The medial temporal lobe (MTL) is crucial for episodic and spatial memory, and shows rhythmicity in the local field potential and neuronal spiking. Gamma oscillations (>40Hz) are mediatepd by local circuitry and interact with slower theta oscillations (6-10 Hz). Both oscillation frequencies are modulated by cholinergic input from the medial septum. Entorhinal grid cells fire when an animal visits particular locations in the environment arranged on the corners of tightly packed, equilateral triangles. Grid cells show phase precession, in which neurons fire at progressively earlier phases relative to theta oscillation as animals move through firing fields. This work focuses on the temporal organization of spiking and network rhythms, and their modulation by septal inputs, which are thought to be involved in MTL function. First, I recorded grid cells as rats explored open spaces and examined precession, previously only characterized on linear tracks, and compared it to predictions from models. I identified precession, including in conjunctive head-direction-by-grid cells and on passes that clipped the edge of the firing field. Secondly, I studied problems of measuring single neuron theta rhythmicity and developed an improved approach. Using the novel approach, I identified diverse modulation of rat medial entorhinal neurons’ rhythmic frequencies by running speed, independent from the modulation of firing rate by speed. Under pharmacological inactivation of the septum, rhythmic tuning was disrupted while rate tuning was enhanced. The approach also showed that available data is insufficient to prove that bat grid cells are arrhythmic due to low firing rates. In the final project, I optogenetically silenced cholinergic septal cells while recording from hippocampal area CA1. I identified changes in theta rhythmic currents and in theta-gamma coupling. This silencing disrupted performance when applied during the encoding phase of a delayed match to position task. These data support hypothetical roles of these rhythms in encoding and retrieval and suggest possible mechanisms for their modulation. Together, evidence from these projects suggests a role for theta in the function of spatial and episodic memory. These oscillations have important implications for communication and computation, and they can provide a substrate for efficient brain function.

Submitted by Gabriel Keine Kuga (xgabriel@gmail.com) on 2018-09-13T16:26:51Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Gabriel Keine Kuga - PPG Ciencias da Motricidade.pdf: 2345917 bytes, checksum: 7b943b730b7884c42ec2e4a70eea0d04 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Paula Santulo Custódio de Medeiros null (asantulo@rc.unesp.br) on 2018-09-13T17:08:25Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 kuga_gk_me_rcla.pdf: 2335049 bytes, checksum: d95d86caf2a2ad20a26629e663df42d5 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-13T17:08:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 kuga_gk_me_rcla.pdf: 2335049 bytes, checksum: d95d86caf2a2ad20a26629e663df42d5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-07-24 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A insulina e o fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro (BDNF) no hipocampo promovem a plasticidade sináptica e a formação da memória no hipocampo. Por outro lado, o envelhecimento está relacionado ao declínio cognitivo e é o principal fator de risco para a doença de Alzheimer (DA). No entanto, a comunidade científica tem feito grande esforço para elucidar os mecanismos moleculares responsáveis pela patogênese da DA que são disparados pelo envelhecimento. A Proteina Tirosina Fosfatase 1B (PTP1B) está relacionada a vários processos deletérios nos neurônios e pode ser alvo promissor para novas terapias, e também regulada pelo exercício físico. Neste contexto, nosso estudo teve como objetivo investigar as alterações relacionadas com o envelhecimento sobre o conteúdo de PTP1B, sinalização da insulina e conteúdo de β-amilóide no hipocampo de ratos de meia-idade, bem como o possível efeito terapêutico do exercício físico. Ratos Wistar jovens (3 meses de idade) e de meia-idade (sedentários e exercitados) (17 meses de idade) foram submetidos ao teste do Labirinto Aquático de Morris (MWM), ao teste de tolerância à glicose e à análise molecular do tecido hipocampal através da técnica de Western Blot. Os dados foram analisados através da Análise de Variância (ANOVA) one-way com nível de significância estabelecido abaixo de 0,05. Os ratos realizaram protocolo de exercício físico de natação durante 5 dias consecutivos, com 2 horas de duração por dia. Através dos resultados, verificou-se que o envelhecimento resultou em aumento do peso corporal e intolerância à glicose, bem como diminuiu o processo de aprendizagem no MWM. Observou-se também que os ratos de meia-idade têm níveis mais altos de PTP1B, e isso está relacionado a menor