Saturday, April 14, 2007
neurociencias
HomeIntroduction Task Process Evaluation Conclusion Teachers Credits
Introduction:
Neuroscience is a multidimensional field of study. It is a shared branch of physiology, biochemistry, psychology, and several other disciplines. As a scientific discipline, research in neuroscience follows strict guidelines including adherence to ethical standards and reasonable measures of research.
Throughout your formal studies, you have likely come upon countless lines of scholarly research, from the early characterizations of the macroscopic brain to more contemporary studies, such as discoveries of neuronal electrochemical activity. Your textbook serves a systematic review of such findings; however, it often disregards the creative ingenuity and initiative early and modern scientists possessed. Now, you are presented with an opportunity that will allow you to harvest your cleverness for scientific exploration in the form of a proposal. This project will not only demonstrate your mastery of the topics, but also how well you can synthesize, reason, and connect neuroscience to present day concerns, namely drug addiction and abuse.
As a relatively young and maturing science, many historically disconnected concepts have found their position in neuroscience, including drug addiction and abuse. Models of addiction have replaced historical notations of drug abuse as a matter of personal preference and sin.
In this WebQuest, you be required to develop a sound research proposal related to drug misuse (see Task). It is imperative to understand the basics of neurotransmission, brain imaging studies, and inter-level strategies in neuroscience to best formulate a worthy study. You will be provide brief annotations of fundamental information; however, given the nature of proposals, independent research and creativity are essential for completing the task at hand (see Process). Remember, you have the luxury of a rubric (see Evaluation); it is often helpful to consult this chart to maximize the number of points earned.
In summary, the WebQuest navigation is as follows:
http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/02/brain-blogging-sixth-edition/
http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/11/the-source-of-intuition/
http://ananga.squarespace.com/display/ShowJournal?moduleId=898970&categoryId=88721
http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/09/subconscious-mind-and-the-limbic-system/
http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/09/mystery-of-brain-function/
http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/11/the-source-of-intuition/
http://ananga.squarespace.com/display/ShowJournal?moduleId=898970&categoryId=88721
http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/09/subconscious-mind-and-the-limbic-system/
http://brainblogger.com/2007/04/09/mystery-of-brain-function/
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Positive Psychology Goes to CollegeBy Martin E. P. Seligman
Research on positive psychology provides compelling evidence that individuals can increase their happiness by identifying and engaging in their signature strengths. The more we use these strengths, the more steadily we advance into the Good Life, a life of immersion, absorption, and flow.
Using Our Signature Strengths
One of my signature strengths is a love of learning, and I am fortunate to be in a profession that allows me to use this strength on a daily--even hourly--basis. I've found that much of my learning goes on in the classroom--my classroom--as I interact with bright University of Pennsylvania undergraduate and graduate students. Since entering the field in 1964 I have had ample opportunities to indulge my love of learning by teaching in settings ranging from large university lecture halls to intimate seminar courses with only a handful of students. But this semester I tried something different.
I teamed up with two of my colleagues--Dr. John Dilulio and Dr. Christopher Peterson--to teach an introductory course on positive psychology. As far as we know, this is the first time that a 100-level course in positive psychology has been taught on a university campus. The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the science behind positive psychology. We divide the material into positive emotions, positive character strengths, and positive institutions. The interdisciplinary content of the course attracted a diverse group of students interested in psychology, political science, communication, business, and other fields. Four hundred students competed for the 120 available places.
Making Students Happier
There is another purpose of the course beyond imparting academic knowledge: to make the students happier, possessors of the Pleasant Life, The Good Life, and the Meaningful Life. We aim for this by assigning weekly Positive Psychology exercises as well as intellectual material in each of 12 sections of 10 students.
Positive Emotions, Character Strengths, and Institutions
During the first third of the course in the weekly two-hour lectures, I presented what is known about positive emotions. Christopher Peterson lectured during the second third of the course about positive character strengths. (Dr. Peterson is uniquely qualified to lead this endeavor because he is the first author of the Values in Action Classification of Strengths, a large-scale classification of strengths valued across cultures, UnDSM-1.) The final third of the course, which focused on positive institutions, is taught not by a psychology professor but rather by political science guru John Dilulio (former Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and with Judy Rodin my fellow Robert Fox Professor of Leadership at Penn).
Not The Typical Course
The weekly section meetings allowed me the privilege of witnessing firsthand the students' excitement as they realized they were not in a "typical" university course with an exclusive emphasis on book learning. Half of their homework consisted of exercises in which they apply the science to their own lives. For example, in one section of the course students practiced specific savoring techniques (designed to enhance positive emotion in the present) by lingering over a meal, relishing a recent success (rather than immediately moving on to their next task), and losing themselves in the melody of a favorite song.
During the part of the course devoted to the study of character strengths, students learn to identify their signature strengths and use these strengths to transform boring tasks and to enhance their leisure time. Toward the end of the course, homework exercises challenge students to articulate the people, activities, and beliefs that give them a stronger sense of meaning and purpose for their lives. Each student does exercises that involve giving the gift of time, forgiving a wrong, expressing gratitude to others, mentoring another student, and serving their community. These practical exercises require written observations and evaluations in order to encourage the students to give thoughtful, sustained attention to their positive experiences and of course there are no right or wrong answers.
Not the typical undergraduate survey course!
I Know Things Will Be Different Now
So what was the impact on the students? Did students leave this course not only more knowledgeable about the subject but actually happier as well? The official results will be in soon. At the beginning of the course, students completed a series of questionnaires about their baseline levels of happiness and life satisfaction. Students will retake these same questionnaires at the end of the course and again one year later. But in the meantime, I am content to savor the mountain of anecdotal evidence provided by my students of the positive (and sometimes profound) impact this course has had on their lives. Let me close with an example of one exercise and the effect it had on my students. The assignment given to the students was as follows:
Imagine that one day, long after you have passed away, one of your great grandchildren asks about you and your life. How would you want to be remembered and described? Write a summary of your life (one page), as you would like to have it related to your great grandchild. Be sure to include a description of your values and your personal characteristics. Put this summary aside for a few days and then come back to it. Notice not only what you included in your summary but also what you omitted. Are there activities that consume a great deal of time in your waking life that you did not include in the summary? Why did you leave them out? What changes might you make in your life so that this life summary might one day be an accurate reflection of your life and personal priorities?
Almost all of my students reported that they found this experience helpful in that it helped them to "get my priorities straight" or that it "made me realize that I was spending too much time worrying about what doesn't matter and not enough time worrying about what does." The journal entry of one student in particular stands out in my mind, and I would like to close by sharing with you her reaction to the exercise:"I simply was not prepared for my emotional reaction to this exercise. I sat down with my pen and paper and began to cry. At first I cried over the realization that for the past several years I have been utterly neglecting what used to be such an important part of my life. And then I cried out of relief because I know things will be different now..."
Research on positive psychology provides compelling evidence that individuals can increase their happiness by identifying and engaging in their signature strengths. The more we use these strengths, the more steadily we advance into the Good Life, a life of immersion, absorption, and flow.
Using Our Signature Strengths
One of my signature strengths is a love of learning, and I am fortunate to be in a profession that allows me to use this strength on a daily--even hourly--basis. I've found that much of my learning goes on in the classroom--my classroom--as I interact with bright University of Pennsylvania undergraduate and graduate students. Since entering the field in 1964 I have had ample opportunities to indulge my love of learning by teaching in settings ranging from large university lecture halls to intimate seminar courses with only a handful of students. But this semester I tried something different.
I teamed up with two of my colleagues--Dr. John Dilulio and Dr. Christopher Peterson--to teach an introductory course on positive psychology. As far as we know, this is the first time that a 100-level course in positive psychology has been taught on a university campus. The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the science behind positive psychology. We divide the material into positive emotions, positive character strengths, and positive institutions. The interdisciplinary content of the course attracted a diverse group of students interested in psychology, political science, communication, business, and other fields. Four hundred students competed for the 120 available places.
Making Students Happier
There is another purpose of the course beyond imparting academic knowledge: to make the students happier, possessors of the Pleasant Life, The Good Life, and the Meaningful Life. We aim for this by assigning weekly Positive Psychology exercises as well as intellectual material in each of 12 sections of 10 students.
Positive Emotions, Character Strengths, and Institutions
During the first third of the course in the weekly two-hour lectures, I presented what is known about positive emotions. Christopher Peterson lectured during the second third of the course about positive character strengths. (Dr. Peterson is uniquely qualified to lead this endeavor because he is the first author of the Values in Action Classification of Strengths, a large-scale classification of strengths valued across cultures, UnDSM-1.) The final third of the course, which focused on positive institutions, is taught not by a psychology professor but rather by political science guru John Dilulio (former Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and with Judy Rodin my fellow Robert Fox Professor of Leadership at Penn).
Not The Typical Course
The weekly section meetings allowed me the privilege of witnessing firsthand the students' excitement as they realized they were not in a "typical" university course with an exclusive emphasis on book learning. Half of their homework consisted of exercises in which they apply the science to their own lives. For example, in one section of the course students practiced specific savoring techniques (designed to enhance positive emotion in the present) by lingering over a meal, relishing a recent success (rather than immediately moving on to their next task), and losing themselves in the melody of a favorite song.
During the part of the course devoted to the study of character strengths, students learn to identify their signature strengths and use these strengths to transform boring tasks and to enhance their leisure time. Toward the end of the course, homework exercises challenge students to articulate the people, activities, and beliefs that give them a stronger sense of meaning and purpose for their lives. Each student does exercises that involve giving the gift of time, forgiving a wrong, expressing gratitude to others, mentoring another student, and serving their community. These practical exercises require written observations and evaluations in order to encourage the students to give thoughtful, sustained attention to their positive experiences and of course there are no right or wrong answers.
Not the typical undergraduate survey course!
I Know Things Will Be Different Now
So what was the impact on the students? Did students leave this course not only more knowledgeable about the subject but actually happier as well? The official results will be in soon. At the beginning of the course, students completed a series of questionnaires about their baseline levels of happiness and life satisfaction. Students will retake these same questionnaires at the end of the course and again one year later. But in the meantime, I am content to savor the mountain of anecdotal evidence provided by my students of the positive (and sometimes profound) impact this course has had on their lives. Let me close with an example of one exercise and the effect it had on my students. The assignment given to the students was as follows:
Imagine that one day, long after you have passed away, one of your great grandchildren asks about you and your life. How would you want to be remembered and described? Write a summary of your life (one page), as you would like to have it related to your great grandchild. Be sure to include a description of your values and your personal characteristics. Put this summary aside for a few days and then come back to it. Notice not only what you included in your summary but also what you omitted. Are there activities that consume a great deal of time in your waking life that you did not include in the summary? Why did you leave them out? What changes might you make in your life so that this life summary might one day be an accurate reflection of your life and personal priorities?
Almost all of my students reported that they found this experience helpful in that it helped them to "get my priorities straight" or that it "made me realize that I was spending too much time worrying about what doesn't matter and not enough time worrying about what does." The journal entry of one student in particular stands out in my mind, and I would like to close by sharing with you her reaction to the exercise:"I simply was not prepared for my emotional reaction to this exercise. I sat down with my pen and paper and began to cry. At first I cried over the realization that for the past several years I have been utterly neglecting what used to be such an important part of my life. And then I cried out of relief because I know things will be different now..."
martin seligman la autentica felicidad
http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/
http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/
http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/
http://www.apa.org/
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/CGS/graduate/mapp/
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/CGS/graduate/mapp/curriculum.php
http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/newsletters.aspx?id=44&coll_id=5
http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/
http://www.ppc.sas.upenn.edu/
http://www.apa.org/
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/CGS/graduate/mapp/
http://www.sas.upenn.edu/CGS/graduate/mapp/curriculum.php
http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/newsletters.aspx?id=44&coll_id=5
Thursday, January 25, 2007
esquizofrenia
1 Introducción
2 Historia
3 Diagnóstico y presentación (signos y síntomas)
4 Tópicos diagnósticos y controversias
5 Causas
6 Incidencia
7 Farmacología
8 Prognosis
9 Enlaces externos
10 Enfoques alternativos
11 ¿Qué es?
11.1 La esquizofrenia como enfermedad
11.2 ¿Cómo se diagnostica?
12 ¿Pueden sufrir de esquizofrenia los niños?
12.1 El mundo de las personas con esquizofrenia
12.1.1 Percepciones distorsionadas de la realidad
12.1.2 Alucinaciones e ilusiones
12.1.3 Delirios
12.1.4 Trastorno del pensamiento
12.1.5 Expresión emocional
12.1.6 La diferencia entre lo normal y lo anormal
12.2 ¿Los actos de violencia son comunes en las personas que sufren de esquizofrenia?
12.3 Abuso de drogas
12.3.1 La esquizofrenia y la nicotina
12.4 ¿Cuál es la relación con el suicidio?
13 ¿Cuál es la causa de la esquizofrenia?
13.1 ¿La esquizofrenia es hereditaria?
13.2 ¿La esquizofrenia es causada por una anormalidad física del cerebro?
14 ¿Cómo se trata?
14.1 ¿Qué información hay acerca de los medicamentos?
14.2 ¿Durante cuánto tiempo deben tomar medicamentos antisicóticos las personas que sufren de esquizofrenia?
14.3 ¿Qué información hay acerca de los efectos secundarios?
14.4 ¿Qué información hay acerca de los tratamientos psicosociales?
14.5 Rehabilitación
14.6 Psicoterapia individual
14.7 Educación familiar
14.8 Grupos de autoayuda
15 ¿Cómo pueden ayudar otras personas?
16 ¿Cual es la perspectiva para el futuro?
17 Para más información
18 Fuentes
2 Historia
3 Diagnóstico y presentación (signos y síntomas)
4 Tópicos diagnósticos y controversias
5 Causas
6 Incidencia
7 Farmacología
8 Prognosis
9 Enlaces externos
10 Enfoques alternativos
11 ¿Qué es?
11.1 La esquizofrenia como enfermedad
11.2 ¿Cómo se diagnostica?
12 ¿Pueden sufrir de esquizofrenia los niños?
12.1 El mundo de las personas con esquizofrenia
12.1.1 Percepciones distorsionadas de la realidad
12.1.2 Alucinaciones e ilusiones
12.1.3 Delirios
12.1.4 Trastorno del pensamiento
12.1.5 Expresión emocional
12.1.6 La diferencia entre lo normal y lo anormal
12.2 ¿Los actos de violencia son comunes en las personas que sufren de esquizofrenia?
12.3 Abuso de drogas
12.3.1 La esquizofrenia y la nicotina
12.4 ¿Cuál es la relación con el suicidio?
13 ¿Cuál es la causa de la esquizofrenia?
13.1 ¿La esquizofrenia es hereditaria?
13.2 ¿La esquizofrenia es causada por una anormalidad física del cerebro?
14 ¿Cómo se trata?
14.1 ¿Qué información hay acerca de los medicamentos?
14.2 ¿Durante cuánto tiempo deben tomar medicamentos antisicóticos las personas que sufren de esquizofrenia?
14.3 ¿Qué información hay acerca de los efectos secundarios?
14.4 ¿Qué información hay acerca de los tratamientos psicosociales?
14.5 Rehabilitación
14.6 Psicoterapia individual
14.7 Educación familiar
14.8 Grupos de autoayuda
15 ¿Cómo pueden ayudar otras personas?
16 ¿Cual es la perspectiva para el futuro?
17 Para más información
18 Fuentes
¿Que es la Epilepsia?
La epilepsia es un trastorno cerebral que se caracteriza por convulsiones recurrentes de algún tipo. La epilepsia es un término que indica cualquier trastorno caracterizado por convulsiones recurrentes y una convulsión es un trastorno pasajero que afecta la función cerebral y esta dado por una descarga neuronalparoxística anormal.
La epilepsia es un padecimiento comúny se conoce desde la antigüedad.
Afecta a casi 0.5% de la población de los Estados Unidos. El 1,5 al 5,0% de la población puede presentar una convulsión en su vida. La epilepsia puede afectar a personas de cualquier edad.
¿Que la provoca?
Las convulsiones o ataques epilépticos son episodios que alteran la función cerebral y producen cambios en la atención o el comportamiento y están dadas por una excitación eléctrica anómala del cerebro.
La epilepsia (convulsiones) en ocasiones, se relaciona con una condición temporal, como exposición a drogas, supresión de algunos medicamentos o niveles anormales de sodio o glucosa en la sangre. Este tipo de ataques es posible que no se repitan una vez que se corrige el problema subyacente.
En otros casos la epilepsia es secundaria a una lesión cerebral (apoplejía o lesión en la cabeza) lo que provoca que el cerebro se vuelva excitable de manera anormal.
En algunos pacientes la anomalía es hereditaria, lo que afecta las neuronas del cerebro y conduce a las convulsiones. En algunos casos no es posibleidentificar la causa.
La epilepsia la podemos clasificar según su etiología en.
IDIOPÁTICA O CONTITUCIONAL.Es aquella epilepsia de causa no identificable que suele presentarse generalmente entre los 5 y 20 años de edad aunque puede presentarse a cualquier edad. No se presentan otras anomalías neurológicas y es frecuente que exista antecedentes familiares.
SINTOMATICA.En este tipo de epilepsia existen infinidad de causas y entre otras encontramos: a) Anormalidades congénitas y lesiones perinatales, este tipo provoca convulsiones que se presentan durante la infancia o la niñez.
Trastornos metabólicos: las convulsiones por trastornos metabólicos pueden afectar a personas de cualquier edad. Así encontramos que la hipocalcemia, hipoglucemia, carencia de piridoxinay la fenilcetonuria son causantes mayores de convulsiones en los recién nacidos o lactantes. En el adulto la supresión al alcohol o drogas (principalmente barbitúricos y benzodiazepinas)es una causa comúnde convulsiones recurrentes, pero también podemos encontrara que la diabetes, insuficiencia renal, uremia, desequilibrios electroliticos,deficiencias nutricionales, uso y abuso de drogas (cocaína, anfetaminas, alcohol u otras drogas recreativas) pueden ocasionar las convulsiones.
TRAUMATISMO (Lesión cerebral).-Son una causa frecuente de convulsiones, en cualquier edad pero en especialen adultos jóvenes. Es más probable que se desarrolle epilepsia postraumáticasi existe lesión dela duramadre y por lo general se presentan las convulsiones en el transcurso de dos años posteriores a la lesión, pero hay que tomar en cuenta que las convulsiones que se presentan durante la primera semana de una lesión no son indicación de que se presentaran convulsiones en el futuro.Es recomendable dar tratamiento profiláctico con aniconvulsionantes ya que reduce la frecuencia de epilepsia postraumática.
IV) TUMORACIONES y otras lesiones que ocupan espacio (hematomas).- Este tipo de problemas pueden ocasionar convulsiones a cualquier edad pero son causa frecuente en la edad adulta y posteriormente cuando aumenta la incidencia de enfermedades neoplásicas. Aquí toma importancia la convulsión como primer síntoma de la neoplasia intracraneana y normalmente las convulsiones son de carácter parcial (focales). Generalmente se presentan cuando la tumoración afecta la región frontal,parietal o temporal. Lossíntomas pueden evolucionar hasta crisis tónico clónicas generalizadas. Se recomienda que a toda persona adulta de más de 30 años de edad que inicia con convulsiones focales o convulsiones progresivas se estudio para descartar una neoplasia.
ENFERMEDADES VASCULARES. Generalmente se presentan con el envejecimiento (60 años o más), y como ejemplo tenemos los accidentes cerebros vasculares.
TRASTORNOS DEGENERATIVOS. Enfermedades como la demencia senil tipo Alzheimer o síndromes orgánicos cerebrales similares pueden causar convulsiones en los últimos años de la vida.
VII)ENFERMEDADES INFECCIOSAS.Las enfermedades infecciosas pueden ocasionar convulsiones a cualquier edad, y son potencialmente reversibles. Las convulsiones pueden presentarse en una enfermedadinfecciosa o inflamatoria aguda, como puede ser la meningitis bacteriana y la encefalitis herpética, o en padecimientos infecciosos crónicos como la neurosífilis, cisticercosis cerebral o como complicación del SIDA u otros trastornos inmunes. Cuando existe un absceso cerebral supratentorial es posible que se desarrolle un cuadro epiléptico un año después del tratamiento.
SINTOMATOLOGÍAY CLASIFICACIÓN
Las epilepsias pueden clasificarse de diferentes maneras pero aquí lo haremos dé acuerdo con la Liga Internacional Contra la Epilepsia, que es una clasificación descriptiva. Por lo que las dividiremos en generalizadas y parciales (afectan parte del cerebro)
CONVULSIONES PARCIALES.-La sintomatología y el electroencefalograma nos indican que sólo se ha activado una parte restringida del hemisferio cerebral. Y las manifestaciones dependerán del área afectada.Las convulsiones parciales se dividen SIMPLES (conservan la conciencia) y COMPLEJAS (existe deterioro). Las convulsiones parciales afectan solo una parte del cerebro. Las convulsiones parciales pueden generalizares presentando un cuadro tónico clónico.
A.- Convulsiones parciales simples.-este tipo de crisis puede manifestarse por síntomas motores focales (sacudida convulsiva) o con síntomas somato sensoriales (parestesias u hormigueo). En otras ocasiones se manifiesta con síntomas sensoriales especiales como destellos de luz o zumbidos. También se pueden presentar síntomas o signos autónomoscomo sensaciones epigastricas anormales, sudoración, rubor, dilatación pupilar, etc.Cuando se presentan síntomas psíquicos es probable que haya deterioro de la conciencia.
B.- Convulsiones parciales complejas.- En este tipo de convulsionesel deterioro de la concienciapuede ir precedido, acompañado,o seguido de síntomas psíquicos ya mencionados y automatismo.
CONVULSIONES GENERALIZADAS.- Existen diferentes variedades de convulsiones generalizadas y estas afectan todo o gran parte del cerebro:
A.- PEQUEÑO MAL (Convulsiones de ausencia).- Esta crisis se caracteriza por deterioro de la conciencia, que se pueden acompañar de componentes clónicos, tónicos o átonico leves (disminución o perdida del tono postural), enuresis. El inicio y el fin de la crisis son repentinos. La perdida del conocimiento es muy breve y el pacienteno se da cuenta de él.Si esta conversando es posible que el paciente diga algunas palabraso se interrumpa a mitadde la frase por unos segundos. Este tipo de crisis normalmente inicia en la niñezy es frecuente que desaparezcan hacia los 20 años de edad. En ocasiones son sustituidas por otro tipo de crisis generalizada.
B.- AUSENCIAS ATIPICAS.- L a diferencia con las convulsiones de ausencia típicas es quelas alteraciones del tono suelen ser más notables o los ataques tengan uninicio y terminaciónmás graduales.
CONVULSIONES MIOCLONICAS.- Este tipo de crisis consiste en sacudidas mioclónicas únicas o múltiples.
D) GRAN MAL (Convulsiones tonicoclónicas).- Estas convulsiones se caracterizan por la pérdida repentina de la conciencia, el paciente cae al suelo se pone rígido y se detiene la respiración (fase tónica), Esto dura menos de un minuto y va seguida de una fase clónica que se caracteriza por sacudidas de la musculatura del cuerpo que pueden durar dos o tres minutos para pasar a una etapa de coma fláccido. Durante la fase clónica el paciente puede morderse la lengua o los labios, presentar incontinencia urinaria o fecal y en esta fase es posible que se lesione. Posterior a la crisis el paciente puede recuperar la conciencia o presentar un nuevo ataque o dormirse. Si el paciente presenta un nuevo ataque sin recuperar la conciencia se le conoce como estado epiléptico, pero si recupera la conciencia y se presenta otro ataque se le denomina convulsiones seriadas. Posterior al ataque el paciente generalmente no recuerda los acontecimientos y sé encuentra desorientado (automatismo posepiléptico).También puede presentar cefalea, confusión, somnolencia, nauseas, dolor muscular o combinación de estos síntomas.A la debilidad después de la crisis se le conoce como parálisis de Todd.
E) CONVULSIONES TÓNICAS, CLÓNICA O ATÓNICAS.- puede haber pérdida de la conciencia con los signos clónicos o tónicosdescritos especialmente en niños. También es posible que se observenconvulsiones atónicas (ataque epiléptico de caída)
DIAGNÓSTICO
El diagnóstico de la epilepsia y de los trastornos convulsivos requiere antecedentes de convulsiones recurrentes de cualquier tipo. Un examen físico (que comprende una revisión neuromuscular detallada) puede ser normal o puede mostrar funcionamiento cerebral anormal en relación con áreas específicas del cerebro.
El electroencefalograma (EEG), quedescribe la actividad eléctrica del cerebro, puede confirmar la presencia de varios tipos de convulsiones. Este puede, en algunos casos, indicar la ubicación de la lesión que está causando la convulsión. El EEG a menudo puede ser normal entre convulsiones, por lo que puede ser necesario efectuar un monitoreo prolongado con EEG.
Los exámenes para determinar la causa de la epilepsia y localización del problema pueden incluir procedimientos de laboratorio y gabinete tales como resonancia magnética,tomografía y punción lumbar.
El diagnóstico diferencial para las convulsiones parciales deberá de ser conataques pasajeros de isquemia, ataque de furia y ataque de pánico.Para las convulsiones generalizadas deberá de descartarse el síncope ortostático, Disritmias cardiacas, isquemia del tallo encefálico y las seudoconvulsiones.
TRATAMIENTOS Y RECOMENDACIONES
MEDIDAS GENERALES.- En Pacientes con convulsiones recurrentes es necesario dar tratamiento farmacológico con el fin de evitar las crisisy se deberá de administrar hasta que no se presentenal menos durante cuatro años. Si se ha identificado la causa desencadenante, ésta deberá de ser tratada, como por ejemplo se recurriráa la cirugía si existe una tumoración o lesiones cerebrales.
