Personalidade depressiva e resiliência : estudo comparativo entre mulheres e homens

Tese de mestrado, Psicologia (Secção de Psicologia Clínica e da Saúde, Núcleo de Psicologia Clínica Dinâmica), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Psicologia, 2018O presente estudo insere-se no âmbito da Psicologia Clínica e aborda a temática da Personalidade Depressiva e da Resiliência, em homens e mulheres. O principal objetivo consiste na exploração das relações entre as variáveis Sexo, Depressividade e Resiliência, procurando assim contribuir para um maior conhecimento científico relativamente ao tema proposto. São praticamente inexistentes os estudos que abordam a relação direta entre estas variáveis. A amostra do estudo é composta por adultos da população geral, com idade igual ou superior a 18 anos, dos quais 206 (60.90%) são mulheres (M = 40.56 anos; DP = 13.27 anos) e 132 (39.10%) são homens (M = 41.86 anos; DP = 14.01 anos). Os instrumentos utilizados são: a versão reduzida do Inventário de Traços Depressivos (ITD) e a Escala de Resiliência de Connor-Davidson (CD-RISC). Os resultados não demonstram diferenças entre os sexos em termos da Depressividade (ITD total), no entanto, identifica-se uma diferença marginalmente significativa, nas mulheres, relativamente à Depressão relacional. Não são encontradas diferenças entre os sexos na Resiliência (CD-RISC total), mas observa-se um resultado médio superior na Influência da espiritualidade (fator CD-RISC) nas mulheres. São detectadas, em ambos os sexos, relações inversas e fortes da Depressividade com os fatores de Resiliência - Competência pessoal, padrões elevados e tenacidade; Confiança nos instintos, tolerância ao afeto negativo e efeito reforçador do stress; Aceitação positiva da mudança, vivência de relações seguras e adaptação – e, a inexistência de relação com o fator Influência da espiritualidade. Estes resultados sugerem uma maior relevância anaclítica por parte das mulheres, o que se traduz numa estrutura de personalidade direcionada para as questões relacionais, de parentesco e sociabilidade. O estudo revela também a maior evidência com que o sexo feminino considera o recurso à espiritualidade como fator de sustentação no confronto e superação de adversidades. Estes dados contribuem para a compreensão dos fenómenos estudados, sugerindo implicações práticas a nível clínico e de investigação.This study is in the field of Clinical Psychology and addresses the theme of Depressive Personality and Resilience, in both men and women. The main purpose of this study consists in exploring the relationships between the variables Sex, Depressiveness and Resilience, thus seeking to contribute to further scientific knowledge about the proposed theme. Studies addressing the direct relationship between these variables are practically non-existing. The sample is made up of adults from the general population, aged 18 or above, of whom 206 (60.9%) are women (M=40.56 years old; SD=13.27 years old) and 132 (39.1%) are men (M=41.86 years old; SD=14.01 years old). The instruments used are the short version of the Depressive Traits Inventory (DTI) and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). The results show no differences between the sexes in terms of depressiveness (DTI total); however, a marginally significant difference is found in women regarding Relational depression. No differences are found between the sexes in terms of Resilience (CD-RISC total), but women show a higher average result regarding Influence of spirituality (CD-RISC factor). In both sexes, strong inverse relationships are found between Depressiveness and the factors Resilience – Personal Competence, high standards and tenacity; Trust in one’s instincts, tolerance to negative affect and reinforcing effect of stress; Positive acceptance of change, experience of secure relationships and adjustment – and, no relationship is found regarding the factor Influence of spirituality. These results suggest greater anaclitic emphasis on behalf of women, which demonstrates a personality structure that is more focused on relational, family and sociability issues. The study also shows that the female sex more clearly considers turning to spirituality as a support factor when confronting and overcoming adversity. These data contribute to an understanding of the phenomena being studied, suggesting practical implications at the clinical level and with respect to research

Coumestrol has neuroprotective effects before and after global cerebral ischemia in female rats

