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HILANIA SOUZA DE ARAUJO
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ACUTE EFFECT OF RESISTANCE EXERCISE WITH DIFFERENT BLOOD FLOW RESTRICTION PRESSURES ON PAIN AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES IN PATIENTS WITH FIBROMYALGIA: A RANDOMIZED SHAM-CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL.
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Date: Dec 18, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic syndrome characterized by diffuse pain, increased sensitivity, fatigue, and emotional changes, often associated with dysfunction in pain modulation mechanisms. Resistance exercise with resistance training (RFS) has emerged as a promising alternative, allowing for relevant physiological effects with reduced loads and greater tolerability. This study analyzed the acute effects of different arterial occlusion pressures (AOPs) during resistance exercise with RFS on pain, pressure pain threshold (PPT), mood, affect, and future exercise intention in women with FM. Twelve women diagnosed with FM (mean: age = 49/4 years, body mass index = 25.7/1.9 kg/m², body fat percentage = 36.8/2.6%, and one-repetition maximum load for Smith machine squat = 17.3/6.6 kg) participated in a randomized, counterbalanced crossover study. Participants performed three experimental conditions of respiratory muscle training (RFT) (10%, 30%, and 50% of maximum abdominal pain) during Smith machine squats (3 x 15 repetitions), with a 1-minute interval between sets and 3 to 5 days between sessions. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before, after, 24h, and 48h; and muscle weakness (MS) was assessed by algometry in three regions (rectus femoris, gastrocnemius, and biceps brachii) before and after exercise. Mood, affect, and future exercise intention were measured before and after the intervention using the BRUMS scale, the Affective Valence Scale, and the Juster Scale, respectively. Analyses involved descriptive statistics, repeated measures ANOVA (3×4), effect size (ηp²), and percentage change (Δ%), adopting p<0.05, using JAMOVI 2.6.26. Repeated measures analyses did not identify significant differences (p<0.05) between pressures; however, relevant clinical patterns were observed. There was a slight reduction in pain in all conditions, with the greatest decrease after 48 hours at the 50% pressure. The LDP showed only trivial increases post-exercise. Significant reductions were observed in the tension and depression subscales, as well as a trend towards increased future exercise intention, especially in the 10% POA condition. It is concluded that resistance exercise with RFS is safe, well-tolerated, and capable of producing positive acute psychophysiological effects, constituting a viable complementary strategy in the rehabilitation of women with fibromyalgia.
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JOSEFA KELLY LIMA DANTAS
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Effects of Non-Invasive Neuromodulation on the Ventromedial Area in the Process of Emotional Regulation and its Electrophysiological Consequences: A Randomized Controlled Study
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Date: Dec 16, 2025
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Time: 15:00
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Show Summary
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Emotions have components from multiple domains, such as behavior and physiology, allowing them to be adjusted according to the subject's needs. These emotions can arise intensely and negatively, causing dysfunctional responses and behaviors, where this dysregulation presents itself as a symptom in various psychiatric disorders. Thus, Emotion Regulation is used as a management tool that seeks to improve social functioning, consisting of modulating reactions resulting from emotionally intense events. Although the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is widely recognized as the neural substrate of this process, there are functional nuances between its subregions that require elucidation. This dissertation investigated these neural bases through two complementary stages. Initially, a systematic literature review was conducted in the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases (20192024), with the aim of mapping the relationship between ER and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC). The review of 13 studies showed a predominance of investigations focused on the DLPFC and explicit reappraisal tasks, pointing to the VMPFC as a critical region for affective valuation, but underexplored in interventional protocols. To fill this gap, the second stage consisted of a randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled clinical trial aimed at analyzing the effects of anodal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on the VPFC in 20 healthy adults. The protocol involved electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings during an aversive stimulus cognitive reappraisal task (IAPS), in addition to the application of clinical scales (DERS, CERQ, DASS-21). Experimental results did not indicate statistically significant differences between the tDCS and Sham groups in behavioral or electrophysiological measures after a single session. However, correlational analyses revealed that increased frontal Beta band power is inversely associated with symptoms of depression and stress, while Alpha band power correlated positively with impulsivity. It is estimated that, although the VPFC is theoretically relevant, its modulation by tDCS in a single session did not produce robust effects in this sample, suggesting the need for more extensive protocols and the possibility of using multichannel approaches.
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JOSEANNE DANIELE CEZAR RIBEIRO
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Clinical profile of patients with craniovertebral junction
malformations in correlation with magnetic resonance imaging
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Advisor : SEVERINO AIRES DE ARAUJO NETO
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Date: Nov 28, 2025
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Time: 09:00
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Show Summary
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Chiari malformation type I (CMI) and basilar invagination (BI) type B are morphological
changes that affect the craniovertebral junction and often result in clinical and surgical
conditions. CMI basically consists of the caudal displacement of the cerebellar tonsils
through the foramen magnum. In BI, there is a dysplastic upward sinking of the skull base,
with a consequent superior projection of the odontoid process of the axis. These conditions
may be associated with other disorders such as syringomyelia. The detection and
characterization of both conditions depend heavily on imaging exams. The signs and
symptoms are mainly caused by neural and vascular compression. However, they are
multifaceted, inconsistent, and nonspecific, which often complicates and delays diagnosis.
This thesis aims to characterize the clinical profile of patients with craniovertebral junction
malformations and to describe their classic imaging features. For this purpose, three studies
were conducted. The first one analyzed the state of the art and provided a bibliographic
overview of the signs and symptoms involved in MCI and BI type B. It was observed that,
adults with Chiari malformation type I predominantly present with headache, neck pain,
motor and sensory disturbances, and cognitive or affective changes, while cases with basilar
invagination more often present with dysphagia, cervical dysfunctions, and signs of spinal
cord compression. In studies addressing both conditions, symptoms frequently coexist,
reflecting clinical complexity. The second article described a case of Charcot
neuroarthropathy secondary to CM associated with syringomyelia. This report exemplifies
how the nonspecific nature of the CM clinical picture can lead to confusion in the diagnostic
investigation process. The third article investigated preoperative clinical aspects of strength,
tone, reflexes, and postural findings in 79 patients with MCI and BI, with or without
syringomyelia, who underwent surgical treatment. Overall, the patients presented a high
incidence of muscle weakness, hypertonia, and hyperreflexia. It was found that the
simultaneous presence of both conditions, especially when associated with syringomyelia,
showed a higher incidence of ataxic gait and high-arched foot. The three studies support the
importance of assessing and defining the clinical profile of patients with craniovertebral
junction malformations and other aspects that may confuse or facilitate the diagnosis and
treatment of the conditions studied.
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JANSEN SOUZA MOREIRA
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AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL MEMORY IN ADOLESCENTS:
COLLABORATIVE RECALL, CARDIAC AUTONOMIC ACTIVITY
AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES.
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Advisor : MELYSSA KELLYANE CAVALCANTI GALDINO
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Date: Nov 25, 2025
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Time: 13:30
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Show Summary
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Autobiographical Memories (AM) are operationalized as autobiographical narratives evoked in the form of written or spoken declarative memories, contemplating aspects of noetic consciousness, related to semantic memory, and autonoetic, related to episodic memory. Such narratives are emotionally charged, susceptible to reconsolidation, and serve a variety of functions, including socialization, self-maintenance, and directive. They can be analyzed in terms of emotional valence, level of specificity and amount of narrative detail. The present research is composed of Studies 1 and 2. In Study 1, the objective was to investigate the relationships between autobiographical memory characteristics, cardiac and emotional physiological states, in 20 male high school adolescents; while in Study 2, to investigate relationships between characteristics of autobiographical memory, evoked individually or collaboratively, emotional states and personality traits in 128 adolescents
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MAYARA CECILE NASCIMENTO OLIVEIRA
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Non-clinical study of the antidepressant-like activity of 2-allylphenol in female mice.
