Aspectos epidemiológicos, cognitivo-comportamentais e neurofisiológicos do sonho lúcido

Lucid dreaming (LD) is a mental state in which the subject is aware of being dreaming while dreaming. The prevalence of LD among Europeans, North Americans and Asians is quite variable (between 26 and 92%) (Stepansky et al., 1998; Schredl & Erlacher, 2011; Yu, 2008); in Latin Americans it is yet to be investigated. Furthermore, the neural bases of LD remain controversial. Different studies have observed that LD presents power increases in the alpha frequency band (Tyson et al., 1984), in beta oscillations recorded from the parietal cortex (Holzinger et al., 2006) and in gamma rhythm recorded from the frontal cortex (Voss et al., 2009), in comparison with non-lucid dreaming. In this thesis we report epidemiological and neurophysiological investigations of LD. To investigate the epidemiology of LD (Study 1), we developed an online questionnaire about dreams that was answered by 3,427 volunteers. In this sample, 56% were women, 24% were men and 20% did not inform their gender (the median age was 25 years). A total of 76.5% of the subjects reported recalling dreams at least once a week, and about two-thirds of them reported dreaming always in the first person, i.e. when the dreamer observes the dream from within itself, not as another dream character. Dream reports typically depicted actions (93.3%), known people (92.9%), sounds/voices (78.5%), and colored images (76.3%). The oneiric content was related to plans for upcoming days (37.8%), and memories of the previous day (13.8%). Nightmares were characterized by general anxiety/fear (65.5%), feeling of being chased (48.5%), and non-painful unpleasant sensations (47.6%). With regard to LD, 77.2% of the subjects reported having experienced LD at least once in their lifetime (44.9% reported up to 10 episodes ever). LD frequency was weakly correlated with dream recall frequency (r = 0.20, p <0.001) and was higher in men (χ2=10.2, p=0.001). The control of LD was rare (29.7%) and inversely correlated with LD duration (r=-0.38, p <0.001), which is usually short: to 48.5% of the subjects, LD takes less than 1 minute. LD occurrence is mainly associated with having sleep without a fixed time to wake up (38.3%), which increases the chance of having REM sleep (REMS). LD is also associated with stress (30.1%), which increases REMS transitions into wakefulness. Overall, the data suggest that dreams and nightmares can be evolutionarily understood as a simulation of the common situations that happen in life, and that are related to our social, psychological and biological integrity. The results also indicate that LD is a relatively common experience (but not recurrent), often elusive and difficult to control, suggesting that LD is an incomplete stationary stage (or phase transition) between REMS and wake state. Moreover, despite the variability of LD prevalence among North Americans, Europeans and Asians, our data from Latin Americans strengthens the notion that LD is a general phenomenon of the human species. To further investigate the neural bases of LD (Study 2), we performed sleep recordings of 32 non-frequent lucid dreamers (sample 1) and 6 frequent lucid dreamers (sample 2). In sample 1, we applied two cognitive-behavioral techniques to induce LD: presleep LD suggestion (n=8) and light pulses applied during REMS (n=8); in a control group we made no attempt to influence dreaming (n=16). The results indicate that it is quite difficult but still possible to induce LD, since we could induce LD in a single subject, using the suggestion technique. EEG signals from this one subject exhibited alpha (7-14 Hz) bursts prior to LD. These bursts were brief (about 3s), without significant change in muscle tone, and independent of the presence of rapid eye movements. No such bursts were observed in the remaining 31 subjects. In addition, LD exhibited significantly higher occipital alpha and right temporo-parietal gamma (30-50 Hz) power, in comparison with non-lucid REMS. In sample 2, LD presented increased frontal high-gamma (50-100 Hz) power on average, in comparison with non-lucid REMS; however, this was not consistent across all subjects, being a clear phenomenon in just one subject. We also observed that four of these volunteers showed an increase in alpha rhythm power over the occipital region, immediately before or during LD. Altogether, our preliminary results suggest that LD presents neurophysiological characteristics that make it different from both waking and the typical REMS. To the extent that the right temporo-parietal and frontal regions are related to the formation of selfconsciousness and body internal image, we suggest that an increased activity in these regions during sleep may be the neurobiological mechanism underlying LD. The alpha rhythm bursts, as well as the alpha power increase over the occipital region, may represent micro-arousals, which facilitate the contact of the brain during sleep with the external environment, favoring the occurrence of LD. This also strengthens the notion that LD is an intermediary state between sleep and wakefulness

