograms of the main environmental characteristics of the region; execution of the work already made concerning the development, application and interpretation of the evaluation of the environmental aspects of each hotel, considering the hotels and the period of data collection, these used in evaluation, research instrument and a description of the procedure utilized for the analysis of the collected data and the utilized methodology for the elaboration of a model of a simplified System of Environmental Management. In a general way, it has been concluded that the practices executed by hotels in Ponta Negra Beach are impact-like and harmful to the environment. The simple implementation of analysis procedures and control of the environmental aspects could suggestively contribute to the reduction of environmental impacts promoted by the hotel section at this beach and in the nearby areas. It had been noticed that the study contributed to the sensitization of managers concerning the environmental problems since, in many other times, the detected problem was, in fact, the non-acquaintance about the environmental aspects and impacts from those hotels administrators, because of the lack of surveys and studies about the theme. It had also been noticed the arousing of a possible environmental attitude from some managers
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The organic products represent one of the main trends of alimentary consumption in the new century. In Brazil, the answer is already well representative which it becomes the country, as a great consuming and exporting market of products of LVF type. The objective of this research was to investigate the factors capable to influence the food consumer in its purchase decision of organic products in the supermarkets of Teresina, capital of Piauí State. The methodology was exploratory and descriptive, using survey, with closed and opened questions in 542 interviewed. The questionnaire was based on projected scales to evaluate the factors that can influence the purchase decision of organic products, whose variable had been grouped in the following groups: behavior, knowledge, interest, competitiveness, importance, barrier and profile. The used statistical techniques were descriptive analysis and multiple regression analysis. The results demonstrate interest of the population in paying more for the organic product, due to better quality of life, however it lacks to one better spreading and greater sensitization to attract these consumers. Some recommendations and proposals are presented after the results, as suggestions for future research
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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
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Bipolar disorder has been growing in several countries. It is a disease with high mortality and has been responsible by the social isolation of the patients. Bipolar patients have alterations in circadian timing system, showing a phase shift in various physiological variables. There are several arguments demonstrating alterations in circadian rhythms may be part of the bipolar disorder pathophysiology. Given the necessity for further elucidation, the goal of this study was to validate the forced desynchronization protocol as an animal model for bipolar disorder. To do this, Wistar rats were submitted to a forced desynchronization protocol which consists in a symmetrical light dark cycle with 22h. Under this protocol, rats dissociate the locomotor activity rhythm into two components: one synchronized to the light / dark cycle with 22h, and another component with period longer than 24 hours following the animal endogenous period. These rhythms with different periods sometimes there is coincidence, which we named CAP (Coincidence Active Phase) and the opposite phase, non-coincidence, called NCAP (Non-Concidence Active Phase). The hypothesis is that in CAP animals present a mania-like behavior and animals in NCAP depressive-like behavior. We found some evidence described in detail throughout this thesis. In sum, the animals under forced desynchronization protocol were more stressed, showed an increase in stereotypic behaviors such as grooming and reduction in other behaviors such as risk assessment and vertical exploration when compared to the control group. The CAP animals showed increased locomotor activity, especially during the dark phase when compared to controls (rats under T24) and less depressive behavior in the forced swim test. The animals in NCAP showed a higher anxiety in elevated plus maze, but they don t have ahnedonia. The animals under dissociation have more labeled 5HT1A cells at the amygdala area, which appoint that they have more amygdala inhibition. Taking these data together, we could partially validated the forced desynchronization protocol as an animal model for mood oscillations