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Advisor : MIRIAN GRACIELA DA SILVA STIEBBE SALVADORI
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Date: Nov 24, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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Depression is a serious, complex, recurrent, and debilitating mood disorder with multifactorial origins, affecting millions of people, and stress is identified as one of the triggering factors. Essential oils contain a variety of bioactive compounds, such as phenylpropanoids, and have distinct pharmacological activities, including antidepressant activity. 2-allylphenol (2-AL) is a phenylpropanoid and has shown antinociceptive and anti inflammatory activity, but no study has evaluated the antidepressant activity of this substance. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the antidepressant activity of 2-AL in female mice subjected to a depression-like model caused by acute administration of dexamethasone. No in silico studies were performed; molecular docking with Molegro Virtual Docker software and pharmacokinetics/ADME were used. In the in vivo studies, we used Swiss female mice (25-30g). Acute toxicity increased the protocols of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD - 423), through the observation of behavioral, hematological, biochemical, anatomopathological and histopathological parameters. For the evaluation of motor coordination, we used the rotarod and the open field for the evaluation of locomotor activity. In the investigation of the antidepressant-like activity of 2-AL (i.p.), behavioral tests of forced nothingness (TNF) and tail suspension (TSC) were performed. The synergism of 2-AL with imipramine, its effect on the seizure threshold, and the evaluated parameter of oxidative stress (GSH) were also studied. In silico results predictively showed that 2-AL bound to all trained targets (Guanylate cyclase 1, dopamine D1 receptor, α-2 type A receptor, norepinephrine transporter, n-NOS, and glutamate receptor), with the most favorable score for the NMDA glutamate receptor. It also provided good oral absorption and high permeability across the blood-brain barrier. In vivo studies showed no alterations in anatomopathological, histopathological, hematological, or biochemical analyses. The LD50 was estimated at approximately 500 mg/kg p.o. Based on pharmacological screening, three doses of 2-AL (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg i.p.) were used in the study. 2-AL did not alter the motor progression of the animals in the rotarod test (p>0.05). In the open field, the 25 mg/kg dose increased the number of crosses, and in the number of offspring parameter, there was an increase in the 25 and 50 mg/kg doses compared to dexamethasone (p<0.05). In the solicited swim and tail suspension tests, there was an increase in latency to immobility and a reduction in immobility time in the groups treated with 2-AL (p<0.05). 2-AL has synergism with imipramine in increasing latency and reducing immobility time in the induced swim model (p<0.05). 2-AL did not decrease the latency to the first seizure in animals that received a subconvulsive dose of pentylenetetrazol (p<0.05), and it increased the levels of antioxidant glutathione in organic structures. The results obtained indicate that 2-AL interacts with several pharmacological targets, showed low toxicity, demonstrated a similar and synergistic effect with imipramine, and is devoid of pro-convulsant action.
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RENATA SERRANO DE ANDRADE PINHEIRO
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Randomized clinical trial of the vocal and facial behavior of elderly people with Parkinson's under the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation and photobiomodulation.
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Advisor : NELSON TORRO ALVES
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Date: Nov 24, 2025
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Time: 09:15
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Show Summary
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This doctoral thesis presents a randomized clinical trial investigating the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and photobiomodulation (PTB) on vocal and facial behavior in healthy elderly individuals and individuals with Parkinson's disease. The results of the theoretical studies were presented in four articles, and the empirical results will also be described in separate articles. Chapter I contains the general introduction. Chapter II discusses the development of a protocol for a systematic review, which was published as a banner at FESBE and in the proceedings of the Congress of the Brazilian Society of Neurosciences (SBNeC). Chapter III presents a systematic review of the use of photobiomodulation for speech and voice in Parkinson's disease, which followed the guidelines of the Journal of Communication Disorders (DIC/PUC-SP) and has already been published. Chapter IV, with the article already accepted for publication in CODaS Journal (expected Jan/2026), is a Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis on the use of tDCS for speech and voice in Parkinson's Disease. Chapter V, with the theoretical article, is a Systematic Review on the use of tDCS for Emotional Recognition in Parkinson's Disease. This article is still under submission to a Journal in the area of Psychology and Neuroscience. Chapters VI, VII, and VIII will cover the empirical articles of the thesis, directed at the following results: VI - Analysis of the Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on the Facial Parameters of Hypomimia in Parkinson's Disease: Report of Two Clinical Cases; VII - Behavior and Facial Analysis of Healthy Elderly People and Individuals with PD Undergoing Photobiomodulation and tDCS (submitted to a Journal specializing in Orofacial Motricity) and Chapter VIII - Vocal Perception and Quality of Healthy Elderly People and Individuals with PD Undergoing Photobiomodulation and tDCS (submitted to a Journal specializing in Voice). Chapter IX contains a general discussion of the theoretical and empirical studies used in the thesis collection. Chapter X concludes the thesis.
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BRUNO GONCALVES DE MEDEIROS
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Relationships between Psychological Flexibility, Motivation and Vocal Parameters: A Neuropsychological Perspective
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Advisor : LUIZ CARLOS SERRAMO LOPEZ
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Date: Nov 19, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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Psychological flexibility, the disposition to experience thoughts and emotions in the present
while orienting life according to values, is intrinsically modulated by processes such as
motivation and language and their neurophysiological correlates. This thesis investigated the
relationships between neurophysiological and linguistic biomarkers and psychological
flexibility through three distinct studies. The first was a systematic review that explored the
association between Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and neuroimaging
techniques, identifying 15 articles that demonstrated functional changes in brain areas related
to emotional regulation, pain perception, and psychological flexibility following ACT
interventions. The empirical studies, conducted with 60 psychology students, analyzed the
relationship between psychological constructs and vocal and linguistic parameters. In the
second study, participants completed the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II), the
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-
12), the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ), the Penn State Worry Questionnaire 11
(PSWQ-11), the Perseverative Thinking Questionnaire (PTQ), and the Valued Living
Questionnaire (VLQ), with their voices analyzed using Praat software. A positive correlation
was observed between the importance factor of the VLQ and Fundamental Frequency (F0) (ρ
= 0.32; p < 0.05), and negative correlations between the importance factor of the VLQ and jitter
(ρ = -0.33; p < 0.05). Additionally, significant differences were found in jitter and shimmer
between the two questions about values. In the third study, utilizing the DASS-21, AAQ-II,
CFQ, and GHQ-12 questionnaires and structural speech analysis via SpeechGraphs software,
anxiety (DASS-21) negatively correlated with speech complexity (N: ρ = -0.282; p = 0.029;
LCC: ρ = -0.282; p = 0.029; LSC: ρ = -0.301; p = 0.019) when describing values. Depression
(DASS-21) negatively correlated with repetition (L2: ρ = -0.255; p = 0.04). For experiential
avoidance (AAQ-II), positive correlations were observed with complexity (N: ρ = 0.263; p =
0.042; LCC: ρ = 0.263; p = 0.042; LSC: ρ = 0.265; p = 0.040) in speech about impediments.
The importance factor of the VLQ positively correlated with speech density (ρ = 0.274; p =
0.034). It is concluded that integrating ACT with neuroimaging, vocal analysis, and speech
graphs offers a promising path to understanding the neural and emotional substrates of
psychological flexibility.
