<p>The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in amplitude between M-response from m. Abductor pollicis brevis/m. Pronator quadratus and m. Abductor pollicis brevis/m. Abductor digiti minimi on patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, compared with control subjects. We wanted to see if m. Pronator quadratus is a better alternative than m. Abductor digiti minimi as comparison with m. Abductor pollicis brevis on patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.</p><p>Nerve conduction studies were performed on 20 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and on 31 healthy subjects.</p><p>The test-retest result shows that this method was reproducible. The amplitude difference of m. Abductor pollicis brevis-m. Abductor digiti minimi, for the patients, was 1,5mV lower and the amplitude for m. Abductor pollicis brevis-m. Pronator quadratus was 2mV lower than for healthy subjects. Two of the patients were outside the 2SD for the m. Abductor pollicis brevis-m. Pronator quadratus difference but not on the m. Abductor pollicis brevis-m. Abductor digiti minimi. This may indicate that m. Pronator quadratus was better than m. Abductor digiti minimi in the comparison with the m. Abductor pollicis brevis amplitude.</p>

Embryonic murine neuronal networks cultured on microelectrode arrays were used to quantify acute electrophysiological effects of fluoxetine and ethanol. Spontaneously active frontal cortex cultures showed highly repeatable, dose-dependent sensitivities to both compounds. Cultures began to respond to fluoxetine at 3 µM and were shut off at 10-16 µM. EC50s mean ± S.D. for spike and burst rates were 4.1 ± 1.5 µM and 4.5 ± 1.1 µM (n=14). The fluoxetine inhibition was reversible and without effect on action potential wave shapes. Ethanol showed initial inhibition at 20 mM, with spike and burst rate EC50s at 52.0 ± 17.4 mM and 56.0 ± 17.0 mM (n=15). Ethanol concentrations above 100 -140 mM led to cessation of activity. Although ethanol did not change the shape and amplitude of action potentials, unit specific effects were found. The combined application of ethanol and fluoxetine was additive. Ethanol did not potentiate the effect of fluoxetine.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by debilitating impairments in motor control arising from pathophysiological alterations in basal ganglia circuitry and function. In this research thesis two main approaches, namely electrical recording and stimulation, are combined in order to better understand motor performance in Parkinson's disease and ways it might be improved. Three main types of motor behaviors are studied: discrete ballistic movement, repetitive movement, and motor adaptation. <ul><li>First, deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) was shown to improve the velocity of discrete, ballistic movements in PD. The neural correlates of ballistic movements were then studied by recording from the STN of PD patients, revealing onset of beta-range desynchronization prior to, and gamma-range frequency synchronization during, performance of fast arm reaches. To determine a causal role for these oscillatory frequencies in motor behavior, the motor cortex of healthy humans was stimulated at either beta or gamma frequency during a 'go/no-go' grip force task. Beta stimulation resulted in slower force generation on 'go' trials but enhanced inhibition during 'no-go' trials, whereas gamma stimulation resulted in faster force generation on 'go' trials.</li> <li>Second, STN DBS resulted in improved repetitive tapping performance in PD patients through a reduction in variability. Recordings from the STN demonstrated that repetitive movement was accompanied by a substantial and persistent suppression of beta oscillatory activity.</li> <li>Third, Parkinson's patients were tested on a motor adaptation task, revealing intact learning but impaired retention of a visuomotor rotation. Application of direct current stimulation of the motor cortex resulted in enhanced adaptation during both learning and retention in PD patients and healthy controls.</li> <li>These results causally implicate the basal ganglia and oscillatory activity in motor control, provide insight into the neuronal mechanisms of motor performance and adaptation, and demonstrate promising new avenues for enhancing motor control in Parkinson's disease.</li></ul>