fosforilação de Substrato do Receptor de Insulina-1 (IRS-1), Proteína Kinase B (Akt), Glicogênio Sintase Kinase β (GSK3β), e Receptor Tirosina Kinase Beta (TrkB). Além disso, o processo de envelhecimento aumentou o conteúdo β-amilóide no hipocampo. Por outro lado, o exercício físico foi eficiente em melhorar a tolerância à glicose e o desempenho no MWM, bem como em restaurar a fosforilação da Akt e reduzir o conteúdo de β-amilóide. Em conclusão, este estudo fornece novas evidências de que o conteúdo de PTP1B no hipocampo está aumentada com o envelhecimento e isto está relacionado com alterações cognitivas, e, por outro lado, o exercício físico atenua esse processo em ratos envelhecidos. / The insulin and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) signaling in the hippocampus promote synaptic plasticity and memory formation. On the other hand, aging is related to the cognitive decline and is the main risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease (DA). Nevertheless, a great effort has been made by the scientific community to elucidate the molecular mechanism of aging-related DA pathogenesis. The Protein-Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is related to several deleterious processes in neurons and emerges as a promising target for new therapies, like as physical exercise. In this context, our study aims to investigate the age-related changes in hippocampal PTP1B content, insulin signaling, β-amyloid content in the hippocampus of middle-aged rats, and the possible therapeutic effect of exercise. Young (3 months-old) and Middle-aged (17 months-old) Wistar rats were submitted to Morris-water maze (MWM) test, glucose tolerance test, and to molecular analysis in the hippocampus. The rats performed a 2-hour swim physical exercise protocol for 5 consecutive days. Aging resulted in increased body weight, and glucose intolerance and decreases learning process in MWM. Interestingly, the Middle-Aged rats have higher levels of PTPB, and this is related to lower phosphorylation of Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 (IRS-1), Protein Kinase B (Akt), Glycogen Syntase Kinase β (GSK3β), and Tyrosine Kinase Receptor Beta (TrkB). Also, the aging process increased β-amyloid content in the hippocampus. On the other hand, the physical exercise was efficient to improve glucose tolerance and MWM performance, as well as to restore Akt phosphorylation and reduce β-amyloid content. In conclusion, this study provides new evidence that PTP1B content in the hippocampus is increased with aging and this is related to cognitive alterations, and physical exercise can attenuate this process in middle-aged rats.

Sharp-wave ripples (SWR) generated in the CA3 subregion of the hippocampus (HC) during rest and sleep appear to coordinate memory consolidation to the neocortex (NC) by (1) reactivating small subsets of neurons (i.e. cell-assemblies) that encode recent waking experience and (2) propagating this information through the hippocampal formation. Although CA3 self-organizes SWRs in the absence of extrinsic inputs, cortical input to the HC conveyed by perforant path (PP) may influence SWR initiation nevertheless. Still, direct evidence that PP synaptic excitation can elicit SWRs is lacking, and it is unclear how this influence might compete or interact with self-organizing mechanisms. This dissertation tested the hypothesis that CA3's SWR pattern generator would self-organize its activity in the absence of PP input, but readily entrain to such input when present. Spontaneous SWRs (sSWR) occurred in slices prepared from the ventral portion of the mouse HC. Low-intensity electrical stimulation of PP afferents evoked short-latency field EPSPs in CA3 that were often followed by precisely timed evoked SWRs (eSWR). The network and single-cell characteristics of sSWRs and eSWRs were indistinguishable, indicative of a common patter generator. PP stimuli that followed sSWRs too closely usually failed to elicit eSWRs. Using a custom MATLAB/Simulink application to control PP stimulus timing during the ~250 ms sSWR refractory period revealed a statistically significant effect of stimulus delay (25, 50, 100, and 200 ms) on eSWR incidence, reaching a value of 0.72 (95% CI = [0.61, 0.81]) 200 ms after sSWR onset. In contrast, sSWR incidence at this time was much lower (95% CI = [0.015, 0.049]). Lesions targeting the direct PP input to CA3 substantially reduced eSWR incidence. In intact slices, eSWRs were readily evoked by stimulating the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC). In summary, PP input to CA3 from the MEC can initiate SWRs at times when self-organizing mechanisms generally cannot. Assuming sSWRs convey information to the NC, the ensuing refractory period might provide an opportunity for cortical feedback to reinforce the recently engaged cell-assembly. In the absence of such feedback, CA3 could revert to its default mode of self-organized replay.

