Perfil neuropsicológico de personas adultas con VIH/SIDA

Los déficit neurológicos en el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana VIH, específicamente las alteraciones en el funcionamiento cognitivo, han estado presentes desde el inicio de su propagación y han sido una de las principales manifestaciones a lo largo de todas las etapas del virus. No obstante, gracias a los avances de la terapia antirretroviral se ha dado un aumento de la expectativa de vida de los pacientes, dándose de la misma manera un incremento en los déficits anteriormente mencionados. El objetivo del presente estudio es describir el perfil neuropsicológico de los pacientes con VIH y establecer si existen relaciones entre las funciones que se encuentren deterioradas, el tiempo de diagnóstico y la terapia antiretroviral. Para esto se llevo a cabo un estudio descriptivo de tipo exploratorio con el fin de medir las características de las funciones neuropsicológicas en un grupo de 24 pacientes pertenecientes al programa especial B24 del Hospital Universitario Mayor y Hospital de Barrios Unidos MÉDERI en Bogotá, Colombia. Para esto, se utilizó un protocolo de pruebas neuropsicológicas: Mini Mental StateExamination (MMSE), WAIS-III (sub-pruebas dígitos, letras y números, aritmética y semejanzas), Curva de aprendizaje auditivo verbal de Rey (RAVLT), WMS-III (sub-pruebas de recobro de historias y Localización), TMT A y B, Set Test de Isaacs, Figura Compleja de Rey y Test de Stroop. Dentro de los resultados se encontró que la medida de edad fue de 50 con un total de 19 hombres y 5 mujeres. Las funciones con mayor predominio de deterioro fueron la atención sostenida y alternante, la memoria declarativa, las funciones ejecutivas (específicamente en el control inhibitorio) y la velocidad de procesamiento, los pacientes presentan un rango de deterioro cognitivo leve (GDS 3). Se concluyó que el perfil de deterioro es mixto y que es necesario ampliar la muestra para obtener resultados más precisos en cuanto a las diferencias de acuerdo al tiempo de diagnóstico y la terapia antiretroviral.

A diabetes mellitus causa deterioro cognitivo em idosos? Um estudo de revisão

A Diabetes Mellitus (DM) refere-se a uma síndrome metabólica, com prejuízos físicos, sociais e psicológicos naqueles que a possuem. A doença tem um forte componente genético, e é subdividida em Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 1 (DM1), e Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2 (DM2). A DM2 está associada a déficits funcionais e também cognitivos. Pesquisas revelam que as funções executivas dos idosos com DM encontram-se mais prejudicadas do que naqueles sem DM. Com o objetivo de aprofundar esta temática, esse estudo realiza uma revisão sistemática da literatura, através de publicações indexadas nos últimos oito anos, que abordam a relação entre DM2 e aspectos do deterioro cognitivo em idosos (flexibilidade cognitiva, flexibilidade mental e do pensamento e funções executivas). Nos estudos revisados, a maioria mostrou um grau de comprometimento relacionado com as funções cognitivas: flexibilidade do pensamento, atenção, memória de trabalho, sugerindo, inclusive, que a DM2 acelera o processo de deterioro, aumentando a possibilidade de desenvolvimento de demência. A prevalência de depressão é mais elevada em idosos com DM2, com comprometimento em muitas funções, além de outras complicações físicas identificadas. Os achados apontam para funcionamento cognitivo prejudicado em idosos com DM2, o que enfatiza a necessidade de desenvolvimento de programas de prevenção e intervenção.

Reliability of the Brief Neuropsychological Assessment Instrument Neupsilin

This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of Neupsilin Brief Neuropsychological Assessment Instrument, a brief battery developed in Brazil. Hundred two Brazilian man and women participated, from 18 to 40 years of age. It was evaluated the test-retest reliability of the Neupsilin tasks and the reliability of the correction of the constructional praxis task by different evaluators. The data were analyzed by Spearman’s correlation, intraclass correlation and Cronbach’s alpha. Language, memory, praxis and executive functions presented the highest correlations in the test-retest analyses. The agreement in the correction of the constructional praxis task was moderate to high. The results indicate temporal reliability of Neupsilin tasks and inter-rater agreement in the correction of the constructional praxis task. Suggestions to improve the tasks, the validity and reliability of Neupsilin were presented.

