PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Author: NAVARRO ORTEGA MONTSERRAT.
Year: 2003.
University: ALMERÍA [www.ual.es].
Place of preparation: UNIVERSIDAD DE ALMERÍA.

Summary: The system Melancortinas has been linked with various drugs of abuse, these are among the etanol.Datos from rats Alko Alcohol (AA), which show a high voluntary ethanol consumption, show that the AA rats show an alteration of receivers of Melanocortinas R-MC3 and R-MC4 at the central level. Therefore, given the relationship between the system Meanocrotinas and ethanol, and given that AA rats show a change in this system, the main objective of this thesis is to assess the implication system Melancortinas in the voluntary consumption of ethanol. It used mice C5BL / 6, which show an innate preference to consume large amounts of ethanol. After various pharmacological manipulations with agonists and antagonists system Melanocortinas, data obtained in this thesis show that: First, the central administration (intracerebro-ventricular (icv)) and peripheral (intraperitoneal (ip)) of MTII, agonist unspecific for recipients R-MC3 and R-MC4 generates a fall on the voluntary consumption of ethanol, dismissing that this effect is a secondary consequence to disruption of the metabolism of ethanol, an alteration of the sedative effects of ethanol or aversive effects. Secondly, the admistración of selective antagonist for R-MC3 and R-MC4, as well as the administration of MTII in subjects Konockouts for the receiver R-MC3, highlighting the involvement of the recipient R-MC4 in effect that the system Melanocortinas exercises on the voluntary consumption of ethanol. Fourthly, the administration bilateral HS014, selective antagonist for R-MC4, you nucleus acumbens has resulted in a efeecto opposite alos data found after administration icv Given the relationship of the system Melancortinas with different functional and difetentes systems probably the mechanism / s mediantes which / modulates the system is voluntary ethanol consumption, involves different systems and different neurotransmisores.Los data obtained in this dissertation, not sufiecientes to explain these mecanismos.Sin embargo, but the actions of agonists Melanocartinas on consumption had been cemostrada previously, this is the first time you get an increase in the consumption of ethanol after the administration of antagonists can Melancortinas.La there is a system of Melanocortinas endogenous is only a first step in the understanding of such a mechanism, although in turn, offers a new perspective to continue investigacines future.

Author: BONASTRE ROVIRA ROSA M..
Year: 2004.
University: AUTÓNOMA DE BARCELONA [www.uab.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE MEDICINA.
Place of preparation: ESCUELA DE POSTGRADO.

Summary: To assess the association of individual differences in psychometric intelligence (CI) with the differences in neural efficiency, we use the brain visual evoked potentials (VEP) and the rate of nerve conduction velocity (VCN) on the road visually derivative thereof. In a sample of 20 subjects (10 women and 10 men) was recorded latency P100 of the VEP (the first electric potential transitional recorded on the primary visual cortex), were taken measures length of the path through visual magnetic resonance (MR) , and tests were applied Wechsler and AMP Raven for the actions of psychometric intelligence or intellectual quotient (IQ). By ANOVA no significant difference was found between men and women for any of the neurophysiological parameters (latencies and amplitudes) of the VEP, nor for any of the index values of the VCN neurovisual, nor for any of the measures psychometric intelligence general Meanwhile, and predictably, there were significant differences in measures of length (size) of the head by MRI. The results show no correlation between the time parameter measured by latency P100 or measures speed of VEP and psychometric measures of fluid intelligence (Gf). This result does not bear the hypothesis time neural transmission for quick general intelligence (g). The length (size) of the head was not correlated with the parameters of the VEP, but was correlated with measures both psychometric intelligence crystallized (arithmetic) as fluid intelligence (non-verbal). The analysis has been used in the average length of the head (distance) and latency P100 (neural transmission time) to calculate the ratio of speed (distance / time) index called VCN neurovisual (subcortical) who introduced a pattern positive correlations with measures nonverbal psychometric intelligence (CI) of approximately (r = 0.40-50) (significant after applying contrast Bonferroni). However, despite the results, the magnitude and consistency of the correlation may come more determined and explained by the effect of covariant length (size) of the head because of the differences in biological variables (neurophysiological) the VEP. From a conceptual point of view, exploring the association between psychometric intelligence and neural efficiency through the introduction of the indicator VCN is unclear at (elementary) of the biological processes of the information. KEYWORDS Intelligence generally smooth, reasoning IQ, visual evoked potentials brain, magnetic resonance imaging, neural transmission time, nerve conduction velocity, efficiency of neural information processing.

Author: PICO ALFONSO Ma.. ANGELES.
Year: 2004.
University: VALENCIA [www.uv.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAT DE PSICOLOGIA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAT DE PSICOLOGIA.

