Behavior profile and social competence in children and adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

A distrofia muscular de Duchenne é uma doença genética caracterizada por enfraquecimento muscular progressivo e degeneração irreversível, acompanhados por danos sensoriais e neuropsicológicos. Os objetivos do estudo consistiram em avaliar o perfil comportamental de crianças/adolescentes com DMD e a influência do prejuízo motor, da idade no início do uso de cadeira de rodas e da idade no diagnóstico. Participaram 34 pacientes e 20 controles. Os pacientes formaram dois grupos conforme o quociente de inteligência (QI). Os pais responderam ao Inventário de Comportamentos da Infância e da Adolescência. Pacientes com DMD obtiveram escores mais baixos em Atividades e Sociabilidade (p < 0,01; ANCOVA). Os pacientes com QI < 80 apresentaram menores índices de Escolaridade. O prejuízo motor e as idades referentes à cadeira e ao diagnóstico correlacionaram-se com sintomas psiquiátricos/somáticos e problemas escolares. Os achados enfatizam a necessidade de programas educacionais acerca da doença como base para o desenvolvimento de estratégias de inclusão social

Caregiver burden in dementia: reliability of the brazilian version of the Zarit caregiver burden interview

Objetivo: Este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar a confiabilidade do Inventario de Sobrecarga do Cuidador do paciente com demencia em sua versao em portugues para aplicacao em amostra de servico de atendimento clinico. Metodos: Apos a autorizacao do autor, foi feita traducao da versao original para o portugues seguida de back-translation. A confiabilidade do instrumento foi avaliada pelo metodo teste-reteste, aplicado a 50 cuidadores de pacientes com demencia. Resultados: A analise do instrumento mostrou coeficiente intra-classe de 0,88 e Alpha de Cronbach de 0,77 e 0,80 no teste e no re-teste, com resultados comparaveis ao estudo original mostrando-se confiavel para ser utilizado como uma medida da sobrecarga apresentada pelos cuidadores de pacientes com demencia. Conclusoes: Este estudo indica que a versao em portugues do Inventario de sobrecarga do Cuidador e confiavel, tendo apresentado a mesma efiCiência que o original do ponto de vista de coerencia de respostaBV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertaçõe

Dementia caregiver burden: reliability of the Brazilian version of the Zarit caregiver burden interview

The object of this article is to examine the reliability of the Brazilian version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI). The instrument is a 22-item scale assessing the extent to which caregivers view their responsibilities as having an adverse impact on their social life, health, emotional well-being, and finances. We assessed 50 primary informal caregivers of demented patients coming from 3 different health care centers, using the test-retest method. Analysis of the results showed an intraclass reliability coefficient of 0.88, while Cronbach's coefficient alpha was 0.77 for the test and 0.80 for the retest items. The Brazilian version of ZBI shows sufficient reliability, comparable to the original version

Dementia caregiver burden: reliability of the Brazilian version of the Zarit caregiver burden interview

The object of this article is to examine the reliability of the Brazilian version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (ZBI). The instrument is a 22-item scale assessing the extent to which caregivers view their responsibilities as having an adverse impact on their social life, health, emotional well-being, and finances. We assessed 50 primary informal caregivers of demented patients coming from 3 different health care centers, using the test-retest method. Analysis of the results showed an intraclass reliability coefficient of 0.88, while Cronbach's coefficient alpha was 0.77 for the test and 0.80 for the retest items. The Brazilian version of ZBI shows sufficient reliability, comparable to the original version

Neuropsychological alterations in mercury intoxication persist several years after exposure

Abstract Elemental mercury is a liquid toxic metal widely used in industry. Occupational exposure occurs mainly via inhalation. Previously, neuropsychological assessment detected deficits in former workers of a fluorescent lamp plant who had been exposed to elemental mercury vapor and were away from exposure for several years at the time of examination. Objectives: The purpose of this work was to reexamine these functions after 18 months in order to evaluate their progression. Methods: Thirteen participants completed tests of attention, inhibitory control, verbal/visual memory, psychomotor speed, verbal fluency, visuomotor ability, executive function, semantic knowledge, and depression and anxiety inventories on 2 separate occasions. Results: At baseline, the former workers indicated slower psychomotor and information processing speed, verbal spontaneous recall memory impairment, and increased depression and anxiety symptoms compared to controls (P<0.05). Paired comparisons of neuropsychological functioning within the exposed group at baseline and 1.5 years later showed poorer immediate memory performance (P<0.05). There were no differences on other measures. Conclusions: Although the literature show signs of recovery of functions, the neuropsychological effects related to mercury exposure are found to persist for many years

Neuropsychology in experimental research: Mercury intoxication as an example of application

The development of the field of neuropsychology followed the study of the brain since its oldest records. Neuropsychological science uses quantitative measures of performance and technologies for the production of neuroimage that, jointly, allow the observation of the brain-behavior relationship. Neuropsychological research has revealed results in the investigation of cognitive, psychomotor or behavioral alterations related to congenital or acquired pathologies. In the present article we describe historical aspects of experimental neuropsychology and present the main results of a study about neuropsychological alterations found in patients with a history of mercury vapor intoxication, which persisted years after exposure.Le dévelopment de la neuropsychologie a accompagné l'étude du cerveau dès ces plus anciens régistres. La science neuropsychologique s'utilise des mésures quantitatives de performance et des téchnologies pour la production de neuroimage, qui permettent l'observation des relations cerveau-comportement. Sur le champ experimental, la neuropsychologie a revelé des résultats dans les investigations des alterations cognitives, psychomotrices, ou comportamentales associés aux patologies génétiques ou acquises. Dans cet article on abordera les aspects historiques de la neuropsychologie experimental. Aussi on presentera les principaux résultats d'un étude référant aux altérations neuropsychologiques des pacients avec une histoire d'intoxication de vapeur de mercure présent après des années d'exposition au même.O desenvolvimento da neuropsicologia acompanhou a evolução do estudo do cérebro desde os registros mais antigos. A ciência neuropsicológica faz uso de medidas quantitativas de desempenho e tecnologias para produção de neuroimagem que, em conjunto, permitem a observação das relações cérebro-comportamento. No âmbito experimental, a neuropsicologia tem revelado novos conhecimentos na investigação de alterações cognitivas, psicomotoras ou comportamentais associadas a patologias congênitas ou adquiridas. No presente artigo são abordados aspectos históricos da neuropsicologia experimental e apresentados os principais resultados de um estudo referente às alterações neuropsicológicas de pacientes com histórico de intoxicação por vapor de mercúrio, presentes anos após o período de exposição ao metal