A comparison of the ipsilateral cortical projections to the dorsal and ventral subdivisions of the macaque premotor cortex

The cortical connections of the dorsal (PMd) and ventral (PMv) subdivisions of the premotor area (PM, lateral area 6) were studied in four monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) through the use of retrograde tracers. In two animals, tracer was injected ventral to the arcuate sulcus (PMv), in a region from which forelimb movements could be elicited by intracortical microstimulation (ICMS). Tracer injections dorsal to the arcuate sulcus (PMd) were made in two locations. In one animal, tracer was injected caudal to the genu of the arcuate sulcus (in caudal PMd [cPMd], where ICMS was effective in eliciting forelimb movements); in another animal, it was injected rostral to the genu of the arcuate sulcus (in rostral PMd [rPMd], where ICMS was ineffective in eliciting movements). Retrogradely labeled neurons were counted in the ipsilateral hemisphere and located in cytoarchitectonically identified areas of the frontal and parietal lobes. Although both PMv and PMd were found to receive inputs from other motor areas, the prefrontal cortex, and the parietal cortex, there were differences in the topography and the relative strength of projections from these areas. There were few common inputs to PMv and PMd; only the supplementary eye fields projected to all three areas studied. Interconnections within PMd or PMv appeared to link hindlimb and forelimb representations, and forelimb and face representations; however, connections between PMd and PMv were sparse. Areas cPMd and PMv were found to receive inputs from other motor areas-the primary motor area, the supplementary motor area, and the cingulate motor area-but the topography and strength of projections from these areas varied. Area rPMd was found to receive sparse inputs, if any, from these motor areas. The frontal eye field (area 8a) was found to project to PMv and rPMd, and area 46 was labeled substantially only from rPMd. Parietal projections to PMv were found to originate from a variety of somatosensory and visual areas, including the second somatosensory cortex and related areas in the parietal operculum of the lateral sulcus, as well as areas 5, 7a, and 7b, and the anterior intraparietal area. By contrast, projections to cPMd arose only from area 5. Visual areas 7m and the medial intraparietal area were labeled from rPMd. Relatively more parietal neurons were labeled after tracer injections in PMv than in PMd. Thus, PMv and PMd appear to be parts of separate, parallel networks for movement control

Reti e stili di attaccamento nell'adattamento di coppia

Diverse ricerche hanno studiato il funzionamento e l’adattamento di coppia alla luce dell’attaccamento romantico, rilevando in genere una relazione fra insicurezza del soggetto e minore adattamento diadico. In ambito italiano, ad esempio, Santona e Zavattini (2007) hanno riscontrato una relazione negativa fra l’adattamento di coppia e la dimensione dell’evitamento dalla vicinanza e dell’intimità nell’attaccamento. La presente ricerca aveva l’obiettivo approfondire tale tematica, analizzando le interconnessioni fra l’adattamento di coppia, l’attaccamento romantico del soggetto e del partner (così come autovalutato dal partner e come percepito dal soggetto stesso) e le reti di attaccamento dei componenti della coppia. METODO. Alla ricerca hanno partecipato 50 coppie stabili di adulti (metà coppie con figli e metà senza), per un totale di 100 soggetti sposati o conviventi (età: 23-59 anni), ai quali sono stati somministrati i seguenti strumenti: (1) Il questionario Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R; Fraley, Waller, & Brennan, 2000; Calvo, 2008) per la valutazione dell’attaccamento adulto nelle relazioni sentimentali; (2) il questionario Attachment Network Questionnaire-Revised (ANQ-R; Doherty & Feeney, 2004; Calvo & de Romano, 2008), per valutare la composizione e le caratteristiche delle reti di attaccamento del soggetto; (3) il Relationship Questionnaire riferito al partner (RQP), ovvero un riadattamento del questionario di Bartholomew e Horowitz (1991) per valutare la percezione del soggetto riguardo allo stile di attaccamento del proprio partner; (4) la Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS; Spanier, 1976), un questionario multidimensionale per misurare il grado di adattamento di coppia e la rappresentazione che il soggetto ha della qualità della relazione con il partner. RISULTATI. I risultati preliminari hanno evidenziato una chiara relazione fra l’attaccamento romantico e l’adattamento di coppia. In sintesi: (1) i soggetti più insicuri nell’attaccamento romantico percepiscono la loro relazione di coppia come meno adattata e soddisfacente, (2) anche l’insicurezza dell’attaccamento del partner influenza negativamente la soddisfazione di coppia del soggetto; (3) al crescere della soddisfazione e dell’adattamento diadico, il partner tende ad assumere una posizione di maggiore rilevo all’interno della rete di attaccamento del soggetto

Usage of non-prescription medication by people with diabetes

A mail survey of 310 diabetic members of Diabetes Australia - Queensland (Response rate 84.8%) was conducted to determine non-prescription medication usage, to determine possible clinical risks involved in use and to identify potential predictors of non-prescription medication use. The average number of non-prescription medications used in the prior 14 days was 1.2 (SD = 1.6). There was a significant difference between type of diabetes and the number of non-prescription medications used in the prior 14 days. Approximately 59% of respondents had used at least one non-prescription medication. Approximately 41% used medication that was considered unsafe in light of a review of the literature. Significant predictors of non-prescription medication use were experience of minor health symptoms, age and level of education. For cost effective education about hazards of non-prescription medication use, the target group would be those under forty years of age with a higher education level. The implications of self-medication by diabetic patients require further research as the information in the current literature is conflicting and incomplete

A retrospective study of risk factors of akathisia in terminally ill patients

Akathisia is a distressing disorder that manifests as a state of restlessness and motor agitation. We aim to highlight the problem of akathisia to the palliative care physician by identifying and quantifying risk factors in the terminally ill. A retrospective case-control study was utilized to investigate risk factors for akathisia. Medical records of cases (N = 100) and controls (N = 365) archived in a computerized database were downloaded and risk factors determined using conditional logistic regression analyses. Exposure to pharmacologically similar drugs, such as haloperidol [odds ratio (OR), 18.4; 95% confidence interval (CI), 8.2-41.4], prochlorperazine (OR, 8.1; 95% CI, 3.0-21.8), and promethazine (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.3-8.0), conferred an increased risk. Other significant variables were exposure to morphine (OR, 5.3; 95% CI, 1.9-14.2), sodium valproate (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.0-6.4), and sodium bicarbonate/tartrate (Ural) (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.2-15.3). Highlighting factors that predispose patients to akathisia emphasizes that this syndrome should not be forgotten when treating the terminally ill. It is recommended that those drugs identified should be judicially used and carefully monitored