MEMORY PROCESSES

Author: PONT GEIS PILAR.
Year: 2004.
University: BARCELONA.
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE PEDAGOGÍA.
Place of preparation: BARCELONA.

Summary: To achieve the thesis has been followed this structure: first, a theoretical foundation, which addresses the issue of aging, physical activity and memory. Secondly, and as a response to the overall aim of the thesis, presents the intervention program stimulation of memory called "Motion Program and Memory." He then develops the pilot design, data processing and analysis of results. To conclude with some conclusions, and social impacts of future proposals. For the development of the Program Memory and Motion have looked at those objectives and content of programs of physical activity with seniors at the same time have been referred to the objectives and content of those programs techniques stimulation of memory. To sort the contents of the program, has developed a taxonomy of driving and working memory. For the pilot, there has been a quasi-experimental design, as they have been used natural groups, or groups that were already doing physical activity on a regular basis. It was a pre-test-post-test design, passing the tests at the beginning of the study, leaving a time of train and then pass the test at the end of the study (school year 1998-99). The sample of the population occasion of the study was divided into three groups: control group (gc) consisting of 47 people, the experimental group 1 (gel) consisting of 59 individuals and the experimental group 2 (ge2) consisting of 45 persons. All these women from 60 years. For the presentation of the results have looked at two studies: STUDY 1, provides cognitive tests: Mini mental test digit figure test and a test of geriatric depression Yesavage. STUDY 2, provides the memory test driving. The results achieved by the three groups are first submitted in a narrative in the average scores of each group and each test and then the pilot, using analysis of variance and proof of Tukey contrasts. The gel that despite improvement in all tests in the post test phase respect the pre-test phase and in relation to other groups, gives statistically significant results in the following tests: The results indicate a significant improvement of gelen the following evidence: In Study 1: Improvement in the Mini Mental overall. Mec1 or subtest guidance, Mec2 or U test Care, Mec4 or U test Remembrance, has also improved significantly in the test of Figure and the test of Geriatric Depression Yesavage. In Study 2, the gel Has improved significantly in the memory test driving with the arm skilful,. As findings, we can say that the gel or group that has followed the training program with the Motion i Memory has outperformed the other groups, or ge2 who continued a program of physical activity of a general nature and gc Or group not practiced physical activity in an organized manner.

Author: CUENCA MUÑOZ CARMEN.
Year: 2004.
University: COMPLUTENSE DE MADRID.
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE PSICOLOGÍA.

Summary: The objective of this PhD thesis has been to try to find, in patients neuropsychological, patterns of performance in the WCST reflecting patterns preservation or impairment of the components of the Report of the Working involved in the execution. To do so, based on the dominant theories about the processes and strategies of problem solving, I operativizado a number of variables WCST.Un analysis of clusters of these variables distributed into two groups, corresponding to each of the two main components a model of Working Memory (TM). After each analysis of clusters of patients, respectively based on their scores in each cluster of variables, I conducted a cross-classification of subjects, which led to nine patterns involvement of the aforementioned components of MT.Dichos patterns were conincidentes the pattern of impairment attributed to each patient under a neuropsychological assessment base. I end with some conclusions about the advantages and limitations of these patterns and suggest a course for future research.

Author: MORENO MARTINEZ FRANCISCO JAVIER.
Year: 2004.
University: NACIONAL DE EDUCACIÓN A DISTANCIA.
Place of defense: PSICOLOGÍA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE PSICOLOGÍA.

Summary: That argument has been made in the area of semantic memory impairment in Alzheimer's patients, comparing the performance of your group of these patients and a group of healthy controls. Specifically, the research theme has been to the dissociations categorical that occur very frequently in diseases of the CNS. Such dissociations are that some patients lose total or partial knowledge of a domain semantic categories, such as the living, compared to non-living beings (or vice versa). The aim of this thesis has been to provide some knowledge in this field, therefore there has been a methodologically rigorous work that has controlled a whole series of variables that seem to speak in the knowledge of the semantic categories, and that if not controlled, results apparently caused by devices dissociations could be a bad methodological material control pilot. It has also conducted a very rigorous selection of Alzheimer's patients whose diagnosis is not terea easy, in the initial stages of the disease.

