Medical students' perception of the educational environment in a faculty developing a traditional curriculum (UCH-Chile) and another with a problem based learning curriculum (UNC-Argentina)

Objetivo. Evaluar y comparar la percepción que del ambiente educativo tienen los estudiantes de medicina de dos universidades iberoamericanas: Universidad de Chile (UCH) y Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNC), que desarrollan un currículo tradicional y un currículo basado en problemas, respectivamente. Sujetos y métodos. Participaron 465 estudiantes: 232 de la UCH y 233 de la UNC. La distribución fue de 84 y 70 estudiantes para el primer curso, 77 y 97 para el tercero, y 71 y 66 para el quinto, respectivamente. Se aplicó el cuestionario DREEM, que consiste en 50 ítems, agrupados en cinco dimensiones: percepción de la enseñanza, percepción de los profesores, autopercepción académica, percepción de la atmósfera educativa y autopercepción social. Las puntuaciones totales fueron mayores en los tres cursos de la UNC. Resultaron similares en todos los cursos de ambas universidades, excepto en el quinto curso de la UCH. Respecto a la percepción acerca de los profesores, los estudiantes de quinto curso de la UCH mostraron las puntuaciones más bajas, mientras que los estudiantes del primer curso de la UNC tuvieron la mejor percepción. Resultados similares se obtuvieron en la autopercepción académica. La percepción del ambiente de aprendizaje fue mejor en la UNC y la autopercepción social tuvo puntuaciones similares en todos los cursos de ambas universidades. Conclusiones. Las diferencias observadas entre ambas universidades podrían atribuirse a sus diferentes currículos. El currículo basado en problemas parece ser mejor valorado que el tradicional. Nuestro estudio corrobora la eficacia del cuestionario DREEM para identificar fortalezas y debilidades del currículo y para evaluar la calidad de la enseñanza en facultades de medicinaAim: To assess and compare the perception about the educational environment of medical students from two Latin-American universities, University of Chile (UCH) and National University of Cuyo (UNC), which develop a traditional curriculum and a problem based curriculum, respectively.  Subjects and methods: A transversal study was performed in 465 students: 232 from the UCH and 233 from the UNC. The distribution was 84/70 for the first course, 77/97 for the third one and 71/66 for the fifth one, respectively. The DREEM questionnaire, which consists of 50 items, was applied. It covers 5 dimensions of the educational environment: perception about learning, perception about teachers, academic self-perception, perception about educational climate and social self-perception.  Results: Total DREEM scores were significantly higher in the UNC. Scores were similar in all courses from both universities, with the exception of fifth course UCH. Regarding their perception about teachers, students of the fifth course UCH showed the lowest score, whereas students of the first course UNC had the best perception. Similar results were obtained for the academic auto-perception; while the perception of the learning environment obtained higher scores in the three courses from the UNC. Social auto-perception was similar in all courses tested in this study.  Conclusions: Differences observed between both universities could be attributed to their different curricula. Problem based curriculum seems to be better appreciated than the traditional one. Our study corroborates the efficacy of the DREEM questionnaire to identify strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum and for the assessment of teaching quality in medical schools.Fil: Díaz Véliz, Gabriela. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Mora, Sergio. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Bianchi, Ricardo. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Gargiulo, Pascual Angel. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; ArgentinaFil: Terán, Carolina. Universidad San Francisco Xavier; BoliviaFil: Gorena, Dorian. Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar; BoliviaFil: Lafuente Sánchez, José V.. Universidad del País Vasco; EspañaFil: Escanero Marcen, Jesús F.. Universidad de Zaragoza; Españ

Hippocampal Memory Recovery After Acute Stress: A Behavioral, Morphological and Molecular Study