Dopaminergic systems regulate many brain functions and dysfunction of dopaminergic neurotransmission is thought to underlie numerous disorders, including schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression and Alzheimer’s disease. In the hippocampus, a dopaminergic projection from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is proposed to be essential for controlling entry of sensory information into long-term memory through novelty and salience detection. However, the effects of the VTA-dopamine system on hippocampal synaptic transmission are largely under-explored and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The goal of this project was to investigate mechanisms involved in dopaminergic modulation of hippocampal neurophysiology. Specifically, I (1) examined if dopamine modulates hippocampal synaptic transmission in a region- and input-specific manner, and (2) studied the signaling mechanisms underlying such modulation. In the first aim for the study, I tested whether SKF38393, a dopamine D1-like receptor agonist, differentially affects excitatory synaptic transmission in perforant path synapses onto dentate gyrus granule cells and whether such effects differ from those at area CA1 synapses. I found that SKF38393 produced a concentration-dependent increase in field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) in both subregions, but that higher concentrations were needed in the dentate gyrus to produce comparable effects. This synaptic enhancement was long-lasting and largely irreversible which suggests it may be a form of long term enhancement (LTP). Also, the increase in synaptic transmission at medial perforant path synapses was larger than in the lateral perforant path. Importantly, effects in the dentate gyrus, unlike those in CA1, differed substantially along the dorsoventral axis, with effects being significantly larger at the dorsal compared to the ventral pole. In the second aim, various combinations of D1 and D2-like receptor agonists and antagonists as well as inhibitors of second messenger systems, demonstrated that differential mechanisms were required for initiation and maintenance of SKF38393-mediated early and late-phase enhancement and that a novel non-canonical phospholipase-C (PLC) dependent signaling pathway may be involved. Based on recent discoveries in other brain regions, we hypothesized that multiple subcellular signaling pathways may contribute to PLC activation which may include but are not limited to D1(5)-D2 heteromers and Gβγ complex. In conclusion, this work uncovers novel dopaminergic signaling pathways regulating hippocampal physiology, which will lead to development of better (functionally selective) therapeutic agents.

The importance of the hippocampus in the formation and retrieval of episodic memory has been famously demonstrated in the case of patient H.M. Subsequent studies conducted in animal models have provided considerable insight into the specific functions of the individual components of the hippocampus. In the rodent, the pyramidal neurons of the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus have typically been associated with the encoding of visuo-spatial cues and their utilization in navigation. These ‘place cells’ fire when the animal is in a specific part of its environment (its place field). However, these cells also encode non-spatial information from other sensory inputs, such as olfaction and audition. This study was conducted to find out how contextual odor cues are represented in the firing of CA1 place cells and whether these cues could drive stable spatial representations. One group of mice was first extensively familiarized to a cylinder containing both visual cues and preserved, self-generated odor cues. Then, after assessing place field stability across a six hour delay, the visual and odor cues were rotated in opposite directions by ninety degrees (counter-rotated). Another group of mice was familiarized only to the visual cues that were subsequently rotated. The next day stability and rotation were re-assessed in a novel cylinder. However, the odor cues of the two groups were switched: the preserved odor cues of the first group were removed, and the odor cues of the second group were now preserved across the three sessions. In a separate experiment, a third group of animals was familiarized only to the odor cues. Firstly, we found that contextual odor cues attenuated rotation with the visual cues, but only following extensive familiarization. Secondly, the removal of familiar odor cues impaired long-term stability of place fields. Third and finally, the self-generated odor cues alone were not sufficient for the generation of stable place fields in a free, open-field exploration paradigm. We therefore conclude that although they are not as dominant as discrete visual cues, highly familiarized odor cues exert a significant effect on the representation of space of the mouse CA1 place cell, illustrating the role of contextually relevant information in navigating an ever-changing world.

There is a need for improved understanding of interactions between electromagnetic fields and biological tissues. In this thesis, the effects of exposure to 50 Hz magnetic fields, associated with power generation and use, and 1800 MHz fields associated with mobile phones were investigated with particular focus on the plastic processes that are involved in cognitive function. After repeated, daily exposure of young adult C57Bl/6J mice to an 1800 MHz field at 3 W/kg, very subtle changes in expression of genes involved in synaptic plasticity were found (p < 0.05). Spatial memory as measured in the water maze was not significantly affected by exposure. Exposure at 0.3 W/kg did not significantly affect any of the endpoints (p > 0.05). Indications of a greater sensitivity to exposure at 3 W/kg were seen in a senescence accelerated prone mouse model (SAMP8) compared to a resistant strain (SAMR1). However, only subtle effects of exposure were seen. Exposure of young C57Bl/6J mice to a 50 Hz field at 100 or 300 μT induced small but significant changes in expression in synaptic plasticity related genes (p < 0.05). Furthermore, repeated exposure significantly increased microglial density in the dorsal hippocampus (p < 0.05) and slightly decreased proliferation in the dorsal hippocampus (100 μT, p < 0.05). Spatial memory was not significantly affected by exposure. Acute exposure to a 50 Hz magnetic field for 30 minutes at 300 or 580 μT did not affect the adrenal response to a nocturnal white or blue light shock, while exposure at 580 μT in the absence of light significantly decreased per1 expression in the adrenal glands (p < 0.05), but not in the liver or dorsal hippocampus. Exposure at 580 μT for 24 hours had only minor transient effects on the rhythmic expression of the core clock genes. In summary, exposure to 50 Hz or 1800 MHz fields caused subtle and transient changes to some molecular mechanisms and cells involved in cognitive function and circadian rhythm control.

Old-age hippocampal sclerosis (HS), characterised by severe neuron loss in hippocampal CA1, is a poorly understood cause of dementia. At present no objective pathological HS criteria exist. In life HS is commonly diagnosed as Alzheimer's disease. HS aetiology is unclear, although it has been associated with both ischaemia and TAR-DNA-binding protein-43 (TDP-43)-related neurodegeneration. Variations in genes GRN, TMEM106B and ABCC9 are proposed as HS risk factors. The aim of this thesis was to investigate epidemiological, clinical, pathological and genetic characteristics of HS in older European populations. 976 brains donated for the Cambridge City over-75s Cohort, the Cognitive Function and Ageing Study and the Finnish Vantaa 85+ study were available for evaluation -including bilateral hippocampi from 302 individuals. A protocol capturing the extent and severity of hippocampal neuron loss was developed, establishing objective HS diagnosis criteria and allowing observation of distinct neuron loss patterns associated with ischaemia and neurodegeneration. 71 HS cases (overall prevalence: 7.3%) were identified. HS was significantly associated with an advanced age at death as well as dementia at the end of life. Neuropsychological and cardiovascular characteristics were similar between HS and AD, except for a longer duration of dementia and more disability in HS. HS was not associated with neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid plaques, or vascular pathologies, but all HS cases evaluated for TDP-43 showed neuronal inclusions in the hippocampal dentate and a high frequency of other glial, neuronal and neurite TDP-43 pathologies. GRN and TMEM106B but not ABCC9 variations were linked to HS. A moderating effect of TDP-43 on this association was detected. HS presented pathologically similarly to frontotemporal dementia cases with TDP-43 (FTLD-TDP) caused by mutations in GRN, but differed from other FTLD-TDP subtypes. Results of this thesis reveal the importance of HS in the oldest old in the population, the key role of TDP-43, as well as providing robust methods to capture HS characteristics for an area that has been under-researched but is clearly vital to understanding dementia in the oldest old.

