Perceptions and Emotional State of Mothers of Children with and without Microcephaly after the Zika Virus Epidemic in Rural Caribbean Colombia

"Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy can cause neurological manifestations such as microcephaly. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of ZIKV and mental health in women exposed to ZIKV during pregnancy in Colombia. This was a mixed-methods study based on structured interviews and psychological tests. Structured interviews were transcribed and analysed with Atlas Ti software. A grounded theory approach was applied. Quantitative analysis was performed with Statistical Package for Social Science, SPSS, V. 20. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Universidad de Cordoba, Monteria. Seventeen women participated in the study; nine of them were mothers of children with microcephaly. Maternal age ranged from 16 to 41 years old. The main themes discussed during interviews were: feelings, support, sources of information, and consequences on children's health. Women with children affected by microcephaly showed worse mental health compared to women with normocephalic children. Maternal mental health worsened after 24 months from giving birth. Perceptions regarding disease severity and lack of knowledge were considered to affect maternal mental health. Social support and spirituality were key determinants for caregivers. Future research is needed to further study coping mechanisms and mental health outcomes over time by affected populations.

Asociación de los estilos parentales, estructura y percepción familiar en la aparición de conductas delictivas en adolescentes

The main objective of this study was to establish the relationship between parental styles, family structure and the perception of family functionality in the appearance of criminal behaviors of adolescents belonging to the social service of the city of Sincelejo. To do this, a quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of 181 adolescents to whom an Ad hoc characterization questionnaire was applied and the AD questionnaires of Seisdedos, the family apgar and the parental style scale. The results show significant relationships between criminal behaviors and a low perception of family functionality based on poor family cohesion, one-way communication, assertions of power, rigid and inflexible norms and little affective involvement, typical of authoritarian and negligent parenting styles. These results allowed to conclude that the family factor that has a significant influence on the adoption of criminal behaviors in adolescents is the perception that they have about family functioning and support factors, conflict resolution, participation in decision-making, establishment of limits and tolerance to the crisis that are present in the family environment.El objetivo principal del presente estudio fue establecer la relación entre los estilos parentales, la estructura familiar y la percepción de la funcionalidad familiar en la aparición de conductas delictivas de los adolescentes pertenecientes al servicio social de la ciudad de Sincelejo. Para ello, se realizó un estudio de tipo cuantitativo, de nivel correlacional y de corte transversal, con una muestra de 181 adolescentes a quienes se les aplicó un cuestionario de caracterización Ad hoc y se les aplicaron los cuestionarios A-D de Seisdedos, el apgar familiar y la escala de estilos parentales. Los resultados muestran relaciones significativas entre las conductas delictivas y una baja percepción de la funcionalidad familiar basada en la poca cohesión familiar, comunicación unidireccional, afirmaciones de poder, normas rígidas e inflexibles y poca implicación afectiva, propios de estilos de crianza autoritarios y negligentes. Estos resultados permitieron concluir que el factor familiar que incide de manera significativa en la adopción de conductas delictivas en los adolescentes es la percepción que estos tienen acerca del funcionamiento familiar y de los factores de apoyo, resolución de conflictos, participación en la toma de decisiones, establecimiento de límites y tolerancia a la crisis que encuentren presentes en el entorno familiar

Factores prenatales y perinatales asociados al coeficiente intelectual en niños y niñas de tres a seis años, del barrio Uribe Uribe, que asisten a hogares infantiles en la ciudad de Sincelejo (Sucre)

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar la relación entre los factores prenatales y perinatales con el coeficiente intelectual (CI) en niños y niñas del barrio Uribe Uribe de Sincelejo. La metodología de esta investigación fue de un diseño cuantitativo, de tipo observacional y nivel correlacional; constituido por una muestra de 43 niños y niñas en edades de tres a seis años, que asisten a hogares infantiles distribuidos en dos grupos: el grupo uno, con CI menor de 70 y el dos con CI mayor de 70. También se contó con la participación de sus madres. Los instrumentos fueron el Cuestionario Materno de Riesgo Perinatal (CMRP) y la Escala de Inteligencia de Wechsler para Preescolar y Primaria - IV (WPPSI-IV) para evaluar el CI en los niños y niñas. Los resultados del estudio revelaron que no existe diferencia estadística significativa con las variables estudiadas entre los grupos. Se concluyó que no se presenta una asociación en referencia a los factores prenatales y perinatales con el CI en los niños y niñas de la ciudad de Sincelejo

Brain training with neurofeedback in patients with mild cognitive impairment: a review study

Objective: The study aimed to establish the differences in the levels of adaptation, social support, and perceived family functionality according to sex, age, and school grade of a sample of 160 children and adolescents affected by floods in the Mojana sub-region of the Department of Sucre, Colombia

