scholarly journals Maternal brain gain: enlarged representation of the peripersonal space in pregnancy

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavia Cardini ◽  
Natalie Fatemi-Ghomi ◽  
Katarzyna Gajewska-Knapik ◽  
Victoria Gooch ◽  
Jane Elizabeth Aspell
Keyword(s):  
Peripersonal Space ◽  
The Body ◽  
Neural Representation ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Third Trimester ◽  
Pregnancy And Postpartum ◽  
Maternal Brain ◽  
Multisensory Representation ◽  
Tactile Integration ◽  
The Brain

Our ability to maintain a coherent bodily self despite continuous changes within and outside our body relies on the highly flexible multisensory representation of the body, and of the space surrounding it: the peripersonal space (PPS). The aim of our study was to investigate whether during pregnancy - when extremely rapid changes in body size and shape occur - a likewise rapid plastic reorganization of the neural representation of the PPS occurs. We used an audio-tactile integration task to measure the PPS boundary at different stages of pregnancy. We found that in the second trimester of pregnancy and postpartum women did not show differences in their PPS size as compared to the control group (non-pregnant women). However, in the third trimester the PPS was larger than the controls' PPS and the shift between representation of near and far space was more gradual. We therefore conclude that during pregnancy the brain adapts to the sudden bodily changes, by expanding the representation of the space around the body. This may represent a mechanism to protect the vulnerable abdomen from injury from surrounding objects.

Effect Of Pregnancy Exercise On Third Trimester Primigravida Anxiety In Dealing With Childbirth

2021 ◽  
pp. 76-83
Author(s):  
Ismi Puji Astuti
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
The Body ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
P Value ◽  
Research Subjects ◽  
Third Trimester ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Signed Rank Test

Background: The first labor anxiety is an unpleasant psychological condition due to physiological changes that cause psychological instability. The condition of excessive anxiety, worry, fear without cause, and stress, causes the muscles of the body to tense up, especially the muscles in the birth path to become stiff and hard, making it difficult to expand. This study analyzed the effect of pregnancy exercise on third trimester primigravida anxiety in dealing with childbirth. Methods: Quasi experimental design with nonrandomized pretest-postest control group. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling with 34 research subjects. 17 people for the treatment group were given pregnancy exercise 8 times, and 17 people for the control group were given health education about preparation for childbirth. Results: The results of data analysis using the Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that the average reduction in the treatment group was 8.00 and the control group was 3.00. The effect of pregnancy exercise on third trimester primigravida anxiety in the treatment group with a p-value (0.000) <(0.05), while the control group with a p-value (0.180)> (0.05). Conclusion: There is an effect of pregnancy exercise on third trimester primigravida anxiety in dealing with childbirth in the Wuryantoro Health Center work area. 

Morphometry in schizophrenia revisited: height and its relationship to pre-morbid function

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 655-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. NOPOULOS ◽  
M. FLAUM ◽  
S. ARNDT ◽  
N. ANDREASEN
Keyword(s):  
Psychosocial Adjustment ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
The Body ◽  
Abnormal Development ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Childhood And Adolescence ◽  
Lower Quartile ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Brain

Background. Morphometry, the measurement of forms, is an ancient practice. In particular, schizophrenic somatology was popular early in this century, but has been essentially absent from the literature for over 30 years. More recently, evidence has grown to support the notion that aberrant neurodevelopment may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Is the body, like the brain, affected by abnormal development in these patients?Methods. To evaluate global deficit in development and its relationship to pre-morbid function, height was compared in a large group (N=226) of male schizophrenics and a group of healthy male controls (N=142) equivalent in parental socio-economic status. Patients in the lower quartile of height were compared to those in the upper quartile of height.Results. The patient group had a mean height of 177·1 cm, which was significantly shorter than the mean height of the control group of 179·4 (P<0·003). Those in the lower quartile had significantly poorer pre-morbid function as measured by: (1) psychosocial adjustment using the pre-morbid adjustment scales for childhood and adolescence/young adulthood, and (2) cognitive function using measures of school performance such as grades and need for special education. In addition, these measures of pre-morbid function correlated significantly with height when analysed using the entire sample.Conclusions. These findings provide further support to the idea that abnormal development may play a key role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Furthermore, this is manifested as a global deficit in growth and function resulting in smaller stature, poorer social skills, and deficits in cognitive abilities.

scholarly journals Capturing the dynamics of peripersonal space by integrating sound propagation properties and expectancy effects

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lise Hobeika ◽  
Marine Taffou ◽  
Thibaut Carpentier ◽  
Olivier Warusfel ◽  
Isabelle Viaud-Delmon
Keyword(s):  
Sound Propagation ◽  
Current Method ◽  
Peripersonal Space ◽  
The Body ◽  
Logarithmic Scale ◽  
List Type ◽  
Expectancy Effects ◽  
Near Space ◽  
Propagation Properties ◽  
Tactile Integration

AbstractHighlightsLogarithmically distributed auditory distances provides an apt granularity of PPSMeasuring expectation helps to interpret behavioral impact of audiotactile integrationTactile RTs follows a logarithmic decrease due to audiotactile integrationPeripersonal space is better characterized and quantified with this refinementBackgroundHumans perceive near space and far space differently. Peripersonal space, i.e. the space directly surrounding the body, is often studied using paradigms based on auditory-tactile integration. In these paradigms, reaction time to a tactile stimulus is measured in the presence of a concurrent auditory looming stimulus.New MethodWe propose here to refine the experimental procedure considering sound propagation properties in order to improve granularity and relevance of auditory-tactile integration measures. We used a logarithmic distribution of distances for this purpose. We also want to disentangle behavioral contributions of the targeted audiotactile integration mechanisms from expectancy effects. To this aim, we added to the protocol a baseline with a fixed sound distance.ResultsExpectation contributed significantly to overall behavioral responses. Subtracting it isolated the audiotactile effect due to the stimulus proximity. This revealed that audiotactile integration effects have to be tested on a logarithmic scale of distances, and that they follow a linear variation on this scale.Comparison with Existing Method(s)The granularity of the current method is more relevant, providing higher spatial resolution in the vicinity of the body. Furthermore, most of the existing methods propose a sigmoid fitting, which rests on the intuitive framework that PPS is an in-or-out zone. Our results suggest that behavioral effects follow a logarithmic decrease, thus a response graduated in space.ConclusionsThe proposed protocol design and method of analysis contribute to refine the experimental investigation of the factors influencing and modifying multisensory integration phenomena in the space surrounding the body.

Triadic body representations in the human cerebral cortex and peripheral nerves

2021 ◽  
pp. 133-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriaki Kanayama ◽  
Kentaro Hiromitsu
Keyword(s):  
Peripheral Nerves ◽  
Sensory Modality ◽  
Body Schema ◽  
Body Representation ◽  
Neural System ◽  
The Body ◽  
Neural Representation ◽  
Structural Description ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
The Brain

Is the body reducible to neural representation in the brain? There is some evidence that the brain contributes to the functioning of the body from neuroimaging, neurophysiological, and lesion studies. Well-known dyadic taxonomy of the body schema and the body image (hereafter BSBI) is based primarily on the evidence in brain-damaged patients. Although there is a growing consensus that the BSBI exists, there is little agreement on the dyadic taxonomy because it is not a concrete and common concept across various research fields. This chapter tries to investigate the body representation in the cortex and nervous system in terms of sensory modality and psychological function using two different approaches. The first approach is to review the neurological evidence and cortical area which is related to body representation, regardless of the BSBI, and then to reconsider how we postulate the BSBI in our brain. It can be considered that our body representation could be constructed by the whole of the neural system, including the cortex and peripheral nerves. The second approach is to revisit the BSBI conception from the viewpoint of recent neuropsychology and propose three types of body representation: body schema, body structural description, and body semantics. This triadic taxonomy is considered consistent with the cortical networks based on the evidence of bodily disorders due to brain lesions. These two approaches allow to reconsider the BSBI more carefully and deeply and to give us the possibility that the body representation could be underpinned with the network in the brain.

scholarly journals In vivo tracking of intravenously injected mesenchymal stem cells in an Alzheimer’s animal model

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1203-1209
Author(s):  
Bok-Nam Park ◽  
Tae Sung Lim ◽  
Joon-Kee Yoon ◽  
Young-Sil An
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Animal Model ◽  
Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽  
Gamma Camera ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Indium 111 ◽  
The Brain

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate how intravenously injected bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are distributed in the body of an Alzheimer’s disease (AD) animal model. Methods: Stem cells were collected from bone marrow of mice and labeled with Indium-111 (111In). The 111In-labeled BMSCs were infused intravenously into 3×Tg-AD mice in the AD group and non-transgenic mice (B6129SF2/J) as controls. Biodistribution was evaluated with a gamma counter and gamma camera 24 and 48 h after injecting the stem cells. Results: A gamma count of the brain showed a higher distribution of labeled cells in the AD model than in the control group at 24 (p = .0004) and 48 h (p = .0016) after injection of the BMSCs. Similar results were observed by gamma camera imaging (i.e., brain uptake in the AD model was significantly higher than that in the control group). Among the other organs, uptake by the spleen was the highest in both groups. More BMSCs were found in the lungs of the control group than in those of the AD group. Conclusions: These results suggest that more intravenously infused BMSCs reached the brain in the AD model than in the control group, but the numbers of stem cells reaching the brain was very small.

scholarly journals Pathway in rat brains under experimental obesity caused long-term progesterone administration

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-63
Author(s):  
A. Aleksandrov ◽  
V. Konopelniuk ◽  
I. Kompanets ◽  
L. Ostapchenko
Keyword(s):  
Rat Brain ◽  
Tryptophan Hydroxylase ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Tryptophan Decarboxylase ◽  
Decarboxylase Activity ◽  
Prolonged Administration ◽  
Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid ◽  
The Brain

Obesity is one of the most common complex health problem. The pathway of serotonin synthesis takes part in neuroendocrine regulation, as well as in the regulation of a number of behavioral functions of the body and fat deposition. Serotonin is a mediator of the amine nature, which functions as a neurotransmitter and tissue hormone. The greatest amount of serotonin is synthesized in the brain and 12 duodenum. As a neurotransmitter, serotonin affects both directly and indirectly on the function of most brain cells. Female hormone progesterone influence on serotonin functions. One of the effect of progesterone is increasing of amount of fat tissue during the pregnancy. Long-term using of progesterone in hormone substitution therapy or as part of contraception also lead to fat accumulation effect. The levels of activity of serotonergic system enzymes, tryptophan hydroxylase, tryptophan decarboxylase and monoamine oxidase (MAO), and tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentrations in the rat brain under obesity conditions caused by prolonged administration of progesterone were determined in this study. Studies have shown that the content of tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in the brain of rats under obesity caused by prolonged administration of progesterone increased in comparison with the rats of the control group. The levels of tryptophan hydroxylase and MAO activity decreased, and tryptophan decarboxylase activity levels increased in the rat brain under obesity conditions caused by prolonged administration of progesterone. Thus, as a result of our studies, we found an imbalance in the system of serotonin metabolism in the brain of rats with the development of hormonal obesity induced by prolonged administration of progesterone, which may indicate the involvement of the serotonergic neurotransmitter system in the mechanisms of the development of obesity and concomitant diseases.

The modern employee: exercise and the brain

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-65
Author(s):  
Pamela Guggina
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Regular Exercise ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Clinically Depressed ◽  
The Brain

