[Nutritional characteristics and lifestyle in university students]. / Características nutricionales y estilo de vida en universitarios.

Obesity and the lifestyle characteristic of our society lead young people to conditions of potential cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to assess the anthropometrical situation and the lifestyle in a sample of university students. A full anthropometrical evaluation was undertaken, including bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA), in 111 students in the last year of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, as well as a lifestyle questionnaire (physical activity, alcohol and cigarette consumption). A sexual dimorphism was found in weight distribution according to the classification proposed by SEEDO: 6.4% of women presented a weight lower than the health recommendations (there no men in this group) whereas 27.8% of men and 6.5% of women were in the overweight range. 15.3% of the cases had excessive waist circumference. Fat mass by BIA was higher among women. On the other hand, 67% of university students stated to perform regular physical activity, 16.7% stated being cigarette smokers, and 55.6% stated to consume high-grade alcohol. To conclude, we studied a sample population of young and healthy subjects with, however, a significant percentage of women with body weight lower than the healthy standards, overweighed people, and smokers usually taking high-grade alcohol. These data should elicit an alert of the potential cardiovascular risk in the university population if action is not taken. This population should be included in the health promotion plans.

[The amygdaloid complex and its implication in psychiatric disorders]. / El complejo amigdalino humano y su implicación en los trastornos psiquiátricos.

The amygdaloid complex is a group of nuclei located deep in the temporal lobe and closely involved in the limbic system. Its alteration has been associated with some psychiatric processes. In this article, an overall review was made of the published data concerning the amygdaloid complex in the most common psychiatric diseases. A damaged amygdaloid complex is commonly observed, that in the Klüver-Bucy syndrome presents the fullest expression. A decrease in the amygdaloid complex of schizophrenic patients has been observed. This finding was found bilaterally in men whereas in women it was only located in one hemisphere. This finding suggests that morphometric alterations in the amygdaloid complex are more diffuse and more severe in men with schizophrenia. This subcortical complex is larger in children with autism, but not in adolescents, in whom the amygdaloid complex volume matches the normal volume of an adolescent or an adult without this pathology. However, neuroanatomical studies have shown microscopic alterations. In patients with mood disorders, it has been reported that the left amygdaloid complex presents a lesser volume. Moreover, in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer disease a slight amygdaloid atrophia was found related to the healthy controls. It can be concluded that the amygdaloid complex is involved in several psychiatric processes, due to structural or functional damage. However, more studies are still needed in order to delimitate the real influence of the amygdaloid complex in these disorders.

El complejo amigdalino humano y su implicación en los trastornos psiquiátricos / The amygdaloid complex and its implication in psychiatric disorders

El complejo amigdalino es un conjunto de núcleos que se localizan en la profundidad del lóbulo temporal, y que guardan estrecha relación con el sistema límbico. Su alteración se ha asociado a un gran número de procesos psiquiátricos. En este artículo se pretende hacer una revisión de lo publicado en referencia a la implicación amigdalina en trastornos psiquiátricos comunes. En ellos se observa un complejo amigdalino alterado, siendo su máxima expresión el síndrome de Klüver-Bucy. En pacientes esquizofrénicos se ha observado una reducción del volumen amigdalino, bilateral en varones y unilateral en mujeres. Esto sugiere que las alteraciones morfométricas del complejo amigdalino están más extendidas en varones esquizofrénicos. El complejo amigdalino está aumentado en niños autistas, no siendo así en adolescentes, donde se iguala al volumen de cualquier adolescente o adulto sano. Sin embargo, estudios neuroanatómicos han demostrado patología microscópica. En los pacientes con trastornos en el estado de ánimo, se observa una cierta tendencia a presentar un complejo amigdalino izquierdo de menor volumen. El volumen amigdalino de los grupos con demencia frontotemporal y enfermedad de Alzheimer era diferente a los del grupo de control, y se ha visto una predisposición al incremento de la atrofia amigdalina. Se puede afirmar que el complejo amigdalino está implicado en numerosos procesos psiquiátricos, tanto por daño estructural de dicho complejo como por daño funcional. Sin embargo, hacen falta más estudios para delimitar la influencia real del complejo amigdalino en dichos trastornos

The amygdaloid complex is a group of nuclei located deep in the temporal lobe and closely involved in the limbic system. Its alteration has been associated with some psychiatric processes. In this article, an overall review was made of the published data concerning the amygdaloid complex in the most common psychiatric diseases. A damaged amygdaloid complex is commonly observed, that in the Klüver-Bucy syndrome presents the fullest expression. A decrease in the amygdaloid complex of schizophrenic patients has been observed. This finding was found bilaterally in men whereas in women it was only located in one hemisphere. This finding suggests that morphometric alterations in the amygdaloid complex are more diffuse and more severe in men with schizophrenia. This subcortical complex is larger in children with autism, but not in adolescents, in whom the amygdaloid complex volume matches the normal volume of an adolescent or an adult without this pathology. However, neuroanatomical studies have shown microscopic alterations. In patients with mood disorders, it has been reported that the left amygdaloid complex presents a lesser volume. Moreover, in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer disease a slight amygdaloid atrophia was found related to the healthy controls. It can be concluded that the amygdaloid complex is involved in several psychiatric processes, due to structural or functional damage. However, more studies are still needed in order to delimitate the real influence of the amygdaloid complex in these disorders