RAQUEL CHACON RUIZ MARTINEZ
Projetos de Pesquisa
Unidades Organizacionais
Instituto de Psiquiatria, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina
LIM/23 - Laboratório de Psicopatologia e Terapêutica Psiquiátrica, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina
LIM/23 - Laboratório de Psicopatologia e Terapêutica Psiquiátrica, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina
11 resultados
Resultados de Busca
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- Active vs. reactive threat responding is associated with differential c-Fos expression in specific regions of amygdala and prefrontal cortex(2013) MARTINEZ, Raquel C. R.; GUPTA, Nikita; LAZARO-MUNOZ, Gabriel; SEARS, Robert M.; KIM, Soojeong; MOSCARELLO, Justin M.; LEDOUX, Joseph E.; CAIN, Christopher K.Active avoidance (AA) is an important paradigm for studying mechanisms of aversive instrumental learning, pathological anxiety, and active coping. Unfortunately, AA neurocircuits are poorly understood, partly because behavior is highly variable and reflects a competition between Pavlovian reactions and instrumental actions. Here we exploited the behavioral differences between good and poor avoiders to elucidate the AA neurocircuit. Rats received Sidman AA training and expression of the activity-dependent immediate-early gene c-fos was measured after a shock-free AA test. Six brain regions with known or putative roles in AA were evaluated: amygdala, periaqueductal gray, nucleus accumbens, dorsal striatum, prefrontal cortex (PFC), and hippocampus. Good avoiders showed little Pavlovian freezing and high AA rates at test, the opposite of poor avoiders. Although c-Fos activation was observed throughout the brain, differential activation was found only in subregions of amygdala and PFC. Interestingly, c-Fos correlated with avoidance and freezing in only five of 20 distinct areas evaluated: lateral amygdala, central amygdala, medial amygdala, basal amygdala, and infralimbic PFC. Thus, activity in specific amygdala-PFC circuits likely mediates the competition between instrumental actions and Pavlovian reactions after AA training. Individual differences in AA behavior, long considered a nuisance by researchers, may be the key to elucidating the AA neurocircuit and understanding pathological response profiles.
- Fully Automated Habenula Segmentation Provides Robust and Reliable Volume Estimation Across Large Magnetic Resonance Imaging Datasets, Suggesting Intriguing Developmental Trajectories in Psychiatric Disease(2020) GERMANN, Juergen; GOUVEIA, Flavia Venetucci; MARTINEZ, Raquel C. R.; ZANETTI, Marcus Vinicius; DURAN, Fabio Luis de Souza; CHAIM-AVANCINI, Tiffany M.; SERPA, Mauricio H.; CHAKRAVARTY, M. Mallar; DEVENYI, Gabriel A.Studies of habenula (Hb) function and structure provided evidence of its involvement in psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Previous studies using magnetic resonance imaging (manual/semi-automated segmentation) have reported conflicting results. Aiming to improve Hb segmentation reliability and the study of large datasets, we describe a fully automated protocol that was validated against manual segmentations and applied to 3 datasets (childhood/adolescence and adult bipolar disorder and schizophrenia). It achieved reliable Hb segmentation, providing robust volume estimations across a large age range and varying image acquisition parameters. Applying it to clinically relevant datasets, we found smaller Hb volumes in the adult bipolar disorder dataset and larger volumes in the adult schizophrenia dataset compared with healthy control subjects. There are indications that Hb volume in both groups shows deviating developmental trajectories early in life. This technique sets a precedent for future studies, as it allows for fast and reliable Hb segmentation and will be publicly available.
- Bilateral Amygdala Radio-Frequency Ablation for Refractory Aggressive Behavior Alters Local Cortical Thickness to a Pattern Found in Non-refractory Patients(2021) GOUVEIA, Flavia Venetucci; GERMANN, Jurgen; DEVENYI, Gabriel A.; FONOFF, Erich T.; MORAIS, Rosa M. C. B.; BRENTANI, Helena; CHAKRAVARTY, M. Mallar; MARTINEZ, Raquel C. R.Aggressive behaviors comprise verbal and/or physical aggression directed toward oneself, others, or objects and are highly prevalent among psychiatric patients, especially patients diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and severe intellectual disabilities. Some of these patients are considered refractory to treatment, and functional neurosurgery targeting the amygdala can result in widespread plastic brain changes that might reflect ceasing of some abnormal brain function, offering symptom alleviation. This study investigated cortical thickness changes in refractory aggressive behavior patients that were treated with bilateral amygdala ablation and compared to control patients presenting non-refractory aggressive behavior [three refractory and seven non-refractory patients, all males diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disabilities]. The Overt Aggression Scale (OAS) was used to quantify behavior and magnetic resonance imaging was performed to investigate cortical thickness. Before surgery, both groups presented similar total OAS score, however refractory patients presented higher physical aggression against others. After surgery the refractory group showed 88% average reduction of aggressive behavior. Imaging analysis showed that while refractory patients present an overall reduction in cortical thickness compared to non-refractory patients across both timepoints, the local pattern of thickness difference found in areas of the neurocircuitry of aggressive behavior present before surgery is diminished and no longer detected after surgery. These results corroborate the hypotheses on induction of widespread neuronal plasticity following functional neurosurgical procedures resulting in modifications in brain morphology and improvement in behavior. Further studies are necessary to determine the underlying cause of these morphological changes and to better understand and improve treatment options.