Perceptions and Emotional State of Mothers of Children with and without Microcephaly after the Zika Virus Epidemic in Rural Caribbean Colombia

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy can cause neurological manifestations such as microcephaly. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of ZIKV and mental health in women exposed to ZIKV during pregnancy in Colombia. This was a mixed-methods study based on structured interviews and psychological tests. Structured interviews were transcribed and analysed with Atlas Ti software. A grounded theory approach was applied. Quantitative analysis was performed with Statistical Package for Social Science, SPSS, V. 20. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Universidad de Córdoba, Montería. Seventeen women participated in the study; nine of them were mothers of children with microcephaly. Maternal age ranged from 16 to 41 years old. The main themes discussed during interviews were: feelings, support, sources of information, and consequences on children’s health. Women with children affected by microcephaly showed worse mental health compared to women with normocephalic children. Maternal mental health worsened after 24 months from giving birth. Perceptions regarding disease severity and lack of knowledge were considered to affect maternal mental health. Social support and spirituality were key determinants for caregivers. Future research is needed to further study coping mechanisms and mental health outcomes over time by affected populations

Prenatal and perinatal factors associated with the iq in children from three to six years of the neighborhood Uribe Uribe ward that assists children’s homes in the city of Sincelejo (Sucre)

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar la relación entre los factores prenatales y perinatales con el coeficiente intelectual (CI) en niños y niñas del barrio Uribe Uribe de Sincelejo. La metodología de esta investigación fue de un diseño cuantitativo, de tipo observacional y nivel correlacional; constituido por una muestra de 43 niños y niñas en edades de tres a seis años, que asisten a hogares infantiles distribuidos en dos grupos: el grupo uno, con CI menor de 70 y el dos con CI mayor de 70. También se contó con la participación de sus madres. Los instrumentos fueron el Cuestionario Materno de Riesgo Perinatal (CMRP) y la Escala de Inteligencia de Wechsler para Preescolar y Primaria - IV (WPPSI-IV) para evaluar el CI en los niños y niñas. Los resultados del estudio revelaron que no existe diferencia estadística significativa con las variables estudiadas entre los grupos. Se concluyó que no se presenta una asociación en referencia a los factores prenatales y perinatales con el CI en los niños y niñas de la ciudad de Sincelejo.The objective of this investigation was to determine the relationship between prenatal and perinatal factors with the intellectual coefficient (IQ) in children of the Uribe Uribe neighborhood of Sincelejo. The methodology of this investigation was of a quantitative paradigm, of observational type and correlational level; constituted by a sample of 43 boys and girls aged three to six years old, who attend children’s homes divided into two groups: the group one with CI less than seventy and the two with an IQ greater than seventy. We also had the participation of their mothers. The instruments were the Maternal Perinatal Risk Questionnaire (CMRP), and the WPPSI-IV, to evaluate IQ in children. The results of the study revealed that there is no significant statistical difference with the variables studied between the groups evaluated. It was concluded that no association is presented in reference to prenatal and perinatal factors with IC in boys and girls in Sincelejo

Neuropsychological effects and cognitive deficits associated with exposure to mercury and arsenic in children and adolescents of the Mojana region, Colombia

The present study aims to explore the neuropsychological performance and exposure to mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) in Colombian children and adolescents considering biomarkers in hair and blood. The total sample consisted of 70 participants from the Mojana region, Colombia. A neuropsychological evaluation protocol was used, consisting of 11 internationally recognized tests, with evidence of national validation and use for measurement in neurotoxicology contexts. A 57.1% of the sample presented levels above the reference value according to the USEPA, the WHO, and the ATSDR for total mercury in hair (HgH), blood mercury (HgB), and/or blood arsenic (AsB). The mean values reported for HgH were 1.76 ± 3.1 μg/g (95% CI 1.02-2.50) with ranges between 0.23 and 17.20; for HgB: 4.11 ± 5.93 μg/l (CI 2.69-5.52), ranging between 0.25 and 25.80, and for AsB: 1.96 ± 2.73 (CI 1.31-2.61) ranging between 0.50 and 15.50. In the comparison of groups in relation to the level of exposure, a significant difference was found (p < 0.05) for the subtest The Boston Naming Test (BNT). Correlation analyses found, on the one hand, significant negative relationships in tests integrated within the verbal (CVB) and executive function (EF) components as well as evidence of positive relationships in the manifestation of errors in their performance with the levels of Hg and/or As transformed by biomarker (Log10). In the linear regression analyses it was found that for each increase in the concentration of HgH, HgB, and AsB it is estimated that, both for the models with and without data adjustment, there is a loss of scores in integrated measures within the CVB and EF for the transformed levels of HgH, HgB, and AsB; and an increase in the reported errors in their processing within these functions. According to these results, exposure to mercury and/or arsenic is related with performance in verbal neuropsychological skills and executive functioning.The authors wish to thank the Ministry of Science of Colombia (Minciencias) for funding the internship grant under the “Young Researchers and Innovators” program (Call 775) and to the research groups Human Dimensions (Corporación Universitaria del Caribe-CECAR, Colombia) and Water, Applied and Environmental Chemistry (University of Córdoba, Colombia) who made possible the realization of this study. The authors would also like to acknowledge the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) through project iCOOP+2018-COOPB20362 and the CYTED (Programa Iberoamericano de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo), for financing the MercuRed Network (420RT0007).Peer reviewe