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Caffeine is considered the most consumed psychostimulant in the world, presenting several central and peripheral effects. In the Central Nervous System the major effect occur by its antagonistic activity at the A1 and A2a subtypes of the adenosine receptors. These receptors are responsible for the slow-wave sleep induction, and their binding, caused by the consumption of foods and beverages that contain caffeine, cause behaviors like increase of alertness, mood and locomotion. The effects of caffeine on memory are still discussed because of the diversity of experimental protocols. Also, it does not have the same effects on all stages of the processing of memory - acquisition, consolidation and recall. Thus, using the marmoset (Callitrhix jacchus) as subject, we aim to evaluate the effects of caffeine on the memory of this primate through the conditioned place preference paradigm, where the animal selects a context by presence of food. This cognitive task consists of five phases. The first phase was two sessions of pre-exposure, in which they were evaluated for preference for any compartment of the apparatus. Then, we proceeded the training, conditioning the animals to the food-present context for 8 days. Then, there was administration of caffeine or placebo (10mg/kg) for 8 consecutive days, during the pre-sleep phase, where the 20 animals were distributed in two groups: placebo and repeated. The forth phase was one day of retraining, a re-exposure of the apparatus to the marmosets followed by the administration of caffeine (for the repeated group and a new group called abstinence) or placebo (for placebo and abstinence groups). Finally, was the test where we evaluated if the subjects learned where the food was present. Moreover, in this work we evaluate the existence of differences between females and males on the task, and the locomotor activity for the experimental groups. The results showed that in the pre-exposure phase the animals were habituated on the apparatus and did not present differences for any contexts. In training, they were able to learn the conditioning task, independent of gender. For the retraining, the two groups exhibited more interactions in rewarded context than that in non-rewarded context. Nevertheless, in the locomotor activity, the repeated group moved similarly in contact with the apparatus and outside of it. In the other hand, the animals of the placebo group moved more when in contact with the apparatus. In the test phase, the marmosets under influence of caffeine presented an increase in the locomotor activity when compared with the placebo group, corroborating works that show this increase in locomotion. In the learning evaluation, the continuous and abstinence groups had a bad performance in the task in relation to the placebo and acute groups. This suggests that the prolonged administration of caffeine disrupts the memories because it affected sleep, which is largely responsible offline processing of memories
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The lost of phase relationship between rhythms and behaviour can, and often do, undesirable consequences. The purpose os study was to ascertain the effect of circadian desynchronization in T22 about metabolism of wistar rats. The subjects consisted of 24 animals separated in two groups: control (n=12) T24 with 8 weeks of aged and experimental group (n=12) T22, also with 8 weeks of aged. Both the groups were subject to register of locomotor actitivity, body temperature, body weight and food intake in all the experiment. And more, both the groups were subject to food deprivation, running in treadmill and forced swimming. The results show rhythm of locomotor activity and body temperature desynchronized. Dont exist diference in body weight between both the groups (T24 = 386,75±40,78g e T22 380,83±44,28g) . However, the food intake was different between the phases, light and dark, in intergroup and intragroup. The body temperature was not different in food deprivation. The same ocurred for running in treadmill and forced swimming. Since similar alterations occur in shift workers, it is proposed that the experimental paradigm presented in this manuscript is a useful model of shift work. That is, alterations in activity/rest cycles and consummatory behavior can affect the health of organism
Resumo:
One of the main environmental cues for the adjustment of temporal organization of the animals is the light-dark cycle (LD), which undergoes changes in phase duration throughout the seasons. Photoperiod signaling by melatonin in mammals allows behavioral changes along the year, as in the activity-rest cycle, in mood states and in cognitive performance. The aim of this study was to investigate if common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) exhibits behavioral changes under short and long photoperiods in a 24h cycle, assessing their individual behaviors, vocal repertoire, exploratory activity (EA), recognition memory (RM) and the circadian rhythm of locomotor activity (CRA). Eight adult marmosets were exposed to a light-dark cycle of 12:12; LD 08:16; LD 12:12 and LD 16:08, sequentially, for four weeks in each condition. Locomotor activity was recorded 24h/day by passive infrared motion detectors above the