Submitted by Caio Sergio Galina Spilla (caiospilla@hotmail.com) on 2018-06-13T12:51:18Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Mestrado, SPILLA, C. S. G..pdf: 2498178 bytes, checksum: f7d9be339f1c3e5b2aacdf4025b377c3 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Satie Tagara (satie@marilia.unesp.br) on 2018-06-13T15:34:17Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 spilla_csg_me_mar.pdf: 2498178 bytes, checksum: f7d9be339f1c3e5b2aacdf4025b377c3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-13T15:34:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 spilla_csg_me_mar.pdf: 2498178 bytes, checksum: f7d9be339f1c3e5b2aacdf4025b377c3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-05-25 / Não recebi financiamento / Reações imunes geradas no organismo materno durante o período gestacional podem provocar alterações no desenvolvimento do feto. O LPS, endotoxina lipopolissacarídea presente na parede das bactérias gram-negativas, é capaz de gerar a produção de citocinas, mimetizando dessa forma um quadro de inflamação pré-natal quando administrado na fêmea prenhe durante o período gestacional. A prole de ratas prenhes expostas a esta endotoxina pode apresentar assim diversos problemas comportamentais e/ou cognitivos que refletem alterações ocorridas no sistema nervoso central (SNC) durante o seu desenvolvimento. Entre as diversas patologias que podem resultar de um transtorno no neurodesenvolvimento está o transtorno do espectro autista (TEA). Ainda sem uma causa definida em humanos, estima-se que cerca de uma a cada 150 crianças nascidas atualmente são acometidas por essa patologia. Distúrbios de comportamento e de comunicação/interação social constituem a díade que caracteriza o TEA e dependendo do grau de acometimento é comum encontrar também nestes e de forma geral em indivíduos com transtornos de neurodesenvolvimento problemas atencionais, de aprendizado e memória. O quadro inflamatório no período de gestação causa uma série de alterações no organismo materno, sendo que algumas destas alterações alcançam o feto em desenvolvimento. Uma destas alterações pode ser a redução no conteúdo de melatonina na circulação materna e fetal. A melatonina, hormônio produzido pela glândula pineal, apresenta funções sincronizadora, antioxidante e neuroprotetora que podem ser importantes durante o neurodesenvolvimento e a alteração na síntese e liberação desse hormônio no organismo materno ao longo da gestação vem sendo correlacionada a casos de TEA. Além disso, a exposição ao LPS durante o desenvolvimento do SNC em um modelo animal resulta em uma prole que apresenta comportamentos autísticos. Apesar destes dados, os efeitos desse quadro pré-natal no comportamento, na morfologia e na neuroquímica de áreas encefálicas da prole ainda não foram totalmente esclarecidos e sua elucidação pode contribuir como base de conhecimento para estudos que investiguem prevenção e terapias farmacológicas ou comportamentais nessas patologias. O presente trabalho teve como objetivos verificar se o quadro inflamatório pré-natal induzido por LPS: 1) Altera a concentração plasmática de melatonina materna, 2) altera a expressão de comportamentos que dependem da função de memória espacial e 3) induz mudanças morfométricas e neuroquímicas no hipocampo. Para atingir o primeiro objetivo foi coletado o sangue de ratas prenhe 3 h (fase de claro) e 16 h (fase de escuro) após à exposição ao LPS ou a solução salina e a dosagem de melatonina foi realizada por meio do método ELISA. Para alcançarmos o segundo e terceiro objetivos as proles de ratas expostas ao LPS e de ratas controles expostas a solução salina no dia gestacional 9,5 foram avaliadas por meio de teste comportamental de alternância espontânea no labirinto em T. Em seguida, os animais foram perfundidos e os encéfalos processados para o estudo do volume hipocampal por estereologia, para análise de expressão neuronal das proteínas ligantes de cálcio calretinina e parvalbumina e para análise de expressão glial da proteína glial fibrilar ácida (GFAP) e da proteína de associação de ligação ao cálcio ionizada – 1 (IBA-1) por meio da técnica de imunohistoquímica. Os resultados mostraram que houve queda no conteúdo plasmático de melatonina noturno e aumento no conteúdo