Different tools have been used to facilitate the teaching and learning process in different areas of knowledge. Practical activities represent a form of teaching in which students not only listen to theoretical concepts but are also able to link theory and practice, and their importance in the biological sciences is notable. Sometimes, however, there is neither the time nor the resources to promote laboratory practices in physiology classes. In this sense, home-based practical activities may be an interesting alternative. Here, different approaches of practical activities were used and students' perceptions of the contributions of home-based practical activities (HBPA) and laboratory-based practical activities (LBPA) for physiology learning were collected. After each approach, the students evaluated the activities through an anonymous questionnaire. A total of 49 students completed the questionnaires, and the results demonstrate that both HBPA and LBPA were considered important contributors to physiology learning but that this contribution was more significant in the case of LBPA (χ = 4.356, P = 0.037).
It is well recognized that stress or glucocorticoids hormones treatment can modulate memory performance in both directions, either impairing or enhancing it. Despite the high number of studies aiming at explaining the effects of glucocorticoids on memory, this has not yet been completely elucidated. Here, we demonstrate that a low daily dose of methylprednisolone (MP, 5mg/kg, i.p.) administered for 10-days favors aversive memory persistence in adult rats, without any effect on the exploring behavior, locomotor activity, anxiety levels and pain perception. Enhanced performance on the inhibitory avoidance task was correlated with long-term potentiation (LTP), a phenomenon that was strengthen in hippocampal slices of rats injected with MP (5mg/kg) during 10days. Additionally, in vitro incubation with MP (30-300µM) concentration-dependently increased intracellular [Ca] in cultured hippocampal neurons depolarized by KCl (35mM). In conclusion, a low daily dose of MP for 10days may promote aversive memory persistence in rats.
OBJETIVO: Neste estudo buscou-se verificar a influência da participação em atividades de grupos de terceira idade (GTI), envolvendo a prática de exercícios físicos e atividades cognitivas e recreativas, sobre a função cognitiva e aspectos emocionais, como ansiedade e depressão, de idosos diabéticos e não diabéticos. MÉTODOS: Participaram deste estudo descritivo transversal 158 idosos, subdivididos em quatro grupos: (1) idosos não participantes de GTI e não diabéticos; (2) idosos não participantes de GTI e diabéticos; (3) idosos participantes de GTI e não diabéticos; e (4) idosos participantes de GTI e diabéticos. Todos os idosos foram submetidos a um protocolo de avaliação cognitiva (Miniexame do Estado Mental-MEEM, Teste de Recordação Imediata e Tardia Livre de Palavras - RIP e RTP, respectivamente, e Teste de Reconhecimento de Faces Famosas-FF), ansiedade (IDATE) e depressão (Escala de Depressão Geriátrica-EGD). Para comparação entre os grupos, utilizou-se ANOVA de uma via para os dados paramétricos e teste de Kruskal-Wallis para os não paramétricos. RESULTADOS: Os idosos participantes do estudo tinham idade média de 72,63±6,84 anos (75% mulheres e 25% homens). Os resultados demonstraram que os idosos do grupo 2 (diabéticos e não participantes de GTI) apresentaram menores escores cognitivos do que os do grupo 3 (não diabéticos e participantes de GTI) (p=0,012 no MEEM; p=0,028 na RIP; p=0,011 na EGD). CONCLUSÃO: Pode-se afirmar que a associação da diabetes mellitus com um estilo de vida menos ativo, sem a prática de exercícios físicos e atividades recreativas e cognitivas, possivelmente representa um fator de risco para a aceleração das perdas cognitivas que acompanham o processo de envelhecimento.
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