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GIULYANNA KARLLA ARRUDA BEZERRA
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Predictive Factors of Executive Functioning and Sleep in Intensive Care Unit Healthcare Professionals
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Date: Nov 19, 2025
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Time: 10:00
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Show Summary
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Introduction: Shift work is a common form of work organization in the hospital environment, allowing for the provision of comprehensive and continuous care to patients. One of the hospital sectors where this assistance is developed is the ICU. Professionals who work in shifts are subject to differentiated work variables that usually lead to sleep deprivation, fatigue, and stress, among other factors that can affect their executive functioning and sleep. Objective: To evaluate the predictors of executive functioning and sleep of healthcare professionals working in an Intensive Care Unit. Method: The research was cross-sectional, analytical, and exploratory, with the application of specific questionnaires at the end of day and night shifts to evaluate Executive Functioning, Sleep Quality, and Daytime Sleepiness in a sample of 71 healthcare professionals from the Adult ICU of the Lauro Wanderley University Hospital - HULW, in the municipality of João Pessoa - Paraíba.
Results: The sample was mostly composed of married women, with an average age of 45.3 years, with postgraduate degrees, and nursing technicians were the majority. In executive functioning, the inferential analysis revealed a statistically significant relationship between age and working memory, and between Sex and Inhibitory Control. The variable "Hours of sleep/rest per shift" was significant, and each increase of one hour in the Weekly Workload leads to a 10% increase in the prevalence of poor sleep quality among these professionals. The prevalence of EDS reached 53.5% by ESE and 36.6% by ESS. The variable Mixed work shift in the ICU was also significant, increasing the prevalence of excessive sleepiness by 194% in these professionals. Conclusion: This study was consistent with the existing literature in showing that there is a critical relationship between sleep and executive functioning, and that healthcare professionals are susceptible to changes in these outcomes due to their differentiated work routine.
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LUCAS VITORINO DA SILVA
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GREEN EXERCISES: the repeated effect of aerobic training on the emotional state in adults
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Advisor : THIAGO SIQUEIRA PAIVA DE SOUZA
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Date: Oct 31, 2025
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Time: 15:00
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Show Summary
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This study investigated the effects of green aerobic exercise on emotional state and psychophysiological responses in adults, aiming to understand how natural environments may influence well-being indicators. Adults participated in repeated aerobic training sessions conducted in natural and controlled environments. Physiological variables such as heart rate variability and subjective measures of affect and perceived exertion were assessed. Although statistical significance was not robust, a favorable trend was observed in the group that trained in natural settings, suggesting potential benefits of nature exposure for autonomic and emotional balance. These findings support attention restoration and stress reduction theories, indicating that natural environments facilitate emotional recovery and physiological homeostasis. The study contributes to understanding the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying green exercise and supports its use in programs promoting mental and cardiovascular health. Future studies should expand sample sizes and adopt longitudinal designs to strengthen empirical evidence.
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ARTHUR ANTUNES PEREIRA COSTA
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Automated analysis of rat exploratory behavior in an episodic-like memory task
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Advisor : FLAVIO FREITAS BARBOSA
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Date: Oct 31, 2025
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Time: 14:30
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Show Summary
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Episodic memory, i.e., the ability to recall specific spatiotemporal events, was initially thought to be an exclusively human capacity. Nonetheless, behavioral studies demonstrated that many animal species, including rats (Rattus norvegicus), are capable of expressing what is called episodic-like memory (Allen & Fortin, 2013). One of the protocols used to evaluate episodic-like memory expression uses object exploration behavior, along with the innate preference for novelty shown by the rodents, a way to assess memory for identity, location, and temporal order of objects, prerequisites for episodic-like memory. Some of the patterns shown by the animals in the task are not well explained. Also, recent evidence has shown that evaluating object exploration behavior alone is not enough to account for the ways animals read their environment during the course of the task. This dissertation investigated spatial and object processing in Wistar rats in all sessions of an episodic-like memory task, using automated analysis of exploratory behaviors, including object exploration, rearing, and zone occupancy. Results indicated a difference in exploratory behavior patterns between control and CA1-inactivated groups, with the latter showing a less organized spatial behavior. The results presented here highlight the importance of assessing exploratory behavior beyond object sniffing to understand memory-guided navigation and episodic-like memory processing.
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GISLAINY ANDRÉ DA SILVA
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ANALYSIS OF THE INCIDENCE OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF JOÃO PESSOA
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Advisor : GICIANE CARVALHO VIEIRA
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Date: Oct 30, 2025
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Time: 10:00
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Show Summary
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The transition to higher education is a period marked by intense personal, social, and academic changes that can directly affect students mental health. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the incidence of depressive symptoms and associated factors among psychology students at a public university in João Pessoa. A mixed-methods design was used, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. The sample consisted of 60 students distributed across the initial, intermediate, and final stages of their undergraduate program. In the quantitative phase, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) was applied, and the data were processed using the Jamovi software, with descriptive and inferential analyses. The results showed a predominance of female students in all groups and a high frequency of depressive symptoms, with mild and moderate levels being the most prevalent. The intermediate cohort exhibited a higher incidence of emotional distress, suggesting the influence of academic overload and heightened self-criticism. In the qualitative phase, interviews were analyzed using content analysis, revealing categories such as demotivation, anxiety, social isolation, and academic pressure, which illustrate the complexity of emotional experiences in the university environment. The findings highlight the need for institutional strategies focused on prevention, psychological support, and the promotion of mental health, particularly for psychology students, who deal routinely with themes related to human suffering. The study concludes that the academic context, in interaction with personal and social factors, significantly influences the development of depressive symptoms, underscoring the need for continuous support policies and mental health care.
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GISLAINY ANDRÉ DA SILVA
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ANALYSIS OF THE INCIDENCE OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN PSYCHOLOGY STUDENTS AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF JOÃO PESSOA
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Advisor : GICIANE CARVALHO VIEIRA
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Date: Oct 30, 2025
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Time: 10:00
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Show Summary
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The transition to higher education is a period marked by intense personal, social, and academic changes that can directly affect students mental health. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the incidence of depressive symptoms and associated factors among psychology students at a public university in João Pessoa. A mixed-methods design was used, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. The sample consisted of 60 students distributed across the initial, intermediate, and final stages of their undergraduate program. In the quantitative phase, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) was applied, and the data were processed using the Jamovi software, with descriptive and inferential analyses. The results showed a predominance of female students in all groups and a high frequency of depressive symptoms, with mild and moderate levels being the most prevalent. The intermediate cohort exhibited a higher incidence of emotional distress, suggesting the influence of academic overload and heightened self-criticism. In the qualitative phase, interviews were analyzed using content analysis, revealing categories such as demotivation, anxiety, social isolation, and academic pressure, which illustrate the complexity of emotional experiences in the university environment. The findings highlight the need for institutional strategies focused on prevention, psychological support, and the promotion of mental health, particularly for psychology students, who deal routinely with themes related to human suffering. The study concludes that the academic context, in interaction with personal and social factors, significantly influences the development of depressive symptoms, underscoring the need for continuous support policies and mental health care.
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IGHOR DOMINGOS BANDEIRA
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Remote detection of anxiety, stress, and depression through vocal correlates and other digital phenotypes
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Advisor : LUIZ CARLOS SERRAMO LOPEZ
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Date: Oct 29, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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Anxiety, stress, and depression are the most common mental disorders in the world today, affecting millions and costing billions spent on these conditions. Research has been conducted to find methods of computational analysis and/or physiological markers to speed up the diagnostic process for such mental conditions. The following articles are attempts to identify a new form of computational analysis for these conditions, using a graph analysis to assess the structure of speech (speech graph), and to validate an online recording collection format for the evaluation of acoustic voice parameters as physiological markers. The results obtained show that graph analysis still has a long way to go, despite showing some intriguing initial results. As for the analysis of acoustic parameters, even with the constraints of online collection, it showed promising correlations, especially with anxiety, depending on the method used for data collection.
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ROBERT SÉRGIO DE ALMEIDA COSTA
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Relationship between executive functions, instrumental activities of daily living, and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.
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Advisor : CARLA ALEXANDRA DA SILVA MOITA MINERVINO
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Date: Oct 29, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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Cognitive aging is a complex process that can impact the autonomy and well-being of
older adults. Executive functions (EF) are a set of higher cognitive abilities essential for
performing instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) and, consequently, influence
the perception of quality of life (QoL). Although the literature consolidates the
relationship between EF and IADL, gaps remain regarding how these variables interact
in a structural model, especially the role of IADL as a mediator controlled by contextual
covariates. Objective: To analyze the relationships between EF components (working
memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility), IADL performance, and QoL
factors in community-dwelling older adults, interacting with covariates such as age,
education, and depressive symptoms. We sought to identify the main predictors of QoL
and assess the moderating role of EF in the relationship between QoL and IADL, and the
mediating role of IADL in the relationship between EF and QoL. Methods: Cross-
sectional study with 124 elderly individuals from the community of the João Pessoa
Metropolitan Region, Paraíba, aged between 60 and 92 years. Participants were assessed
with the following instruments: Pfeffer Functional Activities Questionnaire (PFAQ) for
IADL; World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) for QoL;
Five-Digit Span Test (FDT) and Digit Span in Reverse Order (WAIS-III) to assess EF;
Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) to screen for depressive symptoms; and the
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for sleep quality. Data were analyzed using IBM
SPSS and RStudio software. Descriptive analyses, Spearman correlations, hierarchical
multiple linear regression to identify predictors of QoL, and moderation analysis were
conducted with the PROCESS macro for SPSS. Additionally, Structural Equation
Modeling (SEM) was used to investigate the direct and indirect relationships between
latent and observed variables. Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that
depressive symptoms (β = -0.319, p < 0.05) and sleep quality (β = -0.196, p < 0.05) were
the only significant predictors of quality of life. EF was not a direct predictor of QOL but
demonstrated a significant moderating role in the relationship between QOL and IADL
(b = -0.003, p = .008). SEM evidenced the negative influence of depression on QOL (-
0.50) and the direct relationship between EF and IADL (-0.21). Conclusions: The
findings suggest that depressive symptoms and sleep quality are robust factors for QOL
in older adults. EF moderated the relationship between QOL and IADL. It is therefore
concluded that contextual and mental health factors can be the basic target for assessment
and intervention in the cognitive aging process.
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PALOMA VICTÓRIA DE SALES ALVES
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NEURAL AND BEHAVIORAL CORRELATES
ASSOCIATES
TO THE
NEUROSHOW VERSUS METHODS
USE
OF
DO
STUDIES
TRADITIONAL: A PRE AND POST SESSION COMPARISON
OF STUDIES
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Advisor : MELYSSA KELLYANE CAVALCANTI GALDINO
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Date: Oct 29, 2025
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Time: 10:00
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Show Summary
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The present project aims to investigate whether there are differences in attentional response, both at the behavioral and neuronal levels, among higher education students depending on the review method used after a study session. For this, two studies will be conducted. Right-handed students enrolled in higher education, aged 18 years or older, of both genders, will participate after signing the Free and Informed Consent Form. Participants will be recruited through non-probabilistic selection. A simple randomization procedure will be conducted to allocate participants into two different groups: one group will conduct their study session using the NeuroShow platform, while the other will use pen and paper. In Study I, patterns of neural activity related to attentional response will be examined through EEG, and in Study II, total attentional capacity will be assessed using the Psychological Battery for Attention Assessment II (BPA II). It is expected that this research will help identify neural activity patterns related to alertness and concentration in the context of physical materials and the use of NeuroShow. Based on these results, evidence-based recommendations about the effectiveness of these practices could be legitimately propagated to the academic community and society at large, aiming to effectively contribute to the process and optimization of teaching-learning mechanisms.
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ARTHUR VINÍCIUS RAMOS RIBEIRO
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Effects of Psilocybe Cubensis on Contrast Sensitivity Function in Women with and without Exposure to Intimate Partner Domestic Violence
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Advisor : NATANAEL ANTONIO DOS SANTOS
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Date: Oct 23, 2025
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Time: 10:00
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Show Summary
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This study aimed to evaluate the effects of administering a single dose of Psilocybe cubensis (0.014 g/kg; max 1 g/70 kg) on contrast sensitivity (CS) in women with and without exposure to intimate partner violence. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. The PCL-5 and DASS-21 scales were used to assess stress-related symptoms, while the EVPI and EAP-P measured the severity of violence exposure. Participants (n = 10) were allocated to two groups (experimental and placebo) and assessed at three time points: pretest, during the acute effect, and four hours post-administration. The contrast sensitivity function (CSF) was measured using Metropsis software at spatial frequencies of 0.2, 1.0, 3.3, 5.7, 8.9, 13.3, and 16.0 cycles per degree (cpd). After the experimental session, participants completed the OAV scale, which assesses the intensity of psychedelic effects. Normality, homoscedasticity, and sphericity were verified using the ShapiroWilk, Levene, and Mauchlys W tests, respectively. A repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of time (before vs. during intervention, p < .05), with significant differences in CS at 8.9 and 13.3 cpd (p < .01; η²ₚ > .14). Additionally, a difference at 5.7 cpd was observed with a large effect size but did not reach significance, while a high effect size was found at 1.0 cpd according to Welchs t-test (d = -1.73). Future studies should explore the relationship between perceptual alterations and therapeutic outcomes, and employ electrophysiological and neuroimaging measures to replicate and validate these findings.
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THALITA VIEGAS DOS SANTOS LIMA
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CONNECTION WITH NATURE AND VIRTUAL REALITY: PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS ON COLLEGE STUDENTS
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Advisor : LUIZ CARLOS SERRAMO LOPEZ
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Date: Oct 22, 2025
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Time: 15:00
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Show Summary
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The fast-paced nature of urban life, combined with increasing disconnection from natural environments, has been associated with elevated stress symptoms and negative impacts on mental health. A growing body of evidence suggests that contact with nature promotes significant restorative effects, both psychological and physiological. However, in urban settings, access to natural environments can be limited, prompting the exploration of alternatives such as virtual reality (VR). This experimental study, using a crossover design, aimed to investigate the immediate effects of a brief exposure to virtual naturevia the game Nature Treks VRon heart rate variability (HRV) in university students following a cognitive stressor. A total of 39 participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Continuous physiological data were collected using the Polar H10 chest strap, and psychological scales were administered at baseline. Results indicated that both VR and passive rest facilitated autonomic recovery. Although no significant differences were observed between conditions for most HRV indices, a significant reduction in heart rate was found in the group exposed to VR. Furthermore, symptoms of depression, stress, mindfulness levels, and life satisfaction showed meaningful associations with physiological indices, suggesting that individual characteristics influence autonomic recovery responses. These findings support the potential of virtual nature as a complementary tool for well-being promotion, particularly in academic environments, and underscore the need for future studies with larger samples and longitudinal designs.
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ANA BEATRIZ OLIVEIRA DA FONSECA
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GREEN ENVIRONMENTS AS A REGULATOR OF TEST ANXIETY IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DURING EXAMINATION PERIODS
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Advisor : THIAGO SIQUEIRA PAIVA DE SOUZA
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Date: Oct 22, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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This dissertation investigates the effects of exposure to green environments on test anxiety regulation in university students during practical evaluations of Human Anatomy. Based on biophilia theory, which proposes benefits of connection with nature for physical and mental health, the study aimed to analyze the effects of observational exposure to green environments on test anxiety, academic performance, and neurophysiological variables, specifically heart rate variability (HRV). An experimental, quantitative, controlled, randomized block, double-blind methodology was used with 8 Physiotherapy students from UFPB distributed into two groups: visual exposure to nature and control without exposure. Instruments included the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Environmental Connection Scale (ECS), Polar H10 heart rate monitor for HRV analysis via Kubios software, plus academic performance evaluation. Data collection occurred at three moments: two weeks before, during, and two weeks after the practical evaluation. Results demonstrated that nature exposure favored better autonomic recovery in the post-test period, with lower heart rate (80.0 ± 8.1 bpm vs 86.5 ± 7.7 in control) and superior elevations in parasympathetic indices (pNN50 and RMSSD), indicating greater physiological relaxation. Although there was no statistically significant difference in academic performance between groups, a tendency for higher grades was observed in the intervention group. It is concluded that observation of green environments during evaluations constitutes a promising strategy for academic stress modulation and psychophysiological balance promotion, suggesting the inclusion of natural spaces in universities as a complementary tool for student well-being.
