Reversal of Social Recognition Deficit in Adult Mice with MECP2 Duplication via Normalization of MeCP2 in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex / 神经科学通报·英文版

Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a basic nuclear protein involved in the regulation of gene expression and microRNA processing. Duplication of MECP2-containing genomic segments causes MECP2 duplication syndrome, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by intellectual disability, motor dysfunction, heightened anxiety, epilepsy, autistic phenotypes, and early death. Reversal of the abnormal phenotypes in adult mice with MECP2 duplication (MECP2-TG) by normalizing the MeCP2 levels across the whole brain has been demonstrated. However, whether different brain areas or neural circuits contribute to different aspects of the behavioral deficits is still unknown. Here, we found that MECP2-TG mice showed a significant social recognition deficit, and were prone to display aversive-like behaviors, including heightened anxiety-like behaviors and a fear generalization phenotype. In addition, reduced locomotor activity was observed in MECP2-TG mice. However, appetitive behaviors and learning and memory were comparable in MECP2-TG and wild-type mice. Functional magnetic resonance imaging illustrated that the differences between MECP2-TG and wild-type mice were mainly concentrated in brain areas regulating emotion and social behaviors. We used the CRISPR-Cas9 method to restore normal MeCP2 levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) of adult MECP2-TG mice, and found that normalization of MeCP2 levels in the mPFC but not in the BST reversed the social recognition deficit. These data indicate that the mPFC is responsible for the social recognition deficit in the transgenic mice, and provide new insight into potential therapies for MECP2 duplication syndrome.

O estado do conhecimento em políticas públicas de lazer como direito e reconhecimento social no Brasil / The state of knowledge in public leisure policies as law and social recognition in Brazil

O objetivo dessa pesquisa foi analisar a produção de artigos no campo da política pública em lazer no Brasil nas dimensões do direito e do reconhecimento social. Para tanto, foram selecionados 40 artigos coletados junto às bases de dados Lilacs, Scielo e Portal de Periódicos CAPES. Averiguou-se que esse campo de investigação tem sido intensificado com o aumento exponencial das publicações, a partir de 2005, e que a Constituição de 1988 impactou as pesquisas em lazer, bem como as ações ligadas ao governo, especialmente com a criação do Ministério do Esporte. A análise dos artigos evidenciou a existência de lacunas na produção de conhecimento, notadamente em relação ao entendimento de políticas públicas de lazer como direito e reconhecimento social, bem como a maneira esparsa dessa produção, uma vez a dificuldade de se estabelecer diálogo entre os campos acadêmico, político burocrático e societal.

The aim of this research was to analyze the production of articles in the field of public policy in leisure in Brazil in the dimensions of law and social recognition. For this intention, 40 articles were selected from Lilacs, Scielo and CAPES Periodicals Portal. It was found that this field of research has been intensified with the exponential increase of publications since 2005 and that the 1988 Constitution impacted leisure research as well as government-related actions, especially with the creation of the Ministry of Sports. The analysis of the articles evidenced the existence of gaps, such as the understanding of leisure as a right and social recognition, as well as the pulverization of knowledge production, given the difficulty of establishing dialogue between the academic, bureaucratic and societal political fields, which is the most narrow in the process of recognition of leisure as a right.

Reconhecimento em Axel Honneth: contribuições à pesquisa em saúde / Reconocimiento en Axel Honneth: contribuciones a la investigación en salud / Recognition in Axel Honneth: contributions to research in health care

RESUMO Objetivo: sistematizar as potencialidades e desafios da Teoria do Reconhecimento, de Axel Honneth, e refletir sobre eles como subsídio às pesquisas em saúde. Método: trata-se de artigo de reflexão que toma o potencial da incorporação da categoria reconhecimento na propositura honnethiana para pesquisa, compreensão, exercício e gestão do cuidado em saúde. Resultados: o processo de reconhecimento favorece a exploração e a compreensão das relações de poder e respeito, sobretudo em termos do conflito a elas circunscrito. Dessa forma, indica subsídios para diagnósticos e núcleos estruturantes para a superação de práticas opressivas e desiguais, com desdobramentos para lidar com situações de insegurança, fragilidades na autoestima e vulnerabilidades nas interações entre os sujeitos, que configuram desafios contemporâneos. Conclusão: na exploração científica do cuidado, gestão e políticas públicas em saúde, este referencial teórico pode auxiliar na visibilidade do contexto e seus nós críticos, para favorecer a autonomia e a dignidade humana, relevantes para as relações interpessoais nos processos de cuidado, com contribuições profícuas à qualificação da atenção à saúde.