Diferencias en funciones ejecutivas en escolares normales, con trastorno por déficit de atención e hiperactividad, trastorno del cálculo y condición comórbida

El objetivo del presente estudio descriptivo-comparativo fue comparar el desempeño en funciones ejecutivas de escolares entre ocho y trece años con trastorno por déficit de atención e hiperactividad (TDAH), trastorno del cálculo (TC), TDAH+TC y controles normales. Los diagnósticos se confirmaron a través de una entrevista clínica semiestructurada, un cuestionario clínico de déficit atencional y pruebas de cálculo matemático. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los grupos en atención visual y auditiva, fluidez verbal fonémica, flexibilidad cognitiva, organización y planeación. Los resultados indican, de manera similar que investigaciones anteriores, que los escolares con TDAH+TC presentan mayores déficits en funciones ejecutivas que los niños normales.

Neuropsychological profile in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy

The temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is the most common type of refractory epilepsy in adults. There is a wide consensus regarding the commitment of memory in temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis. However, the consensus is not as widespread with respect to the other functions such as attention, executive functions, language and intellectual performance. For this study we analyzed retrospectively a group of 76 patients with refractory epilepsy, 48 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (23 with right lateralization and 25 with left lateralization) and 28 patients with extratemporal epilepsy. We applied a battery of neuropsychological tests used in the Epilepsy Surgery Program at Hospital de Egas Moniz, Lisbon, Portugal. Our results show that the battery of neuropsychological tests is internally consistent in the evaluation of patients with TLE. We have also found that patients with TLE have standard generalized deficits witch could be indicative of areas of engagement besides the hippocampus. One interesting finding was the fact that interference verbal memory (long term memory) remains adequate, suggesting that this function is not compromised in TLE. In addition to the general pattern of cognitive deficits, we can see the impact of the disease at the socio-demographic level, and we can also establish a relationship with neurobiological findings previously described in the literature

Análisis del gen adra2a receptor alfa 2a adrenergico en pacientes con trastorno de hiperactividad y déficit de atención

El trastorno de hiperactividad y déficit de atención (THDA), es definido clínicamente como una alteración en el comportamiento, caracterizada por inatención, hiperactividad e impulsividad. Estos aspectos son clasificados en tres subtipos, que son: Inatento, hiperactivo impulsivo y mixto. Clínicamente se describe un espectro amplio que incluye desordenes académicos, trastornos de aprendizaje, déficit cognitivo, trastornos de conducta, personalidad antisocial, pobres relaciones interpersonales y aumento de la ansiedad, que pueden continuar hasta la adultez. A nivel global se ha estimado una prevalencia entre el 1% y el 22%, con amplias variaciones, dadas por la edad, procedencia y características sociales. En Colombia, se han realizado estudios en Bogotá y Antioquia, que han permitido establecer una prevalencia del 5% y 15%, respectivamente. La causa específica no ha sido totalmente esclarecida, sin embargo se ha calculado una heredabilidad cercana al 80% en algunas poblaciones, demostrando el papel fundamental de la genética en la etiología de la enfermedad. Los factores genéticos involucrados se relacionan con cambios neuroquímicos de los sistemas dopaminérgicos, serotoninérgicos y noradrenérgicos, particularmente en los sistemas frontales subcorticales, corteza cerebral prefrontal, en las regiones ventral, medial, dorsolateral y la porción anterior del cíngulo. Basados en los datos de estudios previos que sugieren una herencia poligénica multifactorial, se han realizado esfuerzos continuos en la búsqueda de genes candidatos, a través de diferentes estrategias. Particularmente los receptores Alfa 2 adrenérgicos, se encuentran en la corteza cerebral, cumpliendo funciones de asociación, memoria y es el sitio de acción de fármacos utilizados comúnmente en el tratamiento de este trastorno, siendo esta la principal evidencia de la asociación de este receptor con el desarrollo del THDA. Hasta la fecha se han descrito más de 80 polimorfismos en el gen (ADRA2A), algunos de los cuales se han asociado con la entidad. Sin embargo, los resultados son controversiales y varían según la metodología diagnóstica empleada y la población estudiada, antecedentes y comorbilidades. Este trabajo pretende establecer si las variaciones en la secuencia codificante del gen ADRA2A, podrían relacionarse con el fenotipo del Trastorno de Hiperactividad y el Déficit de Atención.