Pour une grande majorité d’espèces, l’olfaction contribue à la survie, et pour d’autres elle suscite en plus des réponses hédoniques qui guident les comportements, qu’ils soient appétitifs ou aversifs. C’est le cas notamment de l’espèce humaine chez qui les réponses hédoniques aux odeurs contribuent de façon importante à la régulation de certains de nos comportements (plaisir alimentaire, plaisir d’humer, reproductif peut être). Bien que cette valeur émotive que l’on confère à l’odorat soit incontestée, son déterminisme reste encore flou et finalement peu étudié. Un grand nombre de données de la littérature mettent l’accent sur le rôle de l’expérience et de l’apprentissage sur la mise en place des réponses hédoniques chez l’Homme. Cependant, même si ces données nous éclairent sur les déterminants de la perception émotionnelle des odeurs à l’âge adulte, elles ne précisent pas leur évolution temporelle : quel rôle jouent le développement humain, les connaissances acquises durant les apprentissages, qu’ils soient implicites ou explicites ? La présente thèse a tenté d’apporter des éléments de réponse à ces deux questions à travers deux études. Pris dans leur ensemble, les résultats de ce travail de thèse suggèrent ainsi que les réponses hédoniques aux odeurs seraient la résultante d’un équilibre entre des facteurs externes, tels que les caractéristiques physicochimiques des odorants, et des facteurs internes plus cognitifs, tels que les connaissances sémantiques acquises à travers l’expérience et plus particulièrement l’exposition précoce / For a large majority of species, olfaction contributes to survival, and for others it induces hedonic responses that guide behavior, whether appetitive or aversive. This is particularly true for the human species in which the hedonic responses to odors contribute significantly to the regulation of some behaviors (food pleasure, the pleasure of smelling flowers, reproduction may be). While the emotional value of smells is undisputed, its determinism is still unclear, and little studied. A large number of scientific data emphasize the role of experience and learning on the development of hedonic responses in humans. However, although these data highlight the determinants of emotional perception of odors in adulthood, they do not specify their temporal evolution: what is the role of human development and of knowledge acquired during learning? This thesis has attempted to provide answers to these questions through two studies. Taken together, the results of this work suggest that hedonic responses to odors are the result of a balance between external factors such as physicochemical properties of odorants, and internal and more cognitive factors, such as semantic knowledge acquired through experience and especially early exposure

Os receptores canabinóides CB1 são abundantemente expressos nos núcleos da base (NB), sugerindo a participação do sistema canabinóide na Doença de Parkinson (DP). Os objetivos deste estudo foram investigar a localização do CB1 nos NB de ratos; avaliar o decurso temporal de sua expressão e de marcadores neuronais em modelo experimental da DP in vivo, e avaliar os efeitos do tratamento com compostos canabinóides em modelos experimentais da DP in vivo e in vitro. Nossos resultados mostraram que o CB1 é predominantemente expresso em neurônios GABAérgicos nos NB. A lesão dopaminérgica produziu mudanças temporais distintas da expressão do CB1 nas estruturas dos NB. O tratamento com o agonista canabinóide ACEA agravou à lesão dopaminérgica e o desempenho comportamental motor. Por outro lado, o tratamento com o antagonista AM 251, embora não tenha gerado diferenças neuroquímicas, gerou melhoras nos testes comportamentais. Por fim, em nosso modelo in vitro, o tratamento com inibidor de recaptação da anandamida AM 404 gerou uma discreta redução dos níveis de morte celular. / Cannabinoid receptors CB1 are abundantly expressed in the basal ganglia (BG), suggesting the involvement of the cannabinoid system in Parkinson\'s disease (PD). The objectives of this study were to investigate the location of CB1 in BG of rats; evaluate the time course expression of CB1 and neuronal markers in an experimental model of PD in vivo, and evaluate the effects of treatment with cannabinoids compounds in experimental models of PD in vivo and in vitro. Our results showed that CB1 is predominantly expressed in GABAergic neurons in BG. The dopamine lesion produced distinct temporal changes in the expression of CB1 in BG structures. Treatment with the cannabinoid agonist ACEA aggravated the dopaminergic lesion and the motor behavioral performance. Moreover, the treatment with the antagonist AM 251, although have not generated neurochemical changes,it promoted improvements in behavioral tests. Finally, in our in vitro model, the treatment with Anandamide transport inhibitor AM 404 led to a slight reduction in the levels of cell death.

