The basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA) is a key component of the neuronal circuitry underlying the acquisition and the extinction of Pavlovian conditioned fear. The present series of experiments examined the role of neuronal activity and NMDA receptors (NMDAr) activation in the BLA on learning and relearning context conditioned fear and its extinction. Disruption of neuronal activity in the BLA prevented the acquisition of fear responses to a novel, a moderately familiar or a highly familiar context. It also prevented the reacquisition of fear responses to a conditioned or an extinguished context. Local blockade of NMDAr containing the NR2B subunit prior to training extinction or re-extinction impaired the short- and long-term loss of fear responses. In contrast, a similar blockade subsequent to training extinction or re-extinction left the long-term loss of fear responses unaffected. Disruption of neuronal activity in the BLA prior to training extinction and re-extinction depressed fear responses. It impaired the long-term loss of fear produced by extinction training but spared and even facilitated the long-loss of fear produced by re-extinction training when extinction had already been learned. The exact same outcome was observed when neuronal activity in the BLA was disrupted subsequent to training extinction and re-extinction. These findings suggest that the BLA is critical for both learning and relearning context conditioned fear. In contrast, the BLA is necessary for learning but not relearning extinction of conditioned fear. This implies that once extinction has been learned, others structures support the retrieval and the expression of extinction memory. This is consistent with current neural model of extinction that involves interactions between several neural substrates including the BLA and the medial prefrontal cortex.

The basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA) is a key component of the neuronal circuitry underlying the acquisition and the extinction of Pavlovian conditioned fear. The present series of experiments examined the role of neuronal activity and NMDA receptors (NMDAr) activation in the BLA on learning and relearning context conditioned fear and its extinction. Disruption of neuronal activity in the BLA prevented the acquisition of fear responses to a novel, a moderately familiar or a highly familiar context. It also prevented the reacquisition of fear responses to a conditioned or an extinguished context. Local blockade of NMDAr containing the NR2B subunit prior to training extinction or re-extinction impaired the short- and long-term loss of fear responses. In contrast, a similar blockade subsequent to training extinction or re-extinction left the long-term loss of fear responses unaffected. Disruption of neuronal activity in the BLA prior to training extinction and re-extinction depressed fear responses. It impaired the long-term loss of fear produced by extinction training but spared and even facilitated the long-loss of fear produced by re-extinction training when extinction had already been learned. The exact same outcome was observed when neuronal activity in the BLA was disrupted subsequent to training extinction and re-extinction. These findings suggest that the BLA is critical for both learning and relearning context conditioned fear. In contrast, the BLA is necessary for learning but not relearning extinction of conditioned fear. This implies that once extinction has been learned, others structures support the retrieval and the expression of extinction memory. This is consistent with current neural model of extinction that involves interactions between several neural substrates including the BLA and the medial prefrontal cortex.

Distonia focal é uma desordem neurológica do movimento que pode ser altamente incapacitante afetando de maneira importante a vida, carreira professional e práticas interpretativas dos músicos. Segundo pesquisas a distonia focal pode manifestar-se em até 1% dos músicos. O objetivo principal da presente pesquisa foi investigar as estratégias de estudo utilizadas por três músicos profissionais com distonia focal (dois flautistas e um violinista). Adicionalmente se realizou um auto relato, no qual o autor (que também sofre da doença) descreve e analisa seu processo, focalizando-se nos mesmos aspectos investigados nas entrevistas. Os resultados obtidos foram confrontados com a literatura sobre o tema, a experiência pessoal do autor e com as respostas proporcionadas por um músico, neurologista e especialista em distonia focal (por meio de uma outra entrevista). A coleta de dados dos participantes foi realizada através de entrevistas semiestruturadas. Os resultados obtidos apontam que o uso das estratégias de estudo é variado e individualizado conforme: as características particulares de cada caso, gravidade da doença, instrumento interpretado, o processo pessoal com a doença, as expectativas pessoais, etc. Porém, a pesquisa destaca a importância da terapia física para desenvolver novas habilidades motoras interpretativas e também a utilização de terapia psicológica para reduzir os níveis de ansiedade no estabelecimento de uma nova relação com o instrumento. Dentre as estratégias musicais encontradas para lidar com a doença estão: adequações no repertorio de estudo, práticas musicais paralelas e modificações no instrumento. / Focal dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that can be highly incapable, affecting life, professional career and music performing. According to studies, up to 1% of musicians can be affected. The principal objective of this research was to explore the study methodologies used by three professional musicians with focal dystonia. Additionally a selfreport developed by the author (who also is affected by disease) narrates and analyze his personal process focusing on the same aspects that are investigated in the interviews. Data was collected from participants using semi-structured interviews. The results were compared with academic publications, personal experience of the author and with answers given by a musician, neurologist and specialist in focal dystonia, (collected in another interview). Part of the data is the Self- report, where the author presents its personal process with focal dystonia, based on self-observation, motor re-learning and Alexander Technique. The results obtained highlighted that the use of methodological studies diverse and personalized, according to particular characteristics of each case (the state of the disease, the instrument played by the musician, the personal process, recovery expectations, etc.). However, in general, the following aspects were founded: physical therapy, for constructing new motor patterns and psychological therapy to reduce the levels of anxiety and begin to establish a new relationship with the instrument. Among musical methodologies to face disease the following are included: adjustments in the musical repertory, parallel musical practice and instrument modifications.

