Genetic analysis of activity, brain and behavioral associations in extended families with heavy genetic loading for bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Disturbed sleep and activity are prominent features of bipolar disorder type I (BP-I). However, the relationship of sleep and activity characteristics to brain structure and behavior in euthymic BP-I patients and their non-BP-I relatives is unknown. Additionally, underlying genetic relationships between these traits have not been investigated. METHODS: Relationships between sleep and activity phenotypes, assessed using actigraphy, with structural neuroimaging (brain) and cognitive and temperament (behavior) phenotypes were investigated in 558 euthymic individuals from multi-generational pedigrees including at least one member with BP-I. Genetic correlations between actigraphy-brain and actigraphy-behavior associations were assessed, and bivariate linkage analysis was conducted for trait pairs with evidence of shared genetic influences. RESULTS: More physical activity and longer awake time were significantly associated with increased brain volumes and cortical thickness, better performance on neurocognitive measures of long-term memory and executive function, and less extreme scores on measures of temperament (impulsivity, cyclothymia). These associations did not differ between BP-I patients and their non-BP-I relatives. For nine activity-brain or activity-behavior pairs there was evidence for shared genetic influence (genetic correlations); of these pairs, a suggestive bivariate quantitative trait locus on chromosome 7 for wake duration and verbal working memory was identified. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that increased physical activity and more adequate sleep are associated with increased brain size, better cognitive function and more stable temperament in BP-I patients and their non-BP-I relatives. Additionally, we found evidence for pleiotropy of several actigraphy-behavior and actigraphy-brain phenotypes, suggesting a shared genetic basis for these traits.

Comunicación y medios catárticos en la consulta odontológica / Communication and cathartic means in the dental office

Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de diseño no experimental con el propósito de disminuir los comportamientos agresivos y ansiosos en la consulta odontopediátrica. Para esto, se emplearon las actividades de dibujo e identificación del agresor para canalizar las manifestaciones de traumas reprimeidos (catarsis). Además, se diseñó un mural según las teorías del color, así como figuras, formas y símbolos universales para establecer una comunicación no verbal con el paciente. Se analizó una muestra de 50 niños entre 4 y 10 años de edad, procedentes de las clínicas de Pregrado de Odontología de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. De esta muestra, 25 niños pertenecieron al grupo A (control) y 25 al grupo B (observación). El grupo A no realizó ninguna actividad, mientras que el grupo B tuvo contacto con el mural y realizó actividades de juego y dibujo. En el grupo B, la ansiedad y agresividad disminuyeron más que en el grupo A