by Leung Hiu-shan. / Thesis submitted in: June 1999. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-58). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iv / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vii / LIST OF APPENDICES --- p.viii / INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Weak Central Coherence of Autism --- p.1 / Cognitive Style of Field Dependence/Independence --- p.4 / Visual Illusions --- p.5 / Summary of Previous research & Objectives and Hypotheses of Present Study --- p.8 / METHOD --- p.12 / Participants --- p.12 / Stimuli --- p.13 / Procedure --- p.19 / RESULTS --- p.24 / EFT --- p.24 / RFT --- p.26 / Correlation between EFT and RFT --- p.26 / Visual illusions --- p.30 / "Relationship between EFT, RFT and Visual Illusions" --- p.34 / Percentage of Subjects Succumbed/Not succumbed to Geometric Illusions --- p.44 / DISCUSSION --- p.44 / REFERENCES --- p.55 / APPENDICES --- p.59

Ho Man Choi. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-215). / Abstracts and appendices in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT --- p.ii / ABSTRACT --- p.iii / 研究摘要 --- p.vi / Chapter CHAPTER 1 --- INTRODUCTION / Chapter 1.1. --- Heroin --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1. --- Manufacture --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2. --- Administration --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.3. --- Physical and Psychological Effects --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.4. --- Heroin Metabolism --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.5. --- Treatments for Heroin Dependence --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2. --- Opioids and Analgesia --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.1. --- Pain Transmission --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.2. --- Pain Modulation and Endogenous Opioid System --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.3. --- Clinical Application of Opiates in Pain Management --- p.11 / Chapter 1.2.4. --- Narcotics and Pain --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3. --- Biological Basis of Drug Addiction --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.1. --- Mesocorticolimbic Reward System --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.2. --- Molecular Neurobiology of Drug Addiction --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.2.1. --- "Cyclic Adenosine-3',5'-Monophosphate and Protein Kinase A" --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.2.2. --- Transcription Factors: cAMP-Response Element Binding Protein and Delta-Fos B --- p.18 / Chapter 1.3.2.3. --- Neurotrophic Factors --- p.23 / Chapter 1.4. --- Biological Basis of Relapse --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.1. --- Environmental Stimuli --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4.2. --- Drug Re-exposure/Priming --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4.3. --- Acute Stress Exposure --- p.27 / Chapter 1.5. --- Gene Polymorphisms and Opioid Dependence --- p.30 / Chapter 1.5.1. --- Opioidergic System --- p.31 / Chapter 1.5.2. --- Dopaminergic System --- p.36 / Chapter 1.5.3. --- Serotoninergic System --- p.41 / Chapter 1.5.4. --- Noradrenergic System --- p.43 / Chapter 1.5.5. --- GABAergic System --- p.44 / Chapter 1.6. --- Aim of Research --- p.45 / Chapter CHAPTER 2 --- METHODS OF STUDY / Chapter 2.1. --- Subject Recruitment and Demographic Data Collection --- p.49 / Chapter 2.1.1. --- Heroin-dependent Subjects --- p.49 / Chapter 2.1.1.1. --- Phenotype Assessment --- p.49 / Chapter 2.1.1.2. --- Socio-demographics Data and Substance Use History --- p.50 / Chapter 2.1.1.3. --- Addiction Severity Index (ASI) --- p.51 / Chapter 2.1.1.4. --- History of Detoxifications and Relapse --- p.51 / Chapter 2.1.2. --- Control Subjects --- p.51 / Chapter 2.2. --- Pain Response Assessment using Cold-Pressor Test (CPT) --- p.52 / Chapter 2.3. --- Personality Trait Assessment --- p.53 / Chapter 2.4. --- Genotype Analysis --- p.55 / Chapter 2.4.1. --- DNA Extraction --- p.55 / Chapter 2.4.2. --- Genotyping --- p.56 / Chapter 2.4.2.1. --- MORA118G --- p.56 / Chapter 2.4.2.2. --- DOR T921C --- p.56 / Chapter 2.4.2.3. --- COMTVal108/158Met --- p.57 / Chapter 2.4.2.4. --- Prodynorphin 68bp-VNTR --- p.58 / Chapter 2.4.2.5. --- DRD2 TaqI A --- p.59 / Chapter 2.4.2.6. --- DRD4 -521C/T --- p.59 / Chapter 2.4.2.7. --- 5HT1B G861C --- p.60 / Chapter 2.5. --- Saliva Collection and Salivary Cortisol Measurement --- p.61 / Chapter 2.6. --- Statistical Analysis --- p.62 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- RESULTS / Chapter 3.1. --- Demographics --- p.64 / Chapter 3.1.1. --- Age --- p.64 / Chapter 3.1.2. --- Ethnicity --- p.64 / Chapter 3.1.3. --- District of Residence and Type of Housing --- p.64 / Chapter 3.1.4. --- "Education, Employment and Income" --- p.68 / Chapter 3.1.5. --- ASI Scores --- p.71 / Chapter 3.1.5.1. --- Family/Social Relationship --- p.71 / Chapter 3.1.5.2. --- Employment and Support Status --- p.73 / Chapter 3.1.5.3. --- Medical Status --- p.73 / Chapter 3.1.5.4. --- Legal Status --- p.75 / Chapter 3.1.5.5. --- Psychiatric Status --- p.75 / Chapter 3.1.5.6. --- Drug Use Status --- p.76 / Chapter 3.1.5.7. --- Alcohol Use Status --- p.79 / Chapter 3.1.6. --- Tranquillizer Use Status --- p.79 / Chapter 3.1.7. --- Smoking Status --- p.81 / Chapter 3.1.8. --- Detoxification and Relapse --- p.83 / Chapter 3.2. --- Cold-Pressor Test (CPT) --- p.88 / Chapter 3.3. --- Personality Traits --- p.90 / Chapter 3.3.1. --- NEO PI-R --- p.90 / Chapter 3.3.2. --- BIS/BAS --- p.93 / Chapter 3.3.3. --- SSS-V --- p.93 / Chapter 3.4. --- Salivary Cortisol Levels --- p.93 / Chapter 3.5. --- Genotype and Allele Frequencies of Gene Polymorphisms --- p.96 / Chapter 3.5.1. --- MOR A118G Polymorphism --- p.96 / Chapter 3.5.2. --- DOR T921C Polymorphism --- p.96 / Chapter 3.5.3. --- COMT Val108/158Met Polymorphism --- p.99 / Chapter 3.5.4. --- Prodynorphin 68bp-VNTR --- p.99 / Chapter 3.5.5. --- DRD2 TαqI A Polymorphism --- p.102 / Chapter 3.5.6. --- DRD4 -521C/T Polymorphism --- p.102 / Chapter 3.5.7. --- 5HT1B G861C Polymorphism --- p.105 / Chapter 3.6. --- "Association of Gene Polymorphisms, Personality Traits and CPT" --- p.105 / Chapter 3.7. --- Association of Gene Polymorphisms and CPT --- p.108 / Chapter 3.7.1. --- COMT Val108/158Met Polymorphism --- p.108 / Chapter 3.7.2. --- DRD4 -521C/T Polymorphism --- p.108 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS / Chapter 4.1. --- Demographics and Potential Environmental Factors of Relapse --- p.111 / Chapter 4.1.1. --- Medical and Psychological Status --- p.114 / Chapter 4.1.2. --- Substance Use Status --- p.116 / Chapter 4.1.3. --- Detoxification and Relapse --- p.118 / Chapter 4.2. --- Cold-Pressor Test (CPT) --- p.121 / Chapter 4.3. --- Personality Traits --- p.123 / Chapter 4.4. --- Salivary Cortisol --- p.125 / Chapter 4.5. --- "Association of Gene Polymorphisms, Personality Traits and Cold-Pressor Test" --- p.127 / Chapter 4.5.1. --- MORA118G Polymorphism --- p.127 / Chapter 4.5.2. --- DOR T921C Polymorphism --- p.129 / Chapter 4.5.3. --- COMT Val108/158Met --- p.130 / Chapter 4.5.4. --- Prodynorphin (ProDYN) 68bp-VNTR --- p.133 / Chapter 4.5.5. --- DRD2 A Polymorphism --- p.134 / Chapter 4.5.6. --- DRD4 -521C/T Polymorphism --- p.138 / Chapter 4.5.7. --- 5HTlB G861C Polymorphism --- p.141 / Chapter 4.5.8. --- Personality Traits --- p.142 / Chapter 4.6. --- Limitations --- p.144 / Chapter 4.7. --- Potential Clinical Application --- p.145 / Chapter 4.8. --- Conclusion --- p.146 / APPENDIXES --- p.148 / APPENDIX 1 Addiction Severity Index (ASI) with Additional Questions for Heroin Users / APPENDIX 2 Detoxification and Relapse History Questionnaire / APPENDIX 3A Questionnaire for Control Subjects (Chinese version) / APPENDIX 3B Questionnaire for Control Subjects (English version) / APPENDIX 4A NEO PI-R (Chinese version) / APPENDIX 4B NEO PI-R (English version) / APPENDIX 5A BIS/BAS (Chinese version) / APPENDIX 5B BIS/BAS (English version) / APPENDIX 6A SSS- V (Chinese version) / APPENDIX 6B SSS- V (English version) / REFERENCES --- p.178

As China has become one of the largest economic entities in the world, many studies focus on corporate governance in China. In 2001, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) transplanted the outside director mechanism from the United States and the United Kingdom. CSRC hoped that outside directors could play a control role to monitor the behaviours of controlling shareholders, protecting the interests of minority shareholders. However, since it was established, the Chinese outside director mechanism has played an unsatisfactory control role because they are not truly independent of the controlling shareholders. In contrast, many Chinese outside directors use their Guanxi connections (a particular kind of social connections in China) to play a resource acquisition role very well. Based on the theories of the firm, the resource dependence theory, studies of Guanxi and the path dependence theory, this thesis finds that when Chinese outside directors use their Guanxi connections to play their resource acquisition role, their independence and fiduciary duties required by CSRC is compromised.

Szeto Yi Ki. / Thesis submitted in: December 2000. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-113). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Acknowledgement --- p.iv / Abstract --- p.v / List of Abbreviations --- p.ix / Chapter CHATPER ONE --- INTRODUCTION / Chapter 1.1 --- Heroin --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Historical Background --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Manufacturing of Heroin --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Route of Administration and Absorption Rate --- p.6 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Metabolism of Heroin --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1.5 --- Physical and Psychological Effects of Heroin --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2 --- Opioid Receptors --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Mu Opioid Receptors (MOR) --- p.11 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Kappa Opioid Receptors (KOR) --- p.14 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Delta Opioid Receptors (DOR) --- p.15 / Chapter 1.3 --- Dopamine Receptors --- p.17 / Chapter 1.4 --- Dopamine Transporter (DAT) --- p.19 / Chapter 1.5 --- Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Receptors --- p.21 / Chapter 1.6 --- Mesocorticolimbic Pathway --- p.22 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Neural Substrates of Drug Reinforcement --- p.25 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Molecular and Cellular Basis of Addiction --- p.26 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Intracellular Substrates of Relapse --- p.29 / Chapter 1.7 --- Environmental Factors in Drug Addiction --- p.30 / Chapter 1.8 --- Genetic Factors in Drug Addiction --- p.32 / Chapter 1.9 --- Aim of Project --- p.35 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO --- MATERIALS AND METHODS / Chapter 2.1 --- Recruitment of Subjects 、 --- p.39 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Heroin-dependent Subjects --- p.39 / Chapter 2.1.1.1 --- Phenotype Assessment --- p.39 / Chapter 2.1.1.2 --- Establishment of Socio-demographic Data --- p.40 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Control Subjects --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2 --- DNA Extraction --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3 --- Genotyping --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- A118G Polymorphism in Exon 1 of the Human MOR (hMOR) Gene --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- C1031G Polymorphism in Intron 2 of the hMOR Gene --- p.45 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- T921C Polymorphism in Exon 3 of the Human DOR (hDOR) Gene --- p.46 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- 3'VNTR Polymorphism of the DAT Gene --- p.47 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- TaqI A Polymorphism of the DRD2 Gene --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3.6 --- NciI Polymorphism of the GABRG2 Gene --- p.48 / Chapter 2.4 --- DNA Sequencing --- p.49 / Chapter 2.5 --- Statistical Analysis --- p.50 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE --- RESULTS / Chapter 3.1 --- Socio-demographic Data --- p.52 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Age of the Control and Heroin-dependent Subjects --- p.52 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Education Standard of the Heroin-dependent Subjects --- p.52 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Years of Heroin Use --- p.53 / Chapter 3.2 --- Addition Severity Index (ASI) --- p.53 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- ASI-Medical --- p.53 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- ASI-Employment --- p.54 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- ASI-Drug --- p.54 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- ASI-Legal --- p.54 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- ASI-Family/Social Relationships --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- ASI-Psychiatry --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2.7 --- Correlation Among the Factors of ASI --- p.55 / Chapter 3.3 --- A118G Polymorphism in Exon 1 of the Human Mu Opioid Receptor (hMOR) Gene --- p.56 / Chapter 3.4 --- C1031G Polymorphism in Intron 2 of the hMOR Gene --- p.58 / Chapter 3.5 --- T921C Polymorphism in Exon 3 of the Human Delta Opioid Receptor (hDOR) Gene --- p.59 / Chapter 3.6 --- Interaction Between Genotypes --- p.60 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Combined Genotypes of A118G and C1031G Polymorphisms of the hMOR Gene --- p.60 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- Combined Genotypes of A118G Polymorphism of the hMOR Gene and T921C Polymorphism of the hDOR Gene --- p.61 / Chapter 3.6.3 --- Combined Genotypes of C1031G Polymorphism of the hMOR Gene and T921C Polymorphism of the hDOR Gene --- p.61 / Chapter 3.7 --- Correlation Between Allelic Frequencies and Factors of the ASI --- p.62 / Chapter 3.8 --- 3'VNTR Polymorphism of DAT Gene --- p.62 / Chapter 3.9 --- TαqI A Polymorphism of DRD2 Gene --- p.63 / Chapter 3.10 --- NciI Polymorphism of GABRG2 Gene --- p.64 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR --- DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION --- p.66 / REFERENCES --- p.83 / APPENDIX I The Addiction Severity Index / APPENDIX II Table of Severity Ratings / APPENDIX III Allelic Frequency of A118G Polymorphism in Different Populations / APPENDIX IV Details Information About the Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms In Present Study

Le récepteur à neurotrophine TRKC a initialement été montré comme induisant la mortcellulaire par apoptose en l’absence de son ligand, NT-3. Cette mort cellulaire a tout d’abordété décrite comme étant importante dans la régulation de la survie neuronale, pendant laformation du système nerveux sympathique. Plus tard, elle a été montrée comme étantimpliquée dans différents types de cancer.Au cours de ma thèse, je me suis concentré sur la caractérisation moléculaire de la cascade designalisation conduisant à l’induction de l’apoptose par TRKC. Afin d’induire l’apoptose, ledomaine intracellulaire de TRKC est clivé par les caspases en deux sites, ce qui entraine lagénération d’un fragment pro-apoptotique, TRKC KF (Killer Fragment). Plusieurs partenairespotentiels de TRKC KF ont été identifiés lors d’un crible double-hybride. Initialement, je mesuis focalisé sur l’un d’eux, COBRA1, un cofacteur de BRCA1.Je montre ici que COBRA1 est requis pour la mort cellulaire induite par TRKC, à la fois invitro et in vivo, dans des neurones primaires. COBRA1 semble stabiliser et accumuler TRKCKF à la mitochondrie, où TRKC KF entraine l’activation de BAX et ensuite le relargage ducytochrome c. En conclusion, il semblerait que la mort cellulaire induite par TRKC estdépendante de la voie apoptotique intrinsèque. J’ai aussi pris part à deux autres projets décrivant le rôle de TRKC comme un suppresseur de tumeur potentiel dans le neuroblastome et le cancer colorectal. Nous avons montré dans leneuroblastome que la fonction pro-apoptotique de TRKC est invalidée par une boucleautocrine de production de NT3, qui peut être ciblée lors d’une approche thérapeutique. Dansle cancer colorectal, nous avons décrit un second mécanisme par lequel les cellules tumoraleséchappent