Distonia focal é uma desordem neurológica do movimento que pode ser altamente incapacitante afetando de maneira importante a vida, carreira professional e práticas interpretativas dos músicos. Segundo pesquisas a distonia focal pode manifestar-se em até 1% dos músicos. O objetivo principal da presente pesquisa foi investigar as estratégias de estudo utilizadas por três músicos profissionais com distonia focal (dois flautistas e um violinista). Adicionalmente se realizou um auto relato, no qual o autor (que também sofre da doença) descreve e analisa seu processo, focalizando-se nos mesmos aspectos investigados nas entrevistas. Os resultados obtidos foram confrontados com a literatura sobre o tema, a experiência pessoal do autor e com as respostas proporcionadas por um músico, neurologista e especialista em distonia focal (por meio de uma outra entrevista). A coleta de dados dos participantes foi realizada através de entrevistas semiestruturadas. Os resultados obtidos apontam que o uso das estratégias de estudo é variado e individualizado conforme: as características particulares de cada caso, gravidade da doença, instrumento interpretado, o processo pessoal com a doença, as expectativas pessoais, etc. Porém, a pesquisa destaca a importância da terapia física para desenvolver novas habilidades motoras interpretativas e também a utilização de terapia psicológica para reduzir os níveis de ansiedade no estabelecimento de uma nova relação com o instrumento. Dentre as estratégias musicais encontradas para lidar com a doença estão: adequações no repertorio de estudo, práticas musicais paralelas e modificações no instrumento. / Focal dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that can be highly incapable, affecting life, professional career and music performing. According to studies, up to 1% of musicians can be affected. The principal objective of this research was to explore the study methodologies used by three professional musicians with focal dystonia. Additionally a selfreport developed by the author (who also is affected by disease) narrates and analyze his personal process focusing on the same aspects that are investigated in the interviews. Data was collected from participants using semi-structured interviews. The results were compared with academic publications, personal experience of the author and with answers given by a musician, neurologist and specialist in focal dystonia, (collected in another interview). Part of the data is the Self- report, where the author presents its personal process with focal dystonia, based on self-observation, motor re-learning and Alexander Technique. The results obtained highlighted that the use of methodological studies diverse and personalized, according to particular characteristics of each case (the state of the disease, the instrument played by the musician, the personal process, recovery expectations, etc.). However, in general, the following aspects were founded: physical therapy, for constructing new motor patterns and psychological therapy to reduce the levels of anxiety and begin to establish a new relationship with the instrument. Among musical methodologies to face disease the following are included: adjustments in the musical repertory, parallel musical practice and instrument modifications.

Distonia focal é uma desordem neurológica do movimento que pode ser altamente incapacitante afetando de maneira importante a vida, carreira professional e práticas interpretativas dos músicos. Segundo pesquisas a distonia focal pode manifestar-se em até 1% dos músicos. O objetivo principal da presente pesquisa foi investigar as estratégias de estudo utilizadas por três músicos profissionais com distonia focal (dois flautistas e um violinista). Adicionalmente se realizou um auto relato, no qual o autor (que também sofre da doença) descreve e analisa seu processo, focalizando-se nos mesmos aspectos investigados nas entrevistas. Os resultados obtidos foram confrontados com a literatura sobre o tema, a experiência pessoal do autor e com as respostas proporcionadas por um músico, neurologista e especialista em distonia focal (por meio de uma outra entrevista). A coleta de dados dos participantes foi realizada através de entrevistas semiestruturadas. Os resultados obtidos apontam que o uso das estratégias de estudo é variado e individualizado conforme: as características particulares de cada caso, gravidade da doença, instrumento interpretado, o processo pessoal com a doença, as expectativas pessoais, etc. Porém, a pesquisa destaca a importância da terapia física para desenvolver novas habilidades motoras interpretativas e também a utilização de terapia psicológica para reduzir os níveis de ansiedade no estabelecimento de uma nova relação com o instrumento. Dentre as estratégias musicais encontradas para lidar com a doença estão: adequações no repertorio de estudo, práticas musicais paralelas e modificações no instrumento. / Focal dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that can be highly incapable, affecting life, professional career and music performing. According to studies, up to 1% of musicians can be affected. The principal objective of this research was to explore the study methodologies used by three professional musicians with focal dystonia. Additionally a selfreport developed by the author (who also is affected by disease) narrates and analyze his personal process focusing on the same aspects that are investigated in the interviews. Data was collected from participants using semi-structured interviews. The results were compared with academic publications, personal experience of the author and with answers given by a musician, neurologist and specialist in focal dystonia, (collected in another interview). Part of the data is the Self- report, where the author presents its personal process with focal dystonia, based on self-observation, motor re-learning and Alexander Technique. The results obtained highlighted that the use of methodological studies diverse and personalized, according to particular characteristics of each case (the state of the disease, the instrument played by the musician, the personal process, recovery expectations, etc.). However, in general, the following aspects were founded: physical therapy, for constructing new motor patterns and psychological therapy to reduce the levels of anxiety and begin to establish a new relationship with the instrument. Among musical methodologies to face disease the following are included: adjustments in the musical repertory, parallel musical practice and instrument modifications.

Si l'apprentissage organisationnel est un thème central des théories de l'organisation, l'oubli organisationnel a été beaucoup moins étudié. Dans un environnement en mutation, les risques d'obsolescence des savoirs et des capacités retiennent prioritairement l'attention des entreprises et des chercheurs. Cette thèse entend montrer que de nombreuses transformations contemporaines des entreprises (de leur organisation comme de leurs ressources) invitent à reconsidérer les risques associés à la continuité de leurs capacités d'action. Dans le cadre d'une recherche menée en collaboration avec un centre d'ingénierie spécialisé dans la réalisation de grands projets industriels complexes, nous avons montré que des difficultés opérationnelles liées à un contexte de forte croissance de la charge de travail et des effectifs révélaient en fait un problème plus profond. Une longue période d'absence de projets et un profond renouvellement générationnel des équipes d'ingénieurs avaient en effet rendu nécessaire une phase de réapprentissage collectif. Mais les travaux de recherche existants sur l'oubli organisationnel ne permettent que très partiellement de penser et gérer ce type de situation. À travers notre cas d'étude, nous montrons que dans une activité d'ingénierie, le diagnostic de l'oubli organisationnel doit moins reposer sur une analyse de la performance que sur une attention aux signaux envoyés par les ressources humaines ainsi qu'aux temps et aux modes de constitution des capacités d'action. Ce changement de posture nous permet, dans un premier temps de qualifier une situation de « mur d'apprentissage » comme paroxystique des phases de réapprentissage. Nous mettons ensuite en évidence le caractère pluriel et hétérogène des sources de l'oubli organisationnel, qui complique les opérations de diagnostic et d'orientation de l'action. Nous nous efforçons enfin d'appréhender les conditions macro- et micro-organisationnelles qui permettent de franchir ce « mur ». / Although organizational learning is a central topic in organization theory, organizational forgetting has been much less studied. In a changing environment, researchers and practicioners have primarly focused on the risk of knowledge and skills obsolescence. This thesis starts from the idea that the transformations undergone by many companies make it necessary to tackle the risks related to the maintenance of their capabilities. As part of a collaborative research with an engineering department in charge of steering large and complex industrial projects, we have shown that operational difficulties, in a context of rapid growth of workload and staff, revealed a deeper problem. Indeed, a deep generational renewal of teams along with a long period without new projects, generated a need for a collective relearning process. However, existing research on organizational forgetting is silent on how to think and manage this kind of situations. Through our case study, we show that, in engineering environments, diagnosing organizational forgetting requires paying attention to human signals and to capability building processes and length. First, it enables us to describe a situation of "learning wall" as a paroxysmal phase of relearning. We then highlight the plural and heterogeneous sources of organizational forgetting, which complicate diagnosis and action. Finally, we strive to identify the macro- and micro- organizational conditions that bridge this learning wall.

