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Biomedical subjects

J Vézina

Publications and source records attributed to J Vézina.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Understanding the outcomes of a psycho-educational group intervention for caregivers of persons with dementia living at home: a process evaluation.

This qualitative process evaluation study aimed to identify the primary processes of a psycho-educational group for caregivers of persons with dementia, in order to better understand intervention outcomes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 participants recruited from the experimental group of a randomised controlled trial. At pre-test, participants reported their expectations of the group. At post-test, they described their group experience, the most/least helpful aspects of the intervention, their most useful learning and their responses during a recent episode of disturbing behaviour by their relative. Results showed that the group delivered both educational and support processes. Support processes complemented educational processes. Participants learned coping strategies, with reframing playing a more important role than problem-solving or seeking social support. Daughters benefited more than spouses from educational processes. This study of group processes contributes to our understanding of the reported reduction in frequency of disturbing behaviours and of the change in caregivers' behaviours.

Caregivers↗
PubMed2002

The process of a group intervention for caregivers of demented persons living at home: conceptual framework, components, and characteristics.

Most earlier group interventions for caregivers of demented persons lacked a theoretical basis to guide the intervention process and focused on providing information and practical advice and encouraging the expression of feelings. This article presents the process of a group intervention with emphasis on its conceptual framework, components and characteristics. As caregivers are exposed to numerous daily stressful demands, the intervention's conceptual framework was derived from Lazarus and Folkman's transactional theory of stress and coping and Folkman's Coping Effectiveness Training Program. The central aim of the intervention was to improve the ability of caregivers to cope with the stressful demands at the core of caring for a demented person, rather than to focus on information and the task-oriented aspects of caring. The two components of the intervention deal with the cognitive appraisal of stressors and coping strategies, with a view to determining which strategies are most appropriate on the basis of the changeability of stressors. Three coping strategies were proposed: problem solving (problem-focused coping to deal with changeable stressors), reframing (emotion-focused coping to manage the emotional response to unchangeable stressors), and seeking social support (problem- or emotion-focused coping). The most salient characteristics of this group intervention were its intensity (15 meetings) and its focus on the caregivers' daily reality, which provided concrete reference points for the discussion of conceptual notions.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2001

Influence of a transiently transfected gene on apoptosis, measurements guided by cotransfected GFP.

A rapid and quantitative flow cytometric method simultaneously identifying cells that incorporated a gene of interest in a transient electroporation and discriminating between dead, live and apoptotic states in a single measurement is presented. An expression vector encoding the gene of interest was cotransfected with a plasmid carrying the green fluorescent protein (GFP). Subsequently, the cultured cells were stained with 7-amino-actinomycin D (7-AAD) without fixation and were subjected to a multivariate analysis. The value of the method and its high reproducibility were demonstrated on Jurkat cells. Those cells were transiently transfected with a construct expressing a short C-terminal fragment of presenilin 1 (PS1-f) known to show anti-apoptotic properties. The PS1-f gene was under the control of the tetracycline-responsive transactivator.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1999

Overexpression of a C-terminal fragment of presenilin 1 delays anti-Fas induced apoptosis in Jurkat cells.

Most cases of early onset familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) involve mutations in presenilins (PS1 and PS2) genes. The C-terminal portion of PS2 is a homologue with an apoptosis-linked gene (ALG-3). To characterise the role of PS1 in apoptosis, we overexpressed the corresponding C-terminal fragment of PS1 (PS1-f) under the control of the tetracycline-responsive transactivator in Jurkat cells. The tight regulation of the expression of the 11 kDa PS1-f peptide was verified. A 50% inhibition of anti-Fas induced apoptosis was observed upon PS1-f transient overexpression compared to the repressed state. Stable transfectants selectively overexpressing PS1-f revealed a transient protective effect of 30% after apoptosis induction.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed1990

Hyperprolactinemia and temporal lobe epilepsy in a woman: concomitant and persistent prolactin suppression and temporal lobe epilepsy relief.

It has been reported that hyperprolactinemia may be associated with increased temporal lobe activity. Coexisting hyperprolactinemia (97.5 +/- 3.2 ng/ml) related to a pituitary tumefaction (8 mm) and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE), were observed in a 37-year-old woman. Carbamazepin (CBZ) therapy induced a marked improvement in TLE symptoms and EEG recordings, but did not influence hyperprolactinemia and related symptoms. Long-lasting (27 months) normoprolactinemia (19.4 +/- 0.6 ng/ml) and TLE relief were achieved on a dopamine (DA) agonist medication, e.g. pergolide mesylate, 25-50 micrograms/day given over 8 months, and persisted as long as 27 months after drug withdrawal. Posttreatment CT scans showed progressive shrinkage of the pituitary tumor (2 mm) associated with an empty-sella. It is proposed that, whenever TLE and hyperprolactinemia coexist, therapy with a DA agonist such as pergolide mesylate, resulting in normoprolactinemia, may be beneficial in TLE control.

Adult↗