Visual Motor Response Research Articles

COMPLEX EVALUATION OF THE FUNCTIONAL STATUS OF OIL AND GAS WORKERS DURING SHIFT PERIOD IN THE ARCTIC CONDITIONS

The article is devoted to the study of functional status dynamics (working capacity, stress) of oil and gas workers of various professional groups during the shift period in Arctic conditions. The survey involved 70 specialists from oil and gas producing companies working on a shift basis in the Nenets Autonomous District of five professional groups: operators for oil and gas production, operators of the boiler and treatment facilities, drivers, engineers and maintenance technicians. The research methods are studying documentation, monitoring the work process, questioning, psycho-physiological and psychological testing, statistical methods of data analysis. The study of the functional status was carried out with the help of biochemical (analysis of saliva on cortisol), psychophysiological (complex visual-motor response) and psychological (questionnaire: “Feeling. Activity. Mood.” by V.A. Doskin and co-authors; the test of color preferences of M. Lusher in adaptation L.N. Sobchik) methods. As a result of the study, By the end of the shift period the statistically significant increase was revealed in the stressful status of the operators of the boiler and treatment facilities, maintenance workers and drivers. According to the dynamics of the functional status, one can observe a decrease in the working capacity of all specialists by the end of the shift period. The specialists, working in the open air (drivers and engineers), had more negative dynamics of functional status in comparison with other professional groups. These workers can be referred to the risk group.

Functional characterization of the cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 in zebrafish larvae using behavioral analysis

RationaleThe endocannabinoid system (ECS) comprises the cannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol and the cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (Cnr1 and Cnr2). The function of these receptors in relation to zebrafish larval behavior is poorly understood, even though the zebrafish larva has become a versatile animal model in biomedical research.ObjectivesThe objective of the present study is to characterize the function of Cnr1 and Cnr2 in relation to behavior in zebrafish.MethodsBehavioral analysis of zebrafish larvae was performed using a visual motor response (VMR) test, which allows locomotor activity to be determined under basal conditions and upon a dark challenge.ResultsTreatment with the non-specific Cnr agonists WIN55,212-2 and CP55,940 resulted in a decrease in locomotion. This was observed for both basal and challenge-induced locomotion, although the potency for these two effects was different, which suggests different mechanisms of action. In addition, WIN55,212-2 increased the reaction time of the startle response after the dark challenge. Using the Cnr1 antagonist AM251 and a cnr1−/− mutant line, it was shown that the effects were mediated by Cnr1 and not Cnr2. Interestingly, administration of the antagonist AM251 alone does not have an effect on locomotion, which indicates that endogenous cannabinoid activity does not affect locomotor activity of zebrafish larvae. Upon repeated dark challenges, the WIN55,212-2 effect on the locomotor activity decreased, probably due to desensitization of Cnr1.ConclusionsTaken together, these results show that Cnr1 activation by exogenous endocannabinoids modulates both basal and challenge-induced locomotor activity in zebrafish larvae and that these behavioral effects can be used as a readout to monitor the Cnr1 responsiveness in the zebrafish larva model system.

Normalization of large-scale behavioural data collected from zebrafish.

Many contemporary neuroscience experiments utilize high-throughput approaches to simultaneously collect behavioural data from many animals. The resulting data are often complex in structure and are subjected to systematic biases, which require new approaches for analysis and normalization. This study addressed the normalization need by establishing an approach based on linear-regression modeling. The model was established using a dataset of visual motor response (VMR) obtained from several strains of wild-type (WT) zebrafish collected at multiple stages of development. The VMR is a locomotor response triggered by drastic light change, and is commonly measured repeatedly from multiple larvae arrayed in 96-well plates. This assay is subjected to several systematic variations. For example, the light emitted by the machine varies slightly from well to well. In addition to the light-intensity variation, biological replication also created batch-batch variation. These systematic variations may result in differences in the VMR and must be normalized. Our normalization approach explicitly modeled the effect of these systematic variations on VMR. It also normalized the activity profiles of different conditions to a common baseline. Our approach is versatile, as it can incorporate different normalization needs as separate factors. The versatility was demonstrated by an integrated normalization of three factors: light-intensity variation, batch-batch variation and baseline. After normalization, new biological insights were revealed from the data. For example, we found larvae of TL strain at 6 days post-fertilization (dpf) responded to light onset much stronger than the 9-dpf larvae, whereas previous analysis without normalization shows that their responses were relatively comparable. By removing systematic variations, our model-based normalization can facilitate downstream statistical comparisons and aid detecting true biological differences in high-throughput studies of neurobehaviour.

