The pathophysiology of motor thalamus

The thalamus is considered an important structure of sensitive pathways, and also intervenes in motor tasks. It receives multiple cortical and subcortical afferent fibers and the relations between their different nuclei are intense. After anatomic and functional study of the thalamic structure and its connections, we will analyze the different classifications and proposed subdivisions of the thalamic nuclear groups both in primates and humans. We will direct our study towards those aspects of the thalamus related to movement. The motor thalamus is described in most non-human primate studies as the thalamic region that receives subcortical afferent fibers from the basal ganglia and the cerebellum, and cortical fibers of the primary motor and pre-motor areas and these functions are also inferred to the human thalamus based on the cytoarchitectonic similarity between them. Later on, the pathological clinical aspects related to the motor thalamus are discussed. Disturbances or impairments in the coordination and course of movement, in muscular tone, and movement planning can be associated with injuries located in the motor thalamus and its connections. The research related to surgical procedures involving the thalamic structure for the treatment of impairments or disturbances of motion and movement are examined and will permit a comprehensive summary of the different mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of the motor thalamus.peer-reviewe

Relação entre funções executivas e transtornos neuropsiquiátricos em pacientes com Alzheimer de diferentes estágios de gravidade

The aim of the study was to investigate Executive Functions (EF) and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (ND in patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) according to the degree of severity, compared to Subjects without cognitive impairment (SWCI). Fifty patients with AD and 60 SWCI were studied in a non-experimental-cross-sectional study with non-probabilistic sampling based on a series of inclusion criteria. The frontal evaluation battery and the neuropsychiatric inventory were applied and the results showed that there is a negative relationship of moderate intensity between EF and ND, regardless of the degree of severity of AD. It can be concluded that, in the mild phase, euphoria is related both to sensitivity towards interference and to inhibitory control; in moderate phase irritability is positively related to sensitivity towards interference and; in the moderately severe phase, motor programming is negatively related to agitation.  El objetivo del estudio consistió es investigar las Funciones Ejecutivas (FE) y los Trastornos neuropsiquiátricos en pacientes con Enfermedad de Alzheimer en función del grado de severidad, en comparación con Sujetos sin deterioro cognitivo (SSDC). Se estudiaron 50 pacientes con EA y 60 SSDC en un estudio no experimental- transversal con un muestreo no probabilístico en base a una serie de criterios de inclusión. Se aplicó la batería de evaluación frontal y el inventario neuropsiquiátrico y los resultados mostraron que existe una relación negativa de intensidad moderada entre las FE y los TN, con independencia del grado de severidad de la EA. Se puede concluir que, en fase leve, la euforia se relaciona tanto con la sensibilidad hacia la interferencia como con el control inhibitorio; en fase moderada la irritabilidad se relaciona de manera positiva con la sensibilidad hacia la interferencia y; en la fase moderadamente grave, la programación motora se relaciona de manera negativa con la agitación.O objetivo do estudo foi investigar as funções executivas (FE) e os transtornos neuropsiquiátricos (TN) em pacientes com doença de Alzheimer (DA) de acordo com o estágio de gravidade, em comparação com sujeitos sem comprometimento cognitivo (SSCC). Foram avaliados 50 pacientes com DA e 60 SSCC em um estudo transversal não experimental com amostragem não probabilística baseada em uma série de critérios de inclusão. A bateria de avaliação frontal e o inventário neuropsiquiátrico foram aplicados e os resultados mostraram que existeuma relação negativa de intensidade moderada entre a FE e os TN, independente do estágio de gravidade da DA. Pode-se concluir que, na fase leve, a euforia está relacionada tanto à sensibilidade à interferência quanto ao controle inibitório; na fase moderada, a irritabilidade está positivamente relacionada à sensibilidade à interferência e; na fase moderadamente grave, a programação motora está negativamente relacionada à agitação

Déficit en habilidades gráficas en niños víctimas de maltrato intrafamiliar institucionalizados / Deficit on graphic skills in children victims of institutionalized domestic abuse