Summary: The man's partner violence against women has a huge impact on the mental and physical health of women. The overall objective of this Doctoral Thesis has been examining the impact of physical, psychological and sexual partner on the mental health and the endocrine system of women. For this purpose, physically battered women (n = 75) and psychologically battered women (n = 55) were compared with non-battered women (n = 52). Information was collected on sociodemographic characteristics, history of victimization and mental health (symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and suicide) through structured interviews. In addition, saliva samples were taken at 8:00 and 20:00 pm for four consecutive days to determine baseline morning and afternoon cortisol and Dehydroepiandrosterone. Our results confirm that the couple violence is not homogeneous, it has become necessary to ask women about every type of violence they have suffered. The results indicate that battered women both physically and psychologically had a higher incidence of symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, suicidal more and higher levels of cortisol in the afternoon and Dehydroepiandrosterone morning and the afternoon that women control. It is noteworthy that there were no differences between women exposed to physical violence and women exposed to psychological violence. The concomitance of sexual violence increased the severity of depressive symptoms in both groups of abuse, while increased incidence of suicide attempts only to the group of physical abuse. The incidence of PTSD alone was very low, whereas the majority of battered women only presented symptoms of depression or comorbidity with PTSD. Violence partner was the main factor predictor of changes in hormone levels and mental health after controlling the effect of age, drug treatment, psychiatric, psychological and historical victimization. The state mental health ombudsman had no effect on the impact of violence couple in hormone levels. The severity of the symptoms of depression and anxiety trait positively correlated with the levels of cortisol in the afternoon. In conclusion, this study shows that the male partner violence against women has a huge impact not only on mental health but also on the endocrine system of women, irrespective of whether this violence is physical or psychological.

Author: MARCO PALLARÉS JOSEP.
Year: 2004.
University: BARCELONA [www.ub.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE MEDICINA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE MEDICINA.

Summary: The electroencefalografía (EEG) is a noninvasive technique that enables the study of spontaneous brain electrical activity and is characterized by providing a high temporal resolution that is in the order of milliseconds. This technique makes it possible to obtain information about the neural responses due to the fact that captures the electromagnetic activity related flows triggered by the movement of ions through ion channels in the membrane of the neuron. The main limitation of this technique is that the traditional procedures studied with a poor spatial resolution, among other reasons due to the measures taken in the scalp, far from sources generated by brain electrical potentials measured, which means a great attenuation of the original brain electrical signals, since the electrical signal has to pass through different tissues. The brain electrical activity can also be caused (evoked) constitute evoked potentials, which are a signal is obtained by averaging fragments of EEG, which occur as a result of neuronal activity related prosecutions brain of a sensory stimulation, motor activity or cognitive activity. This work shows that you can achieve gains with the quantitative application of mathematical techniques in the study of brain-evoked potentials, as well as relevant developments in their interpretation. It also builds the interest of the studies did not focus on the characteristics of the response evoked in the traditional measures (latency, amplitude), and the need to study the dynamics of space sources. This approach creates a new crucial information in the knowledge of brain response in normal subjects, as in the ability to detect functional brain abnormalities in a specific illness, in particular alcoholism. The techniques proposed for analyzing the responses evoked brain power, yields information on the functioning brain that otherwise is not accessible. Finally described that evoked potentials are generated by many separate components that can submit multiple sources brain. In conclusion, this work highlights the interest and need for the application of mathematical algorithms in the study of evoked potentials, which are capable of increasing the spatial resolution, study the dynamics of the sources that generate evoked potentials, and compare differences in the temporal evolution of these sources for the study of brain functioning. In addition, open an avenue to explore the sources of components statistically independent evoked potentials studying the "trial" original, thereby avoiding the loss of information related averaging traditionally used for the study of evoked potentials. Finally, it demonstrates the applicability of the proposed new approaches in the study of normal brain function, as a mental disorder of such importance as alcoholism.

Author: GARCIA LINARES Ma.. ISABEL.
Year: 2005.
University: VALENCIA [www.uv.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAT DE PSICOLOGIA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAT DE PSICOLOGIA.

