Clarificando el rol de la mentalización en el desarrollo de las funciones ejecutivas / Clarifying the Role of Mentalization in the Development of Executive Functions

Resumen Las funciones ejecutivas son un grupo de habilidades que permiten la generación de respuestas adaptativas a las exigencias medioambientales. A su vez, la capacidad de mentalización refiere a la forma en que los humanos son capaces de discernir los estados mentales, intenciones y creencias de otros a través de la conducta observada. Este trabajo clarifica la forma en que debiéramos entender la relación entre estos dos conceptos. Tras revisar algunos de los aspectos más fundamentales de los conceptos en cuestión, se propone que la mentalización fundamenta, organiza y potencia el desarrollo de las funciones ejecutivas, esto, en oposición a la tesis dominante de Carlson, Moses y Brenton (2002) que indica que las funciones ejecutivas son las que fundamentan el desarrollo de la habilidad de mentalización. Luego de revisar la actual evidencia empírica que apoya la alternativa propuesta, se exploran algunas aplicaciones de esta en el estudio de la naturaleza neurofisiológica de lo social, la naturaleza subjetiva de la conciencia y el dominio de la psicopatología.

Abstract Executive functions are a set of abilities that allow the production of adaptive behaviours to specific challenges from the environment. Mentalization refers to the way in which humans are able to discern mental states, intentions and beliefs of others through observed behaviour. This paper clarifies the way in which we should understand the relationship between these two concepts. After presenting some of the most fundamental aspects of these concepts, it is proposed that mentalization underlies, organizes, and enhances the development of executive functions, this, contrary to the dominant approach defended by Carlson Moses, and Brenton (2002) that suggests that executive functions underlie the development of mentalization. After reviewing empirical evidence for the defended alternative, the last section explores some of its applications in areas such as the study of the neurophysiological nature of the social, the subjective nature of consciousness, and the domain of psychopathology.

Histological and immunohistochemical study of experimentally induced concussion on young rats' frontal cortex and the possible protective role of erythropoietin hormone supplementation

Introduction: Closed-head concussive injury is one of the most common causes of traumatic brain injury. Multiple concussions, especially in children, can result in cumulative damage and increased risk for neurodegenerative diseases in later life

Aim of the work: The aim of the work was to clarify the effect of repeated concussions on the frontal cortex architecture and to identify a new protective therapy that decreases the brain insult caused by repeated concussions

Materials and methods: Twenty male albino rats 17-19 days old were divided into four groups: group I [control group] included five rats. The remaining rats were subjected to repeated head concussions for 3 successive days and then divided equally into the following groups: in group II [concussion group], animals were sacrificed 24 h after the last concussion; in group III [recovery group], rats were sacrificed 10 days after the last concussion; and in group IV [treated group], rats received an erythropoietin [EPO] injection for 3 successive days after the last concussion and were then sacrificed. The frontal cortex was examined using histological and immunohistochemical techniques

Results: In the present study, it was found that after 24 h of repeated concussions, subpial cellular infiltration, edema, and congested blood vessels were detected. The frontal cortex neurons showed degenerative changes. A significant decrease in glial fibrillar acid protein [GFAP] and synaptophysin [SYN] immunoreactivity was also detected. The recovery group showed hypercellularity of the frontal cortex. Some neurons still showed degenerative changes. A significant increase in GFAP and SYN immunoreactivity was detected. In the EPO-treated group, neurons were more or less normal. A significant decrease in GFAP immunoreactivity with a significant increase in SYN reactivity was detected compared with the recovery group

Conclusion: Concussion induced degenerative changes in neurons, neuroglia, and synapses. Recovery decreased degenerative changes with marked gliosis. Treatment with EPO improved degeneration, gliosis, and synapses

Association and its forensic significance between COMT gene and schizophrenia / 法医学杂志

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene encodes catechol-O-methyltransferase, the variant of this gene may affect the expression and metabolic activity of COMT. As the result of the changes of the effective concentration of the catecholamine neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, central nervous system dysfunctions associated with schizophrenia. This review summarizes genetic polymorphism and diversity of COMT gene. It also elaborates the relation between SNP and haplotype of COMT gene and three aspects, which including schizophrenia, attacking and violent tendency, and the frontal cognitive function of the schizophreniac. The correlativity study between genetic variation of the COMT gene and schizophrenia in patients with attacking and violent tendency may be helpful for the assessment of forensic psychiatry.

Dendritic spine changes in medial prefrontal cortex of male diabetic rats using golgi-impregnation method

Neuropathy is one of the major complications contributing to morbidity in patients with diabetes mellitus. The effect of diabetes on brain has not been studied so much and no gross abnormality has been found in the central nervous system of patients with diabetic neuropathy. This study was conducted to evaluate the time-dependent structural changes in medial prefrontal cortex of male diabetic rats using Golgi-impregnation method. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control and diabetic groups. For induction of diabetes, a single dose of streptozotocin [60 mg/kg] was injected intraperitoneally. At the end of the first and second months, the rats were transcardially perfused with a solution of phosphate buffer containing paraformaldehyde and Golgi-impregnated method was used to evaluate the changes of dendritic spines in medial prefrontal cortex. There was a significant reduction in the mean density of pyramidal neuron dendritic spines in the layers II and III of medial prefrontal cortex only after 2 months in the diabetic group compared to age-matched controls [P<0.05]. Diabetes induces a reduction in the spine density of apical dendrites of medial prefrontal cortex only in two-month diabetic rats

Correlações neurais na substância branca pré-frontal em mentirosos patológicos: “a verdade por trás da mentira”: síndrome de Pinóquio / Neural correlations in prefrontal white matter and pathological liars, “the truth behind the liar”: Pinoquio syndrome

Pesquisas realizadas recentemente constataram ativação bilateralno córtex pré-frontal, com variações de repartição entre as massas cinzenta e branca do cérebro, quando relacionadas a mentirosos patológicos, anti-sociais e indivíduos normais. Conclui-se que os mentirosos patológicos têm 25,7 a mais de substância branca no córtex pré-frontal que os anti-sociais e 22 a mais que os normais. Baseado em estudos recentes, realizamos em nível ambulatorial uma triagem longitudinal diagnosticando 30 pacientes como mentirosos compulsivos, os quais foram acompanhados por um período de seis meses no Setor de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia do Hospital Geral em São Luís, MA. Em todos sem exceção, realizamos estudos de ressonânciamagnética por imagem (RM). A importância prática deste estudo encontra-se na possibilidade de detectar situações, por meio de exames práticos, os quais permitam intervenções de exclusão social de quaisquer indivíduos que queiram levar vantagem em tudo, principalmente os que concorrem a cargos públicos.

Asimetrías funcionales frontales en el trastorno depresivo mayor / Functional frontal asymmetries in the depressive mayor disorder

Introducción: Las asimetrías funcionales de la corteza prefrontal son un importante parámetro predictor del estilo afectivo. Consecuentemente, diversos trastornos del afecto se asocian a diferencias individuales en dicho índice. En ese contexto, el trastorno depresivo mayor puede ser caracterizado por patrones anormales de activación de la corteza prefrontal izquierda. Material y métodos: Apoyados en los datos experimentales relevantes se presentan los fundamentos de un modelo del trastorno depresivo mayor que enfatiza los aspectos funcionales de la corteza cerebral. Conclusiones: Tanto el diagnóstico, como el tratamiento de la depresión dependen de nociones adecuadas de su etiología. Dada la heterogeneidad del paciente depresivo, así como los múltiples factores psicofisiológicos asociados, se propone una estrategia de investigación que considera marcadores objetivos para guiar el desarrollo de nuevos métodos de diagnóstico.

Neuropathology of schizophrenia--a review.

Despite clinical evidence of brain dysfunction in schizophrenia, little progress was made for most of the last century in determining its organic parameters. Neuropathology, over the past few decades, has made a substantial contribution to the understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms of schizophrenia. During the last 10-15 years the concept of schizophrenia as a 'functional' psychosis has changed to the current paradigm of schizophrenia as a neurodevelopmental disorder. Much still has to be unravelled and learnt. This review gives a brief account of the relevant neuroanatomy, viral hypotheses of schizophrenia etiology, pathologic findings reported, concept of neurodevelopmental model and avenues for the future.