Potenciais evocados somatossensitivos e motores são modalidades de testes neurofisiológicos com capacidade para avaliar funcionalmente a integridade das vias sensoriais e motoras, respectivamente, podendo ser utilizados na avaliação neurológica, no estabelecimento de prognóstico e na monitoração da evolução de uma lesão na medula espinhal. Este trabalho visa descrever as técnicas de obtenção de potenciais evocados com estimulação elétrica em cães portadores de doença de disco intervertebral toracolombar, e verificar se há associação com os sinais clínicos e com os achados da tomografia computadorizada (TC). Cinco cães hígidos (grupo controle) e dez cães condrodistróficos com paralisia de membros pélvicos (grupo afetado) devido à extrusão de disco intervertebral toracolombar foram avaliados com relação à classificação neurológica, imagens por TC e potenciais evocados somatossensitivos e motores sob anestesia geral. Presença ou ausência de registros caudais à lesão, mensuração de latências e amplitudes foram efetuadas. Foram captados registros cranianos em todos os cães após estimulação dos membros torácicos, mas apenas em seis cães após estimulação dos membros pélvicos. Da mesma forma, todos os cães apresentaram registros em membros torácicos após estimulação transcraniana, mas apenas em seis cães nos membros pélvicos e esfíncter anal. Houve diferença significativa quanto à presença ou ausência de registros entre os grupos afetado e controle para os membros pélvicos. Os valores mensurados de latência e amplitudes entre os grupos também são discutidos. Potenciais evocados e motores são factíveis de serem produzidos em cães com e sem paralisia de membros pélvicos sob anestesia geral, e foram correlacionados aos sinais clínicos. / Somatosensory and motor evoked potentials are neurophysiologic tests that assesse the integrity of sensory and motor pathways, and may be used in the neurological assessment, prognosis establishment and spinal cord injury monitoration. This study aims to describe the technique for evoked potentials recording with electrical stimulation in healthy dogs and in dogs with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease, and determine whether there is any association with clinical signs and computed tomography (CT) findings. Five clinically normal dachshunds (control group) and ten chondrodystrophic dogs with hind limb paralysis (affected group) due to thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusions were evaluated according to their neurological status, CT scans and somatosensory and motor evoked potentials under general anesthesia. Recordings presence or absence caudal to lesion, onset latencies and peak-to-peak amplitudes were measured. Records were captured in the scalp in all dogs after front limb stimulation, but only in six dogs after hind limb stimulation. Likewise, in all dogs records were obtained in forelimbs after transcranial stimulation, but only in six dogs on pelvic limbs and on external anal sphincter muscle. There were significant differences in presence or absent recordings between affected and control groups related to pelvic limbs PESS and PEM. Latencies and amplitudes measured between groups are discussed. Somatosensory and motor evoked potentials are feasible to produce in dogs with or without hind limb paralysis under general anesthesia, and correlated with clinical signs.

A educação mediada por computador tem sido amplamente utilizada em vários níveis educacionais em todo o mundo. Os rápidos avanços tecnológicos nas áreas de telecomunicação e computação têm incentivado esta estratégia de ensino. Neste trabalho testou-se a efetividade de um material didático envolvendo conceitos básicos de neurofisiologia, direcionado para alunos do ensino médio, com o objetivo de instruir e divulgar a ciência, através de animações interativas criadas na plataforma Flash (Adobe&reg;) de programação e animação. Alunos de Ensino Médio e Ensino Superior expostos a esse material foram questionados em relação à aceitação e avaliados quanto à efetividade do programa. Além disso, um grupo focal envolvendo professores da rede pública do Ensino Médio participou de um debate para avaliar suas impressões sobre o programa e sua aceitabilidade. Os resultados mostraram que os alunos avaliados tiveram bom desempenho depois de estudarem por meio da utilização do programa, sugerindo que o mesmo foi eficiente na apresentação de conceitos de neurofisiologia. O programa foi utilizado por alunos do Ensino Médio nos anos de 2004 a 2006 e seu desempenho foi comparado ao de alunos de 2003, no qual foram ministradas somente aulas tradicionais. O desempenho dos alunos que utilizaram o programa foi superior em neurofisiologia quando comparado com seu próprio desempenho nos demais conteúdos de biologia. Além disso, as notas dos alunos em neurofisiologia foram superiores em 2004 e 2005 em relação às dos alunos de 2003. Os alunos do Ensino Superior que utilizaram o programa também obtiveram melhor desempenho nas suas avaliações semestrais nos conteúdos abordados no programa em relação aos alunos que tiveram somente aulas tradicionais. As impressões dos professores do Ensino Médio foram positivas quanto à utilização do programa como ferramenta de ensino. Os resultados em conjunto sugerem que o programa tem potencial para ensino de conceitos básicos de neurofisiologia para alunos de Ensino Médio e Superior. / Computer mediated education has been widely used in several educational levels around the world. The fast technological advances in telecommunication and computer science have encouraged this teaching strategy. In this work, the effectiveness of a didactic material involving basic concepts of neurophysiology, directed for college students, with the objective of instructing e disclose science through interactive animations created on Flash (Adobe&reg;) programming platform. College and High School students exposed to this material were questioned in relation to acceptance and evaluated on the effectiveness of the program. Beyond that, a focus group involving teachers from public college schools participated on a debate to evaluate their impressions on the program and its acceptability. Results show that students evaluated had a good performance after studying through the program, suggesting that it was efficient on presenting neurophysiology concepts. The program was used by college students from year 2004 to 2006 and their performance was compared to students of 2003, when only traditional classes were taught. Performance of the students who used the program was superior in neurophysiology when compared to their own performance in other contents of biology. Beyond that, students grades on neurophysiology were superior in 2004 and 2005 in relation to the students grades in 2003. High School students that used the program also had better performance in their biannual evaluation tests on the contents addressed in the program in relation to the students who only had traditional classes. College teachers impressions about the use of the program as a teaching tool were positive. Together, these results suggest that the program has potential use in teaching basic neurophysiology concepts for College and High School students.