Author: PEREZ VILLALBA ANA MARIA.
Year: 2005.
University: VALENCIA.
Place of defense: FACULTAT DE PSICOLOGIA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAT DE PSICOLOGIA.

Summary: The objective of this study was to test the effect of long exposure to the context before tying of fear and the signal at the same context. In the context of conditioning experiment, male SD rats were exposed for five minutes or overnight (group ON) in the box in which were subsequently conduct a single trial conditioning context. The group ON rats showed a significant lower level of freezing to test learning that rats who were exposed only for five minutes. The test of learning took place one hour after the conditioning test. Two groups of rats received a long exposure to the context of the group prior to the ON condition, but they introduced a temporary space of five minutes (ON-5 ') or 1 hour (ON-1H), and between overexposure testing of conditionality, in a different context, but known. The group ON-1H showed similar levels of freezing the animals who were exposed to the context for a short period of time (five minutes), while the group ON-5 'showed higher levels of freezing the group of five minutes in the test learning. The results show that overexposure to the context produces inhibition of conditioned response that was recovered by inserting a context switch shortly before or moderate condition. These results are discussed in terms of a clear differentiation between the effects of long exposure to the context and the latent inhibition. In the experiment with the signal conditioning, worked with two groups of long exposure to the background, throughout the day (OD) or all night (ON), as well as two groups of short exposure to the context, one with the conditioning tone (five minutes) and another who only received shocks (generalization). The results showed a similar trend behavioral inhibition of the conditioned response in the groups long exposure to the context that has been reported in the previous experiment. ÇAdemás of behavioral data was measured IEG expression of a gene, a marker of neuronal activity, called c-fos. This expression of c-fos was measured in 30 male rats SD who have been exposed to the context of conditioning for a short or long period of time before tying the signal. Sections of fixed brains and cut coronalmente were prosecuted for the marking of c-fos by immunohistochemistry. All kernels prosencefálicos measured showed differences in their marking except for the central amygdala. There are differences particularly related to the effect of overexposure to the context in different sections of the hippocampus, lateral septum and basolateral amygdala. All cores troncoencéfalo selected showed no statistical difference marking c-fos except the core reuniens of thalamus. The nuclei of Dorsal Raphe and Incertus showing a marking that could link them with the level of motor activity and exploration prior to learning. The remaining kernels (PL, LC, SuM, MnR) showed differences in activation probably not related to the timing of acquisition of fear conditioning to the signal, but rather the processing of unconditional response related to the degree of motor activity and exploration prior to learning.

Author: MARFUL QUIROGA Ma. ALEJANDRA.
Year: 2005.
University: SALAMANCA.
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE PSICOLOGIA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE PSICOLOGIA.

Summary: The mere fact repeatedly retrieve a specific information (ie, the item orange) surprisingly leads the subsequent neglect of related information (eg, bananas), that effect has been termed Lost Inducido by Recovery (Anderson, Bjork and Bjork, 1994). It is generally assumed that, if it is presented the key to recovery fruit n_______ to remember the exemplary orange (P +), there is a situation of interference due to the intrusion of banana item (P). To solve this competition between stimulus is needed inhibition of bananas. On the one hand, according to the Model Removal of features (Anderson and Spellman, 1995), this competition would depend on the relationship of similarity between the copies and P + P. On the other hand, since the proposal on the Intrusividad of Competitor the critical aspect lie in the ability of P-to be intrusive to the key recovery. In the first 4 experiments sought to dissociate the contribution of the degree of visual similarity between the copies and P + P and the ability of intrusive items P [depending on their frequency taxonomic (Experiments 1 and 2) or the associative relationship with the key (Experiments 3 and 4)]. For the proper selection of materials, a study was conducted on samples of regulatory category (Experiment 6). In 3 of the experiments (1, 2 and 4) are not replicated the effect basic Lost Inducido for Recovery. In Experiment 3, was obtained evidence of the copies with highly similar to each other only when P were highly intrusive, thus supporting the concept of the proposal on the Intrusividad of Competitor. Finally, we explored the possible relationship between the susceptibility to this effect of forgetfulness and the ability of understanding of each subject (Experiment 5). The results did not allow definite conclusions.

