Long-term Retention Test Research Articles

Contextual Interference Effect in Learning of Simulated Laparoscopic Tasks

Laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgical technique involving fine motor movements of the hands and fingers, has proven to be an invaluable tool in surgical care. Expediting the learning process of surgeons to reach proficiency in this surgical technique directly impacts patient outcomes, recovery times, and time management in hospitals [1]. Within motor learning, blocked and random practice has been identified as having correspondingly low or high levels of contextual interference, with different effects on learning and retention of motor skills. Contextual interference can be described as the level of mental interference created during the practice of motor skills. So far, research has been equivocal in identifying the best practice schedule for optimizing the acquisition and retention of fine and gross motor skills. This study examines the role of contextual interference in the acquisition, short-term retention (10-minute), and long-term retention (10-day) of three variations of a simulated laparoscopic task in 60 adults aged 18-65, 30 males and 30 females. The index of performance was represented by the total time taken to complete each task using curved laparoscopic graspers. Results showed that both blocked and random practice groups significantly improved acquisition performance over 54 acquisition trials. Participants undergoing a blocked practice schedule improved their pattern time-to-completion by 46%, retaining most of their performance in the 10-minute retest while maintaining their skill as well after 10 days. The random practice group improved acquisition performance by 38%, maintaining most of their performance in the short-term retention test, with only a slight decrease in speed in the long-term retention test. No statistically significant differences in the efficiency of blocked versus random practice schedules were found for both acquisition and retention, suggesting that both practice schedules can be viable options for learning and retention of simulated laparoscopic surgical tasks. We suggest tailoring training programs to individual skill levels to provide each learner with the optimal amount of contextual interference to reach their optimal challenge point according to subjective task difficulty experienced.

Augmented reality training for improved learnability

In the current era of Industry 4.0, many new technologies offer manufacturing industries to achieve high productivity. Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the emerging technologies that has been adopted in industries to aid users in acquiring complex skills and carrying out many complicated tasks such product assembly and maintenance. Nevertheless, most AR applications have been developed without clear understanding of how such technology can facilitate improved learnability in terms of knowledge reusability. This paper proposed an enhanced AR-based training system that provides multimodal information with a contextualized information to improve task comprehension and knowledge reusability compared with traditional AR that presents unimodal and decontextualized information. An empirical test was carried out to assess the task performance and the task learnability aspects of this enhanced AR compared to the traditional AR and the paper-based document. The experiment consisted of a training phase where participants carried out an electrical connection task of a sensor followed by a knowledge reuse phase where participants had to wire a second sensor using their previous training. A pre-test quiz was given before the experiment followed by the post-tests phase after the training. Post-tests consist of one post-test given directly after the experiment (short-term retention test) and a second post-test quiz given one week later (long-term retention test) to measure information retention. The results indicated that AR-based approaches could enhance knowledge acquisition by around 18 % for traditional AR and almost 25 % for enhanced AR as compared to paper-based approach. While all training systems achieved relatively equivalent well for short-term retention test, trainees who used the enhanced AR training systems statistically outperformed those in the paper-based group for long term retention test. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the score of short-term retention test and the score in the knowledge reusability which was also shown by the higher scores in knowledge reusability for the enhanced AR training system compared to the other two approaches. These findings are discussed in relation to the Industry 5.0′s human centric core value.

Learning of a postural control task in a virtual environment with Parkinson´s disease individuals