Design of a Physiology-based Adaptive Virtual Reality Driving Platform for Individuals with ASD

Driving is essential for many people in developed countries to achieve independence. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), in addition to having social skill deficits, may experience difficulty in learning to drive due to deficits in attention-shifting, performing sequential tasks, integrating visual-motor responses, and coordinating motor response. Lacking confidence and feeling anxiety further exacerbates these concerns. While there is a growing body of research regarding assessment of driving behavior or comparisons of driving behaviors between individuals with and without ASD, there is a lack of driving simulator that is catered toward the needs of individuals with ASD. We present the development of a novel closed-loop adaptive Virtual Reality (VR) driving simulator for individuals with ASD that can infer one's engagement based on his/her physiological responses and adapts driving task difficulty based on engagement level in real-time. We believe that this simulator will provide opportunities for learning driving skills in a safe and individualized environment to individuals with ASD and help them with independent living. We also conducted a small user study with teenagers with ASD to demonstrate the feasibility and tolerability of such a driving simulator. Preliminary results showed that the participants found the engagement-sensitive system more engaging and more enjoyable than a purely performance-sensitive system. These findings could support future work into driving simulator technologies, which could provide opportunities to practice driving skills in cost-effective, supportive, and safe environments.

Varying the exposure period and duration of neuroactive pharmaceuticals and their metabolites modulates effects on the visual motor response in zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products are emerging contaminants that are increasingly detected in surface waters around the world. Despite the rise in environmental detections, measured concentrations are still typically low, raising the importance of environmental risk assessments that focus on ecologically relevant sublethal endpoints, such as altered behavior. Neuroactive pharmaceuticals, like mental health medications, pain killers, etc., may be particularly potent in this regard as they are specifically designed to cause behavioral changes without causing physiologic impairment in mammalian systems. We screened 15 different popular neuroactive pharmaceuticals, ranging from antidepressants (including 3 major antidepressant metabolites), anxiety medications, and pain killers, under three different exposure scenarios (repeated, late acute and early transient exposure) to look for behavioral effects in larval zebrafish using the visual motor response (VMR). Drugs were screened at 0, 1, 10, and 100 μg/L in the repeated exposure scenario, and at 0 and 100 μg/L in the late acute and early transient exposure scenarios. Eight of the 15 compounds tested, specifically the antidepressants amitriptyline, fluoxetine, nor-fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, nor-sertraline, venlafaxine, and the antipsychotic drug haloperidol decreased swimming activity by 25% to 40% under repeated exposure conditions. Five of the compounds (amitriptyline, fluoxetine, nor-fluoxetine, paroxetine, and sertraline) also significantly decreased activity by 17% to 31% in the late acute exposure paradigm. Three compounds (fluoxetine, paroxetine and venlafaxine) significantly altered swimming activity with early transient exposure, however creating a hyperactive response and increasing activity from 24% to 28%, while haloperidol significantly decreased activity by 31%. This paper is, to our knowledge, the first to screen so many neuroactive pharmaceuticals, including major metabolites, in parallel under multiple exposure conditions. We show that antidepressants most consistently alter VMR swimming activity. Additionally, we show that major antidepressant metabolites can potentially alter behavior as much as their parent compounds. Furthermore, we show that the magnitude and direction of behavioral effect is dependent on the exposure duration and period, indicating that a more diverse experimental approach might be needed to more accurately assess the risk these compounds pose to the environment.