Neuropsychological effects and cognitive deficits associated with exposure to mercury and arsenic in children and adolescents of the Mojana region, Colombia

The present study aims to explore the neuropsychological performance and exposure to mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) in Colombian children and adolescents considering biomarkers in hair and blood. The total sample consisted of 70 participants from the Mojana region, Colombia. A neuropsychological evaluation protocol was used, consisting of 11 internationally recognized tests, with evidence of national validation and use for measurement in neurotoxicology contexts. A 57.1% of the sample presented levels above the reference value according to the USEPA, the WHO, and the ATSDR for total mercury in hair (HgH), blood mercury (HgB), and/or blood arsenic (AsB). The mean values reported for HgH were 1.76 ± 3.1 μg/g (95% CI 1.02–2.50) with ranges between 0.23 and 17.20; for HgB: 4.11 ± 5.93 μg/l (CI 2.69–5.52), ranging between 0.25 and 25.80, and for AsB: 1.96 ± 2.73 (CI 1.31–2.61) ranging between 0.50 and 15.50. In the comparison of groups in relation to the level of exposure, a significant difference was found (p < 0.05) for the subtest The Boston Naming Test (BNT). Correlation analyses found, on the one hand, significant negative relationships in tests integrated within the verbal (CVB) and executive function (EF) components as well as evidence of positive relationships in the manifestation of errors in their performance with the levels of Hg and/or As transformed by biomarker (Log10). In the linear regression analyses it was found that for each increase in the concentration of HgH, HgB, and AsB it is estimated that, both for the models with and without data adjustment, there is a loss of scores in integrated measures within the CVB and EF for the transformed levels of HgH, HgB, and AsB; and an increase in the reported errors in their processing within these functions. According to these results, exposure to mercury and/or arsenic is related with performance in verbal neuropsychological skills and executive functioning

Autonomic stress response in PhD students

La sustentación del proyecto de tesis doctoral es una situación que genera estrés con múltiples manifestaciones físicas y comportamentales. En este artículo se analizó la respuesta autonómica de estrés en estudiantes de doctorado en una defensa de su proyecto de tesis doctoral. El estudio contó con una muestra de 16 estudiantes de doctorado, a quienes se les analizó la variabilidad de la Frecuencia Cardiaca en estado basal en la defensa de su proyecto para evaluar su respuesta autonómica de estrés. Se evidenció que los estudiantes presentaron un aumento en la modulación autonómica simpática en la exposición a la defensa de su proyecto de tesis doctoral, debido a la disminución de los valores de Porcentaje de diferencias entre R-R con adyacentes normales a intervalos mayores de 50 ms (PNN50) = 15.2 ± 13.7 y la dispersión longitudinal de los puntos, respectivamente, obtenidos a partir del gráfico de Poincaré (SD1) = 34.0 ± 22.2 y SD2 = 77.1 ± 42.8, durante la defensa de su proyecto de tesis. Podemos concluir con base en los resultados obtenidos que el incremento de la modulación simpática, por parte de los estudiantes de estudiantes de doctorado, evidencia una baja capacidad adaptativa por parte de ellos a situaciones de alto nivel de estrés, como sería la defensa de la propuesta de tesis doctoral, lo cual pone de manifiesto la necesidad de diseñar programas de regulación y entrenamiento del control y manejo del estrés en estudiantes de pregrado y posgrado. Esto permitirá mejorar los resultados académicos en contextos de educación superior como el evaluado en el presente trabajoThe support of the doctoral thesis project is a situation that generates stress with multiple physical and behavioral manifestations. This article analyzed the autonomic stress response in doctoral students in the defense of their doctoral thesis project. The study included a sample of 16 doctoral students, who were analyzed for heart rate variability at baseline and in defending their project to assess their autonomic stress response. It was evidenced that the students presented an increase in the sympathetic autonomic modulation in the defense exposure of their doctoral thesis project, due to the decrease in the PNN50 values = 15.2 ± 13.7, SD1 = 34.0 ± 22.2 and SD2 = 77.1 ± 42.8 during the defense of his thesis project. We can conclude that the increase in sympathetic modulation of PhD students shows a low adaptive capacity in the defense of their doctoral thesis project, highlighting the need to design regulation and training programs for the control and management of stress in students. This can improve academic results in higher education context