ABSTRACT
The concept of cognitive reserve -CR- postulates two forms that prevent cognitive impairment: neural reserve and neural compensation. Both have been primarily linked to the protective role played by genetic factors, educational level, occupation or socioeconomic status. Though it is true that it has been related to executive functions, so far very little attention has been paid to its predictive capacity with other variables more related to social cognition and psychosocial adaptation. Considering socially vulnerable contexts with reduced cultural capital and educational levels, the neural reserve function would be the most relevant and best predictor of aspects related to social cognition and executive functions. We suggest that variables such as fluid and crystallized intelligence influence social cognition and executive functions. This study included a sample of 27 participants over 60 years old from varied contexts of social vulnerability. The procedure included data collection using various cognitive measures. Results show that elderly people with high intelligence-mainly fluid intelligence-have better executive functions, emotional recognition and theory of mind. These results focus on cognitive reserve and its importance because they show that elderly people in vulnerable contexts who strengthen these aspects protect themselves against the deterioration of cognitive skills. This study is the first preliminary research to present a relationship between cognitive reserve and social cognition factors in elderly subjects. Fluid intelligence functions as a highly related factor to protect the performance of executive functions, along with other social-cognitive factors relevant to facilitating the conditions of social adaptation.
ABSTRACT
Resumen Chile ha tenido un incremento sostenido de población inmigrante, pero poco se conoce sobre su impacto en el sistema escolar. Por medio de metodologías mixtas, se recolectó información acerca de las percepciones y prejuicios que estudiantes y profesores, de comunas de la Región Metropolitana de Chile, poseen respecto de la inmigración y la multiculturalidad. Este artículo caracteriza aspectos asociados al prejuicio existente hacia los inmigrantes en el sistema escolar, tanto a nivel explícito como implícito, corroborando la hipótesis de contacto propuesta por la psicología social, y brindando orientaciones tendientes a potenciar la inclusión de la diversidad cultural en el sistema educacional, tanto a nivel de contexto, de políticas como de prácticas pedagógicas.
Abstract Chile has had a steady increase in the immigrant population, but little is known about its impact on the school system. Through mixed methodologies, information was collected about the perceptions and prejudices that students and teachers, from the metropolitan district of Chile, possess regarding immigration and multiculturalism. This article characterizes aspects associated to the existing prejudice towards immigrants in the school system, both explicitly and implicitly, verifying the contact hypothesis proposed by social psychology; And providing guidance aimed at promoting the inclusion of cultural diversity in the educational system, both at the level of context, policies and pedagogical practices.
Subject(s)
Emigration and Immigration , Chile , Discrimination, PsychologicalABSTRACT
Chronic exposure to organophosphate pesticides is a worldwide public health concern associated with several psychiatric disorders and dementia. Most existing studies on the effects of pesticides only evaluate agricultural workers. Therefore, this study sought to establish if individuals indirectly exposed to pesticides, such as residents in agricultural areas, also suffer cognitive impairments. Neuropsychological evaluations were carried out on three groups (n=102): agricultural workers directly exposed to pesticides (n=32), individuals living in agricultural areas indirectly (i.e. environmentally) exposed to pesticides (n=32), and an unexposed control group (n=38). The assessed cognitive processes included memory, executive functions, attention, language praxis, and visuoconstruction. The direct exposure group performed significantly lower in executive function, verbal fluency, and visual and auditory memory tests than the indirect exposure group, which, in turn, performed worse than the unexposed group. Even after adjusting for age, gender, and educational level, both exposure groups showed higher rates of cognitive deficit than control individuals. In conclusion, both direct and indirect chronic exposure to pesticides affects cognitive functioning in adults and, consequently, actions should be taken to protect the health of not only agricultural workers, but also of residents in agricultural areas.
Subject(s)
Agricultural Workers' Diseases/chemically induced , Cognitive Dysfunction/chemically induced , Environmental Exposure/adverse effects , Pesticides/adverse effects , Adult , Chile , Cross-Sectional Studies , Farmers/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Neuropsychological Tests , Occupational Exposure/adverse effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: While fluid intelligence has proved to be central to executive functioning, logical reasoning and other frontal functions, the role of this ability in psychosocial adaptation has not been well characterized. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A random-probabilistic sample of 2370 secondary school students completed measures of fluid intelligence (Raven's Progressive Matrices, RPM) and several measures of psychological adaptation: bullying (Delaware Bullying Questionnaire), domestic abuse of adolescents (Conflict Tactic Scale), drug intake (ONUDD), self-esteem (Rosenberg's Self Esteem Scale) and the Perceived Mental Health Scale (Spanish adaptation). Lower fluid intelligence scores were associated with physical violence, both in the role of victim and victimizer. Drug intake, especially cannabis, cocaine and inhalants and lower self-esteem were also associated with lower fluid intelligence. Finally, scores on the perceived mental health assessment were better when fluid intelligence scores were higher. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results show evidence of a strong association between psychosocial adaptation and fluid intelligence, suggesting that the latter is not only central to executive functioning but also forms part of a more general capacity for adaptation to social contexts.
Subject(s)
Intelligence , Logic , Problem Solving , Social Adjustment , Adolescent , Bullying/psychology , Child , Child Abuse/psychology , Data Collection , Educational Status , Executive Function , Female , Humans , Intelligence/physiology , Male , Mental Health/statistics & numerical data , Parents , Perception , Problem Solving/physiology , Psychology , Self Concept , Substance-Related Disorders/psychologyABSTRACT
Objetivos: determinar la prevalencia de los agentes etiológicos de las infecciones vaginales en mujeresembarazadas y no embarazadas sintomáticas del centro de salud La Milagrosa, de Armenia (Quindío,Colombia), en un periodo comprendido entre noviembre y diciembre de 2007 y enero de 2008.Materiales y métodos: estudio de prevalencia. Se tomaron muestras en 230 pacientes que consultaron por síntomas asociados a infección vaginal en el centro de salud La Milagrosa. A todas las pacientes se les tomó muestras de flujo vaginal parala medición del pH, test de amina, identificación microscópica de células clave (células epiteliales que contienen bacterias, indicando la presencia deGardnerella), Trichomonas vaginalis, levaduras e hifas. Se hicieron cultivos en agar sangre, Sabouraud y Mac Conckey y se realizó la técnica de tinción de Gram. Los datos fueron analizados en el programaEpi Info versión 6.Resultados: la principal causa de infección fue cocobacilos gram variable tipo Gardnerella (39 por ciento), seguida de Candida spp (6,5 por ciento y Trichomonas vaginalis (5,7 por ciento). Conclusiones: en pacientes sintomáticas de flujo vaginal se encontró mayor prevalencia de vaginosis bacteriana.
Objective: determining the prevalence of infectious agents responsible for vaginal infections in symptomaticwomen at La Milagrosa primary health center in Armenia (Quindío, Colombia), between November and December 2007 and January 2008.Materials and methods: a cross sectional study was carried out on 230 patients who consulted for vaginal discharge and symptoms. A sample of vaginal discharge was obtained from each patient. Each sample was analysed for pH, amines test, identification of clue cells containing bacteria as an indicator for Gardnerella infection, Trichomonasvaginalis and the presence of hifae or yeasts. All samples were also cultured on blood agar, Sabouraud and Mac Conckey media and Gram stained. Thedata was organised on an Excel spreadsheet and analysed using Epi Info software (version 6).Results: Gardnerella had the highest infectious agent prevalence (39 percent), followed by Candida spp (6.5 percent)and Trichomonas vaginalis (5.7 percent).