RESUMO
A rehabilitation program of 6 weeks, including both motor and cognitive training, was applied to 20 patients affected by Parkinson's disease (PD) in the early stages, presenting with mild cognitive deficits, but no dementia. Cognitive rehabilitation has been performed by utilizing a software elaborated for neuropsychological training (TNP). At the end of the scheduled sessions, the patients showed a significant improvement at verbal fluency, logic memory and Raven's matrices tests, as compared to baseline. These results remained stable over the time. We hypothesize that rehabilitative training exerts its positive effects by reinforcing cognitive strategies, in particular, by enhancing frontal function, which are typically impaired in PD, and suggests that this instrument could be implemented in nonpharmacological treatment of this pathology.
Assuntos
Transtornos Cognitivos/complicações , Transtornos Cognitivos/reabilitação , Terapia Cognitivo-Comportamental/métodos , Doença de Parkinson/complicações , Idoso , Transtornos Cognitivos/diagnóstico , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Testes Neuropsicológicos , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Terapia Assistida por Computador/instrumentaçãoRESUMO
Infective larvae of the parasite nematode Toxocara canis were incubated in vitro with murine eosinophils, neutrophils and non-induced and induced macrophages. The interactions between the different types of cells and the worms were observed in the presence or absence of immune mouse serum and/or complement. Cells showed considerable differences in the manner, duration and outcome of this interaction. Despite the adhesion of cells to the larvae of T. canis, there was no evidence of damage to the worms. Scanning and transmission electron microscopic observations suggest that the cells adhere to the cuticular surface via an electron-dense material. This material might play a protective role against the helmintotoxic capacity of the inflammatory cells.
Assuntos
Eosinófilos/fisiologia , Macrófagos/fisiologia , Neutrófilos/fisiologia , Toxocara/imunologia , Animais , Adesão Celular , Células Cultivadas , Eosinófilos/imunologia , Macrófagos/imunologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Neutrófilos/imunologiaRESUMO
The use of a hemoimmuno-adherence test (HIAT) for detecting antibodies anti-L2 larvae of Toxocara canis is presented. The HIAT allows to reveal the presence of antibodies in the sera of both naturally and experimentally infected animals. The sensitivity of HIAT appears to be comparable to that of methods such as immunoenzymatic ones.