individual cages. A video camera system was programmed to record each animal, twice a week, on the first two light hours. From the videos, frequency of behaviors was registered as anxiety-like, grooming, alert, hanging position, staying in nest box and feeding using continuous focal animal sampling method. Simultaneously, the calls emitted in the experimental room were recorded by a single microphone centrally located and categorized as affiliative (whirr, chirp), contact (phee), long distance (loud shrill), agonistic (twitter) and alarm (tsik, seep, see). EA was assessed on the third hour after lights onset on the last week of each condition. In a first session, marmosets were exposed to one unfamiliar object during 15 min and 24h later, on the second session, a novel object was added to evaluate RM. Results showed that long days caused a decreased of amplitude and period variance of the CRA, but not short days. Short days decreased the total daily activity and active phase duration. On long days, active phase duration increased due to an advance of activity onset in relation to symmetric days. However, not all subjects started the activity earlier on long days. The activity offset was similar to symmetric days for the majority of marmosets. Results of EA showed that RM was not affected by short or long days, and that the marmosets exhibited a decreased in duration of EA on long days. Frequency and type of calls and frequency of anxiety-like behaviors, staying in nest box and grooming were lower on the first two light hours on long days. Considering the whole active phase of marmosets as we elucidate the results of vocalizations and behaviors, it is possible that these changes in the first two light hours are due to the shifting of temporal distribution of marmoset activities, since some animals did not advance the activity onset on long days. Consequently, the marmosets mean decreased because the sampling was not possible. In conclusion, marmosets synchronized the CRA to the tested photoperiods and as the phase angle varied a lot among marmosets it is suggested that they can use different strategies. Also, long days had an effect on activity-rest cycle and exploratory behaviors
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Neuropeptide S (NPS) is an endogenous 20-aminoacid peptide which binds a G protein-coupled receptor named NPSR. This peptidergic system is involved in the modulation of several biological functions, such as locomotion, anxiety, nociception, food intake and motivational behaviors. Studies have shown the participation of NPSR receptors in mediating the hyperlocomotor effects of NPS. A growing body of evidence suggests the participation of adenosinergic, dopaminergic and CRF systems on the hyperlocomotor effects of NPS. Considering that little is known about the role of dopaminergic system in mediating NPS-induced hyperlocomotion, the present study aims to investigate the locomotor actions of intracerebroventricular (icv) NPS in mice pretreated with α-metil-p-tirosine (AMPT, inhibitor of dopamine synthesis), reserpine (inhibitor of dopamine vesicle storage) or sulpiride (D2 receptor antagonist) in the open field test. A distinct group of animals received the same pretreatments described above (AMPT, reserpine or sulpiride) and the hyperlocomotor effects of methylphenidate (dopamine reuptake inhibitor) were investigated in the open field. NPS and methylphenidate increased the mouse locomotor activity. AMPT per se did not change the locomotion of the animals, but it partially reduced the hyperlocomotion of methylphenidate. The pretreatment with AMPT did not affect the psychostimulant effects of NPS. Both reserpine and sulpiride inhibited the stimulatory actions of NPS and methylphenidate. These findings show that the hyperlocomotor effects of methylphenidate, but not NPS, were affected by the pretreatment with AMPT. Furthermore, methylphenidate- and NPS-induced hyperlocomotion was impaired by reserpine and sulpiride pretreatments. Together, data suggests that NPS can increase locomotion even when the synthesis of catecholamines was impaired. Additionally, the hyperlocomotor effects of NPS and methylphenidate depend on monoamines vesicular storaged, mainly dopamine, and on the activation of D2 receptors. The psychostimulant effects of NPS via activation of dopaminergic system display clinical significance on the treatment of diseases which involves dopaminergic pathways, such as Parkinson s disease and drug addiction
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The physiologist H. Selye defined stress as the nonspecific response of the body to any factors that endanger homeostasis (balance of internal environment) of the individual. These factors, agents stressors, are able to activate the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, thus resulting in the physiological responses to stress by the release of glucocorticoids that leads to psychophysiological changes, including effects on cognitive functions such as learning and memory. When this axis is acutely stimulated occurs a repertoire of behavioral and physiological changes can be adaptive to the individual. Notwithstanding, when the HPA axis is chronically stimulated, changes may favor the development of, such as anxiety disorders. Some drugs used in the clinic for the treatment of anxiety disorders these can exert effects on cognitive function, on the HPA axis and on the anxiety. In this context, the aim of our study was to investigate the effects of administration i.p. acute of diazepam (DZP, 2 mg/kg), buspirone (BUS, 3 mg/kg), mirtazapine (MIR, 10 mg/kg) and fluoxetine (FLU, 10 mg/kg) in male mice submitted to acute restraint stress, and evaluated using plus-maze discriminative avoidance task (PMDAT), which simultaneously evaluates parameters such as learning, memory and anxiety. Our results demonstrated that (1) the administration of DZP and BUS, but not FLU, promoted anxiolytic effects in animals; (2) administration mirtazapine caused sedative effect to animals; (3) in the training session, the animals treated with BUS, MIR and FLU learned the task, on the other hand DZP group showed impairment in learning; (4) in the test session, animals treated with DZP, BUS, and MIR showed deficits in relation to discrimination between the enclosed arms, aversive versus non-aversive arm, demonstrating an impairment in memory, however, animals treated with FLU showed no interference in the retrieval of this memory; (5) acute stress did not interfere in locomotor activity, anxiety, or learning on the learning task, but induced impairment in retrieval memory, and the group treated with FLU did not demonstrated this deficit of memory . These results suggest that acute administration of drugs with anxiolytic and antidepressant activity does not interfere with the learning process this aversive task, but impair its retrieval, as well as the acute restraint stress. However, the antidepressant fluoxetine was able to reverse memory deficits promoted by acute stress, which may suggest that modulation, even acutely serotonergic neurotransmission, by selectively inhibiting the reuptake of this neurotransmitter, interferes on the process of retrieval of an aversive memory
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Lithium (Li) is the first choice to treat bipolar disorder, a psychiatric illness characterized by mood oscillations between mania and depression. However, studies have demonstrated that this drug might influence mnemonic process due to its neuroprotector, antiapoptotic and neurogenic effects. The use of Li in the treatment of cognitive deficits caused by brain injury or neurodegenerative disorders have been widely studied, and this drug shows to be effective in preventing or even alleviating the memory impairment. The effects of Li on anxiety and depression are controversial and the relationship of the effects of lithium on memory, anxiety and depression remain unknown. In this context, this study aims to: evaluate the effects of acute and chronic administration of lithium carbonate in aversive memory and anxiety, simultaneously, using the plus maze discriminative avoidance task (PMDAT); test the antidepressant effect of the drug through the forced swimming test (FS) and analyze brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in structures related to memory and emotion. To evaluation of the acute effects, male Wistar rats were submitted to i.p. administration of lithium carbonate (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg) one hour before the training session (PMDAT) or lithium carbonate (50 or 100 mg/kg) one hour before the test session (FS). To evaluation of the chronic effects, the doses administered were 50 or 100 mg/kg or vehicle once a day for 21 days before the beginning of behavioral tasks (PMDAT and FS). Afterwards, the animals were euthanized and their brains removed and submitted to immunohistochemistry procedure to quantify BDNF. The animals that received acute treatment with 100 and 200 mg/kg of Li did not discriminated between the enclosed arms (aversive and non-aversive) in the training session of PMDAT, showing that these animal did not learned the task. This lack of discrimination was also observed in the test session, showing that the animals did not recall the aversive task. We also observed an increased exploration of the open arms of these same groups, indicating an anxiolytic effect. The same groups showed a reduction of locomotor activity, however, this effect does not seem to be related with the anxiolytic effect of the drug. Chronic treatment with Li did not promote alterations on learning or memory processes. Nevertheless, we observed a reduction of open arms exploration by animals treated with 50 mg/kg when compared to the other groups, showing an anxiogenic effect caused by this dose. This effect it is not related to locomotor alterations since there were no alterations in these parameters. Both acute and chronic treatment were ineffective in the FS. Chronic treatment with lithium was not able to modify BDNF expression in hippocampus, amygdala and pre-frontal cortex. These results suggest that acute administration of lithium promote impairments on