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Biomedical subjects

F Pérez-Alvarez

Publications and source records attributed to F Pérez-Alvarez.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Hair dye treatment use and clinical course in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and cutaneous lupus.

The etiological role of hair dye treatment (HDT), some of them such as permanent hair dyes containing aromatic amines, in the development of SLE has been previously ruled out. However, the possible influence of HDT use on the course and prognosis of lupus patients has been assessed only in one short-term study. Since HDT is very extensive among the population, the knowledge of this possible negative effect may be very important. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the long-term influence of several HDTs on the course and clinical severity of patients with both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cutaneous lupus (CL). In this longitudinal case series study, 91 SLE patients and 22 CL patients were prospectively studied from October 1988 to May 2000. They were divided into three groups: (a) non-HDT users--patients who have never used HDT (n = 65); (b) P-HDT users--HDT permanent type users, alone or in combination with other types of HDT (n = 28); (c) non P-HDT--users of other treatments different from permanent tinting (bleach, lowlights, etc; n = 20). In each patient we determined: (1) number of flares/year in SLE patients and worsening of cutaneous lesions for CL; (2) Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) damage index; (3) predominant damaged organs/systems according to the HDT use and type of HDT; and (4) subjective impression about the disease evolution in relation to HDT use. No significant differences were found with respect to flares/year and SLICC/ACR damage index between the study groups. Non-HDT group presented more renal involvement and serositis than both HDT-user groups. No patient related the HDT use to the worsening of his disease. Therefore, in this study no evidence of an association between the long-term use of several types of HDT and the clinical activity and course of SLE and CL was found.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Pemphigus vulgaris and systemic lupus erythematosus in a 46-y-old man.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that may affect many organs in the body. Skin manifestations are frequent and sometimes vesiculobullous lesions may apper such as in bullous lupus erythematosus. SLE may also be exceptionally associated with other blistering diseases such as pemphigus vulgaris (PV). We describe the case of a male diagnosed as having SLE, who one year later developed PV. Only three cases (all in women) of SLE associated with PV have been reported in the literature. Our case is noteworthy in that this exceptional association developed in a middle-aged male.

Humans↗
PubMed1996

[Epilepsy and learning].

This report deals with cerebral processing in terms of simultaneous and successive processing in a sample of 33 epileptic children at ages 3 to 12 years. Epileptic children were selected according to the following criteria: two clinical seizures with convulsive movements, with unconsciousness, with no fever, with focus in intercritical EEG and normal brain scanner. All of them attended ordinary school. A sample of 261 normal children was used as a control group. The K-ABC battery was administered to both epileptic and control group. The results were analyzed in terms of Student's t-test, chi 2 test, stratified chi 2 test, and factor analysis. It is concluded that a kind of epilepsy may be associated with poorer performance in successive processing.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The hyperkinetic patient in the light of PASS theory].

INTRODUCTION: The PASS theory of intelligence is a new conception of the cognitive mental function. According to this theory, we think to learn by using four programs or processes: planning, attention, successive and simultaneous. We can assess every process as an entity. Every process is linked to an anatomical region: planning to frontal cortex, attention to frontal cortex and subcortical structures, successive and simultaneous to no-frontal cortex. This relationship between program and specific anatomical region does not mean every program does not use different non specific anatomical regions. OBJECTIVE: To verify whether the patients with attentional deficit disorder and hyperactivity and impulsivity show a characteristic pattern of information processing according to PASS theory. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A group of 33 patients with attentional deficit disorder with hyperactivity and impulsivity, selected according to DSM-IV criteria, was compared to a control group of 45 normal subjects. The DN:CAS battery was used. RESULTS: The patients with attentional deficit disorder showed more frequently worse planning (p = 0.001). Furthermore, worse attention (p = 0.01) and worse successive (p = 0.01). Also, they showed more frequently (p = 0.001) the association planning-attention-successive in deficient way. CONCLUSIONS: The basic problem in attentional deficit disorder of this kind is planning. The concurrent deficit in successive and attention supports the hypothesis of failure in the frontal cortex, concretely, in the control unit. This would explain, also, the impulsivity.

Arousal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Dysphasia and dyslexia in the light of PASS theory].