Purpose An area of workplace well-being, and thus performance, which is now being recognized more widely is the mental health of employees. Research today demonstrates that exercise is good for the body and dramatically affects the brain. While it is widely accepted that regular exercise can promote weight loss, lower blood pressure and decrease the risks of diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers, it is also becoming clear that exercise can improve mood, coping skills and even treat clinical depression and anxiety. These findings further support the upward trend of companies offering a wider range of health benefits to their employees. Design/methodology/approach One example of the combined research, Rethorst et al., published a large meta-analysis exploring the interaction between physical activity and depression. They examined 58 randomized trails and found that participants in the studies who had been randomized to use exercise as a treatment for depression had significantly lower depression scores than participants who had been randomized to the non-exercise or “control” group. Both clinically depressed and non-clinically depressed individuals reported lower depression scores if they participated in the exercise group. Findings Exercise can be as effective as medication in treating depression. Regular exercise can decrease the symptoms of clinical anxiety. Employers who incentivize physical activity can dramatically lower healthcare costs. Benefits packages which promote physical activity can increase productivity and decrease absenteeism. Originality/value There will always be people with an illness which requires medication, but there appears to be a group that will benefit greatly from getting out and moving with regular exercise. The hope is that physicians with patients who have symptoms of depression and anxiety will encourage their patients to get some exercise to see if it helps. This can be something that is done alone or as an adjunct to talk therapy and/or pharmacologic treatment. Exercise is not likely to change the circumstances that make life challenging, but it can help all humans cope better with these challenges.

scholarly journals Haematological Study on the Effects of Goko Cleanser (Herbal Mixture) on Adult Female Wistar Rats

2021 ◽  
pp. 8-19
Author(s):  
Darlington Nnamdi Onyejike ◽  
McWilliams, Winifred Chidera ◽  
Mmaju, Chidinma Ifeyinwa ◽  
Okeke, Somadina Nnamdi ◽  
Obiesie, Ifechukwu Justicia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adult Female ◽  
Wistar Rats ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Herbal Mixture ◽  
Female Wistar Rats ◽  
Group 3 ◽  
Haematological Study ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Herbal Mixtures

Introduction: Goko cleanser is one of the popular herbal mixtures used by the Nigerian populace. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of this herbal mixture on some haematological parameters of adult female Wistar rats. Methodology: A total of twenty five Wistar rats weighing about 160 – 280g were divided into five groups according to their corresponding weights. The groups were designated as groups 1 – 5. Group 1 served as the control group, while groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 received 1000mg/Kg, 1500mg/Kg, 2000mg/Kg and 4000mg/Kg respectively. Results: The TWBC, PCV, PLATELET count, and RBC and Hb showed a statistically significant (p<0.05) increase for the test groups 2 – 5 when compared to the control group. The body weight had a statistically significant (p<0.05) decrease in groups 2, 4, and 5; while group 3 had a statistically insignificant (p>0.05) decrease. Conclusion and Recommendation: This study revealed that Goko Cleanser contains some haemopoietic benefits, but inhibit appetite centres. Hence, this study recommends that further study be carried out on the effects of this herbal mixture on the brain so as to reveal the extent of its effect on the appetite centres.

scholarly journals INTOXICAÇÃO SUBAGUDA AO MANGANÊS EM RATOS WISTAR ADULTOS: AVALIAÇÃO DE PARÂMETROS OXIDATIVOS NO SNC E DEPOSIÇÃO DO METAL EM DIFERENTES TECIDOS

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-210
Author(s):  
Maria Victória Branco Flores ◽  
Tuany Eichwald ◽  
Analú Mantovani ◽  
Viviane Glaser ◽  
Carine Raquel Richter Schimitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Mitochondrial Function ◽  
Complex I ◽  
Body Weight Gain ◽  
Thiobarbituric Acid ◽  
Significant Inhibition ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Peripheral Tissues ◽  
The Brain