- Does TRODAT-1 SPECT Uptake Correlate with Cerebrospinal Fluid alpha-Synuclein Levels in Mid-Stage Parkinson's Disease?(2023) COUTINHO, Artur M.; GHILARDI, Maria Gabriela; CAMPOS, Ana Carolina P.; ETCHEBEHERE, Elba; FONOFF, Fernanda C.; CURY, Rubens G.; PAGANO, Rosana L.; MARTINEZ, Raquel C. R.; FONOFF, Erich T.Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by a progressive loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons with impaired motor and non-motor symptoms. It has been suggested that motor asymmetry could be caused due to an imbalance in dopamine levels, as visualized by dopamine transporter single emission computed tomography test (DAT-SPECT), which might be related to indirect measures of neurodegeneration, evaluated by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) and alpha-synuclein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Therefore, this study aimed to understand the correlation between disease laterality, DAT-SPECT, cognition, and alpha-synuclein levels in PD. Methods: A total of 28 patients in the moderate-advanced stage of PD were subjected to neurological evaluation, TRODAT-1-SPECT/CT imaging, MOCA, and quantification of the levels of alpha-synuclein. Results: We found that alpha-synuclein in the CSF was correlated with global cognition (positive correlation, r(2) = 0.3, p = 0.05) and DAT-SPECT concentration in the putamen (positive correlation, r(2) = 0.4, p = 0.005), and striatum (positive correlation, r(2) = 0.2, p = 0.03), thus working as a neurodegenerative biomarker. No other correlations were found between DAT-SPECT, CSF alpha-synuclein, and cognition, thus suggesting that they may be lost with disease progression. Conclusions: Our data highlight the importance of understanding the dysfunction of the dopaminergic system in the basal ganglia and its complex interactions in modulating cognition.
- Directional Deep Brain Stimulation of the Posteromedial Hypothalamus for Refractory Intermittent Explosive Disorder: A Case Series Using a Novel Neurostimulation Device and Intraoperative Microdialysis(2021) LOPEZ, William Omar Contreras; NAVARRO, Paula Alejandra; GOUVEIA, Flavia Venetucci; FONOFF, Erich Talamoni; LEBRUN, Ivo; AUADA, Aline V. V.; ALHO, Eduardo Joaquim Lopes; MARTINEZ, Raquel C. R.BACKGROUND: Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent outbursts of aggressive behavior. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in the posteromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (pHyp) is an alternative therapy for extreme cases and shows promising results. Intraoperative microdialysis can help elucidate the neurobiological mechanism of pHyp-DBS. We sought to evaluate efficacy and safety of pHyp-DBS using 8-contact directional leads in patients with refractory IED (rIED) and the accompanying changes in neurotransmitters. METHODS: This was a prospective study in which patients with a diagnosis of rIED were treated with pHyp-DBS for symptom alleviation. Bilateral pHyp-DBS was performed with 8-contact directional electrodes. Follow-up was performed at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: Four patients (3 men, mean age 27 +/- 2.8 years) were included. All patients were diagnosed with rIED and severe intellectual disability. Two patients had congenital rubella, one had a co-diagnosis of infantile autism, and the fourth presented with drug-resistant epilepsy. There was a marked increase in the levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid and glycine during intraoperative stimulation. The average improvement in aggressive behavior in the last follow-up was 6 points (D: 50%, P [ 0.003) while also documenting an important improvement of the Short Form Health Survey in all domains except bodily pain. No adverse events associated with pHyp-DBS were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to show the safety and beneficial effect of directional lead pHyp-DBS in patients with rIED and to demonstrate the corresponding mechanism of action through increases in gamma-aminobutyric acid and glycine concentration in the pHyp.
- Beneficial nonmotor effects of subthalamic and pallidal neurostimulation in Parkinson's disease(2020) DAFSARI, Haidar S.; GHILARDI, Maria Gabriela dos Santos; VISSER-VANDEWALLE, Veerle; RIZOS, Alexandra; ASHKAN, Keyoumars; SILVERDALE, Monty; EVANS, Julian; MARTINEZ, Raquel C. R.; CURY, Rubens G.; JOST, Stefanie T.; BARBE, Michael T.; FINK, Gereon R.; ANTONINI, Angelo; RAY-CHAUDHURI, K.; MARTINEZ-MARTIN, Pablo; FONOFF, Erich Talamoni; TIMMERMANN, LarsBackground: Subthalamic (STN) and pallidal (GPi) deep brain stimulation (DBS) improve quality of life, motor, and nonmotor symptoms (NMS) in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, few studies have compared their nonmotor effects. Objective: To compare nonmotor effects of STN-DBS and GPi-DBS. Methods: In this prospective, observational, multicenter study including 60 PD patients undergoing bilateral STN-DBS (n = 40) or GPi-DBS (n = 20), we examined PDQuestionnaire (PDQ), NMSScale (NMSS), Unified PD Rating Scale-activities of daily living, -motor impairment, -complications (UPDRS-II, -III, -IV), Hoehn&Yahr, Schwab&England Scale, and levodopa-equivalent daily dose (LEDD) preoperatively and at 6-month follow-up. Intra-group changes at follow-up were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed-rank or paired t-test, if parametric tests were applicable, and corrected for multiple comparisons. Inter-group differences were explored with Mann-Whitney-U/unpaired t-tests. Analyses were performed before and after propensity score matching which balanced out demographic and preoperative clinical characteristics. Strength of clinical changes was assessed with effect size. Results: In both groups, PDQ UPDRS-II, -IV, Schwab&England Scale, and NMSS improved significantly at follow-up. STN-DBS was significantly better for LEDD reduction, GPi-DBS for UPDRS-IV. While NMSS total score outcomes were similar, explorative NMSS domain analyses revealed distinct profiles: Both targets improved sleep/fatigue and mood/cognition, but only STN-DBS the miscellaneous (pain/olfaction) and attention/memory and only GPi-DBS cardiovascular and sexual function domains. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to report distinct patterns of beneficial nonmotor effects of STN-DBS and GPi-DBS in PD. This study highlights the importance of NMS assessments to tailor DBS target choices to patients' individual motor and nonmotor profiles. (C) 2020 The Author(s).
- One year follow-up on a randomized study investigating serratus anterior muscle and pectoral nerves type I block to reduced neuropathic pain descriptors after mastectomy(2023) FLORES, Eva M. M.; GOUVEIA, Flavia V. V.; MATSUMOTO, Marcio; BONACIF, Tomas H. F. S.; KUROKI, Mayra A. A.; ANTUNES, Geiza Fernanda; CAMPOS, Ana Carolina P.; KIMACHI, Pedro P. P.; CAMPOS, Diego O. O.; SIMOES, Claudia M. M.; SAMPAIO, Marcelo M. C.; ANDRADE, Felipe E. M.; VALVERDE, Joao; BARROS, Alfredo C. S. D.; PAGANO, Rosana L. L.; MARTINEZ, Raquel C. R.Breast cancer is the second most common diagnosed type of cancer in women. Chronic neuropathic pain after mastectomy occurs frequently and is a serious health problem. In our previous single-center, prospective, randomized controlled clinical study, we demonstrated that the combination of serratus anterior plane block (SAM) and pectoral nerve block type I (PECS I) with general anesthesia reduced acute postoperative pain. The present report describes a prospective follow-up study of this published study to investigate the development of chronic neuropathic pain 12 months after mastectomy by comparing the use of general anesthesia alone and general anesthesia with SAM + PECS I. Additionally, the use of analgesic medication, quality of life, depressive symptoms, and possible correlations between plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-10 collected before and 24 h after surgery as predictors of pain and depression were evaluated. The results showed that the use of SAM + PECS I with general anesthesia reduced numbness, hypoesthesia to touch, the incidence of patients with chronic pain in other body regions and depressive symptoms, however, did not significantly reduce the incidence of chronic neuropathic pain after mastectomy. Additionally, there was no difference in the consumption of analgesic medication and quality of life. Furthermore, no correlation was observed between IL-1 beta, IL-6, and IL-10 levels and pain and depression. The combination of general anesthesia with SAM + PECS I reduced the occurrence of specific neuropathic pain descriptors and depressive symptoms. These results could promote the use of SAM + PECS I blocks for the prevention of specific neuropathic pain symptoms after mastectomy.