ВПЛИВ СЕНСОРНОЇ ДЕПРИВАЦІЇ НА ВЛАСТИВОСТІ НЕРВОВОЇ СИСТЕМИ

Introduction . The research is devoted to the characteristics of human sensor-motor functions, functional mobility and dynamic muscular endurance of the hand movement processes among schoolchildren aged 10–12. Limited input of the information caused by one or more analyzers impairment, creates unusual conditions for the development of a child's psyche. Sensory deprivation creates discomfort and problems during the cognizing of reality by children. The study relevance is the necessity to obtain and analyze new scientific data on the specificity of the influence of visual and auditory deprivation on the nervous system specifics. Objective. The objective is to obtain and analyze new scientific data about the specificity of the influence of auditory and visual sensory deprivation on the sensorimotor reaction, functional mobility of neural processes and dynamic muscular endurance of the hand movement processes among schoolchildren aged 10–12. Methods. The study was conducted among 87 children aged 10-12 years. All the pupils were divided into three groups: I – a control group (healthy children), II – a group of children with visual impairments, ІІІ – a group of children with hearing impairments. The experimental study for every examined person lasted no more than 30 minutes. The methods were implemented with using of the computer system Diagnosician-1M, developed by the professors M. Makarenko and V. Lyzohub. The order of research for the whole contingent of the subjects was carried out according to the same scheme and was as follows: first, the sensor-motor reacting to stimuli of different complexity (figures and sounds), functional mobility of the nerve processes and tapping test. Results. Having performed a statistical analysis of the findings on latent periods of varying complexity of sensor-motor reactions among children with sensory deprivation and control group, it is evident that the level on the stimulus in the form of figures was higher among children with hearing impairments and in the form of the sounds – in the group of children with visual impairments. The children from the experimental group (with hearing impairments) have the best indicators of sensorimotor reaction to sound stimuli of low tonality, rather than high-level stimuli. On the basis of the analysis of the findings on the sensorimotor reaction, we can assume that compensatory and adaptive processes occur in the groups of pupils with sensory deprivation (the compensation process of the lost function of a certain analyzer at the expense of another). After analyzing the results of the level of functional mobility of neural processes, we can state that statistically indicators of children with auditory sensory deprivation almost do not differ from similar indicators of children from the control group. However, for pupils with visual impairments, the level of functional mobility and the time of central processing of information to some extent are shorter. When passing tapping-test, there were found no significant differences in experimental groups in muscle endurance rates compared to healthy schoolchildren. Although the control group's figures are slightly higher. Conclusion . During the studying of the sensorimotor reaction to the stress of varying degrees of difficulty, it was found that latent periods of differing by the complexity visual-motor responses among children with auditory sensory deprivation to the figures are much better than among children from the control group and children with visual impairment. However, pupils with visual sensory deprivation have better latency rates to different complexity of reactions to sounds. This is due to the fact that the children with defective vision have better-developed auditory memory, and they are more likely to understand and determine the source of the sound. In the experimental group (with hearing impairments), the best indicators of sensory-motor response were shown to sound stimuli of low tone, rather than to high-level stimuli. Having processed the results of the level of functional mobility of the nerve processes, it was found that the indicators among children with auditory sensory deprivation do not statistically differ from similar indicators in the control group children. However, among students with hearing impairment, indicators of functional mobility level of the nervous processes and the time on central processing of information in the mode of feedback are shorter in comparison with the children with weak vision. Among the students from the control group and the group of children with hearing impairment, persons with a level of functional mobility of the nervous processes are more common. In the group of students with visual deprivation, children with lower functional mobility of the nervous processes (lower than the average) are more common. When passing tapping-test in experimental groups, there were found no significant differences in muscle endurance indices compared to healthy schoolchildren. Although the control group's figures are slightly higher, it can be explained by their better physical training and the lack of restrictions on doing a particular sport.