El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar las habilidades gráficas en niños víctimas de maltrato intrafamiliar institucionalizados. Participaron 104 niños divididos en dos grupos. El primer grupo lo conformaron niños recién institucionalizados por violencia intrafamiliar (NVVI); el segundo grupo, de comparación, formado por niños que no han sido víctimas de violencia (NNVI), equiparados en género, edad y escolarización. Se usaron escalas y subescalas de habilidades gráficas de la Evaluación Neuropsicológica Infantil. Los resultados muestran que en los NVVI está alterada su capacidad de la copia de figuras y del dibujo de la figura humana, con un mayor uso de errores de cierre, adiciones y omisiones; sin embargo, se evidencian resultados normales tanto en la copia como en el tiempo de ejecución de la figura compleja. El grafismo básico para procesos de escritura se encuentra alterado de una forma cuantitativa y cualitativa, sin embargo procesos más complejos se muestran conservados. Esto implicaría la necesidad de la intervención en los procesos básicos, lo que serviría como prevención de alteraciones en funciones que se adquieren posteriormente. AbstractThe aim of this paper is to analyze the graphical abilities in children victims of institutionalized domestic abuse. 104 children took part and were divided into two groups. The first group was made up of freshly institutionalized children of domestic violence (NVVI); the second comparison group was made up of children who have not been victims of domestic violence (NNVI) were matched by gender, age and schooling. Scales and subscales of graphic skills about Neuropsychological Assessment for Children were used. The results show that in the NVVI is altered its ability to copy figures and drawing of human body, with increased use of closure errors, omissions and additions; however, normal results are evident both in the copy as the runtime of the complex figure. The basic graphism for writing processes is altered in a quantitative and qualitative way; however more complex processes are preserved. This would imply the need for intervention in basic processes, which would serve as prevention for changes in functions subsequently acquired

Estudio anatómico y funcional del Sistema Nervioso

Memoria ID 0036. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la Innovación Docente, curso 2008-2009.El objetivo principal del proyecto era diseñar, elaborar e implementar material docente adaptado a las nuevas tecnologías de cara a maximizar las oportunidades de aprendizaje de los estudiantes de Psicología y ciencias afines sobre contenidos relacionadas con el estudio del Sistema Nervioso.Este entorno virtual debía ser útil para el proceso de convergencia europea, facilitando el acceso y el uso de las TIC por parte de los estudiantes, que facilite también el aprendizaje tanto del alumno autóctono como del alumnado de intercambio. Además, el material debía permitir el acceso a personas con problemas sensoriales (auditivos y visuales)

Déficit en habilidades gráficas en niños víctimas de maltrato intrafamiliar institucionalizados

The aim of this paper is to analyze the graphical abilities in children victims of institutionalized domestic abuse. 104 children took part and were divided into two groups. The first group was made up of freshly institutionalized children of domestic violence (NVVI); the second comparison group was made up of children who have not been victims of domestic violence (NNVI) were matched by gender, age and schooling. Scales and subscales of graphic skills about Neuropsychological Assessment for Children were used. The results show that in the NVVI is altered its ability to copy figures and drawing of human body, with increased use of closure errors, omissions and additions; however, normal results are evident both in the copy as the runtime of the complex figure. The basic graphism for writing processes is altered in a quantitative and qualitative way; however more complex processes are preserved. This would imply the need for intervention in basic processes, which would serve as prevention for changes in functions subsequently acquired

Mild cognitive impairment in idiopathic Parkinson's disease without dementia

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Assessing the Expression of Emotions in Breast Cancer Survivors during the Time of Recovery: Perspective from Focus Groups

Breast cancer has major public health implications, as it is the most frequent malignant tumor and the leading cause of cancer death in women. Survivors have many needs, including strategies to cope with the associated distress. We explore whether focus groups are useful for nurses to obtain information about the emotional state of breast cancer women, and develop strategies for coping with the stress that this disease entails. A qualitative study was carried out, involving 25 focus groups with 83 women treated for breast cancer, recruited from the local Breast Cancer Association (ALMOM). Four open-ended questions were employed, and 60-min discussions were carried out. They were transcribed, analyzed, coded, and the themes identified. Four major themes emerged, including “complex emotional evolution”, “emotional isolation”, “lack of information” and “inability to give advice”. Women admitted that this disease had been a stressful factor for them, causing emotional (anxiety, irritability, anger or guilt) and cognitive disorders (confusion, lack of concentration, forgetfulness). The use of focus groups in breast cancer survivors allows nurses to evaluate the expression of emotions in these women, and collect and share information about their feelings, thoughts and experiences, so that survivors can cope more easily with the stress related to their illness

Emotional alterations in idiopathic Parkinson's disease without dementia

Currently Parkinson’s disease (PD) is no longer considered a disease exclusively motor type, now PD is characterized as cognitive neurobehavioral pathology often results in patients emotional disturbances that degrade their quality of [email protected]