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Disorders of brain bloodstream, the most serious of which is stroke, take the third place of death causes. Restoration of limb functions for the patients after the brain stroke requires much time and efforts. As a result, this experiment involved the motor relearning programme of Carr J. and Shepherd R. as an adaptive physical activity along with the traditional kinesitherapy. The main focus of the motor relearning programme is training and learning as the patient actively participates in the treatment process. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the effect of the motor relearning programme on the people after the brain stroke to restore limb functions. The tasks of the paper are the following: 1. To evaluate the functional limb condition of patients after the brain stroke before the application of treatment methods. 2. To evaluate the functional limb condition after the application of treatment methods. 3. To evaluate the efficiency of the motor relearning programme. 4. To determine the influence of age on the alterations of limb functions for the patients after the brain stroke. The quantitative experiment was performed in the neurological department of Šiauliai Hospital. Experimental group was composed of 60 patients with affected upper extremity. The adaptive physical activity was applied to the present patients in order to restore the functions of their affected upper extremities along with the traditional kinesitherapy. 60 patients composed auditorial group and the... [to full text]

The aim of the research described in this thesis is to improve our understanding of how the central nervous system (CNS) integrates feedback information from different sensory modalities to permit skill acquisition, and the subsequent consolidation of that skill, when exposed to a novel visuomotor environment. Indeed, such adaptation must be consolidated and recalled when appropriate such that we do not have to continually relearn skills we once possessed. By manipulating the sensory feedback available from the visual and proprioceptive systems during learning, it is possible to determine those facets of the sensory feedback that are essential for adaptation to occur. The thesis consists of seven chapters. The first and last provide a conceptual basis for, and an overall discussion of, the research. Chapter 2 reviews current visuomotor adaptation research, with particular focus on the manner in which information about novel tasks is stored within the CNS as we adapt, and the sensory information that is necessary to allow this adaptation to occur. Furthermore, this chapter serves to introduce many of the experimental techniques that are used to investigate motor learning in humans. Chapter 3 is a report of an investigation of the issues of interference and consolidation in an isometric target acquisition task. Exposure to a 30° counter-clockwise (CCW) rotation was followed by a period of rest, trials with no rotation, or trials with a 60° clockwise (CW) rotation. Retention of the initial adaptation was assessed 5 hours later. Full interference was manifested in circumstances in which either counter-rotated or non-rotated trials were encountered following the initial learning period. These results are consistent with the view that the observed interference is anterograde in nature, and highlight differences in the mechanisms employed by the CNS when compensating for novel kinematics (e.g. visuomotor rotations) compared with adapting to novel dynamics (e.g. external forces). Chapter 4 is a report of an investigation of the role of visual feedback in adapting to novel visuomotor environments in an isometric target acquisition task. Following trials with no rotation, participants adapted to a 60° CCW visuomotor rotation before returning to the non-rotated condition. Separate groups received either continuous visual feedback (CF) of cursor position during task execution or post-trial visual feedback (PF), both indicating task performance. One CF group were instructed to make any (feedback) modifications necessary during the task to reduce errors and acquire the target, while another CF group were instructed to make uncorrected, ballistic movements. Colour cues permitted the identification of the task environment (nonrotated/ rotated) on every trial. The results indicate that an automatic recalibration of the visuomotor mapping occurs when CF is provided, and suggest that performance improvements with PF may occur via the adoption of a cognitively mediated strategy. Furthermore, execution of feedback motor commands to correct errors did not enhance the adaptation that occurred when CF was provided, indicating that the perception of sensory errors (and not feedback commands that may be applied to reduce those errors) drives feedforward visuomotor adaptation. To investigate whether additional proprioceptive feedback associated with movement altered the adaptation patterns observed in chapter 4, a study similar to that reported in chapter 4 was undertaken, and is reported in chapter 5. In this instance a discrete, goaldirected, movement task replaced the isometric task. Subjects were deprived of vision of their arm, but were provided with PF or CF indicating task performance. The patterns of adaptation noted in the isometric task were also exhibited in this dynamic task, indicating that the timing of the visual feedback of task performance has a profound effect on how performance improvements in a novel visuomotor rotation occur. The experiment reported in Chapter 6 assessed the ability to adapt to two conflicting visuomotor rotations interleaved within the same training period, when each task variant (rotation) could be identified by contextual (colour) cues. While full dual adaptation was not observed, the results suggest that the colour cues may have been utilised to explicitly select distinct motor commands for each task rotation.