C2orf71a/pcare1 is important for photoreceptor outer segment morphogenesis and visual function in zebrafish

Mutations in C2orf71 are causative for autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa and occasionally cone-rod dystrophy. We have recently discovered that the protein encoded by this gene is important for modulation of the ciliary membrane through the recruitment of an actin assembly module, and have therefore renamed the gene to PCARE (photoreceptor cilium actin regulator). Here, we report on the identification of two copies of the c2orf71/pcare gene in zebrafish, pcare1 and pcare2. To study the role of the gene most similar to human PCARE, pcare1, we have generated a stable pcare1 mutant zebrafish model (designated pcare1rmc100/rmc100) in which the coding sequence was disrupted using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Retinas of both embryonic (5 dpf) and adult (6 mpf) pcare1rmc100/rmc100 zebrafish display a clear disorganization of photoreceptor outer segments, resembling the phenotype observed in Pcare−/− mice. Optokinetic response and visual motor response measurements indicated visual impairment in pcare1rmc100/rmc100 zebrafish larvae at 5 dpf. In addition, electroretinogram measurements showed decreased b-wave amplitudes in pcare1rmc100/rmc100 zebrafish as compared to age- and strain-matched wild-type larvae, indicating a defect in the transretinal current. Altogether, our data show that lack of pcare1 causes a retinal phenotype in zebrafish and indicate that the function of the PCARE gene is conserved across species.

Informativity of computer programs for testing cognitive and psychomotor

The study examines the use of computer programs during testing of athletes in hand-to-hand fighting. Objective. To substantiate informative application of computer tests for definition of psychomotor functions of athletes specialized in hand-to-hand fighting. Methods. Expert evaluation, use of the computer system "DIAGNOST-1". Result. Testing by means of computer techniques of psychomotor functions of athletes specialized in hand-to-hand fighting, confirmed the existence of a correlation between the indices of a simple and complex visual-motor response. The dependence between other indices of psychomotor functions was not found. Concerning the relationship between athletes' skill and the results of computer testing, it was found that only the index of response to moving object is indicative for athletes who specialize in hand-to-hand fighting. Conclusions. The computer programs for testing cognitive and psychomotor capabilities of athletes in hand-to-hand fighting are of rather low informativity, as they do not include the motor component that is peculiar for sports activities, single combats, in particular. To test the sensorimotor qualities in sport, one should use tests specific to the motor tasks of sports event.

2095 Drug screening and hit identification for night blindness with zebrafish

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), also known as night blindness, is an incurable disease which affects ~1 in 4000 individuals globally. Since there are no effective treatment options for RP, the goal of this project is to identify novel drug treatments that can prevent or slow the disease progression. To this end, we optimized a behavioral assay, visual-motor-response (VMR) assay, to investigate rod function (Ganzen et al., ARVO, 2017; Ganzen et al., IJMS, 2017). This was done utilizing a transgenic zebrafish RP model expressing human rhodopsin with the Q344X mutation. In this study, we used this model to perform a proof-of-concept screen for drugs which may improve the vision of the larvae. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: To screen for beneficial drugs, the SCREEN-WELL® REDOX library was chosen for screening. This library was selected to identify a compound that may alleviate any excessive oxidative stress in the diseased retina. The Q344X zebrafish line suffers from significant rod degeneration by 7 days postfertilization (dpf) and displayed deficits in VMR under scotopic conditions (Ganzen et al., ARVO, 2017). The Q344X larvae were drug treated beginning at 5 dpf at 10 μM. Compounds that were toxic at this concentration were retested at 1 μM. The 5 dpf stage was chosen as most of the rods are intact, and these concentrations were chosen to optimize the drug effect based on similar studies. Hits were identified by assays that provided a robust and reproducible enhancement in the Q344X VMR. The retinae of any drug hits were dissected from larvae crossed with a rod EGFP reporter line and whole-mounted to analyze rod survival via fluorescence. To determine if drug effects were exerted through the retina, eyeless chokh mutant zebrafish were exposed to the drug and tested with the same assay. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Of the 84 compounds tested, we identified 1 drug that ameliorated the VMR of the Q344X scotopic VMR. Eyeless chokh mutant zebrafish larvae did not exhibit the same VMR when treated with the same drug. Histological analysis suggested increased rod survival in the drug-treated retina of Q344X mutants. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: These results indicate that the vision of the Q344X zebrafish was improved via this beneficial drug treatment. Since eyeless chokh larvae did not respond to the same treatment, the drug likely mediated its positive effects through the Q344X retina, likely by improving rod survival. Together, our results have identified a beneficial drug that may treat RP.

Zebrafish, a Novel Model System to Study Uremic Toxins: The Case for the Sulfur Amino Acid Lanthionine.

The non-proteinogenic amino acid lanthionine is a byproduct of hydrogen sulfide biosynthesis: the third endogenous vasodilator gas, after nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. While hydrogen sulfide is decreased in uremic patients on hemodialysis, lanthionine is increased and has been proposed as a new uremic toxin, since it is able to impair hydrogen sulfide production in hepatoma cells. To characterize lanthionine as a uremic toxin, we explored its effects during the early development of the zebrafish (Danio rerio), a widely used model to study the organ and tissue alterations induced by xenobiotics. Lanthionine was employed at concentrations reproducing those previously detected in uremia. Light-induced visual motor response was also studied by means of the DanioVision system. Treatment of zebrafish embryos with lanthionine determined acute phenotypical alterations, on heart organogenesis (disproportion in cardiac chambers), increased heart beating, and arrhythmia. Lanthionine also induced locomotor alterations in zebrafish embryos. Some of these effects could be counteracted by glutathione. Lanthionine exerted acute effects on transsulfuration enzymes and the expression of genes involved in inflammation and metabolic regulation, and modified microRNA expression in a way comparable with some alterations detected in uremia. Lanthionine meets the criteria for classification as a uremic toxin. Zebrafish can be successfully used to explore uremic toxin effects.

Mutation of IPO13 causes recessive ocular coloboma, microphthalmia, and cataract

Ocular coloboma is a developmental structural defect of the eye that often occurs as complex ocular anomalies. However, its genetic etiology remains largely unexplored. Here we report the identification of mutation (c.331C>T, p.R111C) in the IPO13 gene in a consanguineous family with ocular coloboma, microphthalmia, and cataract by a combination of whole-exome sequencing and homozygosity mapping. IPO13 encodes an importin-B family protein and has been proven to be associated with the pathogenesis of coloboma and microphthalmia. We found that Ipo13 was expressed in the cornea, sclera, lens, and retina in mice. Additionally, the mRNA expression level of Ipo13 decreased significantly in the patient compared with its expression in a healthy individual. Morpholino-oligonucleotide-induced knockdown of ipo13 in zebrafish caused dose-dependent microphthalmia and coloboma, which is highly similar to the ocular phenotypes in the patient. Moreover, both visual motor response and optokinetic response were impaired severely. Notably, these ocular phenotypes in ipo13-deficient zebrafish could be rescued remarkably by full-length ipo13 mRNA, suggesting that the phenotypes observed in zebrafish were due to insufficient ipo13 function. Altogether, our findings demonstrate, for the first time, a new role of IPO13 in eye morphogenesis and that loss of function of IPO13 could lead to ocular coloboma, microphthalmia, and cataract in humans and zebrafish.

Zebrafish Lacking Circadian Gene per2 Exhibit Visual Function Deficiency.

The retina has an intrinsic circadian clock, but the importance of this clock for vision is unknown. Zebrafish offer many advantages for studying vertebrate vision and circadian rhythm. Here, we explored the role of zebrafish per2, a light-regulated gene, in visual behavior and the underlying mechanisms. We observed that per2 mutant zebrafish larvae showed decreased contrast sensitivity and visual acuity using optokinetic response (OKR) assays. Using a visual motor response (VMR) assay, we observed normal OFF responses but abnormal ON responses in mutant zebrafish larvae. Immunofluorescence showed that mutants had a normal morphology of cone photoreceptor cells and retinal organization. However, electron microscopy showed that per2 mutants displayed abnormal and decreased photoreceptor ribbon synapses with arciform density, which resulted in retinal ON pathway defect. We also examined the expression of three cone opsins by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and the expression of long-wave-sensitive opsin (opn1lw) and short-wave-sensitive opsin (opn1sw) was reduced in mutant zebrafish larvae. qRT-PCR analyses also showed a down-regulation of the clock genes cry1ba and bmal1b in the adult eye of per2 mutant zebrafish. This study identified a mechanism by which a clock gene affects visual function and defined important roles of per2 in retinal information processing.

Characterizing synchrony patterns across cognitive task stages of associative recognition memory.

Numerous studies seek to understand the role of oscillatory synchronization in cognition. This problem is particularly challenging in the context of complex cognitive behavior, which consists of a sequence of processing steps with uncertain duration. In this study, we analyzed oscillatory connectivity measures in time windows that previous computational models had associated with a specific sequence of processing steps in an associative memory recognition task (visual encoding, familiarity, memory retrieval, decision making, and motor response). The timing of these processing steps was estimated on a single‐trial basis with a novel hidden semi‐Markov model multivariate pattern analysis (HSMM‐MVPA) method. We show that different processing stages are associated with specific patterns of oscillatory connectivity. Visual encoding is characterized by a dense network connecting frontal, posterior, and temporal areas as well as frontal and occipital phase locking in the 4–9 Hz theta band. Familiarity is associated with frontal phase locking in the 9–14 Hz alpha band. Decision making is associated with frontal and temporo‐central interhemispheric connections in the alpha band. During decision making, a second network in the theta band that connects left‐temporal, central, and occipital areas bears similarity to the neural signature for preparing a motor response. A similar theta band network is also present during the motor response, with additionally alpha band connectivity between right‐temporal and posterior areas. This demonstrates that the processing stages discovered with the HSMM‐MVPA method are indeed linked to distinct synchronization patterns, leading to a closer understanding of the functional role of oscillations in cognition.

ВЛИЯНИЕ ПСИХОФИЗИОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЕЙ НА РЕЗУЛЬТАТ БЕГА НА 200 М У СПРИНТЕРОВ ВЫСОКОЙ КВАЛИФИКАЦИИ С НАРУШЕНИЕМ ЗРЕНИЯ НА ПРИМЕРЕ ЭЛИТНОЙ СПОРТСМЕНКИ

The aim of the work is to reveal the influence of psycho-physiological factors on the individual performance in a track and field sprint among highly qualified athletes with visual impairment on the example of an elite athlete. Material and methods. highly qualified athlete participated in the study, specializing in short-distance running and long jump among athletes with visual impairments in 2010 European Athletics Champion; winner of the World Paralympic Championships and the Paralympic Games for Athletes with Visual Impairment (Category T12) 2016. Psychophysiological testing athlete held close to the screen. The course of the study. The individual characteristics of the psychophysiological state and the results in the 200 m race for five months were analyzed. The results in the 200 m race were recorded at the official and unofficial competitions. A total of 36 results were analyzed. Results. Multiple linear regression models were compiled between results in a 200 m race for an elite athlete with visual impairment and psycho-physiological indicators. The selected model of multiple regression is represented by the following variables: simple visual motor response time (ms), total test time with feedback at 120 signals (s), time to reach the minimum signal exposure in a test with feedback at 30 signals (s) , the time to reach the minimum signal exposure in the test with feedback at 120 signals (s). Conclusions . The compensatory mechanisms of visual function insufficiency to maintain high speed in 200 m run as psycho-physiological functions were revealed: indicators characteristic of sprinters (simple reaction speed and mobility of the nervous system) and specific indicators (efficiency, strength of the nervous system).