Consumers make purchasing decisions every day. Among their purchases, consumers shop for hedonic and utilitarian products. In general, hedonic consumption is related to fun, pleasure, excitement, fantasy, experimental situations, or sensual pleasure. On the other hand, utilitarian consumption is related to instrumental and functional needs or products. Studies in psychology have shown that the information processes used to understand words and pictures are different. Since marketing researchers employ both types of stimuli, it is necessary to test how different stimuli can influence consumer behavior. Therefore, this study verified the influence of hedonic and utilitarian purchases and presentation types (pictures versus words) on consumers\' perceptions of justice and price fairness based on anger as a mediators and construal level theory. Because discriminatory pricing is a widely employed market practice, it was used the price changing (increasing or decreasing) contexts in the studies to manipulate perception of justice and price fairness. Based on that, ten hypotheses were developed and divided into sub items, which were tested with behavioral or physiological studies. The physiological data were collected by an electrocardiogram, electrodermal, and electromyography. The data analyses were done with analyses of variance (ANOVA), analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), and generalized estimation equations (GEE). The main result was that in picture presentations (low construal level), when consumers pay more than others to purchase utilitarian products, they perceive the situation as less just and more price unfairness compared to when the product is hedonic. In a word presentation (high construal level), the perceptions of justice, price fairness, perception of value, and the intention to repurchase are lower with the presentation of utilitarian products compared to hedonic products. In terms of physiological analyses, attention, arousal, and valence were tested to compare the product and presentation types. This study is relevant to marketing theory, as many academics utilize words and pictures as stimuli, but few address the differences due to representation types. By studying different products, such as hedonic and utilitarian, and using consumers\' affective and rational properties, it was found that the anger evoked in consumers by products are mediators in price fairness perception. This dissertation also contributes to understanding product evaluations in post-purchase situations, as opposed to during the choice process, which is found in the literature most often. For practitioners, this study makes important contributions by showing that the way a product is exposed (with words or pictures) influences the perception of justice when consumers realize that discriminatory pricing is being practiced. / Os consumidores tomam decisões de compra frequentemente, envolvendo produtos hedônicos e utilitários. Em geral, o consumo hedonista está relacionado com diversão, prazer, excitação, fantasia, prazer sensitivo até mesmo experienciar a compra. Por outro lado, o consumo utilitário está relacionado com as necessidades ou produtos instrumentais e funcionais. Estudos em psicologia têm mostrado que os processos de captação das informações para o entendimento das palavras e imagens são diferentes. Já que os pesquisadores de marketing empregam os dois tipos de estímulos em seus estudos, é importante testar como as diferentes formas de estímulos podem influenciar o comportamento do consumidor. Desta forma, esta dissertação buscou verificar a influência de diferentes formas de apresentação dos produtos (por figuras e palavras) hedônicos e utilitários na percepção de justiça e na justiça de preços, e seu mediador (raiva) com base na teoria de construal level quando existe uma mudança de preço pago pelo consumidor. Como preços discriminatórios é uma prática amplamente utilizada no mercado, é relevante entender como os consumidores percebem e reagem em situações de mudança (aumento ou diminuição) de preços. Com base neste contexto, dez hipóteses com subitens foram desenvolvidas. Estas foram testadas por meio de estudos comportamentais ou fisiológicos. Os dados fisiológicos foram coletados por meio de eletrocardiograma, condutância da pele e eletromiografia. As análises de dados foram realizadas com análise de variância (ANOVA), análise de covariância (ANCOVA), e equações de estimação generalizadas (GEE). Os principais resultados desse estudo foram que quando o estímulo foi a apresentação de produtos por figura (baixo nível de interpretação), e quando os consumidores pagaram mais que outras pessoas, em compras de produtos utilitários, eles perceberam a situação como menos justa e o preço mais injusto quando comparados a compras de produtos hedônicos. Entretanto, em apresentações de produtos por palavras (alto nível de interpretação), a percepção de justiça, de justiça de preço, percepção de valor e de intenção de recompra foram menores quando os produtos eram utilitários comparados aos produtos hedônicos. Em relação às análises fisiológicas, foram testados os produtos e a forma de apresentação quanto a sua atenção, excitação e valência. Ao estudar os diferentes tipos de compra hedônicas e utilitárias e as propriedades afetivas e cognitivas dessa compra, verificou-se que a raiva evocadas pelos consumidores na situação de preço mais elevado é um mediador da percepção de justiça de preço. Esta dissertação contribui para a compreensão das avaliações de produtos em situações de pós-venda, ao contrário da maioria dos estudos da literatura que focam no processo de escolha de um produto. Para o mercado, este estudo faz importantes contribuições ao mostrar que a forma como o produto é exposto (com palavras ou imagens) influencia na percepção de justiça quando os consumidores percebem que preços discriminatórios estão sendo praticados.

