Propensión al riesgo en deportistas de Córdoba, Argentina / Risk propensity in athletes from Córdoba, Argentina

Resumen La propensión al riesgo es una decisión acerca de involucrarse o evitar los riesgos; tiene un aspecto general y otro específico. La premisa es que debe abarcar varios dominios y evaluarse temporalmente, ya que las inconsistencias en las aproximaciones al riesgo pueden deberse al nivel de propensión, las demandas de la situación, sexo, edad y experiencia pasada. El objetivo del estudio fue adaptar a deportistas cordobeses el índice de toma de riesgos; una medida simple y corta con formato de respuesta Likert donde las personas deben puntuar su frecuencia de asunción de riesgos en el presente y pasado en seis dominios distintos y, además, realizar análisis de diferencias entre grupos en función de variables socio-demográficas y deportivas, así como análisis de correlación entre las variables propensión al riesgo y ocurrencia de lesiones deportivas. Primero, el índice de toma de riesgos es una escala válida y consistente para evaluar propensión al riesgo en deportistas; el análisis factorial confirmatorio indicó que el ajuste de los datos al modelo teórico planteado es satisfactorio. La confiabilidad mostró índices elevados. Segundo, se hallaron diferencias en la propensión al riesgo en función del sexo, la edad y la modalidad deportiva, así como un efecto de interacción entre estas variables. Tercero, se encontraron correlaciones bajas y positivas entre propensión y ocurrencia de lesiones deportivas. Se sugiere, a futuro, evaluar diferencias entre grupos contemplando el tipo de deporte, analizar esta variable en deportes de riesgo y profundizar el estudio de esta variable en población deportiva.

Abstract Risk propensity is a decision which entails either becoming involved in - or avoiding risks. Risk propensity has a general and specific aspect. The premise is that risk propensity has to encompass several domains and a temporal dimension. The level of propensity, situational demand, gender, age and past experience produce inconsistency in risk approaches. An instrumental study was developed to adapt the Risk Taking Index (RTI) in athletes from Córdoba, Argentina. The RTI is a simple and short measure with a Likert response format where people must rate their risk propensity in the present and past in six domains. In addition, differences between groups were performed, based on socio-demographic and sports variables, as well as correlation analysis between risk propensity and sports injuries occurrence. First, it was found that the RTI is a valid and consistent scale for assessing risk propensity in athletes. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the fit of the data to the theoretical model is satisfactory and reliability analysis showed high rates. Secondly, differences in risk propensity were found based on sex, age, and sports modality, as well as an interaction effect between these variables. Thirdly, small and positive associations were found between risk propensity and occurrence of both current and past sports injuries. In the future, it is suggested to evaluate differences between groups contemplating the type of sport, analizing risk in risky sports and delving into the study of this variable in the sports population.

Development and validation of an Argentine set of facial expressions of emotion.

Pictures of facial expressions of emotion are used in a wide range of experiments. The last decade has seen an increase in the number of studies presenting local sets of emotion stimuli. However, only a few existing sets contain pictures of Latin Americans, despite the growing attention emotion research is receiving in this region. Here we present the development and validation of the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Expresiones de Emociones Faciales (UNCEEF), a Facial Action Coding System (FACS)-verified set of pictures of Argentineans expressing the six basic emotions, plus neutral expressions. FACS scores, recognition rates, Hu scores, and discrimination indices are reported. Evidence of convergent validity was obtained using the Pictures of Facial Affect in an Argentine sample. However, recognition accuracy was greater for UNCEEF. The importance of local sets of emotion pictures is discussed.

Effects of induction of positive and negative emotional states on academic self-efficacy beliefs in college students / Los efectos de la inducción de estados emocionales positivos y negativos sobre las creencias de autoeficacia académica de estudiantes universitarios

Studies have examined the relationship between positive and negative emotions with self-efficacy, but we consider that some theoretical and methodological aspects are missing. In this study, the difficulties in participants’ emotional regulation were included as a co-variable. We analyzed factors undergoing the absence of affective congruity. An experimental design taking the type of induced emotions (positive vs. negative) as independent variable was carried out. The manipulation of this variable was effected with the combined exhibition of movie/music. The results suggest that the induction of positive and negative mood states increases and decreases respectively, the levels of self-efficacy. This was only observed in participants in a condition of intense or raised mood and in atypical or slightly accurate items of character. We concluded that the induction of positive and negative mood states increases and decreases respectively the levels of academic self-efficacy in college students and that the difficulty in the emotional regulation modulates the effect of inductions of mood states