à l’apoptose induite par TrkC. Il s’agit d’une perte de l’expression de TrkC due àune hypermethylation du promoteur. / The neurotrophin receptor TRKC was initially shown to induce apoptosis in settings of lackof its ligand, NT-3. This cell death was described to be important in the regulation of neuronalsurvival during sympathetic nervous system formation and finally it was linked with severaltypes of cancer. During my thesis I focused on the molecular characterization of the signaling cascade leadingto TRKC-induced apoptosis. Importantly, in order to kill, TRKC is double-cleaved bycaspases in its intracellular domain releasing a pro-apoptotic fragment, named TRKC KF(Killer Fragment). Using a yeast two-hybrid screen we identified several potential interactingpartners for TRKC KF. Initially, i focused on COBRA1, a cofactor of BRCA1.I show here that COBRA1 is requisite for TRKC-induced cell death both in vitro and in vivo,on primary neurons. COBRA1 seems to stabilize and accumulate TRKC KF at themitochondria, where TRKC KF induces the activation of BAX and therefore cytochrome crelease. Therefore, it looks that TRKC-induced cell death is dependent on the intrinsicpathway of apoptosis. During my thesis, I also took part in two projects characterizing the role of TRKC as aconditional tumor suppressor in neuroblastoma and colon cancer. We showed that inneuroblastoma tumors the pro-apoptotic function of TRKC is impaired due to an autocrineproduction loop of NT-3, which can be targeted as a therapeutic strategy. In colon cancer, wedescribed another mechanism by which tumor cells evade TRKC-induced apoptosis, morespecifically a loss of TRKC expression due to promoter hypermethylation

Evidence-Based Alternative Therapy to Reduce Anxiety in Ambulatory Mental Health Patients by Renee Denobrega MS, Widener University, 2013 BS, Alvernia University, 2007 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University January 2016

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Cette thèse s'intéresse à la structure, aux fonctions, et aux bases cognitives des termes d'offense (tels que le terme "boche"). Les termes d'offense, ainsi que leurs équivalents psychologiques, posent des problèmes intéressants et possiblement fondationnels à propos de la nature de la signification, de l'expressivité dans les langues naturelles, du rôle des émotions dans la catégorisation. Ce travail discute de ces questions - ainsi que de nombreuses autres - en s'intéressant à différentes théories existantes ou originalesdu phénomène. De nouvelles données linguistiques sont mises en avant qui remettent en cause des théories linguistiques telles que les visions vériconditionnelles ou présuppositionnelles du phénomène, et de nouvelles théories non-linguistiques du phénomène sont développées, invoquant les concepts de qualité seconde ou la notion d'essence. Les propriétés linguistiques particulières des termes d'offense, telles que la projection ou l'expressivité, apparaissent dans ce travail être des conséquences linguistiques d'un phénomène essentiellement psychologique : la possibilité d'une composante émotionnelle ou évaluative dans la structure même des concepts. / The present work investigates the structure, function and cognitive underpinnings of slurring terms (such as "boche"). Slurring terms, and the mental correlates that I posit they have, raise interesting and possibly foundational issues about the nature of meaning, about expressivity in natural language, about the role of emotions in categorization. I discuss these questions - among many others - by studying different existing or original accounts of the phenomenon. I present novel linguistic evidence against linguistic views such as truth-conditional or presuppositional accounts, and develop new psychological (i.e. non-linguistic) theories of the phenomenon based on a connection with responsedependent concepts, or with essentialist concepts. The interesting linguistic properties of slurs, such as projection and expressivity, appear to be the linguistic consequences of the essentially mental fact that concepts may be loaded with emotional or evaluative content.