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are able to learn tasks with postural control demand, however, they need more practice, more sensory information, and extrinsic feedback for this improvement. These aspects could be provided by task performance on virtual environment. In addition, the retention interval found in these studies was short. AIM: To investigate the extent to which the learning of tasks involving a high demand for postural control is impacted in individuals with PD, and to determine the impact of the learning process on both cognition and postural control. METHOD: The Experimental Group comprised 13 participants with PD and the Control Group comprises 14 healthy elderly. Participants took part in 13 one-hour sessions, which involved four Kinect system games, with high postural and cognitive demands. The short-term retention test was performed one week after the post-test, whereas the long-term retention test was performed one month after the post-test. RESULTS: Individuals with PD learned the tasks with a high demand of postural control and demonstrated both short and long-term retention. The skill learning of the four tasks led to an improvement in cognitive functions specifically in memory. There was an improvement of reactive aspects of postural control in the elderly and with the individuals with PD, also better gait stability in the elderly. CONCLUSION:Despite the degeneration in striatum, responsible of consolidation of motor learning, individuals with PD are able to learn motor skills with a high demand for postural control, retaining them in the long term.

Simulating Ovariohysterectomy: What Type of Practice Promotes Short- and Long-Term Skills Retention?

Simulation-based surgical training allows students to learn skills through deliberate practice without the patient risk and stress of operating on a live animal. This study sought to determine the ideal distribution of training sessions to improve short- and long-term retention of the skills necessary to perform a simulated ovariohysterectomy (OVH). Fourth-semester students (n = 102) were enrolled. Students in the weekly instruction group (n = 57) completed 10 hours of training on the OVH simulator, with sessions held at approximately weekly intervals. Students in the monthly instruction group (n = 45) completed the same training with approximately monthly sessions. All students were assessed 1 week (short-term retention test) and 5 months following the last training session (long-term retention test). Students in the weekly instruction group scored higher on their short-term assessment than students in the monthly instruction group (p < .001). However, students' scores in the weekly instruction group underwent a significant decrease between their short- and long-term assessments (p < .001), while the monthly group did not experience a decrease in scores (p < .001). There was no difference in long-term assessment scores between weekly and monthly instruction groups. These findings suggest that if educators are seeking maximal performance at a single time point, scheduling instructional sessions on a weekly basis prior to that time would be superior to monthly sessions, but if educators are concerned with long-term retention of skills, scheduling sessions either on a weekly or monthly basis would accomplish that purpose.

Evaluation of the Effect of Cariprazine on Memory and Cognition in Experimental Rodent Models.

The main symptoms of schizophrenia are categorized as positive, negative, and cognitive. Cognitive impairments do not generally respond to antipsychotics. Cariprazine is a novel antipsychotic conceived with the idea that high affinity for D3 receptors may elicit a favorable response in the management of cognitive deficits. We evaluated the pro-cognitive properties of 14-day long pre-treatment with cariprazine (0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg b.w. intraperitoneally) in experimental rodent models with scopolamine-induced memory impairment employing novel object recognition test (NORT), T-maze, Y-maze, and passive avoidance tasks (step-through and step-down). Statistical analysis was performed with One Way ANOVA. In NORT cariprazine increased the recognition index. In T-maze and Y-maze cariprazine increased the working memory index as well as the percentage of spontaneous alternation. Cariprazine improved learning and memory in both short-term and long-term memory retention tests in step-down and step-through tasks. Cariprazine improves learning, recognition, and spatial memory in rats with scopolamine-induced memory impairment. Cariprazine's beneficial effect on cognition is likely due to its affinity for D3 receptors, as well as agonism at 5-HT1A receptors. Most probably, the cognitive-enhancing properties of cariprazine are the result of integrated modulation in the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex.

Learning in Stereo: The Relationship Between Spatial Ability and 3D Digital Anatomy Models.

Three-dimensional (3D) digital anatomical models show potential to demonstrate complex anatomical relationships; however, the literature is inconsistent as to whether they are effective in improving the anatomy performance, particularly for students with low spatial visualization ability (Vz). This study investigated the educational effectiveness of a 3D stereoscopic model of the pelvis, and the relationship between learning with 3D models and Vz. It was hypothesized that participants learning with a 3D pelvis model would outperform participants learning with a two-dimensional (2D) visualization or cadaveric specimen on a spatial anatomy test, particularly when comparing those with low Vz. Participants (n=64) were stratified into three experimental groups, who each attended a learning session with either a 3D stereoscopic model (n=21), 2D visualization (n=21), or cadaveric specimen (n=22) of the pelvis. Medical and pre-medical student participants completed a multiple-choice pre-test and post-test during their respective learning session, and a long-term retention (LTR) test 2 months later. Results showed no difference in anatomy test improvement or LTR performance between the experimental groups. A simple linear regression analysis showed that within the 3D group, participants with high Vz tended to retain more than those with low Vz on the LTR test (R2 =0.31, P=0.01). The low Vz participants may be cognitively overloaded by the complex spatial cues from the 3D stereoscopic model. Results of this study should inform resource selection and curriculum design for health professional students, with attention to the impact of Vz on learning.

Promoting Motor Variability During Robotic Assistance Enhances Motor Learning of Dynamic Tasks.

Despite recent advances in robot-assisted training, the benefits of haptic guidance on motor (re)learning are still limited. While haptic guidance may increase task performance during training, it may also decrease participants' effort and interfere with the perception of the environment dynamics, hindering somatosensory information crucial for motor learning. Importantly, haptic guidance limits motor variability, a factor considered essential for learning. We propose that Model Predictive Controllers (MPC) might be good alternatives to haptic guidance since they minimize the assisting forces and promote motor variability during training. We conducted a study with 40 healthy participants to investigate the effectiveness of MPCs on learning a dynamic task. The task consisted of swinging a virtual pendulum to hit incoming targets with the pendulum ball. The environment was haptically rendered using a Delta robot. We designed two MPCs: the first MPC—end-effector MPC—applied the optimal assisting forces on the end-effector. A second MPC—ball MPC—applied its forces on the virtual pendulum ball to further reduce the assisting forces. The participants' performance during training and learning at short- and long-term retention tests were compared to a control group who trained without assistance, and a group that trained with conventional haptic guidance. We hypothesized that the end-effector MPC would promote motor variability and minimize the assisting forces during training, and thus, promote learning. Moreover, we hypothesized that the ball MPC would enhance the performance and motivation during training but limit the motor variability and sense of agency (i.e., the feeling of having control over their movements), and therefore, limit learning. We found that the MPCs reduce the assisting forces compared to haptic guidance. Training with the end-effector MPC increases the movement variability and does not hinder the pendulum swing variability during training, ultimately enhancing the learning of the task dynamics compared to the other groups. Finally, we observed that increases in the sense of agency seemed to be associated with learning when training with the end-effector MPC. In conclusion, training with MPCs enhances motor learning of tasks with complex dynamics and are promising strategies to improve robotic training outcomes in neurological patients.

The Effect of Chronic Treatment with Lacosamide and Topiramate on Cognitive Functions and Impaired Emotional Responses in a Pilocarpine-induced Post-statusEpilepticus Rat Model.

Epilepsy and antiepileptic drugs can affect negatively the cognitive abilities of patients. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of topiramate (TPM) and lacosamide (LCM) on the emotional and cognitive re-sponses in naive animals and in animals with pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups and status epilepticus was evoked in half of them by a single i.p. administration of pilocarpine (Pilo) (320 mg/kg): Pilo-veh, Pilo-TPM (80 mg/kg) and Pilo-LCM (30 mg/kg). Matched naive rats were treated with the same doses as follows: C-veh, C-TPM, and C-LCM. In a step-down passive avoidance test, the learning session was held for one day, the early retention test was conducted on day 2, and the long-term memory test - on day 7. Motor activity and anxiety were evaluated in an open field test. The Pilo-TPM and Pilo-LCM groups increased the time spent on the platform compared to Pilo-veh animals while the C-LCM animals decreased the time compared to C-veh animals during short- and long-term memory retention tests. TPM and LCM exerted an anxiolytic effect in naive rats. The two antiepileptic drugs were unable to alleviate the hyperactivity, but they alleviated the impulsivity associated with decreased anxiety level in epileptic rats. Our findings suggest that LCM and TPM have a beneficial effect on cognition both in naive and epileptic rats. While the two antiepileptic drugs can produce an anxiolytic effect in naive rats, they alleviate the impulsivity after pilocarpine treatment.

