Artículos 2018, Volumen 5 (2)

Estudio del efecto lágrima con metodología de seguimiento de la mirada: Un estudio piloto

Resumen: Según Darwin, el lloro emocional fue considerado un resultado fortuito a la luz de la evolución; sin propósito alguno, y debía ser visto como una consecuencia secundaria a fenómenos más importantes. Aunque es el comportamiento más dramático por el cual las emociones emergen en el rostro, muy poco es lo que se sabe desde la neurociencia. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo demostrar que la idea de Darwin está lejos de ser cierta, y que el lloro emocional parece jugar un papel esencial en el desarrollo de las relaciones sociales, siendo un factor de influencia en la percepción de sinceridad. Estudios previos han encontrado una influencia en la inhibición de la agresión, y que favorece la inferencia emocional y la amigabilidad. Como señal de comunicación, estudiamos su influencia sobre la atribución emocional, su intensidad y sinceridad percibida. Aplicamos la tecnología de rastreo de la mirada y utilizamos imágenes de rostros con y sin lágrimas visibles, al igual que un cuestionario de evaluación. Dieciséis estudiantes de enfermería se reclutaron para llevar a cabo el presente estudio piloto. Los rostros con lágrimas mostraron ser estadísticamente distintos y las consecuencias de los hallazgos presentados para el avance de la neuropsicología clínica son examinadas someramente.

Palabras clave: Eye Tracking, Sinceridad, Lágrimas, Lloro, Reconocimiento Emocional.

Study of the tear effect with Eye tracking methodology: A pilot study

Abstract: According to Darwin ́s point of view, emotional crying was considered an incidental result in the light of evolution, purposeless, and he saw it as a secondary consequence of more important phenomena. Although it is the most dramatic behavior by which emotions emerge on the face, little is known by neuroscience. The present work aims to prove that Darwin ́s idea is far from being certain, and weeping appear to play an essential role in developing social relationships, by being a factor of influence on the perception of sincerity and changing gaze behavior when a facial emotion expression is judged. Previous studies have found an influence on inhibition of aggression, improved emotional recognition and an improved friendliness. As a communication signal, we study its influence on the attribution of emotions, including emotional intensity and perceived sincerity. Eye tracking technology was applied using a series of images of faces with and without tears, as well as an evaluation questionnaire. Sixteen nursing students were selected to carry out the present pilot study. Tearful faces were statistically different from those without tears and implications of new findings for clinical neuropsychology are superficially revised.

Keywords: Eye Tracking, Sincerity, Tears, Crying, Emotional Recognition.

El volumen de los ganglios basales predice el rendimiento en velocidad de procesamiento en adolescentes con obesidad

Resumen:  La obesidad se ha relacionado con cambios estructurales en los ganglios basales y alteraciones en dominios transversales como la velocidad de procesamiento. El objetivo del presente estudio es investigar la relación entre velocidad de procesamiento y volumen de los ganglios basales en adolescentes con y sin obesidad. Treinta y tres participantes obesos y treinta y tres con peso normal fueron resonados (Siemens 3T Trio) y evaluados neuropsicológicamente. Se compararon los resultados de un índice de velocidad y la ratio de los ganglios basales controlando por edad, sexo y tamaño de la cabeza. Se realizaron regresiones lineales con las estructuras relacionadas con este índice. Se encontraron diferencias en el índice de velocidad, pero no en la ratio de los ganglios basales. El grupo con obesidad mostró una correlación positiva entre velocidad y ratio del globo pálido derecho (r= .41; p= .021). No hallamos relaciones significativas en el grupo normopeso. La ratio del globo pálido derecho predijo parte del rendimiento en velocidad en adolescentes obesos. Las diferencias en velocidad de procesamiento entre adolescentes con y sin obesidad podrían estar moderadas por el tamaño de estructuras subcorticales como el globo pálido.

Palabras clave:  Obesidad, Adolescentes, Neuroimagen Estructural, Velocidad De Procesamiento.

Basal ganglia volume predicts speed processing performance in obese adolescents

Abstract:  Obesity is related to structural changes in basal ganglia and alterations among transversal domains such as speed processing.  The aim of the study is to address the relationship between speed processing and basal ganglia volumes in adolescents with and without obesity. Thirty-three obese and 33 normal-weight participants underwent MRI acquisition (Siemens 3T Trio) and neuropsychological assessment to obtain an index of speed processing. Speed processing index and basal ganglia ratios (VolBrain software) were compared controlling for age, sex and head size. Linear regressions were conducted in the structures related to such index. Groups differed for speed processing index, but did not differ for basal ganglia ratios. The obese group showed positive correlations between speed processing index and the right globus pallidum ratio (r= .41; p= .021). None relationship was found among normal-weight adolescents. Concretely, the right globus pallidum ratio predicted part of the performance in speed in obese participants. The differences in speed processing between adolescents with and without obesity might be mediated by the size of subcortical structures such as the globus pallidum.