RESUMEN Objetivo: sistematizar las potencialidades y desafíos de la Teoría del Reconocimiento, de Axel Honneth, y reflexionar sobre ellos como subsidio a las investigaciones en salud. Método: se trata de un artículo de reflexión que toma el potencial de la incorporación de la categoría reconocimiento en la proposición honnethiana para investigación, comprensión, ejercicio y gestión del cuidado en salud. Resultados: el proceso de reconocimiento favorece la explotación y la comprensión de las relaciones de poder y respeto, sobre todo en términos del conflicto circunscrito. De esta forma, indica subsidios para diagnósticos y núcleos estructurantes para la superación de prácticas opresivas y desiguales, con desdoblamientos para lidiar con situaciones de inseguridad, fragilidades en la autoestima y vulnerabilidades en las interacciones entre los sujetos, que configuran desafíos contemporáneos. Conclusión: en la exploración científica del cuidado, gestión y políticas públicas en salud, este referencial teórico puede auxiliar en la visibilidad del contexto y sus nudos críticos, para favorecer la autonomía y la dignidad humana, relevantes para las relaciones interpersonales en los procesos de cuidado, con contribuciones para la cualificación de la atención a la salud.

ABSTRACT Objective: to systematize the strengths and challenges of Axel Honneth's Theory of Recognition, and to reflect on these as support for research in health care. Method: this is a reflection article which considers the potential of incorporating the category of recognition in the Honnethian proposition for research, understanding, exercising of practice and management of health care. Results: the process of recognition promotes the exploration and understanding of relations of power and respect, above all in terms of conflict which are ascribed to these. As a result, it indicates support for diagnoses and structuring nuclei for overcoming oppressive and unequal practices, with consequences for dealing with situations of insecurity, weaknesses in self-esteem and vulnerabilities in the interactions between the subjects, which are configured as contemporary challenges. Conclusion: in the scientific exploration of care, management and public policies in health, this theoretical framework can assist in the visibility of the context and in its critical knots, in order to promote autonomy and human dignity, which are relevant for the interpersonal relations in the processes of care, with fruitful contributions to the qualification of the health care.

Effects of the Female Estrous Cycle on the Sexual Behaviors and Ultrasonic Vocalizations of Male C57BL/6 and Autistic BTBR T+ tf/J Mice

A primary characteristic of autism, which is a neurodevelopmental disorder, is impaired social interaction and communication. Furthermore, patients with autism frequently show abnormal social recognition. In mouse models of autism, social recognition is usually assessed by examining same-sex social behavior using various tests, such as the three-chamber test. However, no studies have examined the ability of male mice with autism to recognize the estrous cycle of female partners. In this study, we investigated the sexual behaviors, especially mounting and ultrasonic vocal communication (USV), of BTBR T+ tf/J (BTBR) mice, which are used as a well-known mouse model of autism, when they encountered estrus or diestrus female mice. As expected, C57BL/6 mice mounted more female mice in the estrus stage compared with the diestrus stage. We found that BTBR mice also mounted more female mice in the estrus stage than female mice in the diestrus stage. Although the USV emission of male mice was not different between estrus and diestrus female mice in both strains, the mounting result implies that BTBR mice distinguish sexual receptivity of females.

Vulnerabilidade, reconhecimento e saúde da pessoa idosa: autonomia intersubjetiva e justiça social / Vulnerability, recognition and health in old age: intersubjective autonomy and social justice

Os idosos são objeto de políticas públicas de proteção contra riscos e doenças. Pelo pressuposto liberal, a questão é tornar o indivíduo independente, o que contribui para isolar e fragilizar o idoso. Propomos o paradigma do reconhecimento e os vínculos sociais, apoiando a vida de sujeitos que reconhecem e são reconhecidos. A autonomia intersubjetiva é garantida por relações de afeto/amizade, estima social, reconhecimento de direitos e responsabilidades, e ameaçada pela desvalorização, por desrespeito e violências. Isso contribui trazendo a compreensão de fenômenos de desrespeito, difamação e traumas, e apoiando a instituição de cuidados com vistas à integridade e à justiça social.

The elderly are the object of policies of protection against risks and diseases. According to the liberal premise, the idea is ensure the individual's independence, which actually serves to isolating and weakening the elderly. We propose the paradigm of recognition and social bonds that support the life of individuals who exercise recognition and are recognized. Intersubjective autonomy is guaranteed through relations of affection/friendship, social esteem, recognition of rights and responsibilities and threatened by de-valuing attitudes, disrespect and violence. This contributes to the health of the elderly, by understanding exclusion, slander and trauma and supporting the care institution with a view to integrity and social justice.