ПСИХОФИЗИОЛОГИЧЕСКОЕ СОСТОЯНИЕ СПОРТСМЕНОВ С ХРОНИЧЕСКИМ УТОМЛЕНИЕМ

Introduction. The article is devoted to an actual problem of ubiquity of chronic fatigue among qualified sportsmen in the different types of sport and improving the efficiency of monitoring the degree of chronic fatigue, aimed at identifying early signs of chronic fatigue. Purpose. The aim of the article was estimation of psychophysiological state in elite athletes with symptoms of chronic fatigue indiff rantsports. Methods. By using a special computer program q Diagnost 1q held physiological tests to determine latency simple and complex visual-motor reaction, functional mobility, strength and balance nerve processes. Results. The analysis indicates a deterioration of psychophysiological functions in athletes with chronic fatigue. This manifests itself in term sof speed, accuracy and efficiency of information processing. athletes with symptoms of chronic fatigue were detected significantly long latency periods simple and complex visual-motor reactions.This indicates a deterioration in the perception of these athletes visual information,which manifests itself in the reduction of speed, productivity and efficiency of the visual analyzer. Functional motility nerve processes in these athletes wasal so significantly was reduced as compared with athletes without signs of chronic fatigue. Thus indicators of functional motility nerve processes athletes with signs of chronic fatigue ranged low level of functional mobility (90-70 in centives for 1 min). Originality. It is shown that in athletes with symptoms of chronic fatigue was significantly increased latent periods of simple and complex visual-motor response, and decreased functional mobility, strength and balans of nerve processes. Conclusion. Athletes who were engaged in high-speed, speed-strength, powerand playing sports, low levels of functional mobility of nervous processes were detected less frequently than athletes who develop endurance.This is due to the fact that the power,speed and speed-strength,are more related to the functional mobility of nervous processes. The strength of nervous processes primarily associated with endurance and ability to with stand fatigue, maintain for a longtime a high performance of sportsmen.Reducing these indicators in athletes with chronic fatigue can recommened the masone of the main criteria of psychophysiological control of chronic fatigue.

Comparative analytical and toxicological assessment of methylcyclohexanemethanol (MCHM) mixtures associated with the Elk River chemical spill

On January 9, 2014, a chemical mixture containing crude methylcyclohexanemethanol (MCHM) contaminated the water supply of Charleston, West Virginia. Although the mixture was later identified as a mix of crude MCHM and stripped propylene glycol phenyl ethers, initial risk assessment focused on 4-MCHM, the predominant component of crude MCHM. The mixture's exact composition and the toxicity differences between 4-MCHM, crude MCHM, and the tank mixture were unknown. We analyzed the chemical composition of crude MCHM and the tank mixture via GC/MS and, based on identified spectra, found that crude MCHM and the tank mixture differed in chemical composition. To evaluate acute developmental toxicity, zebrafish embryos were exposed to 0, 1, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, or 100 parts per million (ppm; mg/L) of 4-MCHM, crude MCHM, or the tank mixture. The percent mortality and percent hatch, larval morphology alterations, and larval visual motor response test were used to establish toxicity profiles for each of the chemicals or mixtures. The acute toxicity differed between 4-MCHM, crude MCHM and the tank mixture with significant differences in survival, hatching, morphology, and locomotion at levels as low as the short-term screening level of 1 ppm, suggesting a need for further research into human health risks. This study is the first to evaluate the developmental toxicity of the tank mixture and highlights that studies evaluating risk should not assume the effects of 4-MCHM or crude MCHM are representative of the Tank 396 mixture.

Visual-motor response fields and spatial tuning in supplementary eye field (SEF) of the head unrestrained monkeys.

We recently used an analytic technique involving statistical fits of different spatial models against neural response fields to show that visual response encodes target direction and motor response encodes planned gaze direction (both relative to initial eye orientation) in the superior colliculus (SC; Sadeh et al. European journal of Neuroscience.2015) and in the frontal eye fields (FEF; Sajad et al. Cerebral Cortex.2015). Here, we applied a similar methodology to investigate if similar spatial codes are employed in the supplementary eye field (SEF). Since the SEF and FEF have strong reciprocal connections, we hypothesized that they would show similar egocentric spatial codes. Monkeys were trained to make gaze shifts toward briefly presented targets distributed throughout the potential neuronal receptive fields. After a variable memory delay, a go signal was provided for a gaze saccade. Experiments were performed in head-unrestrained conditions with 3-D eye and head recordings to allow discrimination of all egocentric models of gaze coding. Until now, approximately 60 neurons in monkey have been recorded in relation to the above task, 20 with visual responses, 17 with motor responses, and 5 Visuomotor. These have been analyzed employing our previous methodology, including the use of non-parametric fits to response fields. Preliminary data show that both the visual and motor response fields of most SEF neurons show broad receptive fields with poorly defined spatial tuning, and considerable variability in activity for each target direction unrelated to any measured spatial parameter. To date (unlike the FEF), SEF visual population shows a slight (non-significant) bias toward a target within space (Ts) spatial model, but only one model (target relative to head) was statistically eliminated. These preliminary data suggest that the SEF plays a minor role in specifying the spatial direction of targets and gaze plans compared with the SC and FEF. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2017

Developmental Methylmercury Exposure Affects Swimming Behavior and Foraging Efficiency of Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) Larvae.