INTRODUCTION: The PASS theory of intelligence understands the cognitive function as an information process or program that can be differentiated in planning, attention, successive and simultaneous. Every process is linked to an anatomical region: planning to frontal cortex, attention to frontal cortex and subcortical structures, successive to frontal cortex and non-frontal cortex and simultaneous to non-frontal cortex. Effective remediation is possible when a PASS pattern is known. OBJECTIVE: To verify whether dysphasia and dyslexia have a typical PASS pattern. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The subjects were divided in three groups comprising 12 children with dysphasia, 12 children with dyslexia and 10 children with dysphasia and dyslexia, all of them between 6 years and 12 years of age, the majority boys. All children were administered the DN:CAS test to define the PASS pattern. A control group with 45 normal children was used. RESULTS: Dysphasia shows poor successive and simultaneous process. Dyslexia shows poor successive process. The successive deficiency is poorer and in different way in dyslexia than in dysphasia which is inferable from comparative analysis between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Dysphasia and dyslexia show a typical PASS pattern that allows an appropriate remedial training as a neurocognitive approach. The PASS diagnosis is a psychogenetic diagnosis which is different from the usual diagnosis based on semiology or results obtained with tests that explore non-PASS cognitive function.

Aphasia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cognition, emotion, and behavior. Neuropsychosomatisms and non-neurological paroxysms].

INTRODUCTION: We present neuropsychosomatic disorders diagnosed and treated during the period 1994-1997. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 83 cases, 24 boys and 59 girls, were selected according to suspected diagnosis. Their ages were in relationship with the psychosomatic disorder. This 83 cases is 10% of neuropediatric assistance in the period. A protocol was designed for disclosing any organic pathology. The psychopedagogic method is based on the PASS theory of intelligence and emotion processing theory of masquerade behavior. The success was defined after a period of, at least, two years of follow-up. RESULTS: Cephalalgia was the most frequent diagnosis. Language and learning difficulties, attention deficit disorder and pseudo-epilepsy were also frequent. Other diagnoses were: amblyopia, paralysis, pseudo-autism, tic, sphincter disorder, vertigo, mutism and sleep disorder. DISCUSSION: Concerning differential diagnosis, it must be emphasized that complex partial epilepsy of frontal lobe can mimic psychosomatics disorder as short, less than one minute, automatism. Partial epilepsy of temporal lobe may also mimic psychosomatic disorder but epilepsy does not respond to psychopedagogic remediation. Tumor and migraine must be also disclosed in case of cephalalgia but they do not respond to psychopedagogic remediation. Neurological scientific bases of emotion processing theory are widely explained. CONCLUSION: Cognition and emotion are functions of the central nervous system so they are competency of neuropediatrician. On the other hand, it is convenient for neuropediatrician to know about behavioral analysis in order to improve diagnosis and economical cost.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Behavioral phenotypes: cognitive and emotional explanation].

INTRODUCTION: We present a series of Behavioural phenotypes treated with neurocognitive and neuroemotional procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A sample of 26 cases were selected according to qualitative methodology from neuropediatric patients. The method was based on using the PASS theory of intelligence to approach the cognitive problem and the theory of masquerade behaviour as self-defence to solve the emotional problem. Both theories have neurological bases. DN:CAS battery was utilized for assessment of cognitive processes. On the other hand, analysis of cases was carried out doing data analysis with video recorder device. RESULTS: All cases were considered responder cases although in different degree. The responder was defined as the patient which reached better intellectual achievement with respect to cognitive function and which gave up, at least partially, masquerade Behaviour with respect to emotional function. DISCUSSION: The Behaviour of the Behavioural phenotypes has neurological rationale. The PASS theory and the planning, in particular, supported by prefrontal cortex justifies consistently some behaviours. The masquerade Behaviour theory is explained by the fear emotional response mechanism which means emotion is a cerebral processing with neurological rationale. CONCLUSIONS: The Behavioural phenotypes are Behaviours and every Behaviour can be explained by neurological reasons both cognitive and emotional reasons. So, they can be treated by a cognitive and emotional procedure understood in the light of the neurology.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Dyslexia as a disfunction in successive processing].