Des sondes photoactivables (composés “cagés”) dérivées de la 2-hydroxyméthylène-diméthylaminoquinoléine, ont été préparées et testées pour une application en neurophysiologie. Ces sondes montrent une stabilité hydrolytique élevée et une faible fluorescence, avec des cinétiques de photofragmentation rapides sous irradiation UV (365 nm). Il en est également de même dans des conditions biphotoniques en IR proche (730 nm). Une optimisation de cette plateforme a été réalisée en modifiant la nature et la position des substituants du chromophore, en augmentant la conjugaison et en incorporant des éléments de symétrie C2 et S3, conduisant aux sondes dipolaires, quadrupolaires (dimériques) et octupolaires (trimériques) à haute sensibilité biphotonique ( < 2,50 GM). Les dérivés les plus efficaces ont été testés dans des expériences en neurophysiologie. Tandis que les dérivés de kaïnate sont suffisamment stables en solution aqueuse à pH 7,4 pour les expériences en conditions physiologiques, les dérivés de L-glutamate et GABA ont nécessité une connexion de type carbamate avec la plateforme photoactivable. Sans irradiation, les solutions « stock » de ces composés « cagés » (c = 200-300 µM) n’ont pas produit d’effets majeurs sur l'excitabilité des neurones à en juger par le manque d'effet sur l'activité neuronale ou de potentiels d’actions synaptiques spontanés provoqués par une dépolarisation. La photolyse en lumière blanche par pulses courts d’irradiation a permis la libération de substances actives en quantité suffisante pour produire de grands courants (jusqu’à 5 nA) dans les neurones de Purkinje. / Photosensitive molecular probes (‘caged’ compounds) derived from 2-hydroxymethylenedimethylaminoquinoline were prepared and tested for applications in neurophysiology. These compounds show high hydrolytic stability and low fluorescence, with fast fragmentation kinetics upon UV irradiation (365 nm), and under two photon photolysis conditions (730 nm). This platform was optimized by modifying the substitution pattern, increasing the conjugation length and incorporating C2 or S3 symmetry elements. Dipolar, quadrupolar (dimer) and octupolar (trimer) derivatives were thus synthesized and were found exhibiting high two-photon sensitivity ( < 2,50 GM). The most efficient probes were tested in neurophysiological experiments. While kaïnate derivatives are stable in aqueous solution at pH 7.4 in physiological conditions, L-glutamate and GABA derivatives required the use of a carbamate linker. Without irradiation, any major changes were observed on neuron excitability with “stock” solutions of these caged compounds (c = 200-300 µM), according to the lack of effects on neuron activity or action potentials evoked by depolarization. White light photolysis by short pulses generated sufficient active substances to induce large inward currents (up to 5 nA) in Purkinje neurons.

The purpose of this study was to determine if resistance exercise altered peripheral BDNF concentration. Eighteen trained male subjects were split into two groups performing varied repetition ranges. DUP-HR and DUP-LR groups trained 3x/week for 8 weeks, and were equated for total volume (repetitions X sets X intensity). Plasma BDNF and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were measured prior to and immediately following the first exercise session of weeks 1, 2, 4 and 6. Pre-exercise levels were also assessed prior to the second and third sessions of week 1 and 6. Lastly, resting levels were measured before and after training intervention. No group differences (p>0.05) were detected for either biomarker. An acute BDNF elevation (p=0.018) was detected only in the final week of training. IL-6 elevations were detected at all acute measurements (p<0.01). BDNF and IL-6 percentage change correlated significantly (p<0.05) in week-1. No chronic alterations were observed (p>0.05). / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015 / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection