|
| |
|
|
Cognitive Development during University Education
Pánková, Barbora ; Kučera, Miloš (advisor) ; Klusák, Miroslav (referee) ; Lacinová, Lenka (referee)
The topic of this doctoral dissertation is changes and shifts in cognitive domains during the period when young adults are enrolled in university education. This period in cognitive development is marked by the concept of postformal thinking related to Piaget's theory of cognitive development. In this thesis, the main focus is on the postformal thinking operations conceptualized by Jan D. Sinnott. The theoretical part is dedicated to two main themes: higher university education period and cognitive development. The current situation of mass tertiary education in the Czech Republic is presented as well as its impact on the student structure and students themselves. This time in life during which a young adult attends university education is described through the viewpoint of developmental psychology theorists and the concept of emerging adulthood by Jeffrey J. Arnett. In the cognitive development domain, Jean Piaget's theory is mentioned and followed by a showcase of a line of thought of his successors regarding the theory of postformal development. For the purposes of research presented in this thesis, Jan D. Sinnott's Theory of Relativistic Postformal Thought was used as the basic framework. The research part of this thesis was carried out as a mixed two-part design. With this approach, a deeper...
|
|
|
The role of biofluid biomarkers in the differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases
Katonová, Alžbeta ; Čechová, Kateřina (advisor) ; Mrózková, Petra (referee)
Until recently, the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases was dependent only on clinical expression, the definitive confirmation of which was possible only post- mortem. Currently, biofluid biomarkers represent a reliable source for the diagnosis of serious neurodegenerative diseases already during the patient's lifetime. The identification of reliable biomarkers is essential for increasing diagnostic accuracy, monitoring the clinical condition, more precise selection of individuals for clinical trials and the associated development of causal treatment. The aim of the bachelor's thesis was to conduct a thorough literature review focusing on clinically and experimentally used biological markers in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases and their role in the pathophysiology of these diseases. Key words: Neurodegenerative diseases, biomarkers, proteinopathies, neurocognitive impairment, cognition
|
|
|
The detection of cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis
Blahová-Dušánková, Jana ; Kubala Havrdová, Eva (advisor) ; Papežová, Hana (referee) ; Rektorová, Irena (referee)
Evaluation of cognitive impairment is often omitted in multiple sclerosis (MS), as the available instruments usually require considerable time and resources, and are not readily available in all countries. The aims of this study were to examine validity of the Czech translation of the MACFIMS (Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS), to validate the BICAMS (Brief International Cognitive Assessment for MS) and to compare outcomes of the MACFIMS and the BICAMS. We evaluated 367 MS patients and 134 healthy controls with the MACFIMS battery, which also comprises the 3 tests of the BICAMS (Symbol Digit Modalities Test, Brief Visuospatial Memory Test- Revised, California Verbal Learning Test, second edition). The most accurate BICAMS criterion of cognitive deficit was that of at least 1 of the overall 3 tests outside the normal range (sensitivity = 94%, specificity = 86%, p=10-28). Outcomes of the Czech translation of the MACFIMS were comparable to its original. The MACFIMS and the BICAMS identified cognitive deficit in 55% and 58% of the MS patients, respectively. Both the BICAMS and MACFIMS predicted patient vocational status. The BICAMS is highly sensitive and specific to cognitive impairment in MS as defined by the MACFIMS. This impairment is significantly associated with vocational status. Our work...
|
|
|
The effect of agonist of the metabotropic glutamate receptors LY 379268 in an animal model of psychosis
Rišňovská, Dominika ; Stuchlík, Aleš (advisor) ; Telenský, Petr (referee)
Introduction: Schizophrenia is a neuropsychiatric illness characterized by impairments in cognition and positive and negative symptoms. As currently used antipsychotics do not treat all symptoms of the disease, further research of the therapeutic potential of various drugs in the treatment of this disease is crucial. Psychosis is a condition or a mental state that usually accompany schizophrenia, as well as other disorders. We used MK-801, a non-competitive antagonist of NMDA receptors to induce an experimental model of psychosis in rats. By binding to the NMDA subtype of glutamate receptors located on inhibitory interneurons, MK-801 has been shown to elicit an overactivation of cortical and hippocampal pyramidal neurons, leading to behaviors such as hyperlocomotion, stereotypy or cognitive impairments. LY 379268, an agonist of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors, binds to both presynaptic and postsynaptic receptors on pyramidal neurons. It has been suggested that it could alleviate the MK-801-induced hyperactivity of the principal neurons. In this study, we sought to demonstrate the effects of LY 379268 in the MK-801 animal model of psychosis and hypothesized that LY 379268 will ameliorate deficits in the reversal learning induced by MK-801. Materials and methods: Long Evans rats received...
|
|
|
Impact of light on cognition and mood
Křivohlavá, Tereza ; Bendová, Zdeňka (advisor) ; Růžička, Jiří (referee)
Circadian rhythms are cyclically repeating biorhythms with an approximate period of 24 hours. The main circadian pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei in the hypothalamus controls the correct timing of physiological processes and behaviors and works to synchronize the whole body into a single period. The circadian clock works correctly if the period and phase are adjusted daily by environmental stimuli consistent with the solar cycle. The alternation of light and dark is the primary synchronizer of circadian rhythms and one that people mostly do not adhere nowadays. At nighttime they are usually exposed to strong lights while during the daytime they spend many hours in a dark room without receiving enough (sun)light. This disruption of biological and environmental clocks causes the desynchronization of the organism and the periodic misalignment of physiological or mental processes in the body. Long lasting desynchronization could have a serious impact on the human body, including emotions and cognitive functions.
|
|
|
Identification of the predictors of cognitive dysfunction in children with intractable epilepsy
Novák, Vilém ; Kršek, Pavel (advisor) ; Nevšímalová, Soňa (referee) ; Aulická, Štefania (referee)
Epilepsy affects approximately 0,5-1% of children. Epileptic seizures originate in and propagate along certain neural pathways involved in physiological processes of cognition. Consequently, cognitive impairment frequently accompanies epilepsy in childhood and contributes to diminished quality of life of these patients.The main goal of this PhD thesis was to study multiple aspects of cognitive impairment in children suffering from intractable focal epilepsy. In the first and primary study, we described for the first time the negative impact of quasi- periodic epileptiform discharges in sleep (termed "hurdles" in our work) on cognitive functions in children with focal structural epilepsy. We have also shown that epileptiform activity in sleep has a more prominent negative impact on cognitive functions than epileptiform activity in wake. Although "hurdles" are by definition generalized, they do not predict worse outcomes of epilepsy surgery, compared to controls. In the second study, we analyzed the relationship between the extent of epileptogenic zone, functional brain plasticity (evaluated by fMRI) and cognitive dysfunction in children with drug resistant temporal epilepsy. Comparing patients with isolated focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) and patients with combined pathology (FCD and hippocampal...
|
|
|
Human in the light of science
Houdek, Tomáš ; Novák, Aleš (advisor) ; Chavalka, Jakub (referee) ; Prázný, Aleš (referee)
The paper thematizes the concept of science in mid- and late thinking of Friedrich Nietzsche in the context of his understanding of scientific cognition of both: human and its world. The study introduces the problem of science and cognition in general in connection with significant motives of Nietzsche's thinking: morality, the revaluation of all values, thinking and living "beyond good and evil", freedom, human body, the superhuman motive, ascetic ideals, and more. Emphasis is put on the problem of veracity in the context of Nietzsche's attitude to idealism. Keywords Human; Superhuman; Nietzsche; Moral Philosophy; Cognition; Truth; Error; Intelect; Body; The Will to Power; Drive and Instinct; Evolution; Idealism; Nihilism; Amor fati; Beyond Good and Evil; Freedom; Ascetic ideals
|
|
|
Alcohol and Decision-Making
LYGA, Michal
The bachelor thesis Alcohol and Decision-Making deals with various psychological theories exploring the influence of alcohol on the behavior and decision-making of an individual focusing on a phenomenon called Alcohol Myopia Effect (AME). The aim of this theoretical work is to describe from different points of view how alcohol affects the organism and the psyche of a man and how it changes his usual way of decision-making. The main part of the thesis is devoted to the AME theory which suggests that an intoxicated individual has a significantly narrowed his cognitive functions and thus important inhibiting cues are lost from his perception range and therefore may the individual behave in more risky or deviant way. The AME theory is discussed from several points of view and is compared with alternative theories examining the effects of alcohol on individual decision-making.
|
|
|
Beneficial Effects of 11β-HSD1 Inhibition on Cognitive Performance in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease
Červinková, Tereza ; Červený, Lukáš (advisor) ; Musílek, Kamil (referee)
Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology Candidate: Tereza Červinková Supervisor: PharmDr. Lukáš Červený, Ph.D. Title: Beneficial Effects of 11β-HSD1 Inhibition on Cognitive Performance in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease The increased life expectancy goes hand in hand with ageing-related cognitive impairments. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia being an irreversible and progressive brain disorder with loss of cognitive functions. Recent studies suggest that excess of glucocorticoid (GC) action exerts deleterious effects on the hippocampus and causes impaired spatialmemory. In addition, it has been demonstrated that aged mice with cognitive deficits show increased gene expression of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) in the hippocampus and parietal cortex. The Senescence-Accelerated Mouse Prone 8 (SAMP8) strain is a spontaneous animal model of accelerated ageing. Many studies indicate that SAMP8 harbour the behavioural and histopathological signatures of AD. In the present study, we evaluated the neuroprotective effects of 11β-HSD1 inhibition by a potent pyrrolidine-based compound RL-118 and/or effects of diet on cognitive performance in different groups of SAMP8 by conducting behavioural and...
|
guest ::