Indexación: Scopus.Laboratory of Neuroplasticity and Neurogenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile, 2Laboratorio Farmacología del Comportamiento, ICBM, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile, 3Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile, 4Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile, 5Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile, 6Escuela de Química y Farmacia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.This study was supported by the following grants: Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT) 1120528 (JLF), Fondo Central de Investigación, Universidad de Chile ENL025/16 (JLF).Several studies have shown that a single exposure to stress may improve or impair learning and memory processes, depending on the timing in which the stress event occurs with relation to the acquisition phase. However, to date there is no information about the molecular changes that occur at the synapse during the stress-induced memory modification and after a recovery period. In particular, there are no studies that have evaluated—at the same time—the temporality of stress and stress recovery period in hippocampal short-term memory and the effects on dendritic spine morphology, along with variations in N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunits. The aim of our study was to take a multidimensional approach to investigate concomitant behavioral, morphological and molecular changes induced by a single restraint stress exposure (2.5 h) and a recovery period of 6 and 24 h in rats. We found that acute stress elicited a reduced preference to explore an object placed in a novel position (a hippocampal-dependent task). These changes were accompanied by increased activity of LIM kinase I (LIMK; an actin-remodeling protein) and increased levels of NR2A subunits of NMDA receptors. After 6 h of recovery from stress, rats showed similar preference to explore an object placed in a novel or familiar position, but density of immature spines increased in secondary CA1 apical dendrites, along with a transient rise in GluA2 AMPA receptor subunits. After 24 h of recovery from stress, the animals showed a preference to explore an object placed in a novel position, which was accompanied by a normalization of NMDA and AMPA receptor subunits to control values. Our data suggest that acute stress produces reversible molecular and behavioral changes 24 h after stress, allowing a full reestablishment of hippocampal-related memory. Further studies need to be conducted to deepen our understanding of these changes and their reciprocal interactions.Adaptive stress responses are a promising avenue to develop interventions aiming at restoring hippocampal function impaired by repetitive stress exposure. © 2018 Aguayo, Tejos-Bravo, Díaz-Véliz, Pacheco, García-Rojo, Corrales, Olave, Aliaga, Ulloa, Avalos, Román-Albasini, Rojas and Fiedler.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnmol.2018.00283/ful

Aromatic Bromination Abolishes the Psychomotor Features and Pro-social Responses of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) in Rats and Preserves Affinity for the Serotonin Transporter (SERT)

The entactogen MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine, “Ecstasy”) exerts its psychotropic effects acting primarily as a substrate of the serotonin transporter (SERT) to induce a non-exocytotic release of serotonin. Nevertheless, the roles of specific positions of the aromatic ring of MDMA associated with the modulation of typical entactogenic effects, using analogs derived from the MDMA template, are still not fully understood. Among many possibilities, aromatic halogenation of the phenylalkylamine moiety may favor distribution to the brain due to increased lipophilicity, and sometimes renders psychotropic substances of high affinity for their molecular targets and high potency in humans. In the present work, a new MDMA analog brominated at C(2) of the aromatic ring (2-Br-4,5-MDMA) has been synthesized and pharmacologically characterized in vitro and in vivo. First, binding competition experiments against the SERT-blocker citalopram were carried out in human platelets and compared with MDMA. Besides, its effects on platelet aggregation were performed in platelet enriched human plasma using collagen as aggregation inductor. Second, as platelets are considered an appropriate peripheral model for estimating central serotonin availability, the functional effects of 2-Br-4,5-MDMA and MDMA on ATP release during human platelet aggregation were evaluated. The results obtained showed that 2-Br-4,5-MDMA exhibits higher affinity for SERT than MDMA and fully abolishes both platelet aggregation and ATP release, resembling the pharmacological profile of citalopram. Subsequent in vivo evaluation in rats at three dose levels showed that 2-Br-4,5-MDMA lacks all key MDMA-like behavioral responses in rats, including hyperlocomotion, enhanced active avoidance conditioning responses and increased social interaction. Taken together, the results obtained are consistent with the notion that 2-Br-4,5-MDMA should not be expected to be an MDMA-like substrate of SERT, indicating that aromatic bromination at C(2) modulates the pharmacodynamic properties of the substrate MDMA, yielding a citalopram-like compound

Influence of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) on the behavioral effects of amphetamine in rats

The influence of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) on the behavioral effects induced by several doses of D-amphetamine (0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg IP) was studied. A dose response relation was previously established for the effects of LHRH (50, 100 and 200 μg/kg SC) on acquisition and retention of conditioned avoidance responses (CARs). The neuropeptide impaired acquisition and improved retention of CARs, without modifying spontaneous motor activity. Pretreatment with 100 μg/kg of LHRH antagonizes the enhancement in acquisition of CARs due to D-amphetamine 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg, the impairment in retention induced by amphetamine 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg, and the hypermotility and the increased rearing behavior induced by amphetamine 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg. These results suggest that brain catecholamines, particularly dopamine, could play a role in the behavioral effects of LHRH. Interactions between LHRH and central dopaminergic mechanisms are discussed. © 1983

Luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone modifies retention of passive and active avoidance responses in rats