Summary: INTRODUCTION: Violence pair of men against women has been studied since the beginning of the decade of the 70. It has been studied in terms of legal, social and medical. Since the latter two perspectives, the first studies emphasized what risk factors could lead to abuse, also appeared in various publications theoretical those offered explanations of the origin and dynamics of violence in the couple. In the decade of the 80 appear the first studies to determine the impact of violence on the health of the victims, being in the 90's and even today the period in which the bulk of the published studies on violence couple and its impact on women's health. Objectives: The main objective of this study was to identify and distinguish the effect of partner violence, defined as psychological violence, physical and sexual, at the onset of physical symptoms, diseases and functioning of the immune system. Finally, it was proposed to study the effect modulator of coping strategies, the onset of physical symptoms, diseases and functioning of the immune system. PROCEDURE: The sample consisted of 130 battered women with whom we contacted at the centers woman 24 hours of Valencia, Castellón and Alicante and 52 women without abuse from various women's associations. Women were interviewed to complete a protocol that included different questionnaires in which information was collected on demographics, types of violence experienced by the couple, list of physical symptoms, listing diseases diagnósticadas and a questionnaire on coping styles. Finally, saliva samples were collected for analysis immunological (The following tests were carried out: virus neutralization Hs-1, IgA Hs-1 and IgA total. RESULTS: battered women had a higher incidence of physical symptoms related symptoms System nervous, muscular, circulatory, digestive, gynecological, respiratory and endocrine that women not experiencing violence couple. Women battered physically and psychologically had a higher incidence of disease than women without abuse. Violence couples was associated with poorer functioning of the immune response, which is less neutralizing capacity against infection of the virus Hs-1, but this association was more pronounced in women battered physically and psychologically. Physical violence was associated with a declining level of IgA Hs-1, while psychological violence was associated with an increase of the same in the body. Eventually we found an effect of interaction with the avoidance strategy, the psychological impact of violence on the amount of diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The male partner violence against women was a complex that includes psychological, physical and sexual. The three types of partner violence are associated with greater insight into physical symptoms. Psychological violence and physics is also associated with an increased incidence of disease in women. both psychological violence as physics is associated with a deterioration of the immune response. avoidance as a coping strategy dampen the effect of psychological abuse on the amount of disease.

Author: CARRAL BIELSA VANESA.
Year: 2006.
University: BARCELONA [www.ub.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE MEDICINA.
Place of preparation: FACULTAD DE MEDICINA.

Summary: Studies of this thesis suggests investigate abstract auditory processing (eg, processing relative) in infants and adults through electrophysiological indicators (MMN and P3a) registered with the electroencephalogram, in order to deepen the study of the mechanisms hearing basic functions for hearing complex as those involved in language and perception of music. The objective of this study is to determine whether I auditory system of newborns can detect pre-atencionalmente a rule abstract hearing: the relationship between frequency in a pair of shades, whose individual values vary in frequency. The resutlados showed that the auditory system of infants is able to extract so pre-atencional an abstract invariance. The objective of the studies I and II is to determine whether the brain can register so pre-atencional, reflected in the breadth of MMN, the magnitude of an abstract rule. The results of these studies demonstrate that both the amplitude MMN as the P3a can encode the scale invariance of an abstract pairs of tones and that there is a ceiling effect on the extent of MMN to codify these changes. In addition, this hearing ability depends on the context in which they appear auditory changes. Since MMN are not generated with the same physical stimuli when they invest their duties. These results suggest that MMN can also encode the auditory spectral range, and therefore support the existence of neuronal populations responding to a specific spectral range in the human brain.

Author: DE AZAMBUJA PUSSIELDI GUILHERME.
Year: 2006.
University: LEÓN [www.unileon.es].
Place of defense: FACULTAD DE CIEN. DE LA ACTI. FÍSI. Y EL DEPOR..
Place of preparation: UNIVERSIDAD DE LEÓN.

Summary: The objective of the study was monitored for a period of specific preparation of a major competition, the state of health, quality of life, motivation and the mood in the high-level swimmers, and evaluate the acute effect of exercise on cytokines. Participants included 20 men, who practiced swimming competitively. Three questionnaires were used, quality of life, state of mind and motives for involvement in swimming sports. They were implemented in weeks 1, 4 and 7. We collected 5 ml of venous blood at week 1, before and after an intense training session, is to verify the responses of cytokines IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-, soluble receptor for TNF-ay of chemokines IP-10/CXCL10 and MCP-1/CCL2, through the ELISA method. For verification of the health status of the survey was used URTI. All workouts were controlled by the determination of lactate, heart rate, and use of URTI scale of subjective perception of effort. Also through quantification of the tasks made by the swimmers. For performance monitoring was used to compare the evidence of key swimmers into two periods of training in competitive high importance. Swimmers performance remained at a high level, because they were capable of repeating their brands and conquering the title of national champion in swimming clubs, without presenting during this period signs of disease. Also during the period of training found in the case of motivation maintenance aspects of physical activity, fun, socialization and influence others, but a decline in those related to self-esteem, competition, cooperation and improvement of skills, because the situational changes in the training program. The mood unchanged during the period of training, that is why the athletes participating in this study can be characterized by having a balanced profile in the different situations on the agenda. In response to an exercise in acute water is not seen to 40min change in inflammatory markers for us employees. The acute and intense effort resulted in a decrease inhibitor of the cytokines sTNFR1, which has not been able to corroborate with the existing literature. Our results allow us to say that with the proper planning of the intensity, frequency and volume of training can be maintained for a long time a high performance sports without endangering the health status, as there is no significant increases or signs of disease sobreentrenamiento.