Author: DE LA TORRE VACAS Ma. LOURDES.
Year: 2005.
University: JAÉN.
Place of defense: F. HUMANIDADES Y CC. DE LA EDUCACIÓN.
Place of preparation: F. HUMANIDADES Y CC. DE LA EDUCACIÓN.

Summary: This research work is a series of eight experiments, which have been divided into four blocks or chapters. In the first of them explored the role of subnúcleos medial and lateral nucleus parabraquial (NPB) in the formation of the concurrent mode of learning aversive gustativo (AAG). In experiments inclyuidos in that chapter, the subjects were subjected to a particular task AAG concurrently, in which the presentation (in the form of aqueous dilution, 0.5%) of an extract (strawberry or coconut) was associated, in five tests consecutively with the administration intragástrica a solution hypertonic (5%) of sodium chloride. The results showed that the integrity of the medial region (external) NPB is essential for the acquisition of this task AAG concurrent. Likewise, it was found that the lesion of the dorsal regions of subnúcleo lateral NPB prevented the acquisition of concurrent task of AAG. Likewise, it was found that the injury delas regions dorslaes of subnúcleo lateral NPB prevented the acquisition of concurrent task of AAG. In the second block experimetnos explored the role delas same regions medial and laterlal of NPB in adqusición dela modality clásicia of AAG. In these experiments, the animals underwent a delayed task of AAG to excerpts from fesa ococo (presented in the form of aqueous dilution, 0.5%), unsaturated two tests acquisition, and induced by the administration intragástrica sodium chloride hipertonico. Data from the implementation of the animals revealed that the lesion of the medial region of NPB impidó elnormal establishment of the task of AAG delayed while the injury of the dorsal regions of the subdivision laeral of NPB, only resulted in a slight easing of AAG delayed under the AAG exhibited by animals with injury fictional. Taken together, the results obtained in the first two blocks experimetnales this trabjao parecenindicar that while the region medial (external) NPB is impresicindible for formaicón of AAG, indpendientemente paradigm employee (concurrent or demoardo), the integrity of the regions most ridges of subnúcleo side dle NPB seems to be only in the case of the concurrent mode of AAG. The possibility of the first region (medial external) can perform essential functions related to the processes of convergence gustativo-viscerales is suggested and discussed, taking into consideraicón published data to resepcto in the literature on AAG. Regarding the participation of the above-mentioned regions in AAG side, it suggests an important role in information processing visceral, possibly transmitted by vagal, but a minor role for them in the event that the paradigm of AAG employee favors the participation of the path processing visceral vagal as the path processing viceral humoral. This possibility is also discussed within the context of investigations neuroanatómicas and neurobehavioural on the AAG. In the third block of experiments explored the involvement of the medial and lateral branches in the process of storage and retrieval of a concurrent AAG normally established. The results rule out the implicaicón of such centers on the retention of concurrent AAG, in the line of the evidence collected by previous studies of injury and evaluation of the cerebral metabolic activity in the context of the standard paradigm of AAG. Finally, included a block of experiments conobjeto to study the effects of the injury in the area sensory taste of NPB medial on the establishment of AAG - induced delayed lithium chloride. Specifically, we studied the involvement of this region in the acquisition of a task deAAG delayed eminently olfactory stimuli (excerpts from strawberry or coconut presented in the form of dilucióna cuosa) and eminently taste stimuli (Sacarian, 0.2% or quinine, 8 0,005 % a80 also diluted in water), condiconados independently or in compounds within a paradigm usually used in the studies on the phenomenon of empowerment odor by gusto.Los results indicated that the lesion in the region sensory taste dle NPB (region PBmc) could cause a shortfall in processing sensory gustativo affecting especially learning aversion to the olfactory stimuli eminently (gustatory stimuli "weak"), but that did not prevent the formation of AAG delayed any of the flavors employees. It ocmprobó further that the aprendizjae aversion to the extracts was not helped by the introduction of these compounds with quinine or saccharin during condiconamiento or animal lesioandos, nor animlaes injury fictional. The latter was observed even AAG dimmed to excerpts provided in conjunction with saccharin condition, but not when these extracts were condiconados with quinine, which seemed to suggest the occurrence of masking effects or countermeasures intra-compuesto when flavors combine that share similar qualities taste or gusto-olfativas. Similarly, learning aversion saccharin was tempered, both in animals injured ocmo in animals with leisónficticia when that substance was tied together with excerpts from strawberry or coconut. Taken together, these results suggest that reigón PBmc complex parabraquial does not play a role improtane in establishing conduct tours for taste, as the AAG, which may be based on a recognition bulk of flavor. However, the injury of this region appears to cause a shortfall in processing sensory gustativo that could prejudge lamagnitud of AAG acquired by the animals by causing them perceive conditioned taste stimuli with an intensity lower than the intensity with which they are charged the same stimuli animal neurológicamente intact.