diurno após injeção com LPS nas fêmeas prenhes. A prole do grupo controle apresentou melhor desempenho no teste comportamental quando comparado a prole do grupo LPS. O hipocampo da prole do grupo LPS não apresentou diferença de volume total do desta estrutura em comparação ao grupo controle. Também não houve alteração na expressão de GFAP em astrócitos hipocampais no grupo LPS em relação ao controle. Por outro lado, ocorreu aumento na expressão de IBA-1, marcador de microglia, nas regiões do CA1, CA2 e CA3 no hipocampo da prole do grupo LPS em relação a prole do grupo controle. A prole do grupo LPS, considerada um modelo animal de autismo também apresentou variações na expressão das proteínas ligantes de Cálcio no hipocampo com menor expressão da proteína parvalbumina e maior expressão da proteína calretinina que o grupo controle. Os resultados mostraram que a exposição materna ao LPS foi capaz de alterar a concentração de melatonina plasmática circulante e que a prole exposta a esse ambiente inflamatório pré-natal apresentou alterações de comportamento dependente da memória espacial. Além disso, os resultados nos permitem concluir que tais alterações na memória espacial não são coincidentes com alterações no volume do hipocampo ou na reatividade astrocitária, mas sim com a ativação microglial e com alterações na neuroquímica dos neurônios gabaérgicos hipocampais que expressam as proteínas ligantes de cálcio e que conhecidamente controlam as conexões excitatórias e inibitórias envolvidas nos fenômenos de memória. / Immune reactions generated in the maternal organism during the gestational period may cause changes in the fetal development. The endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) present on the wall of Gram-negative bacteria is able to induce the production of cytokines, mimicking a state of prenatal inflammation when administered in the pregnant female during the gestational period. The offspring of pregnant rats exposed to this endotoxin may present several behavioral and/or cognitive problems that reflect changes in the central nervous system (CNS). The autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of this neurodevelopmental conditions, and although without a definite cause in humans, is related to be present in one to every 150 children born. Behavior and communication/social interaction disorders constitute the dyad that characterizes the ASD. Besides these, depending on the degree of involvement it is common to find in these individuals‟ attention, learning and memory problems. Melatonin, a hormone produced by the pineal gland, presents several functions during neurodevelopment and the alteration in the synthesis and release of this hormone in the maternal organism throughout pregnancy has been correlated to cases of ASD. Investigations about the effects of a prenatal inflammatory condition in behavior, in the morphology and neurochemistry of brain areas can contribute for future pharmacological or behavioral studies in these patients. Considering that exposure to LPS during the development of CNS in an animal model results in offspring presenting autistic behaviors, the present work aimed to check whether the prenatal inflammatory condition: 1) Changes the maternal melatonin plasma concentration, 2) alters behaviors that depend on the spatial memory function and 3) induces morphometric and neurochemical changes in the hippocampus. For this, blood from pregnant rats 03h and 16h after LPS exposure was collected and the melatonin dosage was performed using the ELISA method. Offsprings of rats exposed to the LPS (autism model) or saline (control) on the 9.5 gestational day were evaluated in the T-maze spontaneous alternation test. After, the animals were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde and the brains were processed for the hippocampal volume quantification and for the analysis of the calretinin, parvalbumin, glial fibrillary acidprotein (GFAP) and ionized calcium binding association protein – 1 (IBA-1) expression by immunohistochemistry. There was difference in the plasma melatonin dosage in the day and night periods of the pregnant females of the control group and the LPS group. The results showed that the control group presented better performance