Numerosos estudios han examinado la relación entre emociones positivas y negativas y autoeficacia, aunque consideramos que algunos aspectos teóricos y metodológicos no son contemplados. En este estudio se incluyen como covariables las dificultades en la regulación emocional de los participantes. Así, analizamos algunos factores que pueden producir la ausencia de congruencia afectiva. Se llevó a cabo un diseño experimental que considera como una variable independiente el tipo de emoción inducida (positiva vs negativa). La manipulación de esta variable se efectuó a través de la exposición combinada de película/música. Los resultados sugieren que la inducción de estados de ánimo positivos y negativos aumentan y disminuyen, respectivamente, los niveles de autoeficacia. Esto solo fue observado en participantes que demostraron una condición de ánimo intenso o aumentado y en aquellos ítems atípicos o poco seguros. Concluimos que la inducción de estados de ánimo positivos y negativos aumenta y disminuye, respectivamente, los niveles de autoeficacia académica en estudiantes universitarios. La dificultad en la regulación emocional modula el efecto de la inducción del estado de ánimo

Effect of sex differences and gonadal hormones on kainic acid-induced neurodegeneration in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of the rat.

Previously we have demonstrated that medial nucleus of the amygdala, which is part of medial extended amygdala, is damaged by status epilepticus induced by kainic acid (KA) and this neurodegeneration was prevents by estrogen replacement. The medial bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BSTM) also belong to medial extended amygdala and it is uncertain whether the gonadal hormones are protective or not against this neurotoxicity in the BSTM. Here we show that a single i.p. injection of KA (9 mg/kg) induces neurodegeneration in the subnuclei of the BSTM of rats with different degrees of intensity in males and females. A differential neuroprotective effect of the gonadal hormones was also observed. In diestrous rats, massive neuronal death similar to that in the ovariectomized females was detected. BSTM neurons of proestrous rats, like the ovariectomized treated with estrogen, were significantly less affected by the KA. Testosterone produced a mild neuroprotective action, but dihydrotestosterone did not protect. A similar pattern was observed in all male groups. This results show that estrogen protects BSTM neurons from KA neurotoxicity and androgens are partially neuroprotective; and probably this effect of androgens is due to conversion to estrogen.

Detection of conspecific pheromones elicits fos expression in GABA and calcium-binding cells of the rat vomeronasal system–medial extended amygdala

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The olfactory accessory system is specialized in the detection of pheromones, being an afferent to medial extended amygdala. In spite of the fact that numerous phenotypes are found in these structures, in the current literature, there are no detailed descriptions about the phenotype of neurons in the vomeronasal system–medial extended amygdale after their activation by pheromonal stimuli. Using immunohistochemistry for fos and dual immunohistochemistry for fos and phenotypes, here we show that females have a greater number of activated neurons by the pheromonal stimulus. Likewise, a great colocalization of fos with GABA, calretinin, and calbindin was observed in the vomeronasal system–medial extended amygdala. These data suggest that in amygdaloid areas, neuronal excitability is controlled by GABAergic neurons that contain different calcium-binding proteins, indicating the important role of inhibitory control on the incoming sensory pheromonal and olfactory inputs controlled and processed by the vomeronasal system (AU)

Detection of conspecific pheromones elicits fos expression in GABA and calcium-binding cells of the rat vomeronasal system-medial extended amygdala.

The olfactory accessory system is specialized in the detection of pheromones, being an afferent to medial extended amygdala. In spite of the fact that numerous phenotypes are found in these structures, in the current literature, there are no detailed descriptions about the phenotype of neurons in the vomeronasal system-medial extended amygdala after their activation by pheromonal stimuli. Using immunohistochemistry for fos and dual immunohistochemistry for fos and phenotypes, here we show that females have a greater number of activated neurons by the pheromonal stimulus. Likewise, a great colocalization of fos with GABA, calretinin, and calbindin was observed in the vomeronasal system-medial extended amygdala. These data suggest that in amygdaloid areas, neuronal excitability is controlled by GABAergic neurons that contain different calcium-binding proteins, indicating the important role of inhibitory control on the incoming sensory pheromonal and olfactory inputs controlled and processed by the vomeronasal system.