O Manganês (Mn) é um metal essencial para o organismo. É distribuído no ambiente e utilizado em processos industriais. Apesar de essencial, é neurotóxico à exposições cumulativas, causando uma desordem neurológica, o Manganismo. O estudo avaliou o efeito da administração subaguda de Mn sob a forma de cloreto e acetato de Mn, sobre a função mitocondrial e parâmetros oxidativos no encéfalo, bem como o acúmulo deste metal no encéfalo e tecidos periféricos de ratos adultos. Os ratos receberam 6 mg/kg de Mn i.p. na forma de cloreto ou acetato de Mn, 5 dias/semana por 4 semanas. O grupo controle recebeu solução salina 0,9% pela mesma via de administração e mesmo período. Foi mensurada a concentração de substâncias reativas ao ácido tiobarbitúrico (TBARS) e grupamentos NPSH, a atividade dos complexos I e II da cadeia respiratória no encéfalo e/ou estruturas cerebrais, bem como o peso corporal e a concentração de Mn e Fe no soro, encéfalo, tecido renal e hepático. Foi observada uma diminuição no ganho de peso corporal dos animais que receberam o Mn, um aumento na concentração/depósito de Mn no soro, encéfalo e tecido renal, tanto na forma de cloreto e acetato de Mn, quando comparados com o grupo controle. Além disso, houve um aumento significativo no conteúdo de NPSH no encéfalo e, embora não significativo, uma tendência de aumento da concentração de TBARS, no grupo que recebeu cloreto de Mn. Ainda, foi verificada uma inibição na atividade do complexo I no estriado dos animais expostos ao cloreto de Mn. Não houve diferença entre os grupos nas atividades do complexo I e II no encéfalo e hipocampo. Em conjunto, os dados indicam que a exposição ao Mn em baixas doses contribui para o desenvolvimento de estresse oxidativo e disfunção mitocondrial no SNC, com aparente predileção de dano ao estriado.Palavras-chave: Manganês. Exposição subaguda. Parâmetros oxidativos. Função mitocondrial. MANGANESE SUBACUTE INTOXICATION IN ADULT WISTAR RATS: EVALUATION OF OXIDATIVE PARAMETERS IN CNS AND METAL DEPOSITION IN DIFFERENT TISSUES ABSTRACT: Mn is an essential metal to the organism. It is distributed in the environment and used in industrial processes. Although essential, it is neurotoxic to cumulative exposures, and can cause a neurological disorder, called Manganism. This study evaluated the effect of subacute Mn as chloride and acetate of Mn administration on mitochondrial function and oxidative parameters in adult rat brain, as well as the accumulation of this metal in the brain and peripheral tissues. The rats received 6 mg/kg of Mn i.p., as Mn chloride or Mn acetate, 5 days/week for 4 weeks. The control group received 0.9% of saline solution in the same way of administration and in the same period. It was measured the concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and NPSH groups, the activity of mitochondrial complex I and II in brain and/or in the brain structures, as well as the body weight and the concentration of Mn and Fe accumulation. It was observed a decrease on body weight gain in animals exposed to Mn and an increase of concentration/deposit of Mn in serum, brain and kidney, in the both Mn chloride and acetate form when compared to the control group. In addition, there was a significant increase in brain NPSH content and, although it was not significant, a trend of increasing on TBARS concentration in the group that received Mn. Besides that, a significant inhibition of complex I activity was observed in the striatum of the animals exposed to Mn. There was not difference between groups on complex I and II in the brain and hippocampus. Together, these data indicate that exposure to Mn at low doses contributes to the development of oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in the CNS, with apparent predilection of striatum damage.Keywords: Manganese. Subacute exposure. Oxidative parameters. Mitochondrial function.

Human emotional expression and the peripersonal margin of safety

2021 ◽  
pp. 315-330
Author(s):  
Michael S.A. Graziano
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Relationship ◽  
Buffer Zone ◽  
Peripersonal Space ◽  
The Body ◽  
Protective Mechanism ◽  
Protective Mechanisms ◽  
Margin Of Safety ◽  
Self Protection ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Protective Behaviours

The brain evolved to give special representation to the space immediately around the body. One of the most obvious adaptive uses of that peripersonal space is self-protection. It is a safety buffer zone, and intrusions can trigger a suite of protective behaviours. Perhaps less obvious is the possible relationship between that complex protective mechanism and social signalling. Standing tall, cringing, power poses and handshakes, even coquettish tilts of the head that expose the neck, may all relate in some manner to that safety buffer, signalling to others that one’s protective mechanisms are heightened (when anxious) or reduced (when confident). Here I propose that some of our most fundamental human emotional expressions such as smiling, laughing, and crying may also have a specific evolutionary relationship to the buffer zone around the body, deriving ultimately from the reflexive actions that protect us.

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