INTRODUCTION: We present a study on reading and writing difficulties after normal instruction during a year. OBJECTIVE: Verifying if these patients showed a specific pattern of PASS (Planning, Attention, Sequential and Simultaneous) cognitive processing; if so, it allows us a rapid diagnosis and a useful cognitive remediation according to the PASS theory of intelligence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty patients were selected from neuropediatric patients because of learning disability. They were selected according to their performance on several tests of phonological aware and a test of writing to discover errors in spelling. Patients with verbal language problems, as in dysphasia, and patients with learning difficulty not determined by reading or writing were ruled out. A control group of 300 scholars was used. The translated DN:CAS battery was administered to the study group and the control group for assessing the PASS cognitive processing. Statistical factorial analysis of the control group was performed as a validity confirmation to discriminate the four PASS cognitive processes. Cluster analysis of the study group was performed to discriminate its homogeneity. Differences between means were tested with the t-Student. RESULTS: The four PASS cognitive processes were identified in the control group. The study group scored less than minus 1 SD in successive processing, the rest of the processes being clearly higher than minus 1 SD, and the mean of study group was inferior to control group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: A kind of dyslexia may be defined by disfunction in PASS successive processing.

Child↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[PASS neurocognitive dysfunction in attention deficit].

INTRODUCTION: Attention deficit disorder shows both cognitive and behavioral patterns. OBJECTIVE: To determine a particular PASS (planning, attention, successive and simultaneous) pattern in order to early diagnosis and remediation according to PASS theory. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 80 patients were selected from the neuropediatric attendance, aged 6 to 12 years old, 55 boys and 25 girls. Inclusion criteria were inattention (80 cases) and inattention with hyperactive symptoms (40 cases) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV). Exclusion criteria were the criteria of phonologic awareness previously reported, considered useful to diagnose dyslexia. A control group of 300 individuals, aged 5 to 12 years old, was used, criteria above mentioned being controlled. DN:CAS (Das-Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System) battery, translated to native language, was given to assess PASS cognitive processes. Results were analyzed with cluster analysis and t-Student test. Statistical factor analysis of the control group had previously identified the four PASS processes: planning, attention, successive and simultaneous. RESULTS: The dendrogram of the cluster analysis discriminated three categories of attention deficit disorder: 1. The most frequent, with planning deficit; 2. Without planning deficit but with deficit in other processes, and 3. Just only a few cases, without cognitive processing deficit. Cognitive deficiency in terms of means of scores was statistically significant when compared to control group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: According to PASS pattern, planning deficiency is a relevant factor. Neurological planning is not exactly the same than neurological executive function. The behavioral pattern is mainly linked to planning deficiency, but also to other PASS processing deficits and even to no processing deficit.

Attention↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Emotional behaviors as a neurological dysfunction].

INTRODUCTION: The hypothesis of the emotional component of behaviors can be explained by a specific neurological mechanism was stated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A sample of 749 cases, all between 5 and 14 year old, with different behavioral and cognitive problems was selected from attendance to the Neuropediatric/Neuropsychopedagogic Unit from 1994 to 2000. A sub sample of 20 cases with PASS planning processing scoring less than 1SD was also selected. A design of mainly qualitative research according to case analysis was followed, behavioral data being provided by patients and their parents and analyzed with video recorder assistance. To avoid the study to be biased techniques as triangulation were applied. Quantitative cognitive data were obtained by using DN:CAS battery for diagnosis of PASS processing. A procedure for diagnosis and treatment of behaviors, previously reported, was followed. The cases of the sub sample were tested before and after emotional treatment without cognitive remediation, the results being tested by Student t. RESULTS: The responders were 82% according to not only the criterion of solution of the behavioral problem, for example, anorexia, psychosomatism, non neurological paroxysm an so on, but also, the sufficient amelioration assessed by the patients, their parents and the researchers. All cases, however, were required the disappearance of observable defensive behaviors in enough quantity to deduce an important maturation change. Significant difference was observed in planning. DISCUSSION: Defensive behaviors as masquerade behaviors are explained in the light of neurological reasons. The neurological processing of the sensibility of danger is emphasized according to the most recent knowledge. CONCLUSION: All behaviors can activate the neurological processing of danger feeling

Adolescent↗