Author: LUNA ORTEGA KARLOS.
Year: 2005.
University: PAÍS VASCO.
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE PSICOLOGÍA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE PSICOLOGÍA.

Summary: In this thesis we are concerned for the study of memory errors, in particular the acceptance of false information. The method applied was the paradigm of the information postevento, which is to present an event followed by an information postevento containing elements false. Finally, a complete memory test to determine whether maintaining the original information or accept false. Among the variables that affect the acceptance of a false information has been investigated little influence on the type of content that is presented. At 4 experiments have submitted false stock contents and details, information and central and peripheral elements of a criminal high and low. The false information also could be a transformation of an existing or entirely new. It has been found generally better performance with actions, information center and high criminality, and more accepting false information with details, information and peripheral elements of high criminality. The exchange rate offered in most cases results invalid. We are also interested by the confidence that is associated with an answer. Although the correlation between confidence and accuracy have been very low, it has been found that the correct answers are valued more confidence that incorrect, but also assesses the responses with greater confidence that the acceptance of rejection. Errors of acceptance of false information was assessed with greater confidence when referring to actions and elements of criminality high, indicating that false memories with these contents are more genuine and less based on errors of divination that details or elements of typical low .

Author: BILBAO BILBAO ALVARO.
Year: 2006.
University: DEUSTO.
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE FILOSOFIA Y CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACIÓN.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE FILOSOFÍA Y EDUCACIÓN.

Summary: The simulation of memory problems is a reality which has to face neuropsicólogos in its forensic and clinical practice with relative frequency. Various authors have developed tests that are designed detactar simulating memory problems. The nature of the simulation causes the study of the effectiveness of these tests present methodological challenges. In the reviewed studies show that the conditions for evaluating the pilot simulators did not conform to the natural conditions of the actual simulators. Objective. To compare different techniques to study the simulation of anterograde amnesia. Method. 25 subjects with brain damage were compared using analysis discriminativos with 100 subjects in 4 experimental conditions that allowed assess the role of the delay time between the decision to simulate and evaluate the degree of motivation and the ability to simulate an accurate memory problems . Results. The combination of time delay causes a high motivation and execution of simulation tests closer to that of patients with anterograde amnesia genuine. Many of the tests evaluated in this condition pilot extracted rates very low sensitivity. Conclusions. In the paradigms of research simulating memory problems provide a time delay and a high degree of motivation external indices are obtained sensitivity in the detection of simulators lower than in other paradigms that do not combine these two variables. These combined results support the hypothesis that the conduct of experimental simulation more similar to the behavior simulation in real life is one that is triggered by external motivators and that was forged over a period of preparation. It seems advisable that future research evaluating the adecuidad testing simulation problems memory variables enter motivation and time delay between the decision and evaluation to simulate the experimental conditions more similar to the natural conditions of the simulator.

Author: GIMÉNEZ NAVARRO MÓNICA.
Year: 2006.
University: BARCELONA.
Place of defense: UNIVERSIDDA DE BARCELONA.
Place of preparation: UNIVERSIDAD DE BARCELONA.