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GÉSSICA ALMEIDA DE FREITAS
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Effects of Intimate Partner Domestic Violence Against Women: Eye-Tracking and Neuropsychological Measures
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Advisor : NATANAEL ANTONIO DOS SANTOS
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Date: Oct 22, 2025
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Time: 09:00
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Show Summary
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Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem. This study aimed to investigate the effects of IPV on womens cognition using neuropsychological measures and eye-tracking. The study included 27 women, divided into a non-exposed group (n = 12) and an exposed group (n = 15, 9 of whom had Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD). The following instruments were used: 1. Sociodemographic and Clinical Questionnaire; 2. Social Indicators Report; 3. Intimate Partner Violence Scale; 4. Psychological Abuse in Partner Scale; 5. PTSD Checklist 5 + Life Events Checklist; 6. Anxiety, Depression and Stress Scale; 7. Mini-Mental State Examination; and 8. Resilience Scale. The following tests were administered: 1. D2-R Test, 2. Five-Digit Test; 3. Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; 4. Pictorial Memory Test; and 5. Coding Subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale III. The Tobii TX300 Eye Tracker and a word task were used to assess eye movement patterns. Data analysis was performed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (27) with a significance level of p < 0.05. The Mann-Whitney U test indicated differences between groups for processing speed (U = 48.500; p = 0.04; r = -0.38) and memory (U = 50.000; p = 0.05; r = -0.37). The Kruskal-Wallis test showed differences between groups in the number of fixations on negative words (U = 23.500; p = 0.006; r = -0.56). IPV victims presented poorer performance in cognitive functions and sustained attention to negative trauma-related words, corroborating the research hypothesis and the literature. Recalling traumatic experiences may generate acute emotional arousal, activating the fear circuit, which, combined with rumination and intrusion present in PTSD, contributes to negative engagement and interferes with information processing.
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RENATA EMANUELA LYRA DE BRITO ARANHA
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Primary chronic pain: effects of transcranial direct current stimulation and other physiotherapeutic resources on aspects of pain, quality of life, mood, and cognition.
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Advisor : NELSON TORRO ALVES
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Date: Oct 9, 2025
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Time: 13:00
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Show Summary
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Primary Chronic Pain (PCP) is characterized by pain in one or more anatomical regions that persists or recurs for more than three months, accompanied by significant emotional distress or functional impairment of the individual. Although PCP is subdivided into five categories, the mechanism of nociplastic pain is common among them. Non-pharmacological and non-invasive interventions, such as Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and physiotherapeutic resources such as manual therapy and exercises (MTE) have been the focus of research to evaluate their impact on pain management, quality of life, mood, and cognition in PCP. Thus, the aim of this doctoral project was to conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis to assess the potential of non-pharmacological and non-invasive interventions combined with tDCS in reducing pain intensity in individuals with PCP; to compare the effects of tDCS and MTE, as well as their combination, on aspects of pain, quality of life, and psychiatric symptoms in women with Chronic Migraine (CM); to investigate the association between headache severity and psychiatric symptoms in women with CM; and to compare emotional processing skills between women with CM and healthy participants. The findings of this thesis indicate that tDCS combined with non-pharmacological and non-invasive interventions is effective in reducing pain intensity in individuals with PCP (Study 1). However, the additional effects of tDCS combined with MTE were not observed in women with CM, although positive responses to both tDCS and MTE, whether applied separately or together, were identified (Study 2). When analyzing high levels of anxiety and moderate depression in women with CM, a weak association was found between depression and both pain intensity and headache impact (Study 3). Regarding emotional processing, poorer performance in facial expression recognition tasks was observed in women with CM (Study 4).
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PAULO FRASSINETTI DELFINO DO NASCIMENTO
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Electrophysiological analysis of facial recognition after stroke: a study with the Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation protocol
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Date: Sep 11, 2025
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Time: 09:00
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Show Summary
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Stroke often causes social cognition deficits that are underdiagnosed, impacting quality of life. The central objective of this dissertation was to investigate the neurophysiological markers of post-stroke facial processing and to validate the applicability and sensitivity of the Fast Periodic Visual Stimulation (FPVS)-Oddball paradigm coupled with electroencephalography (EEG) as an assessment tool. To this end, elderly post-stroke patients (with right or left hemisphere lesions) and healthy controls were compared on tasks assessing facial identity and emotional expression discrimination. The results revealed a functional dissociation: while low-level visual processing (synchronization at the base frequency) remained preserved, the clinical group demonstrated a marked reduction or absence of the specific neural response (at the Oddball frequency) for discriminating between identities and emotions. This impairment was significantly more pronounced in patients with right-hemisphere lesions, corroborating the hypothesis of its dominance for complex facial functions, such as differentiating identity and emotion. Therefore, it is concluded that stroke selectively impairs higher-order facial processing and that the FPVS-Oddball paradigm is an objective, rapid, and sensitive tool with high translational potential for the diagnosis and monitoring of rehabilitation in clinical populations with motor or language limitations.
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CALLINE PALMA DOS SANTOS
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Modulation of neural oscillations by nasal breathing: implications for the encoding and recall of aversive memory
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Date: Aug 29, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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The olfactory system plays a central role in detecting environmental cues and guiding adaptive behaviors, including defensive responses to predator-related odors. This study investigated the behavioral and electrophysiological correlates of innate fear processing in rats exposed to non-aversive and aversive olfactory cues. A total of 36 Wistar rats were used across three complementary stages: (1) implementation of a standardized open-field behavioral protocol, including habituation, predator odor training (Feliway), and neutral stimulus re-exposure (Article 1); (2) design, fabrication, and implantation of microelectrode arrays for simultaneous recordings in the olfactory bulb and prelimbic cortex (Article 2); and (3) combined application of the behavioral protocol and chronic electrophysiological recordings for analysis of oscillatory dynamics and their relationship with defensive patterns (Article 3). This descriptive cross-sectional study employed a mixed-methods approach (quantitative and qualitative) in accordance with the Guiding Principles in the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (NACLAR, 2004). All procedures complied with Brazilian legislation (Law 11,794/08 and Decree 6,899/09) and CONCEA regulations, minimizing pain, stress, and discomfort. The project was registered under CEUA protocol nº 5888060522 (ID 002024) and approved by the Ethics Committee on Animal Use of UFPB on 09/13/2023. Behaviorally, animals gradually reduced neophobia while maintaining exploratory activity during habituation, consistent with previous reports (Dielenberg & McGregor, 2001; Apfelbach et al., 2005). During predator odor training, vertical and horizontal exploration decreased, and latency to access the odor zone increased, reflecting innate defensive responses (Blanchard & Blanchard, 1990; LeDoux, 2014; Gross & Canteras, 2012). Repeated exposures showed cumulative effects, with progressively reduced exploration and enhanced defensive behaviors, suggesting adaptive modulation of responses (Fanselow, 1994; Kiyokawa et al., 2007). Electrophysiological recordings revealed predominance of slow oscillations (delta and theta) during baseline (Kay et al., 2009; Liu et al., 2021; Bagur et al., 2021). Phaseamplitude coupling between delta and high gamma decreased after predator odor exposure, indicating transient functional reorganization in response to the stimulus (Buzsáki, 2002; Canolty & Knight, 2010; Hyafil et al., 2015; Liu et al., 2017; Tort et al., 2008). Coherence between the olfactory bulb and prelimbic cortex was low during habituation, showed higher variability during training, and displayed a negative trend during testing, suggesting selective engagement of these regions based on stimulus salience (Likhtik et al., 2014; Karalis et al., 2016). Overall, these results describe consistent patterns of defensive behavior and neural reorganization in response to ecologically valid olfactory stimuli. The study underscores the relevance of multisite ethological protocols for investigating fear memory and sensorimotor integration, contributing to the understanding of neurobiological processes underlying threat detection and defensive response expression.
