Electrostimulation mapping of comprehension of auditory and visual words.

In order to spare functional areas during the removal of brain tumours, electrical stimulation mapping was used in 90 patients (77 in the left hemisphere and 13 in the right; 2754 cortical sites tested). Language functions were studied with a special focus on comprehension of auditory and visual words and the semantic system. In addition to naming, patients were asked to perform pointing tasks from auditory and visual stimuli (using sets of 4 different images controlled for familiarity), and also auditory object (sound recognition) and Token test tasks. Ninety-two auditory comprehension interference sites were observed. We found that the process of auditory comprehension involved a few, fine-grained, sub-centimetre cortical territories. Early stages of speech comprehension seem to relate to two posterior regions in the left superior temporal gyrus. Downstream lexical-semantic speech processing and sound analysis involved 2 pathways, along the anterior part of the left superior temporal gyrus, and posteriorly around the supramarginal and middle temporal gyri. Electrostimulation experimentally dissociated perceptual consciousness attached to speech comprehension. The initial word discrimination process can be considered as an "automatic" stage, the attention feedback not being impaired by stimulation as would be the case at the lexical-semantic stage. Multimodal organization of the superior temporal gyrus was also detected since some neurones could be involved in comprehension of visual material and naming. These findings demonstrate a fine graded, sub-centimetre, cortical representation of speech comprehension processing mainly in the left superior temporal gyrus and are in line with those described in dual stream models of language comprehension processing.

Evaluating the impact of summer vacation on the visual acuity of AMD patients treated with ranibizumab.

PurposeTo evaluate the impact of traditional French summer vacation on visual acuity and spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) of Wet AMD patients being treated with intravitreal Ranibizumab.MethodsThis was a consecutive, comparative, single-centre, prospective analysis. All patients who were being treated with intravitreal injection of 0.5 mg ranibizumab at Cergy Pontoise Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology between July 2013 and September 2014 were included. Patients were divided into two groups: (A) patients who skipped one ranibizumab intravitreal injection during holidays, and (B) patients who received injection during their holidays. Evaluations occurred prior to traditional holiday (baseline) and 2 months later, consisting of BCVA using ETDRS, and a complete ophthalmic examination that included slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fundus examination, fluorescein angiography (FA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), and spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). All patients were being treated with PRN anti-VEGF regimen and criteria for reinjection included a visual acuity loss >5 ETDRS letters and/or an increase of central retinal thickness, presence of subretinal fluid, intraretinal fluid, or pigment epithelium detachment. If reinjection criteria were not met, patients were advised to return in 4 weeks.ResultsThe mean visual acuity change was -0.071±0.149 (LogMAR) in group A and +0.003±0.178 in group B (P=0.041). At the second visit (2 months after preholidays visit), 61.8% of patients in group A had SRF and/or intraretinal cysts, and only 27.6% of patients in group B. There was a significant difference in the persistence of fluid between the two groups (P=0.007, χ(2)-test).ConclusionThis cases series demonstrated the detrimental impact of holidays on visual acuity in patients treated with ranibizumab for AMD, which, in spite of their treatment regimen, still leave in vacation. Therefore, it is important to convey the message of treatment adherence to patients, despite their need of holidays.

Comparison of acute non-visual bright light responses in patients with optic nerve disease, glaucoma and healthy controls.

This study examined the effect of optic nerve disease, hence retinal ganglion cell loss, on non-visual functions related to melanopsin signalling. Test subjects were patients with bilateral visual loss and optic atrophy from either hereditary optic neuropathy (n = 11) or glaucoma (n = 11). We measured melatonin suppression, subjective sleepiness and cognitive functions in response to bright light exposure in the evening. We also quantified the post-illumination pupil response to a blue light stimulus. All results were compared to age-matched controls (n = 22). Both groups of patients showed similar melatonin suppression when compared to their controls. Greater melatonin suppression was intra-individually correlated to larger post-illumination pupil response in patients and controls. Only the glaucoma patients demonstrated a relative attenuation of their pupil response. In addition, they were sleepier with slower reaction times during nocturnal light exposure. In conclusion, glaucomatous, but not hereditary, optic neuropathy is associated with reduced acute light effects. At mild to moderate stages of disease, this is detected only in the pupil function and not in responses conveyed via the retinohypothalamic tract such as melatonin suppression.

Visual performance in preterm infants with brain injuries compared with low-risk preterm infants

Background: Neonatal brain injuries are the main cause of visual deficit produced by damage to posterior visual pathways.While there are several studies of visual function in low-risk preterm infants or older children with brain injuries, research in children of early age is lacking. Aim: To assess several aspects of visual function in preterm infants with brain injuries and to compare them with another group of low-risk preterm infants of the same age. Study design and subjects: Forty-eight preterm infants with brain injuries and 56 low-risk preterm infants. Outcome measures: The ML Leonhardt Battery of Optotypes was used to assess visual functions. This test was previously validated at a post-menstrual age of 40 weeks in newborns and at 30-plus weeks in preterm infants. Results: The group of preterminfants with brain lesions showed a delayed pattern of visual functions in alertness, fixation, visual attention and tracking behavior compared to infants in the healthy preterm group. The differences between both groups, in the visual behaviors analyzed were around 30%. These visual functions could be identified from the first weeks of life. Conclusion: Our results confirm the importance of using a straightforward screening test with preterminfants in order to assess altered visual function, especially in infants with brain injuries. The findings also highlight the need to provide visual stimulation very early on in life.

