An fMRI study of inhibitory control and the effects of exposure to violence in Latin-American early adolescents: alterations in frontoparietal activation and performance.

We used functional magnetic resonance to investigate the effects of exposure to violence on early adolescent brain function in an inhibitory control task. We investigated the association among scores on self-reported exposure to violence, performance and brain activation. Thirty-seven early adolescents (ages 10-14) from a Latin-American urban region participated in the study. Results showed that recent and chronic exposure to violence was associated with less activation of a network of frontal regions, including the anterior cingulate gyrus and the superior frontal cortex; recent exposure to violence was also associated with less activation of the superior parietal lobe. Results also showed that less activation correlated with more prominent deterioration in the performance in the inhibitory control task (increased latency with time). The findings suggest that early adolescence exposure to violence is associated with differences in activation of a neural network commonly associated with executive function and control. The results underscore the urgency of addressing exposure to violence in adolescence, a period of high susceptibility to the environment, and are discussed in the light of the evidence of the effects of violence on adolescent brain function. Executive function training may be a candidate for targeted cognitive interventions aimed at mitigating these effects.

Decoupling of the Occipitotemporal Cortex and the Brain's Default-Mode Network in Dyslexia and a Role for the Cingulate Cortex in Good Readers: A Brain Imaging Study of Brazilian Children.

The goal of the present study was to investigate intrinsic and reading-related brain function associated with dyslexia and typical readers in monolingual Brazilian children. Two fMRI studies were carried out: a resting-state and a word-reading study. The results show (a) underconnectivity between the occipitotemporal region (visual word form area) and the brain's default-mode network in dyslexic readers and (b) more activation of the anterior cingulate cortex for typical readers relative to dyslexic readers. The findings provide evidence for brain connectivity and function differences in an underrepresented population in fMRI studies of dyslexia; the results suggest atypical intrinsic function, and differences in directed attention processes in dyslexia.

Abordagens terapêuticas na cessação do tabagismo / Therapeutic approaches in smoking cessation

Apesar das políticas governamentais investirem na prevenção e em estratégias de combate ao fumo, o tabagismo segue sendo considerada uma pandemia pela Organização Mundial da Saúde. Nesse contexto é importante que todo profissional de saúde conheça abordagens terapêuticas disponíveis, já que os desfechos da doença são desfavoráveis.

Despite government policies invest in the prevention and combat strategies to smoking, it is still considered pandemic by the World Health Organization. In this context it is important that all health care professionals has notions of the therapeutic approaches available, since the outcomes of the disease are extremely unfavorable.

Manejo da dor vulvar: vulvodínia / Management of vulvar pain: vulvodynia

Vulvodínia é a dor crônica vulvar, geralmente em queimação, que não pode ser explicada por outras causas orgânicas, prejudicando a qualidade de vida da mulher. Sua etiologia é multifatorial e o diagnóstico é clínico, de exclusão. O tratamento é multidisciplinar, empregando abordagem farmacológica, comportamental, fisioterápica e, excepcionalmente, cirúrgica.

Vulvodynya is the cronic vulvar pain, generally described as burning, that is not explained by other organic causes, impacting on woman's quality of life. Cause is considered to be multifactorial and the diagnosis is clinical. Treatment is multidisciplinar, therapies include self-management and nonpharmacologic, pharmacologic, and surgical treatment.