Keywords: Obesity, Adolescents, Structural Neuroimaging, Processing Speed.

El entrenamiento en memoria de trabajo mejora la eficiencia cognitiva en pacientes de Esclerosis Múltiple

Resumen: La Esclerosis Múltiple (EM) es una enfermedad en la que la memoria de trabajo (MT) se encuentra comúnmente afectada. Estudiar la eficacia de un programa de entrenamiento en MT en pacientes de EM. 29 pacientes de EM Remitente-Recurrente fueron seleccionados para el estudio: 15 realizaron el entrenamiento en MT y 14 fueron seleccionados como grupo control. Todos los participantes fueron valorados a nivel neuropsicológico y se adquirieron imágenes de Resonancia Magnética funcional (RMf) durante la realización de la tarea 2 y 3-back (basal y post tratamiento-7 días). Los pacientes entrenados mejoraron su ejecución en 2 y 3-back (p<.001), tanto en aciertos como en tiempo de reacción (TR). Durante la realización de la tarea 2-back, los pacientes sin entrenamiento mostraron una mayor activación en el giro angular derecho (FWEc=125, p<.001) que correlaciona con el TR (r=.459, p<.05). También se observó una disminución de la actividad cerebral en el grupo de pacientes entrenados en el giro precentral derecho (FWEc=273, p<.01). Los resultados encontrados apoyan la eficacia del entrenamiento cognitivo en MT. Los pacientes de EM entrenados muestran una clara mejoría a nivel conductual asociada a un incremento de la eficiencia cognitiva, es decir, un menor uso de recursos cerebrales obteniendo una mejor ejecución.

Palabras clave: Esclerosis Múltiple, Entrenamiento Cognitivo, Memoria de Trabajo, N-Back, Resonancia Magnética.

Working memory training improves cognitive efficiency in multiple sclerosis patients

Abstract: Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease usually associated with a working memory (WM) impairment. Study the efficacy of a WM cognitive training program in MS patients. 29 relapsing-remitting MS patients were enrolled in the study: 15 underwent WM training and 14 were assigned to a control group. All participants were neuropsychologically assessed and Functional Magnetic Resonance imaging (fMRI) images were acquired during 2 and 3-back execution (baseline and post-training +7days). Training improved MS patients’ performance in 2 and 3-back, hence showing shorter reaction times (RT) and higher percentages of correct responses (p<.001). During 2-back performance, non-trained MS-patients exhibited a greater activation in in right angular gyrus (FWEc=125, p<.001) that was correlated to RT (r=.459, p<.05). Further, lower activation in right precentral gyrus in the trained MS-patients (FWEc=273, p<.01) was also found. The results obtained demonstrates the effectiveness of a WM training program in MS-patients. Trained MS-patients showed a marked improvement of WM performance and increased cognitive efficiency, i.e, using less cerebral resources to achieve higher performance.

Keywords:  Multiple Sclerosis, Cognitive Training, Working Memory, N-Back, Fmri.  

Desarrollo de la Teoría de la Mente entre los 5 y 6 años

Development of Theory of Mind at five and six years old

Abstract: Theory of Mind (ToM) is the ability to recognize the mental states of others and oneself in order to act accordingly. Objectives were to determine if the acquisition of the items to evaluate ToM in children of 5 and 6 years old follows a hierarchical structure, and relationships with other factors. Method: 73 children with a mean age of 6.2 years were evaluated with a ToM scale of 7 items adapted to Spanish, and a subscale of pragmatic language. Rasch analysis showed that the acquisition of the items of the ToM scale follows a hierarchical order, slightly different from other cultures. Significant associations between items of the ToM and pragmatic language and coexistence with siblings were found. Development of the different milestones that make up the ToM of children of 5 and 6 years old takes place in a hierarchical way, with an order that varies between different cultures. The acquisition of several ToM milestones at these ages is associated with the degree of development of children's pragmatic linguistic ability and their coexistence with siblings, especially if they are older siblings.

Keywords: Theory of mind, Social cognition, Children, Culture, Pragmatic language, Siblings.

Metabolites of the gut microbiota involved in the autism spectrum disorder

Abstract: In recent years, there has been an increase in studies that seek to understand the relationship between gut microbiota (GM) with the behavior of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which must occur through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Although the different authors point out that the changes found in different phyla, families and bacterial genera are involved in ASD, there is no scientific consensus to date. Some authors point to the possible relationship between these bacterial populations with certain products of excretion or metabolites such as propionic acid since they frequently appear in children with ASD. Although in recent years the GM has begun to accumulate scientific evidence, in terms of neuroscience, the study of the metabolomics associated with it and the mechanisms by which these metabolites can influence the appearance and development of ASD remains in its first stages.

Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Gut microbiota, Microbiota-gut-brain axis, Metabolomic.