Fatores que influenciam a cooperação em humanos

Human cooperation is fundamentally affected by reciprocal exchange, but it is also remarkably common on the context of large and symbolically marked in-groups, which promote cooperation through the feeling of belonging to a group. In this thesis, two empirical articles were produced in order to investigate how human cooperation is affected by factors such as reciprocity, in-group behavior, in-group markers and gender. We investigated this subject through the administration of online games consisting of token donations, on which the subjects faced virtual players controlled by the experiment. We found that cooperative behavior is strongly influenced by reciprocity, and it is also affected by the in-group behavior, observed on the context of the social variables place of birth, ethnicity, and religions, once all of them acted as in-group markers. The subjects´ in-group behavior was enhanced when they played with generous in-group opponents, but weakened when their in-group opponents were non-generous. It was also found that cooperation is not affected by gender, but men and women cooperated in different ways under the influence of reciprocity and in-group behavior. Women are much more reciprocal on their cooperative behavior and men are less willing to cooperate with outgroupers, even when they act generously. The overall results contribute to a better understanding of the adaptive value of cooperation, reciprocity and in-group behavior on the solution of important challenges through the human evolutionary history

Características sociodemográficas, hábitos de sono, estado cognitivo e funcional após acidente vascular cerebral

ABSTRACT Introduction: The cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is an important cause of neurological impairment. Few data about the factors associated with morbidity of cerebrovascular accident are found in Brazil. Objectives: Evaluate sociodemographic characteristics, sleep habits, cognitive and functional status of patients with cerebrovascular accident. Methods: The patients evaluated through questionnaire Step 1 to survey the sociodemographic characteristics and Modified Rankin Scale for functional assessment. The neurological degree was evaluated by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), the sleep Habits questionnaire for sleep and cognitive status by the Mini-Examination of the Mental State (MEMS). The data were analyzed using the chi-square test to determine differences in proportions of variables and linear regression analysis. Results: 305 patients were evaluated and the larger number of subjects was between 50 and 69 years (40%), most patients had no formal education (40.3%) and had ischemic type of cerebrovascular accident (72.5%). In the analysis of the functionality it was found that most patients had moderate impairment (55.1%). The results of the sleep habits showed that 63,6% of patients had one more person in the bedroom,12,3% complained about too much noise in the 11 room and 35% of too much light. From these patients 5,8% were smokers, 7,8% and 70,1% drank coffee drinkers, 28,6% had difficulty in initiate to sleep and woke up 37,6% in the middle of the night. Were showed complaints about nightmares (11%), feeling of suffocation (37,7%) and 35% felt very sleepy during the day. In addition, 95% were unemployed, 80,5% did not perform physical activities and 95,4% did not perform mental activities. The cognitive screening conducted a determined association of cognitive status with age and education level and neurological status. Conclusion: The study showed a high frequency of cases of cerebrovascular accident with functional dependence in a moderate degree, identified that many patients do not follow hygienic measures of sleep and found that the assessment of cognitive deficits must take into consideration the age, educational level and degree of neurological patients. We suggest the need for programs of assistance to victims of cerebrovascular accident patients, with a multidimensional approach including the rehabilitation team, the role of sleep medicine and Neuropsychology, so that patients have access to a more appropriate functional rehabilitation, develop a lifestyle that ensures a good sleep quality and are evaluated and rehabilitated with regard to cognitive impairment

Bem-estar psicológico de servidores e funcionários técnico-administrativos das Instituições de Ensino Superior Públicas e Privadas : indicadores e antecedentes

The elaboration of this thesis aimed at getting to know the structure of the psychological well-being (PWB) at work and analysing the differences in the PWB levels among technical-administrative servants in public and private Institutions of Higher Education (IES) in the municipality of João Pessoa. Two hundred and thirty-three public and private IES male and female servants of João Pessoa participated in the research, replying to an instrument composed of questionnaires referring to the elaborated model. Factorial and regression analyses were accomplished in order to test the hypotheses in respect of the proposed model. The results showed that the PWB related with the work is composed of indicators such as affection, vitality, anxiety, depression, satisfaction at work and aspiration for accomplishment and reduction of the self-efficiency. The observed PWB predictors at work were the IES type, presence of children, age and the escape and back-out facing strategy. These predictors possess relationship of moderation among them in the explanation of PWB. On comparing the PWB experienced by the technical-administrative servants, it was observed that those linked to private IES showed higher PWB rates. Furthermore, there are differences among PWB predictors in accordance with the IES type. The applicability of the results of this thesis is wide as regards social interventions in the search of health improvement under a psycho-sociological perspective. Eventually, the thematic of this thesis intends to reinforce the studies on the worker s health, since by knowing what would lead him into a feeling of accomplishment and well-being will result in more chances of promoting him, while creating opportunities of a sounder life for these people in psychological terms

Um lugar para chamar de "meu" :estudo sobre relação afetiva com o lugar de moradores da praia de Pipa-RN

The chores and the daily physical and social demands make us feel more and more the need to be in a familiar and restoring environment, with which we frequently establish emotional bonds. The interaction with places for resting and leisure, exemplified in the Environmental Psychology literature as recreational and home environments, allow us to exercise our potentials and to strengthen our (personal and collective) identity. Bearing this in mind, this dissertation has as aim to study the relation of affection between the place and the inhabitants of the community of Pipa-RN, which has turned from fishermen s village into tourist destination, bringing with it many changes to the local population. To accomplish that, we made use of behavioral observations, interviews, and graphic and photographic documentation with 30 subjects selected through a network of indications, attending to the criterion loving Pipa . After analysis and systematization of the answers, we identified three super-categories: 1) Love, characterized by the strong representation that an environment has upon an individual without, necessarily, there being an affective link, allowing it to be nurtured from a distance and dissociated from the desire to be present; 2) Attachment, demonstrated by the difficulty in leaving the place, a bond that can be mediated by personal financial investments or expectation of future benefits; 3) Affiliation, which refers to the feeling of belonging to the place and its community, sharing its history, culture, habits, etc., independent from the place of birth. These super-categories are not exclusive, on the contrary, they can form combinations which we denominate as situations, that could vary from 01 (individual involved with none of the three) to 07 (individual involved with the three); there wasn t the combination between Attachment and Affiliation. These results showed that within the framework of relations of affection with the place, there are countless possibilities of interaction individual-environment, determined by the physicalenvironmental characteristics and by the assessment that each individual makes of it. With this small contribution to the theme, we hope to enlighten the perspectives for future research, especially involving the relation of affection for places and the adoption of proenvironmental conducts, as a question of preservation of the ecosystems and of the quality of life of the inhabitants

Impacto do trabalho em profissionais de Saúde Mental de serviços de saúde do município de Mossoró-RN, 2012

The Psychiatric Reform has brought profound changes in assistance to people affected by mental disorders and behavior. In this context, mental health workers have played decisive roles of great impact, acting driving the process. Objective: To evaluate the impact felt by working professionals, because of the daily work with people who have psychiatric disorders. Methodology: This is a search field, a quantitative approach, sectional, descriptive and applied. Data collection occurred through the Assessment Scale Impact of Working in Mental Health Services (IMPACT-BR) applied to mental health researchers city Mossoró - RN. Results: Participants in this study 87 professionals, mostly female married, which took charge of higher education, working on a single service, working in the area for more than six years, aged between 25 and 64 years. There were a low effect of overloading the professionals surveyed. Discussion: Our results corroborate findings in other surveys conducted previously, not identifying large impact load at work among professionals of mental health teams studied. Subscales studied the highest score was observed in measuring the impact of work on team functioning. It was observed that the greater age and duration of action, reduced the emotional impact at work, suggesting that the experience enhances safety in decisions made and the possibility of greater control over the demands of work. Final Thoughts: The work presented showed that the interactive relationships between professionals and users are not the causes of greatest impact in the workplace, although it revealed overload in relation to specific aspects such as: fear of being assaulted by a patient and the feeling of physical exhaustion the end of the workday. Further investigations should be conducted on this topic in order to contribute to the implementation of psychiatric reform proposed by advances both in terms of assistance to individuals and the quality of life in the work of the professionals involved

Conservação dos invertebrados em área de proteção ambiental litorânea no nordeste do Brasil: contribuições da educação ambiental para a sustentabilidade

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

Percepção de riscos ambientais de populações vulneráveis a inundações e deslizamentos de dunas em Natal-RN

In urban, flooding and landslides are among the troubles that most bring human and material loss. Therefore, this study objected to perform an analysis on the risk perception on the population living in social environmental vulnerable places in order to understand what is the way this population realize the risks they are exposed to and what are the outbrave strategies the develop. The first analyzed area was Complexo Passo da Pátria for the flooding risk problematic and then the Cidade Nova neighborhood threatened by the dunes slides. The areas locate, respectively, in the West and East zones of Natal-RN. Using an interview screenplay adapted from risk perception researches from different brazilian cities, it was collected primarily data on the variables: perception, evaluation and choice, safety threshold, adjustment, decision and participation. Due to the studied areas characteristics the qualitative approach adjusted itself to the difficulties for accessing the areas. The studied places characterize for its insecure situation like selling/using drugs, robbery and murder among others. Due to this situation the interviewed individuals were the ones that could be found more accessibly and available in the moment and the interviews were made in the community leader presence of each area. Through the discourse of the respondents analysis it was able to conclude that the interviewed population is exposed to a high vulnerability grade and risks. However it was identified substantial differences between the perception and risks of Complexo Passo da Pátria and bairro Cidade Nova, because in the first area the intervied ones can recognize the high risk they are exposed to in a more emphatic way to the interviewed ones for the Cidade Nova neighborhood. Furthermore, there is a heavy dissatisfaction for the population of the two places about the city hall positions relating to the present problems in the studied areas. It was also identified the strategy development of acquaintanceship with the risk in the research places beyond a feeling of belonging and affection between the dwellers and the places, yet it was more evident for Complexo Passo da Pátria. Though this analysis it was possible to understand and perceptions and the behavior of the individuals or social groups facing the risks as acceptance and rejection of determined risks beyond adaptation measures of living together with the persistence presence of risks. Therefore, qualitative nature researches emphasizing the perception approach are in the fundamental importance in the studies about risks making it possible to offer aids to the urban planning and management in the implement of effective preventive measures and compatible with the population aims

Concepções dos agentes comunitários de saúde sobre suas práticas assistenciais

O presente estudo objetivou identificar as representações elaboradas por agentes comunitários de saúde (ACS) acerca de suas práticas assistenciais. Utilizamos a metodologia qualitativa de pesquisa, adotando, como instrumento de coleta de dados, a entrevista semiestruturada e, para a interpretação dos dados, recorremos à Análise Temática. Foram ouvidos 12 ACS das Equipes do Programa de Agentes Comunitários de Saúde (PACS) de um município do interior paulista. O material obtido permitiu verificar como temas: o vínculo como instrumento de trabalho e a prática pautada na promoção da saúde e na prevenção das doenças. Os relatos demonstram a importância do vínculo na prática diária, enfatizam os princípios humanitários que embasam as ações de solidariedade, destacam o sentimento de gratificação quando o trabalho executado é reconhecido pelas famílias e revelam que os sujeitos ouvidos têm dificuldades para discernir o alcance de seus limites. Embora estes profissionais apresentem um bom suporte técnico para o cumprimento de suas ações, também demonstram carência na instrumentalização para o exercício profissional. Concluímos que as diretrizes e normas estabelecidas para o PACS funcionam como norteadoras do processo de assistência, mas ainda não respondem a questões mais subjetivas encontradas na assistência ao indivíduo-famíliacomunidade. Além disso, os ACS parecem estar vulneráveis às flutuações de gestão dos municípios, estados e Governo Federal, apresentam inconsistência na ideologia do desempenho do próprio papel e não conseguem inverter o modelo assistencial pautado na doença e na intervenção médica individual.

A importância da comunicação durante o período de recuperação pós-operatória

Este estudo teve como objetivo conhecer a importância da comunicação durante as orientações pós-operatórias fornecidas pela equipe de enfermagem a pacientes e/ou familiares de uma instituição privada e apreender a percepção destes indivíduos acerca das orientações recebidas. Foi um estudo transversal, descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa, que utilizou o referencial teórico da Comunicação Interpessoal e o referencial metodológico da Análise de Conteúdo. Participaram do estudo 16 pacientes entrevistados no período pós-operatório mediato. Os resultados evidenciaram que a equipe de enfermagem focaliza as orientações nas técnicas instrumentais da profissão, não abordando o indivíduo de forma holística. Também foi possível perceber que, quando o profissional enfermeiro permanece afastado do paciente e/ou não presta informações adequadas gera sentimentos de ansiedade, medo, insegurança e sensação de falta de cuidado. Por outro lado, quando a equipe de enfermagem se fez presente com cuidado e informações coerentes, os clientes relataram um alto nível de satisfação e a sensação de ser bem cuidado.

A dinâmica territorial da Assembléia de Deus do seridó do Rio Grande do Norte

In the norte-rio-grandense backwoods is possible to join to the power forms both political and economical ones, religious groups keeping under your control areas, people and flow of them, as well as settling new places of acts. That control refers to a field of power delimited by space, in other words, it refers to a territory marked and planned to reproductive intentions on the space. In relation to the religious pluralism, the Assembly of God church, in your territorial dynamics, has been standing out by the strategies of delimitation and space increase which by a constant territorial division process (1943-2010) managed to widen material and symbolic scale of its power for all cities of the Rio Grande do Norte backwoods. The Assembly of God church as the greatest Pentecostal denomination of Brazil was formed in the Rio Grande do Norte Seridó, following a ecclesiastical and governmental model divided into three ecclesiastical fields hosted in those following cities: Caicó, Currais Novos and Parelhas. Those headquarters interlink a limited number of churches through normative codes, which they express a functional dimension (bureaucratic) and in another symbolic one (charismatic) in an only field of territorial control. In this manner, the maintenance of the territorial power in the Assembly of God church is done by a charismatic-bureaucratic administration, expressed in the interdependent of material and abstract mechanisms. The believers permanent contact toward those mechanisms of institutional control revealed territorial identities which causes a feeling of property of the believer as much to the Pentecostal belief system as to community of the Assembly of God church. Considering new possibilities of articulation of the Rio Grande do Norte backwoods towards others territories more multiple, culturally, noticed cultural adjustments and revaluation at themselves. In relation to the territory of the Assembly of God church this one has exposed itself defensive faced with that cultural hybridization tendency, resisting a closer dialogue to new symbolic elements, mainly those came from the multifaceted neo-pentecostal movement. Unlike more open and flexible churches towards others significant systems, The Assembly of God church tries to reinforce the boundaries of its territory considering by the orthodoxy of its routine and customs

Explicações de crianças internadas sobre a causa das doenças: implicações para a comunicação profissional de saúde-paciente

Esta pesquisa pretendeu estudar o desenvolvimento cognitivo e as explicações sobre a causalidade das doenças em crianças hospitalizadas, particularmente a influência nas explicações da experiência com doenças e da escolaridade. Participaram da pesquisa cinqûenta crianças brasileiras internadas em um hospital público, com diferentes diagnósticos e idade variando entre cinco e nove anos. O desenvolvimento cognitivo e as concepções sobre as causas das doenças foram avaliados dentro de um referencial piagetiano. Como em estudos anteriores, as crianças processaram as informações numa seqüência cognitiva previsível. Entretanto, as crianças internadas mostraram atraso na aquisição da conservação, e explicações com poucos elementos subjetivos, sem referências à própria doença. As causas atribuídas às doenças foram similares às apontadas por crianças de outros países. Foi estatisticamente significativa a relação entre a complexidade das explicações e o número de internações. A maioria da amostra, independente da idade e nível cognitivo, atribuiu o adoecimento à desobediência, possível mecanismo adaptativo ao desamparo, resultado que parece trazer implicações a serem consideradas quando se abordam pacientes infantis.

As recentes reformas educacionais paulistas na visão dos professores

As reformas educacionais atuais introduziram conceitos econômicos na gestão das escolas e transferiram a responsabilidade pelas ações educativas a seus sujeitos, a quem cabe o sucesso ou o fracasso das mudanças. Nesse contexto, novas formas de controle do trabalho docente passaram a ser utilizadas pelo sistema escolar, tais como as avaliações externas, a imposição de projetos e o pagamento de bônus aos responsáveis pelo trabalho docente. Este artigo resulta de uma pesquisa empírica realizada entre 20062008 e visa a apresentar a análise da escola e do trabalho docente a partir do ponto de vista de trinta professores de três diferentes regiões do estado de São Paulo. Os resultados apontam o forte impacto das reformas educacionais e da introdução dos elementos gerencialistas e performáticos no trabalho dos professores, implicando profundas alterações no ofício docente, especialmente do professor secundário, o que evidencia um sofrimento ético perante a perda da especificidade histórica do seu trabalho.

Representação do corpo na relação consigo mesma após mastectomia

Esta pesquisa objetivou compreender como a mulher mastectomizada representa o seu corpo nas relações consigo mesma. O referencial teórico-metodológico foram as representações sociais. Foram entrevistadas, no domicílio, dez mulheres mastectomizadas, no sétimo dia pós-alta e uma vez por mês, durante quatro meses de pós-operatório. Os conteúdos da representação do corpo consigo mesma convergiram para quatro unidades de significação: a) corpos mutilados, cuja percepção foi demonstrada de diferentes formas; b) sensação de impotência em diversos momentos do período pós-operatório; c) dor e limitação, principalmente no início de sua recuperação; d) cuidado com o corpo. Foi possível entender que o princípio do cuidado de si para as mulheres tomou a forma de uma atitude, desenvolvida em práticas que foram refletidas e ensinadas como um processo contínuo após a cirurgia. A percepção da relação de corpo/físico/mente/espírito permearam, todos os momentos, sua vivência. Os resultados oferecem importantes elementos para reflexão quanto à assistência às mulheres mastectomizadas.

Percepção do ambiente comunitário e a prática de atividade física em adultos residentes em Rio Claro - SP

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)