Improving insight and non-insight problem solving with brief interventions

Developing brief training interventions that benefit different forms of problem solving is challenging. In earlier research, Chrysikou (2006) showed that engaging in a task requiring generation of alternative uses of common objects improved subsequent insight problem solving. These benefits were attributed to a form of implicit transfer of processing involving enhanced construction of impromptu, on-the-spot or ‘ad hoc’ goal-directed categorizations of the problem elements. Following this, it is predicted that the alternative uses exercise should benefit abilities that govern goal-directed behaviour, such as fluid intelligence and executive functions. Similarly, an indirect intervention – self-affirmation (SA) – that has been shown to enhance cognitive and executive performance after self-regulation challenge and when under stereotype threat, may also increase adaptive goal-directed thinking and likewise should bolster problem-solving performance. In Experiment 1, brief single-session interventions, involving either alternative uses generation or SA, significantly enhanced both subsequent insight and visual–spatial fluid reasoning problem solving. In Experiment 2, we replicated the finding of benefits of both alternative uses generation and SA on subsequent insight problem-solving performance, and demonstrated that the underlying mechanism likely involves improved executive functioning. Even brief cognitive– and social–psychological interventions may substantially bolster different types of problem solving and may exert largely similar facilitatory effects on goal-directed behaviours.

Subtle Cognitive Deficits in Adults With a Previous History of Sydenham's Chorea During Childhood

Objective. To evaluate the neuropsychological profile and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of adults who had rheumatic fever (RF) during childhood with and without Sydenham's chorea (SC).Methods. Three groups of patients were assessed: adults who had RF with SC during childhood (SC group), adults who had RF without SC during childhood (RF group), and controls (CT group). A range of neuropsychological tests looked at several cognitive domains. HRQOL was measured through a Brazilian version of the Short Form 36 (SF-36) health survey.Results. Twenty patients were included in the SC group, 23 patients in the RF group, and 19 patients in the CT group. The 3 groups were homogeneous regarding sex (P = 0.078), age (P = 0.799), schooling (P = 0.600), socioeconomic status (P = 0.138), intelligence quotient (P = 0.329), and scores for anxiety (P = 0.156) and depression (P = 0.076). The SC group demonstrated inferior performance in tests that assessed attention (Digit Span Forward [ P = 0.005], Corsi Block Forward [ P = 0.014]), speeded information processing (Trail Making A [ P = 0.009], Symbol Search [ P = 0.042]), and executive functions and working memory (Corsi Block Backward [ P = 0.028]), and higher scores for attention deficit scale (P = 0.030) when compared with the RF and CT groups. They also showed a tendency toward lower scores in the physical aspects, vitality, emotional aspects, and mental health domains of the SF-36. The RF group had a lower score for the general health domain than the CT group (P = 0.030).Conclusion. Patients who had SC during childhood can exhibit inferior performance in tasks that evaluate attention, speeded information processing, executive functions, and working memory in adult life. Therefore, there is indirect evidence of the persistence of dysfunction in cerebral circuits involved with the basal ganglia. They also presented a worse self-evaluation in HRQOL that was not related to cognitive impairments.

Investigação do funcionamento cognitivo de pacientes pediátricos diagnosticados com leucemia linfóide aguda - LLA

The present work investigated the cognitive operation of children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), accompanied at pediatric oncologic institutions at the city of Natal/RN. Had participated in this study twenty children, of both sexes, between six and twelve years old, with the ALL diagnostic, who were in treatment (n=10) and out of treatment for at least one year (n=10) and were submitted exclusively to chemotherapy as CNS prophylaxis. The utilized protocol of neuropsychological evaluation covered the following cognitive abilities: intellective capability, attentional and memory systems, and executive functions. Data was analyzed through descriptive and inferential measures, with the support of the Mann-Whitney U Test and T-test, considering the influence of the variables sex, age at diagnostic and the past time since the beginning of the treatment over children s performance. The intellective capability evaluation showed low score to the out-of-treatment groups, female and children under five years old to the diagnostic. In concern of attentional systems, groups showed the expected performance. In a relevant way, in the evaluation of executive functions, were found reduced scores within all groups, especially inside the in-treatment group. Memory evaluation pointed to reduced performance in items concerning to learning evolution and spontaneous evocation after interference to the several groups. It can be concluded, reffer to the occurrence of transitory and permanent impact associated to the intrusion of chemotherapic components during the maturational course of the CNS. It s expected that the present investigation and the development of similar studies enable major comprehension about the mode, extension and repercussion of these damages subsidizing the development of strategies which may minimize them and provide better xxiii life quality to this clinical subgroup