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ELIDIANNE LAYANNE MEDEIROS DE ARAUJO
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Multidimensional Outcomes in Zika VirusAssociated Microcephaly: Cognitive Development, Behavioral Aspects, and Caregiver Burden Across Different Contexts
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Date: Aug 28, 2025
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Time: 08:00
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Show Summary
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Microcephaly, a condition characterized by a head circumference smaller than expected for sex and gestational age, can result from the Zika virus (ZIKV) or other etiologies, affecting multiple dimensions of child development. This study combined findings from three complementary studies. The first involved 33 children aged 5 to 7 years, divided into three groups (microcephaly due to ZIKV, microcephaly due to other causes, and typical children). They were assessed for temperament, functionality, and gross motor strength using the Children's Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ), the International Classification of Functioning (ICF), and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). The results indicated a significant impact of microcephaly, regardless of etiology, on physical, emotional, and behavioral aspects. In the second study, 11 children with microcephaly were monitored between 2019 and 2023, revealing significant differences in the Negative Affect and Effortful Control domains of the CBQ-SF, with worsening during the COVID-19 pandemic, associated with reduced social interactions and the interruption of essential therapies. In the third study, reports from informal caregivers revealed high burden and poor quality of life, highlighting the psychosocial impact of continuous care. The findings reinforce the need for public policies that ensure the continuity of multidisciplinary interventions and support for caregivers, even in social isolation settings, aiming to mitigate harm to child development and family well-being.
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DANIELE DE FÁTIMA DE PAIVA ABREU
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Visual Processing and Executive Functions in Adults with ObsessiveCompulsive Disorder
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Advisor : NATANAEL ANTONIO DOS SANTOS
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Date: Jul 7, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a chronic and debilitating psychiatric condition.
The present research consisted of two studies. Study 1 was a systematic review on changes in
visual processing in individuals with OCD. PRISMA criteria were used, and searches were
conducted in the PubMed, Scopus, Lilacs, and PsycInfo databases. After analyzing potential
descriptors, the Boolean terms OCD AND visual processing OR eye-tracking were selected
and had to appear in the title, abstract, or keywords of the studies. Articles published in the
last ten years, written in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, were considered. Theoretical
articles, those without empirical data, or those using animal models as the basis for results
were excluded. In total, 126 studies were identified, of which 14 composed the final sample.
The results showed that individuals with OCD exhibit changes in eye movements, especially
a higher number of fixations and increased response time, suggesting distinct patterns of
selective attention and visual processing. Study 2 aimed to investigate changes in visual
processing and executive functions in adults with OCD, using eye-tracking measures and a
battery of neuropsychological tests. Seventeen participants from the OCD group (GE) and
nineteen from the control group (GC) were recruited. Data tabulation and analysis were
performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 26. The analyses
included descriptive and inferential statistics such as ANCOVA, MANOVA, and
MANCOVA with 1000 Bootstrap simulations. Multivariate effects of Group were found
(Wilks Lambda = 0.745, F(3,32) = 7.58, p = 0.03, partial η² = 0.351, power = 0.92) for
anxiety, depression, and stress, with the OCD group scoring higher in these variables.
Univariate effects were also observed in memory (F = 7.661, p = 0.09, partial η² = 0.19,
power = 0.77) and in planning (F = 4.537, p = 0.041, partial η² = 0.128, power = 0.54).
Regarding eye-tracking, descriptive data were presented for saccades, fixations, saccade
amplitude, and dilation of the right and left pupils. However, no statistically significant
effects (p > 0.05) were found between groups.
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CLAUDIA QUEZIA AMADO MONTEIRO
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PARENTAL STRESS IN BRAZILIAN FATHERS AND
MOTHERS: A MULTIMODAL INVESTIGATION WITH
DIGITAL PHENOTYPE AND MENTAL HEALTH SCALES
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Date: Jun 18, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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Parenting constitutes a dynamic and multifaceted process,
requiring constant adaptation throughout the development of
children. It involves not only material and educational support but
also the management of emotional and psychological demands
inherent to caregiving. In this context, parental stress emerges as a
widely studied phenomenon, highlighting the impact of parenting
responsibilities on the physical and mental health of caregivers.
This study investigates parental stress from a neurophysiological
and behavioral perspective, through a mixed-methods approach
that integrates phonological and discursive analysis with
behavioral assessment, aiming to identify stress patterns in
mothers and fathers of children aged 0 to 18.
The research was structured into three parts. The first study
consists of a scoping review of the scientific literature on the
effects of mindfulness-based interventions in reducing parental
stress. The second study, with a cross-sectional design, assessed
volunteers using a sociodemographic and parenting questionnaire,
the Parental Stress Scale (EEPa), the Interpersonal Mindfulness in
Parenting Scale (IM-P 31), the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS).
The third study evaluated psychophysiological aspects through
digital phenotyping, analyzing speech rate and word count in
voice recordings sent via WhatsApp. R software was used for
inferential statistics, and the Iramuteq package was applied for
discourse analysis based on responses to positive and negative
valence questions related to parenting experience.
The review identified positive effects of mindfulness-based
interventions in reducing parental stress and improving
psychological well-being. The cross-sectional study revealed a
strong correlation between parental stress and the absence of a
support network, high levels of anxiety and depression, and low
readiness for mindfulness. Stress was more prevalent among
parents of children aged 2 to 5 years, a critical stage in child
development. Digital phenotyping analysis indicated that high
stress levels were associated with faster speech and reduced use of
emotionally positive words.
The findings reinforce the need for effective strategies to mitigate
parental stress, highlighting mindfulness-based interventions and
social support as key components. The study also underscores the
potential of emotional self-regulation and mindfulness practices to
promote more balanced parenting, with positive impacts on
parental mental health and child development.
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RAISSA ESTER MAIA MONTEIRO
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Online Mindfulness intervention in the Workplace: Effects on Stress and Quality of Life of Telemarketing Operators
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Date: Jun 16, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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Stress brings a range of maladaptive consequences to well-being. It stands out as one of the
major risk factors for workers' health, leading to pathologies that harm both the body and the
mind, significantly compromising quality of life. The practice of mindfulness is understood as
an important therapeutic tool for stress reduction, through the observation of experiences as
they occur, prioritizing the present moment. The present study aimed to investigate the
therapeutic effects of online mindfulness interventions on stress levels and well-being among
telemarketing operators. To achieve this, three studies were conducted. The first, in the format of a literature review, intended to introduce the topic with key concepts and themes that support the research. The second, in the format of a mediation article, aimed to explore how the mindfulness trait could play a significant mediating role in the relationship between
psychological quality of life and stress levels among call center professionals. And finally, the
third article, structured as a randomized clinical trial, sought to evaluate the impact of an online
mindfulness intervention on stress levels and quality of life among telemarketing operators.
Specifically regarding the studies developed through online data collection and quantitative
analysis procedures, two groups were studied: an experimental group (Group A) and a waitlist control group (Group B). The experimental group received an intervention consisting of four asynchronous video sessions containing mindfulness practices, each approximately 20 minutes long, with one video sent per week over four weeks. Participants also received audio recordings and illustrative and theoretical booklets designed to offer further support for the mindfulness practices. The waitlist control group likewise received the same videos, recordings, and booklets. However, unlike Group A, which completed the post-intervention and follow-up questionnaires after the intervention, Group B completed the post-intervention and follow-up assessments before receiving the intervention protocol. Five instruments were selected for data collection: (i) a sociodemographic questionnaire; (ii) the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21); (iii) the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-BR); (iv) the SelfCompassion Scale (SCS-BR); and (v) the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF). Instruments were applied at three distinct moments: pre-intervention, postintervention, and four-week follow-up. The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in Resolution n. 466/2012. For data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were calculated using the SPSS software. An intention-to-treat analysis was performed. Overall, the three articles indicated that mindfulness practices contribute to stress reduction among telemarketing operators.
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THAÍS MYKAELLA PEREIRA DA SILVA
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Spirituality and autobiographical memory: an investigation into associations and implications
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Date: Apr 30, 2025
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Time: 15:00
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Show Summary
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Autobiographical memories (AMs) have been recognized for their potential in several domains that impact the individual, while religiosity/spirituality (R/S) has aroused growing interest due to its protective effect on mental health. Thus, the present study seeks to understand how a person's religious/spiritual experiences influence the way AMs are interpreted, accessed and used in the construction of the self. To this end, we will evaluate whether the functions, functional and phenomenological characteristics of AMs are associated with differences in R/S. Instruments will be used to assess R/S, AMs, anxiety and depressive symptoms, emotional regulation and affect. Data will be analyzed with descriptive statistics, correlational statistics, ANOVA, MANOVA, regression and mediation analysis. The findings will aim to aggregate data that contributed to a better understanding of the interactions between AMs and R/S, contributing to the understanding of these variables.
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JOÃO PEDRO DOS SANTOS CIPRIANO
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Behavioral characterization of episodic-like memory in rodents throughout ontogenesis
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Date: Apr 30, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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Episodic memory consists of the ability to remember, in an integrated way, contextual information about events. Studies with animal models have used behavioral criteria to evaluate this type of memory, using elements such as what (event) occurred, in a certain place (where), at a given moment in time (when), and its occurrence is treated in an associative way between the aspects mentioned above. Its ontogenetic trajectory is not yet well understood. This study sought to describe the behavior of Wistar rats submitted to a memory task similar to episodic memory during neurodevelopment. To this end, 140 Wistar rats were used, 30 of which were breeders and 110 pups at 18, 24, 35, 60, 80 and 90 days of birth, kept under controlled conditions. The episodic-like memory task consisted of 3 sessions, 2 samples and 1 test. Each session lasted five minutes, with a one-hour interval between them. They were also subjected to a novel object recognition task to serve as a control for evaluating the rats' discrimination and the existence of false positives. The results of the discrimination index showed that rats at different ages predominantly expressed non-integrative temporal memory in the WWWhen/ELM test, especially from P35 onwards, as well as a tendency towards temporal memory at P60 [t(14) = 1.954, p=0.071]. For NOR, only rats at P33 were able to discriminate objects in the first and second minute. The present study standardized the apparatus and objects for different ages, so a set of 3D objects was evaluated, and the results showed that one of them was differentially explored. Analyses of locomotion, anxiety-like behavior and neophobia indicate that rats at different ages show a similar pattern. As far as we know, this is the first episodic memory task that simultaneously evaluates the temporal and spatial aspects of episodic memory at various ages of ontogeny with a time interval of one hour, with objects and a field standardized for each age.
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DAVIANY OLIVEIRA LIMA
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EFFECTS OF TRANSCRANIAL ANODAL DIRECT CURRENT STIMULATION COMBINED WITH AUDITORY TRAINING IN CHILDREN WITH CENTRAL AUDITORY PROCESSING DISORDER: A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL
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Date: Apr 29, 2025
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Time: 08:00
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Show Summary
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The thesis investigates the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)
in children with central auditory processing disorder (CAPD). In this way, they were
Studies were carried out and their results were presented in three articles. All Articles
followed the norms of the CEFAC Journal - Health and Education, CODAS.
In this sense, the present work will be organized into chapters, namely: Chapter I
General introduction that presents the theoretical contribution of tDCS as a therapeutic tool for the
patients with CAPD, organized in the APA format, as recommended by the program in
Neuroscience; Chapter II- Article 1 entitled: "Efficacy of Transcranial Stimulation
Direct Current in the Treatment of Auditory Processing Disorder
Central: A Systematic Review", this is a systematic review that sought to analyze the
scientific evidence of the efficacy of tDCS in TPAC, study will be submitted to the journal CEFAC.
Chapter III- Article 2 entitled: "Transcranial direct current stimulation in
Children with central auditory processing disorder: a pilot study of the
Impacts on phonological processing.", the study is in the final phase and will be
submitted to the CODAS journal; Chapter IV- Article 3 entitled: "Evaluation of the Effects
Combined tDCS and Auditory Training in Central Auditory Processing: A
Randomized triple blind trial", this is a clinical trial, placebo-controlled,
triple-blind, randomized study that seeks to investigate the effects of tDCS associated with Training
Hearing loss in the TPAC, is in the final phase of data collection and will be submitted to the journal
CODAS; Chapter V - General discussion that brings the discussion of the results of these studies with the
literature; Chapter VI - Conclusion completes the synthesis of the research of the entire thesis.
It should be noted that chapter IV will be presented in a partial way and chapters V and VI
will be drafted later and presented at final version.
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MAHYNE CLEIA ALBINO GUEDES
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Executive function performance in adolescents who commit non-
suicidal self-harm
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Date: Apr 23, 2025
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Time: 14:30
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Show Summary
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Adolescence is a transitional period marked by puberty and the
maturation of cognitive control, driven by the development of the
prefrontal cortex and its connections. This process directly
influences executive functions, which are essential for emotional
regulation, planning, and impulse control. Changes in these
functions can increase vulnerability to risky decision-making,
contributing to risky behaviors such as non-suicidal self-harm
(NSS). NSS is more prevalent in adolescence and has been
associated with the prediction of future suicide attempts, one of the
leading causes of death among adolescents worldwide. Given this
scenario, the present study aimed to analyze the performance of
executive functions in adolescents involved in non-suicidal self-
harm. The sample consisted of 144 adolescents (72 from the self-
harm group and 72 from the comparison group), aged between 14
and 17 years. The following instruments were used in this study:
sociodemographic questionnaire, Five Digit Span Test (FDT), Digit
Span, Adult Executive Functioning Inventory (ADEXI) (self-report
and informed versions), Positive and Negative Affect Scale
(PANAS), Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ), Depression
Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and Functional Self-Harm
Scale (FASM). These instruments seek to access the three
subcomponents of executive functioning working memory,
cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control , affective states,
emotion regulation strategies, stress, anxiety and depression scores,
as well as data on NSSI behaviors. Parametric data were analyzed
by Student's t-test and nonparametric data by the Mann-Whitney
test. The results were analyzed with a 95% confidence interval and
indicated statistically significant differences only in self-reported
working memory (p = 0.017), positive affect (p = 0.020), negative
affect (p = 0.030) and stress, anxiety and depression (p < 0.001).
The results suggest that there is no direct relationship between
ALNS and deficits in executive functioning in adolescents who
practice these behaviors. On the other hand, affective states seem to
be better related to this behavior.