Summary: All the works shown here provides new data neuroanatómico and neurofuncional, through different methodological approaches in the study of brain and cognitive abnormalities in samples of adolescents who were born premature. Existing data contribute to knowledge about brain plasticity possible long-term damage resulting from the immature, as a first step for future therapeutic approaches in such samples. The general interest of the thesis is to explore the foundations brain underlying cognitive deficits described in adolescents who were born premature. They have used techniques for analyzing and evaluating structural, functional and metabolic it as an approximation neuropsychological. The conclusions to be drawn from this argument would be: 1-Teenagers preterm show reductions volumetric subcorticales two brain structures that have been associated with declarative memory, the hippocampus, and thalamus. The deficit in the declarative memory in the preterm group correlated with atrophy of the hippocampus. We believe these brain abnormalities as evidence of alterations in the learning process dependent on brain damage in premature subject. 2-Subjects born very prematurely show reductions in the thalamus, accompanied by alterations in the implementation of evidence phonetic and semantic fluency. The verbal fluency not correlate with the gray matter of the frontal lobe, where changes in the volume of the thalamus more directly related to the problems creep. The correlation analysis showed a pattern of broader relationship between the nuclei of thalamus and aural creep. 3, - The study of brain voxel a voxel is sensitive for the detection of damage in the white matter in brain samples of individuals who were born very prematurely, and no evidence of brain damage through visual inspection of the magnetic resonance. Besides the classic damage preriventricular, found a more subtle damage tissue diffuse white matter. With this, we have expanded knowledge of the classically described periventricular damage in premature lso subject, the idea of a damage to the white matter of extensive character. The integrity of the white matter brain during adolescence is related to gestational age, this being consistent with the data information from experimental studies. 4-Our results show the first evidence of the impact of a very premature birth deep in the furrows of the cortex in adolescence. Subjects who were born very prematurely show abnormalities in the depth of the grooves side of the brain cortex órbito front, compared with the development of the primary olfactory sulcus. These results provide evidence of an alteration in the normal development of the furrows and circunvoluciones brain that is not reversible over children. 5-Teenagers born prematurely without perinatal complications and no evidence of brain damage through visual inspection of the magnetic resonance presented neurochemical alterations in the óbulo temporary medial, as well as reductions in the volume of the hippocampus. Those neurochemical changes in the medial temporal lobe, as well as reductions in the volume of the hippocampus. These metabolic disorders seem to reflect a neuronal loss or dysfunction. The metabolic and volumetric values are related to gestational age. 6-Adolescents with premature damage hipocampal left show a predominance of increased brain activity in the right hemisphere compared with a control sample, during the execution of a task declarative memory. This suggests the presence of a compensatory mechanism brain, insufficient to meet the neuropsychological performance monitoring.

Author: Quiroz Padilla MMa. Fernanda.
Year: 2006.
University: AUTÓNOMA DE BARCELONA.
Place of defense: Aula P24 de la facultad de Psicología.
Place of preparation: Facultad de Psicología Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.

Summary: This dissertation is incribe within the line of research called "Mechanisms Neurofisiológicos Involved in the modulation of cognitive processes by Complex Systems Arousal of Prosencéfalo Basal and Tálamo-cortical." To this end we have focused on the study of one of the cores intralaminares the thalamus, the core parafascicular (FP), whose anatomical and functional characteristics suggest that it could be part of a substrate neurophysiological subcortical modulator of these cognitive functions. FP is an important component of the system ascending reticular activator (SRAA) and system tálamo-cortical, both related to the widespread activation or arousal and cognitive functions such as attention and learning and memory. The thesis provides continuity in the experimental research of FP for proporcioinar a better understanding of the participation of the core of learning and memory. For them we have conducted three experiments. The first analyzed the effects of the injury excitotóxica of FP in learning avoidance active two-way (EV2), a type of aversive operant conditioning. The main results showed that the injury pre-entrenamiento of PF deteriorated acquisition of this task. In the second experiment studying the effects of the injury excitotóxica the FAQ on learning, retention and reaprendizaje of discrimination simple odors (DSO), a task olfactory type apetitivo. In this case, the lesion PF did not affect the acquisition or the first test of the test to 24 hours, but if their subsequent trials, when changes were made in contigencias of the task. Finally, in the third experiment, we explored the effect of the injury excitotóxica pre-entrenamiento kernel FAQ on the social transmission of food preferences (TSPA), a behavioral model of non-memory relational space. The injury prevented PF expressing a preference for the food with the aroma trained during the test immediately and 24 hours. Overall, the results obtained demonstrate a role in modulating generic learning tasks and implicit memory relational in nature and aversive apetitiva probably modulating the activation of different neural circuits underlying each of the tasks.