The phenomen of drug dependence is one of the most problematic questions at present time. Drugs become much greater threat for youth, however even for children.Young people should direct their attention instead of passing experience with a drug in another direction especially try hard their selves-realization. In this direction there is a family support already important from childhood, the primary prevention both in the family setting and even at school and media influence is important as well.The fight with a drug sometimes resembles the fight with an unconquerable enemy. It can seem that it is useless to make any effort to this fight but I think that indifferent approach to this question is not right. Even one positive finished struggle with danger called the drug has sense to take as an example and believe in happy ends of all drug dependent adults, youth and children. The substance of the solution of drug dependence,the whole conception of this dependence and finding of a suitable therapeutic approach is often a subject of confusing and antagonistic interpretations. The therapy of this dependence is a long-termed and complicated process. It requires the first-rate judgement of a problem, certain time, finding of a suitable therapeutic programme as well or a therapist and a suitable therapeutic direction. The treatment of drug dependence involves not only a separate psychotherapeutic part, however also pharmacotherapy, concultation with other participant people, subjects and substance of a suitable application of psychotherapeutic technique. In my work I aim at success of individual variations of psychotherapeutic approaches in therapy of drug dependence as a fundamental point of work with a client. I prefer the investigation of dependence therapy on non-alcoholic drugs. Another aim of my research is to evaluate satisfaction of the clients with services of the treatment facilities in which they are treated now but also evaluation of experience with a relevant previous therapy. I am interested in comparison of clients´ and therapists´opinions on the therapy of drug dependence and the effectiveness of performing therapies in a mental home against a therapeutic community.

Est-il possible d’empêcher par un mécanisme solidaire que la dépendance médicale, soit le fait d’avoir besoin d’une aide pour effectuer les actes de la vie quotidienne, ne se transforme en dépendance sociale? Est-il possible que dans le même temps l’on parvienne à préserver l’idéal d’autonomie pour les personnes âgées dépendantes? Dans le contexte actuel, l’autonomie des personnes âgées dépendantes apparaît comme un véritable enjeu puisque celui-ci porte avec lui la possibilité pour ces personnes de rester maîtres de leur vie, aptes à prendre des décisions. Cette thèse examine la question de l’autonomie tant sous un angle théorique que pratique et montre sous quelles conditions son effectivité est possible. Plus particulièrement, cette thèse met en évidence (i) les conditions de réalisation de l’autonomie décisionnelle: disponibilité des aidants et aménagement de l’espace architectural, (ii) les enjeux notionnels autour du concept de dépendance: différenciation du concept d’autonomie, rapprochement avec celui de handicap, mise en avant de situations de dépendance (iii) les caractéristiques de la relation aidant-aidé qui oscille entre relation asymétrique et relation réciproque, (iv) l’importance du rôle joué par les acteurs individuels et institutionnels dans la réalisation de l’autonomie, (v) l’analyse des situations qui mettent à mal la liberté comme non-domination: consentement à l’entrée en institution, refus de soins, contention, attitude paternaliste, (vi) une éthique de la solidarité. Pour prémunir les personnes âgées contre des situations de domination sociale, il nous semble important d’appréhender celles-ci avant tout comme des personnes. / Is it possible to avoid, through a solidarity mechanism, that medical dependence (needing help to perform daily activities) be converted into social dependence? Is it possible to do so in such a way that we preserve the ideal of autonomy for the dependent elderly? In the present context, the autonomy of the dependent elderly appears as a real challenge because it conveys the notion of an opportunity for these people to remain in control of their lives, able to make decisions. This thesis examines the question of autonomy both in theoretical and practical terms, and shows the conditions under which its effectiveness is possible. Specifically, this thesis highlights (i) the conditions of implementation for decision-making autonomy: the presence of caregivers and developments in architectural space, (ii) the notional issues surrounding the concept of dependency: differentiation of the concept of autonomy , connections with disability and, especially, situations of dependence (iii) the characteristics of the caregiver-relationship that oscillates between asymmetrical and reciprocal relationship, (iv) the important role played by individual and institutional actors in the achievement of independence, (v) the analysis of situations that undermine freedom as non-domination such as consent-giving (in connection with nursing homes), denial of care, coercive restraint, paternalism, (vi) the ethics of solidarity. In order to protect the elderly against social domination situations, it seems that our apprehension of them as individuals first is crucial.