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LUANA DIAS SANTIAGO PIMENTA
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Effects of Mindfulness-Based Intervention Program on Parenting
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Date: Apr 23, 2025
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Time: 09:00
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Show Summary
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This thesis is part of a clinical trial whose participants were mothers of
infants who were users of the Unified Health System, aiming to guide
the implementation of mindfulness practices and the evaluation of the
impact of this tool on the mental health stress, depression and anxiety
of the mothers. However, before starting the intervention, a
mediation study was carried out with mothers of children and
adolescents aiming to investigate whether mindfulness acts as a
mediator in anxiety about parental stress. Then, another mediation
study was carried out, this time counting only on mothers of infants
using mindfulness and the mothers' support network as potential
mediators of the interaction between depression and maternal stress.
Based on these findings, the clinical trial in question was finally carried
out, a pioneering study in Brazil.
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ANA PAULA DE CASTRO ARAUJO
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Neural circuits and molecular mechanisms underlying object pattern separation in a multiple-trial task
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Date: Feb 27, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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The neural bases involved in the processing of recognition memory have been the focus of several molecular studies. Additionally, research has pointed to the function of pattern separation for spatial and object information in underlying cortical structures (perirhinal cortex and lateral entorhinal cortex) and the hippocampus (dentate gyrus and CA3).Thus, this study aims to standardize an object recognition and object discrimination task with multiple attempts and investigate the expression of c-Fos in regions of the temporal cortex and hippocampal subregions, considering its distribution along the anteroposterior axis. Initially, a behavioral pilot study was conducted to standardize the task, using six animals. Following this, animals were divided into five groups for immunofluorescence analysis: an object recognition task (C1), n=8; a discrimination task with all similarity levels (C2), n=8; and a discrimination task with a specific similarity level (25%, 50%, and 75%), with 7, 7, and 6 animals, respectively.The task consisted of four trials, each containing a sample phase and a test phase. During each trial, a new set of objects was used. In each sample phase, two identical pairs of objects constructed from Lego bricks were presented. During the test phase, one of the objects was replaced with a different object, with its similarity varying depending on the experimental group. To control object similarity, a Cartesian plane was created to quantify the degree of overlap between them, considering the filling of the X and Y axes by a portion of the Lego piece, referred to as a pip. Tissue sections were subjected to an immunofluorescence protocol to label c-Fos. Cell counting was performed manually using ImageJ. For behavioral data, cumulative discrimination indices (D2) were calculated across trials. For immunofluorescence data, ANOVA for independent measures and planned contrasts were conducted. The Kruskal-Wallis test and post hoc Dunns test were applied, with a significance level of 0.5. Graph analysis was guided using the igraph package. Our results indicate that, in the behavioral pilot study, animals successfully discriminated novel objects with similarity levels of 25% and 50%. Regarding immunofluorescence, significant differences in c-Fos expression were observed in different portions along the horizontal axis of CA3R and HilarR, with higher similarity conditions showing increased c-Fos expression. However, no difference was found between the highest similarity conditions (50% and 75%). Furthermore, under higher similarity conditions, c-Fos expression in different hippocampal regions was strongly correlated with the discrimination index. Graph analysis revealed that hippocampal network function is highly dynamic, depending on the condition. As similarity levels increase, network interconnections also increase, making the networks more densely interconnected and more efficient under high-similarity conditions. Additionally, different levels of similarity were associated with distinct forms of organization and cluster division. Therefore, HilarR and CA3cR are activated differently depending on the similarity level, playing a central role in pattern separation. The hippocampus functions as a more densely integrated network as the overlap between memories increases. These findings contribute to elucidating the mechanisms underlying the neurobiological bases of recognition memory acquisition, consolidation, retrieval, and pattern separation.
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PAMELLA MENDES MARTINIANO DA SILVA CARDOSO
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Electroencephalogram, Dopaminergic Modulation and Impulsivity in the Creative Process: Insight, Analytical Processing and Problem Solving
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Advisor : NATANAEL ANTONIO DOS SANTOS
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Date: Jan 31, 2025
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Time: 14:00
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Show Summary
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Creativity, characterized as the ability to solve problems in an original and effective manner, is influenced by fronto-striatal dopaminergic modulation, which regulates the balance between persistent and flexible processingcrucial during the phases of the creative process. Dopaminergic receptor modulation plays a significant role in both creativity and impulsivity. This study aimed to investigate these interactions in 21 healthy, right-handed adults, seeking to understand how impulsivity and brain activity impact different stages of creativity and the originality of responses. Participants were classified as having low, medium, or high impulsivity based on the Go/No-Go task and had their EEG recorded during this task and the Alternative Uses Task (AUT). Results showed that individuals with low impulsivity demonstrated higher originality, although without reaching statistical significance. This group exhibited a cognitive profile favoring analytical strategies, characterized by greater inhibitory control and attentional regulation. Conversely, individuals with high impulsivity exhibited greater centroparietal activation during AUT2, reflecting a possible relaxation of executive control that facilitates automatic associative processes but with lower creative efficiency. Analysis of alpha oscillations revealed distinct patterns between the groups: in the high-originality group, generalized alpha synchronization was observed after incubation (AUT2), suggesting a relaxed cognitive state conducive to integrating creative information. In contrast, individuals with low originality displayed broader alpha desynchronization, reflecting continuous cognitive effort and reduced flexibility for idea generation. Although task-related potential (TRP) variations were associated with the task, no significant differences were observed between impulsivity levels. These findings suggest that analytical strategies and cognitive relaxation play complementary roles in creativity, but their impact may be modulated by impulsivity and the neural states involved. Finally, a limitation of the study was the small sample size, which may have constrained the detection of subtler effects. Future studies with larger samples and multimodal approaches should further explore the interactions between impulsivity, dopaminergic modulation, and neural networks in creativity.
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ALINE MIRANDA DE VASCONCELOS
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Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on identity recognition and facial emotions after stroke
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Date: Jan 20, 2025
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Time: 09:00
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Show Summary
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After a stroke, individuals may experience impairments in face recognition. The relationship between the abilities to recognize facial identity and facial emotion has been debated for a long time, as there may be dissociation or interdependence between these processes. In the context of non-pharmacological interventions applied to neurological disorders, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has shown to be a promising tool for modulating cognitive abilities. In the present study, the effects of tDCS on the processing of facial identity and emotions in post-stroke patients were evaluated, with anodal stimulation performed over the fusiform gyrus in the right and left hemispheres. The thesis was divided into three parts. The first constituted a systematic review on the assessment tools for face recognition. The second involved a systematic review on the effects of tDCS on facial identity recognition. The third part comprised an empirical study on the effects of tDCS on facial identity and emotion recognition after stroke, through a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study protocol. The sample consisted of 30 post-stroke participants divided into three groups: right hemisphere lesion with active tDCS, left hemisphere lesion with active tDCS, and right hemisphere lesion with placebo tDCS. Stimulation was directed to the fusiform gyrus, with an intensity of 1.5 mA for 20 minutes. Participants performed identity recognition (perception and memory) and emotion tasks before and during the intervention. The results obtained from the first study highlight the challenges in selecting the most appropriate instruments for the assessment of face recognition in the general population and in patients with prosopagnosia. The results obtained from the second study highlight that, depending on the protocol used, tDCS can influence face processing, particularly in terms of attention, holistic processing and working memory. In the third study, it was possible to observe that tDCS significantly improved facial identity recognition at the perception stage in groups with active stimulation, especially in the group with left hemisphere lesion. However, regarding facial emotion recognition, no significant differences were observed between groups. These results reinforce the specific role of the fusiform gyrus in facial identity recognition, while emotional processing seems to depend on broader neural networks. In summary, this thesis contributed to the knowledge about the effects of tDCS on facial identity and emotion recognition in an integrated manner, using a novel approach that seeks to stimulate a single brain area, the fusiform gyrus, to simultaneously evaluate two distinct domains of face recognition. Furthermore, by applying this protocol to a clinical sample of post-stroke patients, the study offers an important contribution, expanding the understanding of the interactions between these domains in rehabilitation contexts, and exploring the possibilities of more specific and targeted interventions.
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