Spinal cord injury affects the interplay between visual and sensorimotor representations of the body.

The brain integrates multiple sensory inputs, including somatosensory and visual inputs, to produce a representation of the body. Spinal cord injury (SCI) interrupts the communication between brain and body and the effects of this deafferentation on body representation are poorly understood. We investigated whether the relative weight of somatosensory and visual frames of reference for body representation is altered in individuals with incomplete or complete SCI (affecting lower limbs' somatosensation), with respect to controls. To study the influence of afferent somatosensory information on body representation, participants verbally judged the laterality of rotated images of feet, hands, and whole-bodies (mental rotation task) in two different postures (participants' body parts were hidden from view). We found that (i) complete SCI disrupts the influence of postural changes on the representation of the deafferented body parts (feet, but not hands) and (ii) regardless of posture, whole-body representation progressively deteriorates proportionally to SCI completeness. These results demonstrate that the cortical representation of the body is dynamic, responsive, and adaptable to contingent conditions, in that the role of somatosensation is altered and partially compensated with a change in the relative weight of somatosensory versus visual bodily representations.

¿Pueden contribuir los métodos visuales a avanzar hacia una investigación inclusiva? Un estudio sobre inclusión sociolaboral con personas con Trastorno Mental Grave (TMG) = Can visual methods help to go forward inclusive research? A study about social and labor inclusion with people with Severe Mental Illness (SMI)

En este artículo se pretende mostrar cómo la utilización de métodos visuales en la investigación contribuye a potenciar la participación activa de las personas con TMG. Se utiliza como ejemplo un estudio de caso de corte cualitativo que incorpora tres actividades de componente visual (el dibujo “el río de la vida”, las fotografías y el dibujo de proyección de futuro) para favorecer la reflexión narrada que, sobre sus experiencias y vivencias, desarrollan cinco personas con TMG. El uso de las fotografías y dibujos en este estudio permite afirmar que estas estrategias se han mostrado válidas para acceder, en la medida que los participantes han querido, a esferas de vida personales en trayectorias vitales determinadas por la enfermedad mental

Accessing forgotten memory traces from long-term memory via visual movements

Because memory retrieval often requires overt responses, it is difficult to determine to what extend forgetting occurs as a problem in explicit accessing of long-term memory traces. In this study, we used eye-tracking measures in combination with a behavioural task that favoured high forgetting rates to investigate the existence of memory traces from long-term memory in spite of failure in accessing them consciously. In 2 experiments, participants were encouraged to encode a large set of sound-picture56 location associations. In a later test, sounds were presented and participants were instructed to visually scan, before a verbal memory report, for the correct location of the associated pictures in an empty screen. We found the reactivation of associated memories by sound cues at test biased oculomotor behaviour towards locations congruent with memory representations, even when participants failed to consciously provide a memory report of it. These findings reveal the emergence of a memory-guided behaviour that can be used to map internal representations of forgotten memories from long-term memory.

Comunicación Terapéutica : Requisitos fundamentales para acompañar emocionalmente al paciente paliativo y su familia.

La comunicación entre los enfermeros y los pacientes oncológicos es fundamental en la construcción de la relación profesional y terapéutica y esencial para administrar unos cuidados realmente enfocados en la persona como ser holístico y no como entidad patológica. Diferentes estudios han demostrado la influencia positiva de la comunicación en la satisfacción del paciente e incluso se ha encontrado relación entre una comunicación efectiva y una mayor adherencia al tratamiento, mejor control del dolor y estado psicológico. La comunicación, como herramienta para establecer una relación terapéutica eficaz, a su vez básica para el cuidado de cualquier paciente, es entonces “la herramienta” y prerrequisito indispensable para cuidar estos pacientes desde una perspectiva holística. Pese a la centralidad en el cuidado enfermero, la comunicación no se emplea en modo correcto en muchos casos. Objetivos: Este trabajo tiene como objetivo individuar las principales habilidades (skills) para lograr una comunicación terapéutica eficaz y cómo emplearlas en la construcción y mantenimiento de la relación terapéutica con el paciente y su familia. Método: búsqueda bibliográfica con las siguientes palabras clave: comunicación, paliativos, enfermería. Se han incluido en la revisión 27 artículos de 17 revistas distintas. Resultados: Las habilidades y factores encontrados en la literatura han sido clasificados en: a. barreras a la comunicación terapéutica b. condiciones y habilidades facilitadoras de la comunicaciónvi c. habilidades de relación d. habilidades para solicitar información e. estrategias y modelos de comunicación Conclusiones: La comunicación es la herramienta principal del cuidado enfermero en cuidados paliativos, difiere de la comunicación social y tiene como objetivo aumentar la calidad de vida del paciente. La habilidad en comunicación no es un don innato sino que es el resultado de un proceso de aprendizaje continuo. Entre las habilidades más citadas y efectivas hay que recordar la escucha activa (entendida como conjunto de técnicas), el tacto terapéutico, el contacto visual, la empatía y la importancia fundamental de la comunicación no verbal. El modelo de comunicación COMFORT es el único centrado en el paciente y a la vez en su familia. Palabras clave: Habilidades comunicación, paliativos, enfermería

L’art visual en els moviments pedagògics del segle XX: la concreció de l’educació artística en els llibres escolars

Les tradicions escolars d’educació artística s’han construït des de la transmissió oral i escrita de projectes i programes. Tanmateix, la concreció de les propostes legislatives, ideacionals i teòriques s’ha expressat, fonamentalment, a través dels documents. Tant és així que, per exemple, la cultura escolar a l’entorn de l’educació artística s’ha anat conformant des dels projectes codificats en els llibres per a mestres i per a infants. Per aquest motiu en aquest article es proposa una aproximació a aquests llibres a fi de conèixer quines són les característiques dels discursos de l’aprenentatge artístic que s’han consolidat al llarg del segle XX en el nostre entorn; aproximació que s’assaja a partir d’encreuar les petjades que han deixat els llibres escolars amb la seva imbricació o, fins i tot, negació amb les tendències de la pedagogia contemporània.

La memoria visual de la escuela

El artículo versa sobre la memoria visual de la escuela incidiendo tanto en las motivaciones que orientan la producción de imágenes como sobre el acercamiento a ellas que hoy podemos realizar. Parte así del análisis de los motivos de producción de imágenes según los períodos de la evolución escolar, prosigue una reseña de las distintas posibilidades de formación de memoria a través de las representaciones gráficas de la escuela y, finalmente, se plantean las principales características así como retos del tratamiento museológico y museográfico de la imagen escolar. El objetivo del artículo es, por lo tanto, realizar una aproximación a las imágenes concibiéndolas como bienes gráficos que requieren un avance en las formas de conservación, difusión e investigación que están desarrollando los centros de gestión del patrimonio educativo.

Development and validation of a visual grading scale for assessing image quality of AP pelvis radiographic images.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article was to apply psychometric theory to develop and validate a visual grading scale for assessing the visual perception of digital image quality anteroposterior (AP) pelvis. METHODS: Psychometric theory was used to guide scale development. Seven phantom and seven cadaver images of visually and objectively predetermined quality were used to help assess scale reliability and validity. 151 volunteers scored phantom images, and 184 volunteers scored cadaver images. Factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were used to assess scale validity and reliability. RESULTS: A 24-item scale was produced. Aggregated mean volunteer scores for each image correlated with the rank order of the visually and objectively predetermined image qualities. Scale items had good interitem correlation (≥0.2) and high factor loadings (≥0.3). Cronbach's alpha (reliability) revealed that the scale has acceptable levels of internal reliability for both phantom and cadaver images (α = 0.8 and 0.9, respectively). Factor analysis suggested that the scale is multidimensional (assessing multiple quality themes). CONCLUSION: This study represents the first full development and validation of a visual image quality scale using psychometric theory. It is likely that this scale will have clinical, training and research applications. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: This article presents data to create and validate visual grading scales for radiographic examinations. The visual grading scale, for AP pelvis examinations, can act as a validated tool for future research, teaching and clinical evaluations of image quality.

Timing of visual stimuli in V1 and V5/MT: fMRI and TMS

Time perception is used in our day-to-day activities. While we understand quite well how our brain processes vision, touch or taste, brain mechanisms subserving time perception remain largely understudied. In this study, we extended an experiment of previous master thesis run by Tatiana Kenel-Pierre. We focused on time perception in the range of milliseconds. Previous studies have demonstrated the involvement of visual areas V1 and V5/MT in the encoding of temporal information of visual stimuli. Based on these previous findings the aim of the present study was to understand if temporal information was encoded in V1 and extrastriate area V5/MT in different spatial frames i.e., head- centered versus eye-centered. To this purpose we asked eleven healthy volunteers to perform a temporal discrimination task of visual stimuli. Stimuli were presented at 4 different spatial positions (i.e., different combinations of retinotopic and spatiotopic position). While participants were engaged in this task we interfered with the activity of the right dorsal V1 and the right V5/MT with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Our preliminary results showed that TMS over both V1 and V5/MT impaired temporal discrimination of visual stimuli presented at specific spatial coordinates. But whereas TMS over V1 impaired temporal discrimination of stimuli presented in the lower left quadrant, TMS over V5/MT affected temporal discrimination of stimuli presented at the top left quadrant. Although it is always difficult to draw conclusions from preliminary results, we could tentatively say that our data seem to suggest that both V1 and V5/MT encode visual temporal information in specific spatial frames.