AbstractGlobal ischemia arising during cardiac arrest or cardiac surgery causes highly selective, delayed death of hippocampal CA1 neurons. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant-derived compounds that are present in the human diet and are considered selective estrogen receptor (ER) modulators. The phytoestrogen coumestrol is a potent isoflavonoid, with binding affinities for both ER-α and ER-β that are comparable to those of 17b-estradiol. The present study examined the hypothesis that coumestrol protects hippocampal neurons in ovariectomized rats in a model of cerebral global ischemia. Ovariectomized rats were subjected to global ischemia (10min) or sham surgery and received a single intracerebroventricular or peripheral infusion of 20μg of coumestrol, 20μg of estradiol or vehicle 1h before ischemia or 0h, 3h, 6h or 24h after reperfusion. Estradiol and coumestrol afforded significant neuroprotection in all times of administration, with the exception of estradiol given 24h after the ischemic insult. Animals received icv infusion of the broad-spectrum ER antagonist ICI 182,780 (50μg) or vehicle into the lateral ventricle just before the E2 or coumestrol administration. The ER antagonist abolished estradiol protection, consistent with a role of classical ERs. In contrast, ICI 182,780 effected only partial reversal of the neuroprotective actions of coumestrol, suggesting that other cellular mediators in addition to classical ERs may be important. Additional research is needed to determine the molecular targets mediating the neuroprotective action of coumestrol and the therapeutic potential of this phytoestrogen in the mature nervous system

Integrated monitoring of mola mola behaviour in space and time

Over the last decade, ocean sunfish movements have been monitored worldwide using various satellite tracking methods. This study reports the near-real time monitoring of finescale (< 10 m) behaviour of sunfish. The study was conducted in southern Portugal in May 2014 and involved satellite tags and underwater and surface robotic vehicles to measure both the movements and the contextual environment of the fish. A total of four individuals were tracked using custom-made GPS satellite tags providing geolocation estimates of fine-scale resolution. These accurate positions further informed sunfish areas of restricted search (ARS), which were directly correlated to steep thermal frontal zones. Simultaneously, and for two different occasions, an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) videorecorded the path of the tracked fish and detected buoyant particles in the water column. Importantly, the densities of these particles were also directly correlated to steep thermal gradients. Thus, both sunfish foraging behaviour (ARS) and possibly prey densities, were found to be influenced by analogous environmental conditions. In addition, the dynamic structure of the water transited by the tracked individuals was described by a Lagrangian modelling approach. The model informed the distribution of zooplankton in the region, both horizontally and in the water column, and the resultant simulated densities positively correlated with sunfish ARS behaviour estimator (r(s) = 0.184, p < 0.001). The model also revealed that tracked fish opportunistically displace with respect to subsurface current flow. Thus, we show how physical forcing and current structure provide a rationale for a predator's finescale behaviour observed over a two weeks in May 2014

Management of anaphylaxis due to COVID-19 vaccines in the elderly

Older adults, especially men and/or those with diabetes, hypertension, and/or obesity, are prone to severe COVID-19. In some countries, older adults, particularly those residing in nursing homes, have been prioritized to receive COVID-19 vaccines due to high risk of death. In very rare instances, the COVID-19 vaccines can induce anaphylaxis, and the management of anaphylaxis in older people should be considered carefully. An ARIA-EAACI-EuGMS (Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma, European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and European Geriatric Medicine Society) Working Group has proposed some recommendations for older adults receiving the COVID-19 vaccines. Anaphylaxis to COVID-19 vaccines is extremely rare (from 1 per 100,000 to 5 per million injections). Symptoms are similar in younger and older adults but they tend to be more severe in the older patients. Adrenaline is the mainstay treatment and should be readily available. A flowchart is proposed to manage anaphylaxis in the older patients.Peer reviewe

Rhinitis associated with asthma is distinct from rhinitis alone: TARIA‐MeDALL hypothesis

Asthma, rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis (AD) are interrelated clinical phenotypes that partly overlap in the human interactome. The concept of “one-airway-one-disease,” coined over 20 years ago, is a simplistic approach of the links between upper- and lower-airway allergic diseases. With new data, it is time to reassess the concept. This article reviews (i) the clinical observations that led to Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA), (ii) new insights into polysensitization and multimorbidity, (iii) advances in mHealth for novel phenotype definitions, (iv) confirmation in canonical epidemiologic studies, (v) genomic findings, (vi) treatment approaches, and (vii) novel concepts on the onset of rhinitis and multimorbidity. One recent concept, bringing together upper- and lower-airway allergic diseases with skin, gut, and neuropsychiatric multimorbidities, is the “Epithelial Barrier Hypothesis.” This review determined that the “one-airway-one-disease” concept does not always hold true and that several phenotypes of disease can be defined. These phenotypes include an extreme “allergic” (asthma) phenotype combining asthma, rhinitis, and conjunctivitis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio