La decisión de ser madre: ¿Por qué algunas jóvenes tuteladas se convierten en madres adolescentes y otras no? / The decision of becoming a mother: Why some girls in foster group homes become adolescent mothers and others don't?

The aim of this research is to analyze which factors can explain why some girls in foster group homes become adolescent mothers and others do not, exploring the contraception use, life and motherhood expectations and their family models. The study also analyzes how teen mothers in foster group homes experience motherhood and analyze the experience of becoming mothers in their lives while in care. A total of 36 girls from foster group homes (18 mothers and 18 non-mother girls) were interviewed. The results show that the need to fill their emotional emptiness, their lack of professional life expectations, their unrealistic expectations about parenthood and the role of their partner, and the undervalue of the conditions necessary to raise their children are the main factors involved. Most of the girls in the mother group were teen mothers who were sent to foster homes because of their premature motherhood. This shows that the educative work done by caseworkers can help girls to be more conscious about getting the suitable conditions before becoming mothers. The role of foster parents, social educators, social workers and mentoring programs with the purpose to empower mothers to prevent children neglect is discussed.

El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar qué factores pueden explicar el por qué algunas jóvenes tuteladas se convierten en madres adolescentes y otras no. Explorando en ellas las temáticas relacionadas con el uso de anticonceptivos, sus expectativas de vida, la maternidad y sus modelos familiares. El estudio también analiza lo que implica una maternidad adolescente y estar tutelada. Se entrevistaron a 36 chicas tuteladas (18 eran madres y 18 no lo eran). Los resultados muestran que la maternidad adolescente a veces refleja la necesidad de llenar su vacío emocional, la falta de un proyecto de vida profesional, de expectativas poco realistas sobre la paternidad, el papel de su pareja, y la infravaloración de las condiciones necesarias para criar a sus hijos. La mayoría de madres adolescentes, fueron tuteladas a partir de su embarazo. Esto refleja que el trabajo educativo realizado por los educadores sociales, es de vital importancia para ayudar a las chicas a ser más conscientes sobre las condiciones adecuadas que se ha de tener antes de ser madre, y la necesidad de empoderarlas para prevenir posibles maltratos.

Effects of adult dysthyroidism on the morphology of hippocampal granular cells in rats.

Thyroid hormones are essential for normal brain development and very important in the normal functioning of the brain. Thyroid hormones action in the adult brain has not been widely studied. The effects of adult hyperthyroidism are not as well understood as adult hypothyroidism, mainly in hippocampal granular cells. The purpose of the present study is to assess the consequences of adult hormone dysthyroidism (excess/deficiency of TH) on the morphology of dentate granule cells in the hippocampus by performing a quantitative study of dendritic arborizations and dendritic spines using Golgi impregnated material. Hypo-and hyperthyroidism were induced in rats by adding 0.02 percent methimazole and 1 percent L-thyroxine, respectively, to drinking water from 40 days of age. At 89 days, the animals' brains were removed and stained by a modified Golgi method and blood samples were collected in order to measure T4 serum levels. Neurons were selected and drawn using a camera lucida. Our results show that both methimazole and thyroxine treatment affect granule cell morphology. Treatments provoke alterations in the same direction, namely, reduction of certain dendritic-branching parameters that are more evident in the methimazole than in the thyroxine group. We also observe a decrease in spine density in both the methimazole and thyroxine groups.

Emotional abilities as predictors of risky driving behavior among a cohort of middle aged drivers.

The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between emotional abilities and the influence of this relationship on self reported drivers' risky attitudes. The risky driving attitudes and emotional abilities of 177 future driving instructors were measured. The results demonstrate that risky attitudes correlate negatively with emotional abilities. Regression analysis showed that adaptability and interpersonal abilities explained the differences observed in the global risk attitude index. There were some differences in the specific risk factors. The variability observed in the speed and distraction and fatigue factors could also be explained by interpersonal and adaptability abilities. Nevertheless the tendency to take risks was explained by stress management and also interpersonal components. Emotional abilities have the weakest relation with alcohol and drugs factor, and in this case the variability observed was explained by the adaptability component. The results obtained highlight the importance take off including emotional abilities in prevention programs to reduce risky driving behaviors.

Effects of adult dysthyroidism on the morphology of hippocampal neurons.

This study investigates the effect of thyroid hormones on the morphology of hippocampal neurons in adult rats. Hypo- and hyperthyroidism were induced by adding 0.02% methimazole and 1% l-thyroxine, in drinking water from 40 days of age, respectively. When the rats were 89 days old their brains were removed and stained by a modified Golgi method and blood samples were collected in order to measure T4 serum levels. Neurons were selected and drawn using a camera lucida. Our results show that methimazole administration reduces the dendritic branching of the apical shafts of CA3 and CA1 pyramidal neurons mainly by increasing the distance to the first branch point in both types of neurons, and reducing branch points in the radius of 50 microm from the soma in CA1 neurons. Nevertheless, it was observed an increase of apical spine density in CA3 neurons from this group. Thyroxine reduces apical and basal tree of CA3 pyramidal neurons increasing the distance to the first branch point, reducing branch points in the radius of 50 microm from the soma and increases their apical and basal spine density. In CA1 field, thyroxine reduces the number of basal branch points. Both treatments seems to provoke alterations in the same direction reducing the dendritic branching and increasing spine density, although no significances appeared in some of the parameters analyzed. The effects are more evident in thyroxine than methimazole group; and in CA3 neurons than in CA1 neurons. In discussion it is pointed that the increase of spine density could be a mechanism to compensate the functionality reduction that can be provoke by the treatment effect on dendritic branching.

Effects of chronic dysthyroidism on activity and exploration.

The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of thyroid function on the activity and exploratory behaviour of male Wistar rats. Dysthyroidism was induced by adding drugs to their drinking water from the ninth day of gestation. This method is not as stressful as daily thyroxine injections or thyroidectomy, and therefore did not affect the analysed behavioural patterns. After weaning, the drugs were administered to the young rats until the end of the experiment. Activity and exploration were measured using the Boissier test, a light-darkness test and an open-field test when they were 77 days old. In order to verify that the animals' motor capacity had not been impaired, a psychomotor battery was used. Chronic hyperthyroidism produced a significant increase in activity, but did not affect exploration. On the other hand, hypothyroidism did not affect activity, but did increase exploration. This increase in exploration was observed in activity-independent behavioural parameters, such as head dipping and glancing.

Effects of dysthyroidism in plus maze and social interaction tests.

The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of thyroid hormones on the anxiety of male Wistar rats. Dysthyroidism was induced by adding 20 mg of methimazole (100 ml) to their drinking water or by adding 0.3 mg of L-thyroxine (100 ml) to their drinking water from the ninth day of gestation. After weaning, the drugs were administered to young rats until the end of the experiment. Anxious behavior was measured using the elevated plus maze and social interaction tests when the animals were 85 days old. Chronic methimazole administration produced a significant anxiolytic pattern in both tests. In the plus maze test, the methimazole-treated animals entered and remained more time in the open arms than the control animals. In the social interaction test, they spent more time in bodily contact, and did this more frequently than those in the control group did. Results from this experiment suggest that chronic thyroid deficiency produces an anxiolytic-like effect in both tests.