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Mirror Neurons: Fire to Inspire
Ammara Bakht,
Nasia Shakeel,
Hifza Khan
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 3, December 2016
Pages:
40-44
Received:
16 September 2016
Accepted:
29 September 2016
Published:
3 November 2016
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijpbs.20160103.11
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Abstract: Mirror neurons got a great deal of attention from connoisseurs and in scientific reports. Mirror neurons have the capability of observation and execution of action to code both “my action and your action”. Firstly they were found in an area of f5 region of ventral premotor cortex and inferior parietal lobule of monkey brain. Mirror neuron system (MNS) is the driving force behind the great leap forward in human evolution. Both monkeys and human are born with MNS. Sensory or motor experience may trigger the development of mirror neurons. Adult group show an intrinsic difference between goal directed and non –goal directed action observation condition. Recently neurons with mirror characteristics have been found outside the rostral part of inferior parietal lobule and inferior frontal gyrus. Human neuroimaging experiments confirm a wide overlap between cortical areas in human and areas where mirror neurons have been reported in macaque monkey. Still there is a lack of studies about MNS in neurosurgical patients so the goal is to describe the application of an fMRI protocol to identify the MNS in patient with mass lesion in premotor area. The goal of this review was to give a brief explanation of MNS covering their origin, observation, execution, innateness, evolution, development, empathy and recent developments like fMRI, neuroimaging and mapping.
Abstract: Mirror neurons got a great deal of attention from connoisseurs and in scientific reports. Mirror neurons have the capability of observation and execution of action to code both “my action and your action”. Firstly they were found in an area of f5 region of ventral premotor cortex and inferior parietal lobule of monkey brain. Mirror neuron system (M...
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Coprophilia-Faeces Lust in the Forms of Coprophagia, Coprospheres, Scatolia and Plasterering in Dementia Patients, Our Thoughts and Experience
Gregory Tsoucalas,
Markos Sgantzos,
Konstantinos Gatos
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 3, December 2016
Pages:
45-53
Received:
25 October 2016
Accepted:
8 November 2016
Published:
29 November 2016
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijpbs.20160103.12
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Abstract: Coprophilia is a rather often behaviour among the dementia patients. Faeces lust, coprospheres, coprophagia, scatolia, and plasterering are the appearance patterns of this kind of peculiar phenomenon. It seems that dementia patients mentally return to a newborn status with simultaneously loss of toilet skills, acquiring primitive primordial basic instincts. Coprophilia in dementia is an unstudied behaviour. Eroticism, narcissism, fetishism, brain atrophy and/or frontotemporal malfunction, and gene mutations are implicated. Our objective is to study this peculiarity in dementia patients. Our scientific interdisciplinary team have selected a group of 37 patients presenting coprophilia during the last 5 years (January 2011 - January 2016), all clinic inmates. Positive practice overcorrection procedure should be instituted, and/or disciplinary enquiry, and/or SSRIs to reduce coprophilic incidents. In our clinic, a percentage between 8% to 12% of patients with mild to moderate dementia exhibited coprophilia, while among the patients with severe dementia the percentage was significantly lower, 1% to 2%. Our experience, when perusing the results of our study on dementia patients, drove us to conclude that specialized bondage during bed time is the only measure to reduce incidents. Among 37 coprophilic patients hospitalized inside the Hellenic Reference Centre for Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementia Syndromes the last five years, we haven't met not even one patients with complete remission besides our external interventions and efforts. There are no availliable batteries to actually measure behavioural patterns in coprophilia, while scientific data concerning aetiology and confrontation are rather limited due to lack of manuscript publication. We therefore, strongly believe that with the means availliable (procedures and medication), coprophilia in dementia is an incurable and unstoppable behaviour, and further study to understand and confront it should be administered in the near future.
Abstract: Coprophilia is a rather often behaviour among the dementia patients. Faeces lust, coprospheres, coprophagia, scatolia, and plasterering are the appearance patterns of this kind of peculiar phenomenon. It seems that dementia patients mentally return to a newborn status with simultaneously loss of toilet skills, acquiring primitive primordial basic i...
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Prevalence and Perception of Depressive Symptomatology Among Spanish Drivers and Its Relation to Driving Safety
Francisco Alonso,
Cristina Esteban,
Sergio A. Useche,
Mireia Faus
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 3, December 2016
Pages:
54-61
Received:
27 October 2016
Accepted:
5 November 2016
Published:
12 December 2016
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijpbs.20160103.13
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Abstract: Depression is currently the most frequent mental disorder and one of the main causes of losing years of healthy life. This disorder entails a cognitive and motor deterioration that is seriously detrimental to driving. From the analysis of the interviewed drivers’ attitudes, knowledge and behaviors, the objective of this paper was the following one: detect the impact of depressive symptoms on a driver’s sample and its relationship with several variables related to driving and road safety. A sample of 1.200 Spanish drivers ranging from 18 to 64 years was used, 666 men and 534 women were asked to answer a questionnaire composed by a set of items structured in different sections. The only selection criteria were to be in possession of any type of driving license for vehicles other than motorcycles and drive frequently. 21.9% of the drivers showed signs or symptoms linked with a depressive disorder. There were found significant contingences between the presence of depressive symptoms and a lower risk-taking while driving. It is necessary to propose establishing systems that fulfil two essential requirements: on the one hand, to inform, train and make the drivers aware of detecting and managing the symptoms linked to depression; on the other hand, to detect the drivers that show cognitive and motor deterioration linked to depressive symptoms, and to promote their self-regulation, taking into account the negative implications of driving under depressive symptomatology for performance and road safety in general.