Avaliação das habilidades neurocognitivas em crianças e adolescentes sobreviventes da Leucemia Linfoide Aguda - LLA

The present study investigated the impact of the treatment modalities of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on neurocognitive abilities of children and adolescents survivors, aged between 6 and 16 years of age, accompanied in pediatric oncology sectors of public health services in the cities of Campina Grande-PB and Natal-RN. The study included 52 children, 13 of these being children and adolescents diagnosed with leukemia and 39 healthy children matched in relation to the study group considering gender, age, school type and level of maternal education. Later the group of children with leukemia was subdivided into two subgroups depending on treatment modality which were submitted: Group 1A (only chemotherapy) and 1B (chemotherapy and radiotherapy). All participants were subjected to a battery of neuropsychological tests that investigated the following neurocognitive abilities: intellectual ability, memory system, attention, visuospatiality and visuoconstruction, processing speed and executive functions. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential measurements with the aid of the U test of Mann-Whitney and T test, considering the influence of the variables: sex, age at diagnosis, time since completion of treatment and level of schooling mothers, on the performance of children. Overall, it is concluded that the illness and the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia significantly favors the emergence of cognitive deficits, particularly in terms of visuospatial skills, and executive skills visoconstrutivas. In turn, the treatment modality of radiotherapy is associated with the presence of more severe deficits, highlighting the significant impact on the speed of information processing. It is hoped that the results presented here will contribute to a better understanding of the nature and extent of neurocognitive effects arising ALL treatment

Atividade física sistematizada e desempenho cognitivo em idosos com demência de Alzheimer: uma revisão sistemática

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Desempenho cognitivo em diferentes níveis de escolaridade de adultos e idosos ativos

OBJETIVO: Comparar o desempenho cognitivo em diferentes níveis de escolaridade de indivíduos adultos e idosos praticantes de atividade física. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 122 indivíduos sem comprometimento cognitivo, idade entre 46 a 85 anos e escolaridade entre 1 a 15 anos, praticantes de atividade física há mais de 6 meses no Programa de Atividades Físicas e Recreativas para a Terceira Idade. Foi aplicada uma bateria de testes cognitivos para verificar as seguintes variáveis: memória de curto prazo, linguagem, aprendizagem, taxa de esquecimento e funções executivas. RESULTADOS: O teste de Kruskal-Wallis apontou diferenças entre os grupos, com diferentes níveis de escolaridade, apenas para a memória de curto prazo, sendo que o teste de U Mann Whitney demonstra diferença entre o grupo de menor escolaridade (1-4 anos) com o grupo de maior escolaridade (> 12 anos). CONCLUSÃO: Diante disso, sugere-se que adultos e idosos ativos, em diferentes níveis de escolaridade, apresentam um perfil cognitivo semelhante para os seguintes domínios cognitivos: linguagem, aprendizagem, taxa de esquecimento e funções executivas.

Representation in cognitive neuroscience

This article discusses the possible representational nature of two brain cognitive functions: perceptual and executive. Assuming the Newellian definition of representational processes as those that establish an isomorphic relation between two structures, I claim that perceptual processes generate only a partial correspondence (between stimuli properties and brain states) and therefore should not be properly conceived as representational. on the other hand, executive processes encompass the combination of copies (i.e., representations) of perceptual patterns, generating new patterns that subserve behavior. In summary, I criticize the notion of perceptual representations, and propose that brain representational processes are related to executive functions, having a pragmatic dimension.

Percepção de tempo e outras funções cognitivas, funcionalidade motora e o nível de atividade física de idosos com Doença de Alzheimer no estágio leve

Pós-graduação em Ciências da Motricidade - IBRC