Los epilépticos deberán de evitar las situaciones peligrosaso que pongan en peligro su vida en caso de que se presente una crisis.
ELECCIÓN DEL FARMACO.- Los anticonvulsionantes por vía oral pueden reducir el número de convulsiones futuras. La respuesta es individual y los medicamentos y las dosis utilizadas pueden requerir ajustes periódicamente. El tipo de medicamento que se utiliza depende del tipo de convulsión ya que algunos tipos de convulsiones responden bien a un medicamento o pueden responder muy poco e incluso empeorarse. Con algunos medicamentos se deben monitorear sus efectos colaterales y niveles sanguíneos.
Algunos pacientes epilépticos se pueden beneficiar de la cirugía cerebral para remover las células cerebrales anómalas que están provocando las convulsiones. Para otras se implanta un estimulador del nervio vago en el tórax, lo que puede ayudar a reducir el número de convulsiones.
PRONOSTICO.-La epilepsia puede ser una condición crónica en algunos casos, sin embargo, la necesidad de medicamentos se puede reducir e incluso eliminar con el tiempo. Algunos tipos de epilepsia infantil se resuelven o mejoran con la edad. Un período de cuatro años sin convulsiones puede indicar la posibilidad de reducir o suspender los medicamentos.
En las convulsiones es poco común que se presente muerte o daño cerebral permanente pero puede ocurrir si la convulsión es prolongada o si se presentan dos o más convulsiones en un período corto (estado epiléptico). La muerte o el daño cerebral son, más a menudo, causados por la falta prolongada de respiración y la resultante muerte del tejido cerebral por falta de oxígeno. Existen algunos casos de muerte súbita e inexplicable en pacientes con epilepsia.
COMPLICACIONES.-Las crisis epilépticas en ocasione pueden presentar complicaciones y estas son del tipo delesiones causadas por caídas, golpes y la propia mordida,lesiones mientras se esta conduciendo u operando maquinaria y se presenta la crisis,inhalación de líquidos (neumonía por aspiración), daño cerebral permanente, dificultad de aprendizaje, efectos secundarios de los medicamentos y lo que representa una urgencia medica son las convulsiones prolongadas o numerosas sin recuperación completa entre ellas (estado epiléptico).
PREVENCION.- No existe una prevención conocida para la epilepsia. Sin embargo, con una dieta y reposo adecuados, la abstinencia de drogas y alcohol se puede disminuir la probabilidad de precipitar una convulsión en una persona con epilepsia.
Los siguientes factores pueden presentar un riesgo de empeorar las convulsiones en una persona con un trastorno convulsivo bien controlado con anterioridad: Embarazo, Falta de sueño, irregularidad en la toma de medicamentos, Ciertos medicamentos de prescripción y enfermedad.
Dr. Gustavo Castillo R. Ced. Prof. 1256736
Convulsiones y epilepsia (Instituto para la Educación del Paciente) - FlashTambién está
Epilepsia (Academia Americana de Médicos de Familia)También está disponible en inglés
Epilepsia (Asociación Médica Americana) - Archivo PDF
Frecuentes preguntas y sus respuestas acerca de la epilepsia (Fundación de la Epilepsia)
Epilepsia (Academia Americana de Médicos de Familia)También está disponible en inglés
Epilepsia (Asociación Médica Americana) - Archivo PDF
Frecuentes preguntas y sus respuestas acerca de la epilepsia (Fundación de la Epilepsia)
Sunday, December 10, 2006
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Friday, December 08, 2006
Borderline : The borderline personality disorder (bpd)
What is it ?.(*)
In simple terms: "A person suffering of a borderline disorder swings between adult's behavior and disturbed childish behavior. The adult behavior of the Borderline can suddenly collapse without apparent provocation resulting in tears or a seemingly infantile show of anger" In a nutshell: "My auntie she'is little girl in a woman's body" To be a little more realistic, we can say "They have tendency to react more intensely to lower levels of stress than others. It can be seen as Emotional Dysregulation or emotional hypersensitivity, highly emotional",(non-medical definitions)
How do you identify a Borderline disorder ?