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a pervasive and ubiquitous environmental neurotoxicant within aquatic ecosystems, known to alter behavior in fish and other vertebrates. This study sought to assess the behavioral effects of developmental MeHg exposure on larval yellow perch (Perca flavescens)—a nonmodel fish species native to the Great Lakes. Embryos were exposed to MeHg (0, 30, 100, 300, and 1000 nM) for 20 h and then reared to 25 days post fertilization (dpf) for analyses of spontaneous swimming, visual motor response (VMR), and foraging efficiency. MeHg exposures rendered total mercury (THg) body burdens of 0.02, 0.21, 0.95, 3.14, and 14.93 μg/g (wet weight). Organisms exposed to 1000 nM exhibited high mortality; thus, they were excluded from downstream behavioral analyses. All MeHg exposures tested were associated with a reduction in spontaneous swimming at 17 and 25 dpf. Exposure to 30 and 100 nM MeHg caused altered locomotor output during the VMR assay at 21 dpf, whereas exposure to 100 nM MeHg was associated with decreased foraging efficiency at 25 dpf. For the sake of comparison, the second-lowest exposure tested here rendered a THg burden that represents the permissible level of consumable fish in the United States. Moreover, this dose is reported in roughly two-thirds of consumable fish species monitored in the United States, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Although the THg body burdens reported here were higher than expected in the environment, our study is the first to analyze the effects of MeHg exposure on fundamental survival behaviors of yellow perch larvae and advances in the exploration of the ecological relevance of behavioral end points.

Hygiene and didactic criteria of adaptation to the initial stage of training in higher education establishments.

Reform of higher education in the conditions of deep social and economic transformations determines both optimiz ation of professional training and development of functional capacity of the organism for future work . T he initial stage of training is o f particular importance due to incorporation into a complex new system of educational environment. The aim of the work - to study the characteristics of adaptation process in the first-year students. Functional state of students ’ organism was studied by visual-motor response , function of attention, speed, of information processing , tepping-test. This cross-sectional study included 179 first - year medical students. Students with a history of hearing or visual disorder, smoking, alcoholism, cardiovascular and respiratory disease and on medication which affect s cognitive performance were excluded from the study. Participation in the test was voluntary and informed written consent was taken from each participant. A cademic performance was analyzed. Pearson correlation has been used to find the significance of relationship between the speed of thought processes, function of attention, factor of motometria, volume of visual memory and academic performance. A daptation of students to training is based on the functional system of the body. Expressed correlation between the speed of thought processes (r=0,63, р<0,01), function of attention (r=0,47, р<0,05), ratio of motometry (r=0,45, р<0,05), volume of visual memory (r=0,43, р<0,05) and academic performance was established . The distribution of these indicators demonstrates the feasibility of using Standard deviation to assess the degree of adaptation.

FEATURES OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADAPTATION OF BOYS AND GIRLS AT THE STAGE OF PREPARATION FOR SCHOOL AND THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL EDUCATION

The article features the analysis of features of physiological adaptation and the rate of physiological development in boys and girls of preparatory kindergarten groups and 1 – 2 grades of grammar school. The analysis points out the differences of neurodynamic indicators, physiological adaptation and the degree of activity of the autonomic nervous system among 6 – 8 year-old boys and girls. It has been found that, regardless of age, boys are characterized by a lower level of development of mental functions, lower balance of processes of excitation and inhibition in the central nervous system, with faster visual-motor response. They are characterized by a higher degree of tension of regulatory mechanisms. Individuals with symptoms of attention deficit and social-psychological deficits are often detected in this group. Girls display neurodynamic indicators that are most optimal for the corresponding age period, a high level of mental functions development; in this group we observed mainly balanced or parasympathetic influence on heart rate and more satisfactory functional state.