Developmental deficits and staging of dynamics of age associated Alzheimer’s disease neurodegeneration and neuronal loss in subjects with Down syndrome

The increased life expectancy of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) is associated with increased prevalence of trisomy 21–linked early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD) and dementia. The aims of this study of 14 brain regions including the entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, basal ganglia, and cerebellum in 33 adults with DS 26–72 years of age were to identify the magnitude of brain region–specific developmental neuronal deficits contributing to intellectual deficits, to apply this baseline to identification of the topography and magnitude of neurodegeneration and neuronal and volume losses caused by EOAD, and to establish age-based staging of the pattern of genetically driven neuropathology in DS. Both DS subject age and stage of dementia, themselves very strongly correlated, were strong predictors of an AD-associated decrease of the number of neurons, considered a major contributor to dementia. The DS cohort was subclassified by age as pre-AD stage, with 26–41-year-old subjects with a full spectrum of developmental deficit but with very limited incipient AD pathology, and 43–49, 51–59, and 61–72-year-old groups with predominant prevalence of mild, moderately severe, and severe dementia respectively. This multiregional study revealed a 28.1% developmental neuronal deficit in DS subjects 26–41 years of age and 11.9% AD-associated neuronal loss in DS subjects 43–49 years of age; a 28.0% maximum neuronal loss at 51–59 years of age; and a 11.0% minimum neuronal loss at 61–72 years of age. A total developmental neuronal deficit of 40.8 million neurons and AD-associated neuronal loss of 41.6 million neurons reflect a comparable magnitude of developmental neuronal deficit contributing to intellectual deficits, and AD-associated neuronal loss contributing to dementia. This highly predictable pattern of pathology indicates that successful treatment of DS subjects in the fourth decade of life may prevent AD pathology and functional decline.

Analysis of penitentiary, social and legal operators’ perceptions of prison inmates with intellectual disabilities

Objective: To analyze the different perceptions of professionals about the problem of intellectual disability in the prison setting. Material and method: Exploratory-descriptive type. In-depth interviews with legal, social and prison operators of Centro Penitenciario de Zuera (Zaragoza). Results: The narratives of the interviewed subjects point to the aggravating circumstances that a closed social environment can entail for inmates with intellectual disabilities. Communications in the prison administration are written in a technical language that is not understandable for inmates with intellectual deficits. Discusion: There is a need to give more visibility to the case of inmates with intellectual disabilities. Procedures also need to be applied that favour greater cognitive accessibility for this profile of inmates, along with the promotion of awareness raising and training for professionals to enable them to deal with this issue.

Effects of Mutations in TSC Genes on Neurodevelopment and Synaptic Transmission

Mutations in TSC1 or TSC2 genes are linked to alterations in neuronal function which ultimately lead to the development of a complex neurological phenotype. Here we review current research on the effects that reduction in TSC1 or TSC2 can produce on the developing neural network. A crucial feature of the disease pathophysiology appears to be an early deviation from typical neurodevelopment, in the form of structural abnormalities. Epileptic seizures are one of the primary early manifestation of the disease in the CNS, followed by intellectual deficits and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Research using mouse models suggests that morphological brain alterations might arise from the interaction of different cellular types, and hyperexcitability in the early postnatal period might be transient. Moreover, the increased excitation-to-inhibition ratio might represent a transient compensatory adjustment to stabilize the developing network rather than a primary factor for the development of ASD symptoms. The inhomogeneous results suggest region-specificity as well as an evolving picture of functional alterations along development. Furthermore, ASD symptoms and epilepsy might originate from different but potentially overlapping mechanisms, which can explain recent observations obtained in patients. Potential treatment is determined not only by the type of medicament, but also by the time point of treatment.

Executive Function Improves Following Acute Exercise in Adults with Down Syndrome

The influence of exercise on brain function is an important topic, especially in persons with intellectual deficits. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of an acute bout of resistance training (RT) compared to assisted cycle therapy (ACT) and no training (NT) in adults with DS on cognitive function. Fourteen participants attended four sessions: a baseline assessment, an assisted cycling therapy (ACT) session, a resistance training (RT) session, and a session of no training (NT). In the RT session, the leg press, chest press, seated row, leg curl, shoulder press, and latissimus pulldown were performed. The ACT session consisted of 30 min of cycling and in NT session consisted of 20 min of board games. Inhibition was measured by the Erikson flanker task and cognitive planning was measured by the Tower of London test and both were administered prior to (pretest) and after each intervention (posttest). Our results showed that inhibition time improved more following RT and ACT than NT. There was also a significant difference between ACT and NT. For cognitive planning, improvements were seen following ACT and NT. In conclusion, an acute session of ACT demonstrated a significant trend towards improvements in executive functions in adults with DS which we interpreted using a model of neural changes and the cognitive stimulation hypothesis.