Does this describe you or describe someone you know ? " But... Why did he/she act like this ? " If you or someone you know regularly shows at least 5 of the following points, it is possible that he / she has this disorder ()
Relationship problems
Inability to manage their emotions
Sudden, intense rapid or frequent mood changes
Anxiety
Love - Hate relationships. Viewing others by extremes - All good / All bad without nuance, black and white thinking
Feeling " victimised ", unable to accept responsability for themselves
Feeling depressed, sad or empty
Frequent and or unpredictable outbursts of anger (whether acted-out or not)
Unstable self image
Fear of abandonment
Impulsive self destructive behaviors with addictions like Bulimia, Unsafe sex, Anorexia, Spending, Alcohol, Road rage, Drug or Medication abuse, …
Rage attacks
Suicide attempts or self-injury such as cutting, burning, scratching,... . > They spend their time controlling more or less emotions which they really do not control > Their ability to hide their disease means that those closest to them are often "unaware that there is something wrong", when in the fact their life is one of suffering and sheer hellPreconceived ideas and misinformation about these people :
"It's just their nature" > False, it is a mental disorder, an illness, not the person
"He/she is a childish man or woman" > False, it's a sick person disturbed and unable to manage their emotions
"She is just a silly billy" > False, their IQ is completely "normal", she is often well-educated and can even hold down a rewarding career
"She manipulate, she lie" > False, she use defence mecanisms in order to protect herself
"She can improve without treatment" > False, she probably better hide
"It is a woman illness" > False, men are diagnosed less (or are already in prison)
"I'm doing what I can by protecting her, avoiding crises" > False, you prevent her from becoming aware of their problems and take away any sense of responability she might have
"She is too young to have this disease" > False, symptoms are possible from childhood onwards
"You can never recover from a mental illness" > False, the right treatment is effective
"The borderline disorder does not exist" > False, thousand of clinical studies and publications prove that it is a mental illness with genetics, biological (serotonin) and environmental tendencies
What is it ?.(*)
In simple terms: "A person suffering of a borderline disorder swings between adult's behavior and disturbed childish behavior. The adult behavior of the Borderline can suddenly collapse without apparent provocation resulting in tears or a seemingly infantile show of anger" In a nutshell: "My auntie she'is little girl in a woman's body" To be a little more realistic, we can say "They have tendency to react more intensely to lower levels of stress than others. It can be seen as Emotional Dysregulation or emotional hypersensitivity, highly emotional",(non-medical definitions)
How do you identify a Borderline disorder ?
Does this describe you or describe someone you know ? " But... Why did he/she act like this ? " If you or someone you know regularly shows at least 5 of the following points, it is possible that he / she has this disorder ()
Relationship problems
Inability to manage their emotions
Sudden, intense rapid or frequent mood changes
Anxiety
Love - Hate relationships. Viewing others by extremes - All good / All bad without nuance, black and white thinking
Feeling " victimised ", unable to accept responsability for themselves
Feeling depressed, sad or empty
Frequent and or unpredictable outbursts of anger (whether acted-out or not)
Unstable self image
Fear of abandonment
Impulsive self destructive behaviors with addictions like Bulimia, Unsafe sex, Anorexia, Spending, Alcohol, Road rage, Drug or Medication abuse, …
Rage attacks
Suicide attempts or self-injury such as cutting, burning, scratching,... . > They spend their time controlling more or less emotions which they really do not control > Their ability to hide their disease means that those closest to them are often "unaware that there is something wrong", when in the fact their life is one of suffering and sheer hellPreconceived ideas and misinformation about these people :
"It's just their nature" > False, it is a mental disorder, an illness, not the person
"He/she is a childish man or woman" > False, it's a sick person disturbed and unable to manage their emotions
"She is just a silly billy" > False, their IQ is completely "normal", she is often well-educated and can even hold down a rewarding career
"She manipulate, she lie" > False, she use defence mecanisms in order to protect herself
"She can improve without treatment" > False, she probably better hide
"It is a woman illness" > False, men are diagnosed less (or are already in prison)
"I'm doing what I can by protecting her, avoiding crises" > False, you prevent her from becoming aware of their problems and take away any sense of responability she might have
"She is too young to have this disease" > False, symptoms are possible from childhood onwards
"You can never recover from a mental illness" > False, the right treatment is effective
"The borderline disorder does not exist" > False, thousand of clinical studies and publications prove that it is a mental illness with genetics, biological (serotonin) and environmental tendencies
en este espacio abordaremos los temas vinculados a las neurociencias
http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/personality_disorders/biounhappiness/faqs/index.html
http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/personality_disorders/biounhappiness/faqs/index.html
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