Long-term consumption of virgin coconut (Cocos nucifera) oil diet impairs learning and memory in CD1 mice

ObjectiveVirgin coconut oil (VCO) has been used in the management of dementia in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Therefore, this research investigated the effect of long-term consumption of VCO diet on learning and memory in CD1 mice. MethodsThirty male CD1 mice (divided into three groups, n = 10) were fed with standard rodent chow (control), 5% and 20% VCO diets (respectively) for 28 d. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) test was used to test the effect of VCO on visuo-spatial learning and memory, while the Novel Object Recognition Test (NORT) was used to measure short- and long-term recognition memory. ResultsLearning performance of mice did not differ in the MWM. During the probe trial, duration in the retention quadrant and annulus crossings were lower (P < 0.05) in the 5% and 20% VCO diet groups compared to the control diet group, showing that VCO impaired visuo-spatial memory. During the NORT, mice showed more total approaches in the 20% VCO diet group (P < 0.05) compared to control and the 5% VCO diet groups during the short-term memory test. During the long-term memory retention test, the total approaches were also higher in the 20% VCO group compared to control and 5% VCO group (P > 0.05). The discrimination index was also lower in the 20% VCO group compared to control and 5% VCO diet groups indicating impaired long-term cognitive memory in mice given 20% VCO diet. Histological examination of brains showed damage within the CA1 pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampus in the 20% VCO diet group, in line with the behavioural observations. ConclusionLong-term consumption of virgin coconut oil diet impairs memory in mice.

Motor Learning of a cognitive-motor task after stroke

The aim of this study was investigated a maze learning in stroke individuals. Forty participants assigned into two groups: experimental (stroke participants; n = 20) and control (neurologically healthy participants; n = 20). The study involved an acquisition phase, a transfer test, and a short-and longterm retention tests. The task consisted in complete a maze, with paper and pen, in the shortest time possible. The dependent variables were execution time and error. Data were analyzed with an Anova- two way with Repeated Measures for these variables. Results showed learning for both groups, but with the experimental group having worse performance compared to control group mainly related error. It was also seen the impact promoted in the task has impaired both groups in the transfer test performance.

Motor Learning of a cognitive-motor task after stroke

The aim of this study was investigated a maze learning in stroke individuals. Forty participants assigned into two groups: experimental (stroke participants; n = 20) and control (neurologically healthy participants; n = 20). The study involved an acquisition phase, a transfer test, and a short-and longterm retention tests. The task consisted in complete a maze, with paper and pen, in the shortest time possible. The dependent variables were execution time and error. Data were analyzed with an Anova- two way with Repeated Measures for these variables. Results showed learning for both groups, but with the experimental group having worse performance compared to control group mainly related error. It was also seen the impact promoted in the task has impaired both groups in the transfer test performance.

The Effect of Passive and Active Education Methods Applied in Repetition Activities on the Retention of Anatomical Knowledge.

This study examines the long‐term retention of anatomical knowledge from 180 students after various repetition activities. The retention of anatomical knowledge was assessed by multiple‐choice tests at five different points in time: before and after a course in Functional Anatomy, before and after repetition activities that occurred 14 weeks after this course, and 28 weeks after this course to establish long‐term retention. Students were divided into five groups: one without any repetition activity, one with a restricted repetition activity (the multiple‐choice test), and three groups that were offered repetition activities (traditional lecture, e‐learning module, and small group work in the dissection room). During all three repetition activities the same information was conveyed, and this content was not revisited in other courses for the duration of the study. The results showed that students who did not engage in a repetition activity scored significantly lower on the long‐term retention test compared to all other groups (ANCOVA: P = 0.0001). Pair‐wise comparison with estimated means showed that the other four groups, regardless of the type of repeating activity, did not differ in the amount of knowledge they retained during any of the five assessments (P = 0.008, P = 0.0001, P = 0.001, and P = 0.0001, respectively). This study suggests that the type of repetition activity has no effect on knowledge retention both immediately following the activity and in the long term. It is concluded that the repetition of anatomical knowledge in any form is beneficial for students and will likely improve student outcomes in a curriculum that builds on prior knowledge.

Enhancing effect of aerobic training on learning and memory performance in rats after long-term treatment with Lacosamide via BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway

Aerobic training has a neuroprotective effect, reduces the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases and facilitates functional recovery. The present study assesses the effect of aerobic training on cognitive functions, hippocampal BDNF/TrkB ligand receptor system expression and serum levels of BDNF and corticosterone in intact rats after chronic treatment with Lacosamide (LCM). Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups. One group was exercised on a treadmill (Ex) and the other one was sedentary (Sed). Half of the rats from each group received saline (veh) while the other half – LCM. The rats underwent a month-long training and LCM treatment before being subjected to one active and two passive avoidance tests. Both trained groups increased significantly the number of avoidances compared with the sedentary animals during the learning session and on memory retention tests, while the number of avoidances of the LCM-treated rats was significantly lower in comparison with the saline-treated animals. Both passive avoidance tests revealed that trained animals spent more time in the lighted compartment or caused longer stay on the platform than did the sedentary rats during acquisition and short- and long-term memory retention tests. Aerobic training increased BDNF and TrkB hippocampal immunoreactivity. We found no significant difference between BDNF serum levels but corticosterone levels of the Sed-LCM rats were lower than those of the Sed-veh animals. Our results show that aerobic training increases the hippocampal BDNF/TrkB expression suggesting a role in preventing the negative effect of Lacosamide on cognitive functions in rats.

Chronic treatment with the new anticonvulsant drug lacosamide impairs learning and memory processes in rats: A possible role of BDNF/TrkB ligand receptor system

Cognitive impairment is considered a frequent side effect in the drug treatment of epilepsy. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of lacosamide (LCM) on learning and memory processes in rats, on the serum level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and BDNF/TrkB ligand receptor system expression in the hippocampal formation. Male Wistar rats underwent long-term treatment with three different doses of lacosamide – 3 mg/kg (LCM 3), 10 mg/kg (LCM 10) and 30 mg/kg (LCM 30). All rats were subjected to one active and one passive avoidance tests. The BDNF/TrkB immunohistochemical expression in the hippocampus was measured and serum BDNF was determined. The LCM-treated rats made fewer avoidance responses than controls during acquisition training and in the memory retention test. The number of escapes in the LCM 10 and LCM 30 groups decreased throughout the test, while the rats in the LCM 3 group showed fewer escapes only in the memory test in the active avoidance task. In the step-down test, the latency time of the LCM-30 treated rats was reduced as compared with the controls during the learning session and the short- and long-term memory retention tests. Lacosamide induced a dose-dependent reduction of the hippocampal expression of BDNF and its receptor TrkB. We found no significant difference between BDNF serum levels in the test animals and controls. The results of the study suggest that LCM suppresses the learning and memory processes in rats, with the inhibition of hippocampal BDNF/TrkB ligand receptor system being one of the possible mechanisms causing this effect.

Comparison of lecture and team-based learning in medical ethics education.

Medical education literature suggests that ethics education should be learner-centered and problem-based rather than theory-based. Team-based learning is an appropriate method for this suggestion. However, its effectiveness was not investigated enough in medical ethics education. Is team-based learning effective in medical ethics education in terms of knowledge retention, in-class learner engagement, and learner reactions? This was a prospective controlled follow-up study. We changed lecture with team-based learning method to teach four topics in a 2-week medical ethics clerkship, while the remaining topics were taught by lectures. For comparison, we formed team-based learning and lecture groups, in which the students and instructor are the same, but the topics and teaching methodologies are different. We determined in-class learner engagement by direct observation and student satisfaction by feedback forms. Student success for team-based learning and lecture topics in the end-of-clerkship exam and two retention tests performed 1 year and 2 years later were compared. Ethical approval for the study was granted by Akdeniz University Board of Ethics on Noninvasive Clinical Human Studies Ethics committee. Short-term knowledge retention did not differ; however, team-based learning was found superior to lecture at long-term retention tests. Student satisfaction was high with team-based learning and in-class engagement was better in team-based learning sessions. Our results on learner engagement and satisfaction with team-based learning were similar to those of previous reports. However, knowledge retention results in our study were contrary to literature. The reason might be the fact that students prepared for the end-of-clerkship pass/fail exam (short term) regardless of the teaching method. But, at long-term retention tests, they did not prepare for the exam and answered the questions just using the knowledge retained in their memories. Our findings suggest that team-based learning is a better alternative to lecture to teach ethics in medical education.

Assessment of web-based interactive game system methodology for dissemination and diffusion to improve firefighter safety and wellness

This paper describes research to assess the efficacy of web-based interactive game-like training in comparison to traditional classroom training for improving firefighters' knowledge, to advance the dissemination, diffusion, implementation and adoption of new information stemming from research interventions in fire-service. A web-based, interactive multimedia training tool called ALIVE (Advanced Learning in Integrated Visual Environments) was developed, that simulates the critical decision-making aspects of firefighting, and imparts knowledge and training though interactive game playing. Field experiments were conducted in three cities with career and volunteer firefighters to assess the efficacy of ALIVE and its adaptability for use in different fire-service related topics. Analyses of the results showed that knowledge transfer and retention using ALIVE was better compared to traditional classroom training in almost every case. Firefighters trained with ALIVE performed significantly better post-training and on a long-term retention test than those who were trained in a classroom. They also rated their own acquisition of knowledge higher than did those who had participated in the classroom training. These results hold true for the participant population as a whole, as well as with career and volunteer firefighters, and across participants of different levels of firefighting experience. These findings suggest that ALIVE training may be a particularly efficacious tool for use as part of firefighter training programs.

Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 prevents cognitive impairment induced by pneumococcal meningitis in Wistar rats

Pneumococcal meningitis is a relevant clinical disease characterized by an intense inflammatory reaction into the subarachnoid and ventricular spaces, leading to blood-brain barrier breakdown, hearing loss, and cognitive impairment. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are capable of degrading components of the basal laminin, thus contributing to BBB damage and neuronal injury. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of MMP-2, MMP-9, and MMP-2/9 inhibitors on BBB integrity, learning, and memory in Wistar rats subjected to pneumococcal meningitis. The animals underwent a magna cistern tap and received either 10 µL sterile saline as a placebo or an equivalent volume of a Streptococcus pneumoniae suspension at a concentration of 5 × 10(9)cfu/mL. The rats were randomized into different groups that received adjuvant treatment with MMP-2, MMP-9 or MMP-2/9 inhibitors. The BBB integrity was evaluated, and the animals were habituated to open-field and object recognition tasks 10 days after meningitis induction. Adjuvant treatments with inhibitors of MMP-2 or MMP-2/9 prevented BBB breakdown in the hippocampus, and treatments with inhibitors of MMP-2, MMP-9 or MMP-2/9 prevented BBB breakdown in the cortex. Ten days after meningitis induction, the animals that received adjuvant treatment with the inhibitor of MMP-2/9 demonstrated that animals habituated to the open-field task faster and enhanced memory during short-term and long-term retention test sessions in the object recognition task. Further investigation is necessary to provide support for MMP inhibitors as an alternative treatment for bacterial meningitis; however, these findings suggest that the meningitis model could be a good research tool for studying the biological mechanisms involved in the behavioral alterations associated with pneumococcal meningitis.

Time flies when you are in a groove: using entrainment to mechanical resonance to teach a desired movement distorts the perception of the movement’s timing

The human motor system quickly entrains rhythmic limb movement to the resonant frequency of mechanical systems with which it interacts, suggesting that entrainment to an appropriately designed training device might be a convenient way to teach desired movements. We tested this possibility by asking healthy subjects (N = 30) to learn to move with a desired movement timing using a simple resonating arm training device: a lever attached to a manual wheelchair. The subjects tried to learn to roll the lever-driven wheelchair back and forth in place at a target frequency initially presented using a series of auditory beeps. One-third of the subjects trained without resonance and with no further feedback about rolling frequency; their performance did not improve. Another group trained with continual visual feedback of frequency error but no resonance; they quickly learned to roll the chair at the target frequency, as evidenced at both short-term and long-term (1 day later) retention tests. A third group trained with elastic bands attached to the lever that caused the system to resonate at the target frequency, providing a timing template. While these participants quickly entrained to the target frequency during training, they did not accurately reproduce this frequency when the system was no longer resonant, moving too slowly with the same systematic error at both the short-term and long-term retention tests. They also did not exhibit a timing aftereffect on the initial movements made when they transitioned from a resonant to non-resonant system or vice versa. This suggests they did not realize they were performing the task with a temporal error. Entrainment to mechanical resonance conveys usable information about movement timing, but seems to cause that movement timing to be perceived as slower than it actually is, as if a putative internal clock speeds up, which is a factor to consider in designing machine-assisted motor training.

Computer-Based Learning: Graphical Integration of Whole and Sectional Neuroanatomy Improves Long-Term Retention

A study was conducted to test the hypothesis that instruction with graphically integrated representations of whole and sectional neuroanatomy is especially effective for learning to recognize neural structures in sectional imagery (such as magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]). Neuroanatomy was taught to two groups of participants using computer graphical models of the human brain. Both groups learned whole anatomy first with a three-dimensional model of the brain. One group then learned sectional anatomy using two-dimensional sectional representations, with the expectation that there would be transfer of learning from whole to sectional anatomy. The second group learned sectional anatomy by moving a virtual cutting plane through the three-dimensional model. In tests of long-term retention of sectional neuroanatomy, the group with graphically integrated representation recognized more neural structures that were known to be challenging to learn. This study demonstrates the use of graphical representation to facilitate a more elaborated (deeper) understanding of complex spatial relations.

Erythropoietin prevents cognitive impairment and oxidative parameters in Wistar rats subjected to pneumococcal meningitis

Pneumococcal meningitis is characterized by a severe inflammatory reaction in the subarachnoid and ventricular space of the brain, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, hearing loss, and neurologic sequelae in as many as 27% of surviving patients. Several experimental studies have shown that erythropoietin (EPO) and its receptor are expressed in the central nervous system and have neuroprotective properties through the inhibition of apoptosis, as well as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, angiogenic, and neurotrophic effects. In the current study, we demonstrated the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) on lipid peroxidation, protein carbonylation, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and behavioral parameters in rats with pneumococcal meningitis. EPO decreased lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation, and it prevented protein degradation in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. MPO activity was decreased, and both SOD and CAT activity were increased in the first 6hours after pneumococcal meningitis induction. Novel object recognition memory was impaired in the meningitis group; however, adjuvant treatment with EPO prevented memory impairment during both the short- and long-term retention tests. The meningitis group showed no difference in motor and exploratory activity between training and test sessions in the open-field task, which indicates that habituation memory was impaired; however, adjuvant treatment with EPO prevented habituation memory impairment. Although there are some limitations with respect to the animal model of pneumococcal meningitis, this study suggests that adjuvant treatment with EPO contributed to decreased oxidative stress and prevented cognitive impairment.