in behavioral testing when compared to the autism model. The hippocampal volume showed no difference between the groups, as well as the expression of the GFAP in astrocytes. There was an increase in IBA-1 expression in all regions of the hippocampus except in the dentate gyrus in the autism model group in relation to the control group.The autism model presented lower expression of the parvalbumin and greater expression of de calretinin than the control group. The results showed that maternal exposure to LPS was able to alter maternal plasma melatonin concentration and that the offspring exposed to prenatal inflammatory environment showed deficits in behaviors dependent of spatial memory and indicate that these behaviors deficits are not coincident with changes in the hippocampal volume or in astrocytic reactivity, but but with microglial activation and with changes in the calcium binding proteins expression in gabaergic neurons of the hippocampus which are known to control excitatory and inhibitory sinapses involved in the memory phenomena.

O lobo temporal mesial (LTM) é essencial para tarefas de memória e possui muitas conexões com diferentes áreas do cérebro. Pacientes com epilepsia do LTM, refratários ao tratamento medicamentoso, são candidatos à cirurgia para remoção do foco das crises. Portanto, antes da cirurgia, é essencial avaliar eventuais riscos de declínio das funções de memória, por meio de uma série de testes clínicos. Recentemente, abriu-se a possibilidade de estudar certos aspectos do funcionamento cerebral, de modo não invasivo, utilizando Imagens funcionais por Ressonância Magnética (fMRI). O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver métodos que possibilitem a aplicação de protocolos de memória em estudos de fMRI, com vistas a pacientes com epilepsia. Para a manutenção da atenção durante os estudos de fMRI foi confeccionado um dispositivo infravermelho para registrar as respostas obtidas. Além disso, foi desenvolvido um programa (VOI Analyser) para a otimização das análises dos exames de fMRI. Tanto o dispositivo infravermelho como o programa foram amplamente utilizados em vários projetos de pesquisa permitindo o estudo de tarefas complexas. Neste estudo, a tarefa visava identificar as redes funcionais que participam do processo de codificação e recuperação de memória episódica utilizando tarefas visuais de identificação de cenas complexas. Foram estudados nesse estudo 12 voluntários assintomáticos e 7 pacientes com epilepsia do LTM. O estudo de grupo evidenciou o envolvimento de estruturas do LTM. A tarefa demonstrou ter um nível de dificuldade alta, em especial para pacientes, baseando-se na avaliação do tempo de resposta e nível de acertos. Além do estudo dos grupos, foi realizada uma análise por região de interesse (ROI), com ênfase no complexo amídala-hipocampo. Em seguida, o foco do estudo foi voltado para a assimetria hemisférica funcional, por meio do cálculo do índice de lateralização (IL). Além de rever os resultados obtidos pelo IL convencional, resultados preliminares levaram à proposta de um segundo índice corrigido, considerando a quantidade de voxels e a assimetria das ROI. A utilização do índice corrigido tornou a análise mais estável por diminuir a dependência do limiar estatístico considerado. A seguir, foi realizada uma subdivisão do hipocampo em porção anterior, central e posterior a qual indicou uma maior participação da região posterior na tarefa de codificação e da anterior na tarefa de recuperação, tanto entre os voluntários como em pacientes. / Medial temporal lobe (MTL) is essential for memory tasks and has many connections with different areas of the brain. Patients with MTL epilepsy refractory to medical treatment are candidates for surgery to remove the epileptiform tissue. Therefore, before surgery, it is essential to assess the risk of memory function decrease caused by the procedure, through a series of clinical trials. Recently, there is the possibility of studying certain aspects of brain functioning by using a non-invasive technique: functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). The aim of this work was to implement memory protocols in fMRI studies of epilepsy patients. For attention maintenance during the fMRI study an infrared device was built, in order to record the response times. In addition, a software was developed (VOI Analyser) to optimize the analysis of the fMRI examinations. Both have been widely used in several research projects enabling the study of complex tasks. In this study, the task was intended to identify the functional networks involved in the process of encoding and retrieving of episodic memory using a visual task involving complex scenes. 