Maintaining Translational Relevance in Animal Models of Manganese Neurotoxicity

ABSTRACT Manganese is an essential metal, but elevated brain Mn concentrations produce a parkinsonian-like movement disorder in adults and fine motor, attentional, cognitive, and intellectual deficits in children. Human Mn neurotoxicity occurs owing to elevated exposure from occupational or environmental sources, defective excretion (e.g., due to cirrhosis), or loss-of-function mutations in the Mn transporters solute carrier family 30 member 10 or solute carrier family 39 member 14. Animal models are essential to study Mn neurotoxicity, but in order to be translationally relevant, such models should utilize environmentally relevant Mn exposure regimens that reproduce changes in brain Mn concentrations and neurological function evident in human patients. Here, we provide guidelines for Mn exposure in mice, rats, nematodes, and zebrafish so that brain Mn concentrations and neurobehavioral sequelae remain directly relatable to the human phenotype.

Characteristics of Personal Immaturity in Female Child Committing Socially Dangerous Acts

The article deals with the manifestations of personal immaturity in female juvenile offenders. The psychological conclusions of girls committing socially dangerous acts and underwent a comprehensive forensic psychological and psychiatric examination were analysed. The results of clinical diagnostics and expert assessment of the ability of minors to regulate arbitrarily their own activities are presented. The article describes the features of signs in girls with illegal behavior, typical for personal immaturity, and presents a comparison with a sample of male juvenile offenders. It was found that girls ' mental development delays are mainly partial in nature, and manifestations of personal immaturity are generally less pronounced compared to boys. In the study of the intellectual sphere, it was noted that girls ' intellectual deficits are less pronounced, observed mainly in combination with psychopathology of organic genesis.

why piaget does not philosophize? critical discussion of gareth b. mathews with the piagetan concept of cognitive development

TThis article analyzes the critique of the Piagetan theory of intellectual development made by American philosopher Gareth B. Matthews (1929-2011). Matthews analyzes Piaget's ideas from the perspective of the meaning and possibility of philosophizing among children. His use of Piaget is particularly relevant today because the theory of cognitive development has shaped modern education and contributes to the preservation of skepticism about children's philosophy. The article reconstructs and interprets Matthews' arguments, which consistently and systematically show that Piaget misunderstood children's philosophy. By “child’s philosophizing,” Matthews refers to children's tendency to ask philosophically significant questions, their ability to problematize experience, their specific attitude toward the world, and their ability to sense the problems that great philosophers have been dealing with for centuries. Piaget interpreted all these observable features of children's thinking as intellectual deficits; Matthews argues against this interpretation. The discussion focuses on the problem of determining the criterion of intellectual maturity, the importance of creativity and fantasy in thinking, the development of concepts and language skills, and the related differences between children and adults' language use. This analysis of Matthews’ critique of the Piagetian theory of cognitive development concludes that child psychology needs to be more open to this aspect of children's thought and that psychologists and philosophers must seek to better understand the child's philosophizing.

Obraz głupca w rosyjskim socjolekcie młodzieżowym

Teenage sociolect very rapidly reacts to everything that is happening around us, and, consequently, gives an up-to-date view on the way of perceiving the world by a specific group of people using particular terminology. This paper is an attempt to briefly describe the development of teenage sociolect, which is a highly interesting language phenomenon ,and to systemize the sources of lexical units, which describe the person with intellectual deficits, as well as to depict the process of forming these units within lexical semantics.

Forming learning skills of the child with autism spectrum disorder, organic damage of the central nervous system and intellectual deficits

One of the most difficult stages of special education services for the child with autism spectrum disorder is establishing contact. When this problem is solved, a skilled educator would be able to reveal potential abilities and see a special interest (even maybe of a pathologic nature) even in a child with intellectual deficits. These interests and abilities are the basis of the further work on the child's development. This article describes the prolonged educational work during the 1970s on the preparation for school of a girl diagnosed with autism, organic damage of the central nervous system, diminished intellect, heightened aggression and impulsive be­havior. The article provides detailed description of the techniques used by the special educator for the problem solving, as well as general commentary for the concrete situations of the sessions with the child, the results of the work on developing learning skills and raising a child.

CREATING A TRADITIONAL ORCHESTRA FOR THE NEEDS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

The creation and teaching of a musical ensemble constitutes a complex process. The process becomes all the more complex when it entails the needs of Special Education. The goal of the present study is to present the teaching of a traditional orchestra to individuals suffering from intellectual deficits. Our methodological framework is anchored on: (a) Applied Behavior Analysis (Miller, 1962; Krumboltz & Krumboltz, 1972; Gibbs & Luyben, 1985; Kazdin, 1984) with the help of technology (Makris, 2015); and (b) the analysis of the mathematical law governing musical pleasure (Makris, Mullet, 2003). More specifically, we will be analyzing the manner in which we can create and teach a traditional orchestra to mentally disabled individuals through the application of the model “visual stimulus” – “psychophysical reaction”. The gradual shaping of behavior entails progressive reinforcement and not anticipation of perfection, the motive of the mentally disabled individuals to participate and be included. The results presented in the graphs confirm in practice the success of the present endeavor.