The influence of posttraining subcutaneous administration of luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) was tested on the retention of either active or passive avoidance conditioning in male rats. Injection of LHRH (200μ/kg) immediately after the acquisition of an active avoidance response (two-way shuttle behavior) enhanced retention of the response, assessed 7 days later. When the neuropeptide was injected immediately after a passive avoidance conditioning training, the effects varied with the intensity of the footshock applied. LHRH enhanced retention of avoidance training with weak footshock (0.20 and 0.35 mA) but impaired retention of training with strong footshock (0.70 and 1.0 mA). The effects of LHRH seem to be unspecific since they are similar to those observed after treatment with several hormones. The results are discussed based on the interactions between peripherally injected hormones and endogenous substances released following footshock. A modulatory effect on the mon

Effects of the estrous cycle and ovarian hormones on behavioral indices of anxiety in female rats

The influence of the estrous cycle and the effects of exogenous administration of estradiol and progesterone on level of anxiety were studied in intact and ovariectomized rats. Intact Sprague-Dawley female rats were classified according to the stages of estrous cycle. Another group of rats was ovariectomized bilaterally and, 14 days after surgery, they received estradiol benzoate (10 μg/kg, SC) and/or progesterone (25 mg/kg, SC) or corn oil (1 ml/kg). The behavioral tests began 3 h after estradiol or 6 h after progesterone and consisted of: (1) exploration of an elevated plus-maze; and (2) retention of a passive avoidance response. Open-arm exploration of the plus-maze varied according to light intensity and the stages of the estrous cycle. There was a slight increase in open-arm exploration by rats in metestrus, under high light intensity. Low light intensity increased the exploration of the open arms by rats in proestrus and estrus, compared to the other phases of the cycle. Retenti

Ketanserin effects on rat behavioral responses: Modifications by the estrous cycle, ovariectomy and estradiol replacement

The present investigation was designed to explore the influence of estrous cycle phase, ovariectomy, and estradiol replacement on the behavioral effects of the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, ketanserin. The parameters under investigation were ketanserin-influenced acquisition of conditioning avoidance responses (CARs), and the performance of some spontaneous motor behaviors. Ketanserin (KET 3 mg/kg) injected subcutaneously 30 min before testing improved active conditioned avoidance in intact female rats at estrus, and in ovariectomized (OVX) rats with estradiol replacement. Furthermore, KET impaired performance in female rats at diestrus and after ovariectomy. In male rats, which were included in this study in order to compare their behavioral responses with those exhibited by female rats, KET administration enhanced acquisition of CARs. These results provide behavioral evidence for the hypothesis that central serotonergic activity is a function of the hormonal status of the animal. An ad

Effects of LHRH on avoidance conditioning in normally cycling and ovariectomized female rats

Several studies have demonstrated that the peptide LHRH can modify behavior in the male rat. Peripheral and intracerebral infusions of LHRH impair the acquisition of conditioned avoidance responses (CARs) and increase some spontaneous motor behaviors, such as head shaking and grooming. The present study was undertaken to detect the effects of LHRH on the acquisition of CARs and spontaneous motility in normally cycling and ovariectomized (OVX) Sprague-Dawley female rats. Normally cycling females were separated in four groups, according to the stage of the estrous cycle. Ovariectomized female rats were pretreated, 48 h before the experiment, with estradiol benzoate (10 μg/kg) or corn oil. LHRH (6.25, 25, or 50 μg/kg) was subcutaneously injected and the behavioral tests began 1 h after. Low doses of LHRH stimulated the acquisition of CARs during proestrus, estrus, and metestrus, whereas higher doses impaired conditioning in all the four stages of the cycle. High doses of LHRH impaired ac

Longitudinal perception of the educational environment in two medical schools with traditional curricula in chile and spain Percepción del ambiente educacional en dos escuelas de medicina con currículo tradicional. Estudio longitudinal

© 2016, Sociedad Medica de Santiago. All Rights Reserved.Background: To establish an educational environment that ensures the quality of the teaching-learning process is a challenge for any educational institution. The questionnaire DREEM (Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure) is used to identify strengths and weaknesses of an educational environment and to compare different medical schools. Aim: To evaluate the changes in the perception of educational environment by students of the Schools of Medicine of the University of Zaragoza, UZar (Spain) and the University of Chile, UCh (Chile) at two points in their curricula. Material and Methods: DREEM questionnaire was answered by 90 students from the UZar and 87 students of the UCh, when they were in the first year (2009) and in the fourth year of their career (2012). Results: At both universities the overall mean scores of DREAM were significantly higher in students in their first year than those obtained in the fourth year (137.