Abstract: Depression is currently the most frequent mental disorder and one of the main causes of losing years of healthy life. This disorder entails a cognitive and motor deterioration that is seriously detrimental to driving. From the analysis of the interviewed drivers’ attitudes, knowledge and behaviors, the objective of this paper was the following one:...
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The Oligopeptides, Homologous of ACTH15-18 Sequence: Neurotrophic and Anti-inflammatory Activity on the Model of Cerebral Ischemia in Rats
Roman Danylovych Deiko,
Serhiy Yuriyovych Shtrygolʹ,
Tetyana Victorivna Gorbach,
Alexandr Alexandrovich Kolobov,
Andrey Semenovich Simbirtsev
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 3, December 2016
Pages:
62-68
Received:
19 October 2016
Accepted:
5 November 2016
Published:
16 December 2016
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijpbs.20160103.14
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Abstract: The series of tetrapeptides, homologues of ACTH15-18 sequence that contain D-form of lysine and arginine have been synthesized at the State Research Institute of Highly Pure Biopreparations (Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation). Previous research allowed to reveal their neuroprotectivе, anti-hypoxic and favorable psychotropic properties and capability to stimulate blood supply to the injured brain. The influence of neuropeptide on rats survival, neurological deficit (ND), nerve growth factor (NGF) expression, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukine-1 beta (IL-1β) and interleukine-4 (IL-4) levels in rats brain tissue was studied on the irreversible bilateral carotid occlusion model. Neuroprotectivе properties of the neuropeptides KK-1 and KK-5 namely increase in rats with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) survival rate up to 75% and 80%, respectively, were shown. Neuropeptides decreased ND 1.7 times compared with the untreated group (UG). Neuroprotectivе effect of the neuropeptides is manifested by their ability to decrease the level of NGF compensatory overexpression, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4. It has been established that the mechanism of the tetrapeptides KK-1 and KK-5 neuroprotectivе activity is connected with their neurotrophic and anti-inflammatory action.
Abstract: The series of tetrapeptides, homologues of ACTH15-18 sequence that contain D-form of lysine and arginine have been synthesized at the State Research Institute of Highly Pure Biopreparations (Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation). Previous research allowed to reveal their neuroprotectivе, anti-hypoxic and favorable psychotropic properties and capabi...
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Gatos Questionnaire for Early Detection of Suspicious Signs for Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementia Syndromes - GQEDSS - ADRDS Q160 v 1.0. Preliminary Results
Gregory Tsoucalas,
Stamati Bourelia,
Anastasios Markellos,
Vasiliki Kalogirou,
Styliani Giatsiou,
Olga Repana,
Presveia Gatou,
Ifigeneia Georgousi,
Anna Maria Xanthi,
Andromachi Korenti,
Nikolaos Kosmas,
Antonios Antoniou,
Konstantinos Gatos
Issue:
Volume 1, Issue 3, December 2016
Pages:
69-85
Received:
9 November 2016
Accepted:
9 December 2016
Published:
20 December 2016
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijpbs.20160103.15
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Abstract: Dementia presents a cluster of syndromes the effect human brain. It rises various social-economic and health care issues that are difficult to be confronted. Early detection of the possibility of an examinee to be inflicted by a dementia syndrome is an all neurologists quest. Our interdisciplinary team for some year know created a questionnaire that depicts a series of items that could have been changed before the diagnosis of a dementia to be set. Material and Method: More than 180 items were included in the questionnaire. The validation process excluded 26 items. Then n1=55 examinees enrolled to our study in order to be watched for 5 years (n2=26 were diagnosed with dementia). At the end of this period 26 were inflicted by a dementia (mostly Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia). All answered the GQEDSS - ADRDS Q160 v 1.0 (3 demographic items and 157 Likert scale items), and the MMSE questionnaires. A statistical analysis of the questionnaire was followed. The scree test formed 54 factors, followed by a key item analysis (15 key items) to simplify factors analysis' complexity. Conver¬gent or Criterion validity of the GQEDSS - ADRDS questionnaire was determined by establishing its correlation to the MMSE score using the Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Discriminant validity tested whether concepts or measurements that are supposed to be unrelated are, in fact, unrelated. Internal consistency validity of the GQEDSS - ADRDS was determined by calculating Cronbach alpha coefficient. Test-retest reliability (stability) was also performed. Results: The Bartlett Test of Sphericity was 2527.2 and it was significant (p<0.0015). The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy was equal to 0.801 showing that the data is suitable for factor analysis. The 160 items were analysed via maximum likelihood extraction method using a Varimax rotation. The correlation coefficients presented p<0.0005. The cut-off points (total summary of 700 scoring points) were set to a: a) < 120, there is a relatively small change, b) 121-180, there is a mediocre change, c) 181-220, there is a relatively good change, and d) >221, there is a relatively high change. Discussion: Although our study presents an intriguing questionnaire, our sample does not meet the Stevens' criteria. Small sample, examiners' subjectivity, non-randomized sample - Convenience, or consecutive sampling (all clients in the outpatient clinic), questionnaire longevity could present a series of BIASes. More study, co-operation with other specialized centres, and a better methodology are required.
Abstract: Dementia presents a cluster of syndromes the effect human brain. It rises various social-economic and health care issues that are difficult to be confronted. Early detection of the possibility of an examinee to be inflicted by a dementia syndrome is an all neurologists quest. Our interdisciplinary team for some year know created a questionnaire tha...
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