Lliçons del campus virtual obrint camí cap a l'EEES

El present treball considera les experiències en la creació d'una assignatura de Crèdits Universitaris de Lliure Elecció de tipus presencial i la seva adaptació a la bimodalitat i la virtualitat completa, així com la transferència o aplicació d'aquestes experiències a l'àmbit d'ensenyament universitari que ha d'afrontar els requeriments que estableix el nou Espai Europeu d'Educació Superior (EEES).Analitzarem algunes de les estratègies i recursos utilitzats, la seva aplicació, les avantatges, les dificultats, els reptes i la resposta dels professors i els estudiants. En aquesta anàlisi trobarem experiències que poden ser útils per ajudar a l'alumnat i al personal docent i acadèmic en el seu procés d'adaptació a l'EEES

Design and effectiveness of an online group logotherapy intervention on the mental health of Iranian international students in European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

IntroductionThe secondary impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to widespread psychological challenges, significantly strained international students’ mental health. The present work sought to design and assess the efficacy of an Online Group Logotherapy Protocol, an existential psychology approach developed by Viktor Frankl, to reduce anxiety and depression levels among Iranian international students who were migrants/refugees in different European countries during the pandemic.MethodsThe study recruited 70 students (58 females and 12 males, age range 20–35, 6 EU countries) experiencing moderate levels of anxiety and depression as measured by the Beck Anxiety (BAI) and Depression (BDI) Inventories at pre-test. Half the participants received a short-term closed group intervention comprising 6 online sessions / 90 min of logotherapy. The control group received 6 sessions without specific psychological treatment.ResultsThe designed logotherapy sessions consisted of 1. Fundamentals of logotherapy, 2. Existential concerns, 3. Introspection, 4. Self-awareness and growth, 5. Empowering and facing challenges, 6. Meaning of life and conclusions. Five logotherapy techniques were used: Socratic Dialog, Modification of Attitude, Paradoxical Intention, Dereflection, and Logodrama. After the sessions, the post-test MANCOVA analysis showed a more potent effect of logotherapy reducing depression and anxiety than that elicited without intervention. The Eta coefficient suggests that the observed difference explains the effect of logotherapy with a strong power of 89%.ConclusionThese findings unveil (1) the benefits of online group sessions despite the geographical distance and (2) the relevance of logotherapy effectively reducing depression and anxiety in such complex scenarios where psychological resources and cultural competencies are limited

Un nou enfocament per a la recerca en la malaltia d'Alzheimer

El projecte europeu ArrestAD, del programa FET-OPEN Horizon 2020, que es va iniciar a principis d'any i finalitzarà al desembre de 2022, proposa una nova visió per a la recerca en la malaltia d'Alzheimer i posarà a prova un nou concepte per al seu diagnòstic precoç i tractament basat en el paper del sucre heparan sulfat. La investigadora de l'Institut de Neurociències Lydia Giménez-Llort lidera la participació de la UAB en el projecte.El proyecto europeo ArrestAD del programa FET-OPEN Horizon 2020, que comenzó a principios de este año y finalizará en diciembre de 2020, propone una nueva visión para la investigación en la enfermedad de Alzheimer y pondrá a prueba un nuevo concepto para su diagnóstico precoz y tratamiento basado en el papel del azúcar heparan sulfato. La investigadora del Instituto de Neurociencias Lydia Giménez-Llort lidera la participación de la UAB en el proyecto.The European ArrestAD FET-OPEN Horizon 2020 programme, which began at the start of the year and will end in December 2022, proposes a new vision for research on Alzheimer's disease and tests a new concept for its early diagnosis and treatment based on the role of heparan sulfate sugar chain. The researcher of the UAB Institute of Neuroscience Lydia Giménez-Llort is leading the UAB's participation in the project

Vibrating Tail, Digging, Body/Face Interaction, and Lack of Barbering : Sex-Dependent Behavioral Signatures of Social Dysfunction in 3xTg-AD Mice as Compared to Mice with Normal Aging

Modeling of Alzheimer's disease (AD), classically focused on the subject-environment interaction, foresees current social neuroscience efforts as improving the predictive validity of new strategies. Here we studied social functioning among congeners in 13-14-month-old mice with normal aging in naturalistic and experimental conditions and depicted behavioral signatures of dysfunction in age-matched 3xTg-AD mice. The most sensitive variables were vibrating tail, digging, body/face and self-grooming, that can be easily used in housing routines and the assessment of strategies. Sex-specific signatures (vibrating tail, digging, and grooming) defined female 3xTg-AD mice ethogram. All animals sleep huddled while barbering was only found in females with normal aging

El paper dels receptors de la dopamina, l'adenosina i l'NMDA en l'activitat motora de l'animal d'experimentació

Se sap des de fa temps que els receptors dopaminèrgics estriatals tenen un paper fonamental en la modulació de 1'activitat motora. Recentment, hem trobat resultats que mostren 1'existencia d'interaccions especifiques entre subtipus de receptors de l'adenosina i de la dopamina al cervell dels mamifers. A través d'aquestes interaccions, que tenen lloc en neurones estriatals concretes, el neuromodulador adenosina inhibeix 1'activitat motora. Aquest mecanisme sembla ser el principal responsable dels efectes psicomotors dels antagonistes adenosínics com la cafeïna. En aquest treball també es revisen una sèrie de resultats experimentals que demostren la implicació dels receptors de NMDA en la modulació de l'activitat motora. Aquest resultats suggereixen que, a part de 1'estriat i d'altres ganglis basals, hi ha altres estructures subcorticals, com probablement 1'hipocamp, involucrades en aquesta modulaci

Emerging Translational Research in Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases : From In Vitro to In Vivo Models

Revealing the underlying pathomechanisms of neurological and psychiatric disorders, searching for new biomarkers, and developing novel therapeutics all require translational research [...]

Impact of chronic risperidone use on behavior and survival of 3xTg-AD mice model of Alzheimer's disease and mice with normal aging

Altres ajuts: FLMTV3/2010/062930Psychosis and/or aggression are common problems in dementia, and when severe or persistent, cause considerable patient distress and disability, caregiver stress, and early institutionalization. In 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that atypical antipsychotics were associated with a significantly greater mortality risk compared to placebo, which prompted the addition of an FDA black-box warning. The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) White Paper, 2008, reviewed this issue and made clinical and research recommendations regarding the use of antipsychotics in dementia patients with psychosis and/or agitation. Increased mortality risk has also been described in cerebrovascular adverse events in elderly users of antipsychotics. In the present work, at the translational level, we used male 3xTg-AD mice (PS1M146V, APPSwe, tauP301L) at advanced stages of the disease reported to have worse survival than females, to study the behavioral effects of a low chronic dose of risperidone (0.1 mg/ kg, s.c., 90 days, from 13 to 16 months of age) and its impact on long-term survival, as compared to mice with normal aging. Animals were behaviorally assessed for cognitive and BPSD (behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia)-like symptoms in naturalistic and experimental conditions (open-field test, T-maze, social interaction, Morris water maze, and marble test) before and after treatment. Weight, basal glucose levels, and IPGTT (i.p. glucose tolerance test) were also recorded. Neophobia in the corner test was used for behavioral monitoring. Survival curves were recorded throughout the experiment until natural death. The benefits of risperidone were limited, both at cognitive and BPSD-like level, and mostly restricted to burying, agitation/vibrating tail, and other social behaviors. However, the work warns about a clear early mortality risk window during the treatment and long-lasting impact on survival. Reduced life expectancy and life span were observed in the 3xTg-AD mice, but total lifespan (36 months) recorded in C57BL/6 × 129Sv counterparts with normal aging was also truncated to 28 months in those with treatment. Sarcopenia at time of death was found in all groups, but was more severe in wild-type animals treated with risperidone. Therefore, the 3xTg-AD mice and their non-transgenic counterparts can be useful to delimitate critical time windows and for studying the physio-pathogenic factors and underlying causal events involved in this topic of considerable public health significance

Severe Perinatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury Induces Long-Term Sensorimotor Deficits, Anxiety-Like Behaviors and Cognitive Impairment in a Sex-, Age- and Task-Selective Manner in C57BL/6 Mice but Can Be Modulated by Neonatal Handling

Perinatal brain injury (PBI) leads to neurological disabilities throughout life, from motor deficits, cognitive limitations to severe cerebral palsy. Yet, perinatal brain damage has limited therapeutic outcomes. Besides, the immature brain of premature children is at increased risk of hypoxic/ischemic (HI) injury, with males being more susceptible to it and less responsive to protective/therapeutical interventions. Here, we model in male and female C57BL/6 mice, the impact of neonatal HI and the protective effects of neonatal handling (NH), an early life tactile and proprioceptive sensory stimulation. From postnatal day 1 (PND1, modeling pre-term) to PND21 randomized litters received either NH or left undisturbed. HI brain damage occurred by permanent left carotid occlusion followed by hypoxia at PND7 (modeling full-term) in half of the animals. The behavioral and functional screening of the pups at weaning (PND23) and their long-term outcomes (adulthood, PND70) were evaluated in a longitudinal study, as follows: somatic development (weight), sensorimotor functions (reflexes, rods and hanger tests), exploration [activity (ACT) and open-field (OF) test], emotional and anxiety-like behaviors [corner, open-field and dark-light box (DLB) tests], learning and memory [T-maze (TM) and Morris Water-Maze (MWM)]. HI induced similar brain damage in both sexes but affected motor development, sensorimotor functions, induced hyperactivity at weaning, and anxiety-like behaviors and cognitive deficits at adulthood, in a sex- and age-dependent manner. Thus, during ontogeny, HI affected equilibrium especially in females and prehensility in males, but only reflexes at adulthood. Hyperactivity of HI males was normalized at adulthood. HI increased neophobia and other anxiety-like behaviors in males but emotionality in females. Both sexes showed worse short/long-term learning, but memory was more affected in males. Striking neuroprotective effects of NH were found, with significantly lower injury scores, mostly in HI males. At the functional level, NH reversed the impaired reflex responses and improved memory performances in hippocampal-dependent spatial-learning tasks, especially in males. Finally, neuropathological correlates referred to atrophy, neuronal densities and cellularity in the affected areas [hippocampal-CA, caudate/putamen, thalamus, neocortex and corpus callosum (CC)] point out distinct neuronal substrates underlying the sex- and age- functional impacts of these risk/protection interventions on sensorimotor, behavioral and cognitive outcomes from ontogeny to adulthood

Secondary Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic in Fatigue, Self-Compassion, Physical and Mental Health of People with Multiple Sclerosis and Caregivers: The Teruel Study

COVID-19; Fatiga; AutocompasiónCOVID-19; Fatigue; Self-compassionCOVID-19; Fatiga; AutocompassióThe secondary impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are distress triggers and risk factors for mental health. Conversely, self-compassion skills and compassionate thoughts/behaviors towards suffering may contribute to their alleviation. Both psychological constructs are interrelated in life-threatening diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The Teruel Study retrospectively evaluated the impact of strict confinement on the 44 people with MS of this Spanish province and 24 caregivers, specifically assessing (1) fears and perceptions; (2) self-compassion (people with MS) and compassion (caregivers); (3) physical and mental health, and fatigue. Despite better housing conditions, people with MS considered confinement very difficult to handle, more than their caregivers, but they were less afraid of COVID-19 and worsening of MS. Still, they recognized worse health than before confinement. Reclusion and lack of walks were the worst of confinement. Caregivers also referred to lack of leisure and uncertainty–fear. All agreed the best was staying with the family, but some found ‘nothing’ positive. Self-compassion remained moderate–high and strongly correlated with their moderate levels of social function, vitality, physical role, and global health. Physical and cognitive fatigue scores were high, and self-compassion negatively correlated with them, explaining a 19% variance in global health. The high compassion of the caregivers did not correlate with any variable.This work received financial support from Memorial Mercedes Llort Sender 2021/80/24091941 to allow this research to be available in open access