Corpos precários, desrespeito e autoestima: o caso de moradores de rua de Paris-FR / Slum bodies, contempt and self-esteem: case study on homeless people in Paris/FR / Corps précaires, mépris et autoestime: le cas des sans-logis à Paris/FR / Cuerpos precarios, desprecio y autoestima: el caso de las personas sin techo en París/FR

O presente artigo discute quando e sob quais condições determinados signos corporais podem ser considerados ou não como enunciadores da relação íntima entre o corpo de um “morador de rua” parisiense e o universo no qual ele se encontra. São esses fatores que fazem do cuidado do corpo e de si uma experiência difícil de administrar pelos sujeitos pesquisados. Com efeito, marcado pela relação íntima estabelecida com as condições precárias de existência, a hexis corporal das pessoas estudadas passa a ser tanto objeto de “desrespeito social” quanto fonte negativa de autoestima. Ao final, são delineados caminhos possíveis da “retirada da rua” do corpo - isto é, do trabalho árduo de reabilitação física e moral das pessoas estudadas.

This article discusses when and why certain body signs may be considered as a statement of the intimate relation between the body of a homeless person living in Paris and the universe in which he lives. For this purpose, it shows why embodiment and self-awareness are difficult to manage from the point of view of the research subjects. Indeed, marked by the close relationship with the precarious conditions of existence, the corporal hexis of the studied people becomes the very source of both "social contempt" and negative self-esteem. Finally, this paper outlines some possible ways of "resilience" and social integration on the case of the studied homeless people.

Cet article discute quand et sous quelles circonstances certains signes corporels peuvent être considérés ou pas en tant qu’enonciateurs de la relation intime entre le corps d’un “sans-logis” parisien et l’univers social dans lequel il se trouve. Ce sont ces facteurs qui font du souci du corps et du soi une expérience difficile de gérer par les sujets enquêtés. En effet, marquée par la relation intime établie entre les conditions précaires d’existence, l’hexis corporelle des personnes étudiées devient à la fois objet de “mépris social” et source négative d’auto-estime. À la fin de l’article, les chemins possibles de la “resilience” sont présentés, aussi bien que du “retrait de la rue du corps” - autrement dit, du difficile travail de réhabilitation physique et morale des personnes étudiées.

El presente artículo debate cuando y bajo cuales condiciones algunos aspectos corporales pueden o no ser considerados declaradores de la relación íntima entre el cuerpo de un sin techo y el universo donde se encuentra. Son estos factores los que hacen el cuidado del cuerpo y de sí mismo un experimento difícil de manejar por los individuos encuestados. En realidad, marcado por la estrecha relación establecida con las condiciones precarias de existencia, la hexis corporal de las personas encuestadas se convierte tanto objeto de “desprecio social” como creador negativo de autoestima. Al final, se describen caminos posibles de “resiliencia” y de “la remoción de la calle” del cuerpo - o sea, el trabajo duro por la rehabilitación física y moral de las personas estudiadas.

Long-term social recognition memory in adult male rats: factor analysis of the social and non-social behaviors

A modified version of the intruder-resident paradigm was used to investigate if social recognition memory lasts at least 24 h. One hundred and forty-six adult male Wistar rats were used. Independent groups of rats were exposed to an intruder for 0.083, 0.5, 2, 24, or 168 h and tested 24 h after the first encounter with the familiar or a different conspecific. Factor analysis was employed to identify associations between behaviors and treatments. Resident rats exhibited a 24-h social recognition memory, as indicated by a 3- to 5-fold decrease in social behaviors in the second encounter with the same conspecific compared to those observed for a different conspecific, when the duration of the first encounter was 2 h or longer. It was possible to distinguish between two different categories of social behaviors and their expression depended on the duration of the first encounter. Sniffing the anogenital area (49.9 percent of the social behaviors), sniffing the body (17.9 percent), sniffing the head (3 percent), and following the conspecific (3.1 percent), exhibited mostly by resident rats, characterized social investigation and revealed long-term social recognition memory. However, dominance (23.8 percent) and mild aggression (2.3 percent), exhibited by both resident and intruders, characterized social agonistic behaviors and were not affected by memory. Differently, sniffing the environment (76.8 percent of the non-social behaviors) and rearing (14.3 percent), both exhibited mostly by adult intruder rats, characterized non-social behaviors. Together, these results show that social recognition memory in rats may last at least 24 h after a 2-h or longer exposure to the conspecific.