19 subjects were studied: 12 controls and 7 patients with refractory epilepsy. Group study showed the involvement of structures in MTL. The task has demonstrated a high level of difficulty, especially for patients, based on the analysis of response times and correct hits. In addition to the study of groups, an individual analysis was performed by region of interest (ROI), with emphasis on amigdala-hippocampus complex. Then, functional hemispheric asymmetry was studied, by means of the lateralization index (LI). In addition to the computation of conventional LI, an alternative LI was proposed, which considers voxels occupancy and ROI asymmetry. The use of such modified index tuned the analysis more stable by decreasing the dependence on considered statistical threshold. Moreover, LI was also computed on 3 portions of the hippocampus: anterior, middle and posterior. The results indicated a greater involvement of the posterior portion on the encoding task and anterior one in the recovery task, both for volunteers and patients.

Orientador: Evandro Pinto da Luz de Oliveira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T17:08:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ChaddadNeto_FeresEduardoAparecido_M.pdf: 5740692 bytes, checksum: 41706f7c50d8c3c6567a1c592112c6e0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: A epilepsia do lobo temporal medial é o subtipo mais freqüente de epilepsia do lobo temporal e é causada, principalmente, pela esclerose medial temporal (EMT). A EMT é caracterizada pela esclerose hipocampal e diferentes graus de acometimento das estruturas vizinhas como amídala, giro parahipocampal e córtex entorrinal. O lobo da ínsula é uma estrutura neocortical e se constitui no envoltório externo da região dos núcleos da base, apresentando várias conexões com o lobo temporal e com o sistema límbico. O estudo apresenta como objetivo analisar o lobo da ínsula, descrevendo se há alteração do mesmo pelo método Neuroline e E-Film. O estudo avaliou 40 indivíduos com EMT e 40 do grupo controle. Pelo método Neuroline 45% eram homens e 55% eram mulheres com EMT- Pelo método E-Fim a distribuição foi de 50% entre os sexos do grupo esclerose. Os casos foram avaliados por um método para as medidas da insula (E-Film) e outro método para o cálculo do volume (Neuroline). Não houve diferença estatística de alteração de volume e das medidas do lobo da ínsula nos pacientes portadores de EMT. O estudo não demonstrou alteração morfológica da ínsula quando comparado os dois grupos / Abstract: The temporal medial epilepsy is the most common type of temporal lobe epilepsy caused, specially, by temporal medial sclerosis (TMS). The TMS is characterized by hippocampal sclerosis and by distinghished grades of injury near to other neurological structures such as: amygdaloid nucleus, parahippocampal girus and entorhinal region. The insula's lobe is neocortical structure which is formed by an external wrapped of the basal ganglion, it's usually presenting some connections with temporal lobe and with limbic system. The aim's study was analyzing the insula's lobe if there are alteration with patient's carriers of TMS by Neuroline's and E-Film's methods. The study analyzed 40 patients with TMS and 40 people from the control cluster. All cases were evaluated by two methods: measurement of insula's cortex (E-Film) and evaluation of the insula's volume (Neuroline). By Neuroline's method 45 per cent were male and 55 per cent were female. By E-Film's method there are distribution with half of the percentage for both genders. There was no statistical difference between the insula's volume and insula's measurement for the two groups. This study did not show the insula's morphological variation when these two groups were compared / Mestrado / Neurologia / Mestre em Ciências Médicas