The relationship between cognition and functioning in Bipolar Disorder: An investigation using functional imaging during working memory performance.

The psychosocial functioning of individuals suffering from bipolar disorder (BD) has a significant impact on prognosis and quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess brain functional correlates of psychosocial functioning in BD individuals during the performance of a working memory task. Sixty-two subjects (31 euthymic BD individuals and 31 matched healthy controls) underwent structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning while performing the 1- and 2-back versions of the n-back task (1-back and 2-back). The Functional Assessment Short Test (FAST) and its subdomains were used to assess functioning. Whole brain analysis revealed only overall activation differences between BD patients and healthy controls, but the patients showed failure of de-activation in the medial frontal cortex. Six clusters of significant inverse correlation with the FAST scores were found in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the superior parietal cortex, and temporo-occipital regions bilaterally, and in the left inferior frontal cortex. Cognitive and occupational functioning were the subdomains most significantly associated with brain activation in these clusters. The results suggest that poor psychosocial functioning in BD individuals is associated with hypoactivation in a range of cortical regions, including the fronto-parietal working memory network and inferior temporo-occipital regions.

Morphoquantitative analysis of the intraepithelial neoplasic uterine cells by computer image system / Análisis morfocuantitativo de las células neoplásicas intraepiteliales uterinas por sistema computarizado

The purpose of the present research was to detect the DNA variations by Feulgen stained chromatin and the packing degree of the cervical chromatin in the clinical cases of human uterine carcinomas. Scanning microphotometry was carried out on slides prepared from block Feulgen-stained. Accurate control procedures were performed using normal human cell nuclei. The cervical cells was morphometric studied using the Image Lab System for citologic classification. The overall diagnostic accuracy for neoplasia type I (CIN I) and type II (CIN II), demonstrated by stain interpetration values of a sensitive detection of DNA neuroploidy and a significant difference between the two groups in scanning static cytophotometry.

La investigación tuvo como objetivo detectar las posibles variaciones del DNA en el núcleo de las células marcadas por la reacción histoquímica de Feulgen en individuos con diagnóstico de neoplasias intraepiteliales de grados I y II del cuello uterino. La microcitometría fue realizada en láminas provenientes de hospitales universitarios y estatales, sometidas a reacción de Feulgen y analizadas en el sistema de imagen (Image Lab) para cuantificación. Los resultados encontrados entre las células neoplásicas de grado I (NIC I) y del grado II (NIC II) demostraron que el método es sensible y eficiente en la cuantificación entre las diferentes clasificaciones, ayudando así en los diagnósticos de las lesiones del cuello uterino en su fase inicial.