learning in an aversive task, blocking the occurrence of memory consolidation and retrieval. The reduction of anxiety following acute treatment may have prevented the learning of the aversive task, as it has been found that optimum levels of anxiety are necessary for the occurrence of learning with emotional context. With continued, treatment the animals recover the ability to learn and recall the task. Indeed, they do not show differences in relation to control group, and the lack of alterations on BDNF expression corroborates this result. Possibly, the regimen of treatment used was not able to promote cognitive improvement. Li showed acute anxiolytic effect, however chronic administration 4 promoted the opposite effect. More studies are necessary to clarify the potential beneficial effect of Li on aversive memory
Resumo:
The present thesis evaluated the contributions and limitations of the tutorship program introduced in EMATER-RN, as a tactic of organizational socialization for civil servants in probationary stage. Tutorship was understood as an intensive and continuous relational process, in which a more experienced person in the organization the tutor offers psychosocial support, stimulates the development of the professional career and enables to the newcomer the tutee learning on job performance. The organizational socialization was considered in the perspective of the symbolic interactionism. The study was characterized as a program evaluation and as an action research. The practical interventions for the program implementation were conducted and, at the same time, the evaluations of process, results and reaction to the program were applied. Among the major contributions of the action research, it stood out: the diagnosis of reasons for the formation of the pair and of expectations of tutors and tutees, the improvement of the tutorship registration tools, the ascertainment of the success of the program in the socialization of the new civil servants, the confirmation of the importance of the compatibility among them and of the adequate performance of tutorship functions for achieving its benefits. Based in constraints of the program, one may quote as essential recommendations: the formation of a technical team supporting the program, the clear establishment of deadlines for each procedure and the reinforcement to its compliance, the investigation of the functions performed by the tutor, the sensitization of the managers to the resolution of problems that affect the program, the voluntary participation of the tutor and the continuous meetings of tutors and tutees. One settles for the relevance of the program and in favor of its continuation, provided that its improvement and systematic management are conducted.
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Today's society is in a real collapse of an environmental nature. The populations are lost due to a dream of development without thinking of the consequences that said development can bring to human populations. Thus, it is necessary that strategies be developed for the purpose of protecting the flora and fauna that is at risk from suffering the pressure to achieve this development. Thus important issues involving the need to conserve nature and the creation of protected areas as these strategies are increasingly being developed in research, whether in the biological and / or social. In this sense, the aim of this research through environmental perception social actors for the formation of significant elements for understanding the relationship between man and nature, and from there to provide actions for sensitization. As well as changing attitudes towards environmental issues, to thereby provide analysis based on Environmental Education in order to provide the production of environmental knowledge as a tool that provides value shift. This area of research was to study the Environmental Protection Area Jenipabu - APA Jenipabu, located in northeastern Brazil. Where, from the environmental perception of students from schools within and around this Nature Conservation Unit notes were made regarding the value and meaning given by students, and how this, the feeling of belonging to these groups. This dissertation is composed of two chapters, the first is titled Environmental perception and feeling of belonging in the area of environmental protection in coastal RN - Brazil, where it makes a diagnosis of how these groups understands and realizes the Unity of Nature Conservation. The second, which is titled Construction of environmental knowledge and conservation of invertebrates in the Environmental Protection Area in the northeast coast of Brazil, specifically developed in the school from within the APA Jenipabu, in order to promote a sense of belonging for those students who become multipliers, in order to realize the importance and necessity of having this unit for Nature Conservation. Looking to the degree of importance of environmental education as a tool to raise awareness on conservation of invertebrates and is all the fauna and flora exists, whether in a conservation of nature or not