- Intraoperative Dopamine Release During Globus Pallidus Internus Stimulation in Parkinson's Disease(2013) MARTINEZ, Raquel C. R.; HAMANI, Clement; CARVALHO, Milene Cristina de; OLIVEIRA, Amanda Ribeiro de; ALHO, Eduardo; NAVARRO, Jessie; GHILARDI, Maria Gabriela dos Santos; BOR-SENG-SHU, Edson; HEINSEN, Helmut; OTOCH, Jose Pinhata; BRANDAO, Marcus Lira; BARBOSA, Egberto Reis; TEIXEIRA, Manoel Jacobsen; FONOFF, Erich TalamoniBackgroundIt is still unclear whether dopamine (DA) levels correlate with Parkinson's disease (PD) severity or play a role in the mechanisms of high-frequency stimulation (HFS). MethodsWe have used microdialysis to record pallidal DA in 5 patients with PD undergoing microelectrode-guided pallidotomy. ResultsWe found that patients with more severe disease and, consequently, lower pallidal DA did poorly after pallidal lesions. In the operating room, 4 of 5 patients had a significant increase in DA levels during HFS (600%, on average). To test the hypothesis that DA was important for the effects of stimulation, we correlated the amelioration in rigidity observed in the operating room with pallidal DA release. Though rigidity was 56% better during stimulation, no correlation was found between such an improvement and DA release. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that additional mechanisms not directly dependent on pallidal DA release may be involved in the clinical effects of HFS of the globus pallidus internus. (c) 2013 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
- Reduction of aggressive behaviour following hypothalamic deep brain stimulation: Involvement of 5-HT1A and testosterone(2023) GOUVEIA, Flavia Venetucci; DIWAN, Mustansir; MARTINEZ, Raquel C. R.; GIACOBBE, Peter; LIPSMAN, Nir; HAMANI, ClementBackground: Aggressive behaviour (AB) may occur in patients with different neuropsychiatric disorders. Although most patients respond to conventional treatments, a small percentage continue to experience AB despite optimized pharmacological management and are considered to be treatment-refractory. For these pa-tients, hypothalamic deep brain stimulation (pHyp-DBS) has been investigated. The hypothalamus is a key structure in the neurocircuitry of AB. An imbalance between serotonin (5-HT) and steroid hormones seems to exacerbate AB.Objectives: To test whether pHyp-DBS reduces aggressive behaviour in mice through mechanisms involving testosterone and 5-HT.Methods: Male mice were housed with females for two weeks. These resident animals become territorial and aggressive towards intruder mice placed in their cages. Residents had electrodes implanted in the pHyp. DBS was administered for 5 h/day for 8 consecutive encounters prior to the interaction with the intruder. After testing, blood and brains were recovered for measuring testosterone and 5-HT receptor density, respectively. In a second experiment, residents received WAY-100635 (5-HT1A antagonist) or saline injections prior to pHyp-DBS. After the first 4 encounters, the injection allocation was crossed, and animals received the alternative treatment during the next 4 encounters.Results: DBS-treated mice showed reduced AB that was correlated with testosterone levels and an increase in 5-HT1A receptor density in the orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala. Pre-treatment with WAY-100635 blocked the anti-aggressive effect of pHyp-DBS.Conclusions: This study shows that pHyp-DBS reduces AB in mice via changes in testosterone and 5-HT1A mechanisms.
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Reduces Anxiety, Depression and Plasmatic Corticosterone in a Rat Model of Atypical Generalized Epilepsy(2022) GOUVEIA, Flavia Venetucci; GERMANN, Jurgen; OLIVEIRA, Caroline C.; CASTRO, Marina C.; ANTUNES, Geiza F.; V, Gisele C. Gomes; PINTO, Tais R. C.; MARTINEZ, Raquel C. R.; VALLE, Angela C.Affective disorders (i.e. anxiety and depression) are commonly observed in patients with epilepsy and induce seizure aggravation. Animal models of epilepsy that exhibit affective disorder features are essential in developing new neuromodulatory treatments. GEAS-W rats (Generalized Epilepsy with Absence Seizures, Wistar background) are an inbred model of generalized epilepsy showing spontaneous spike-wave discharges concomitant with immobility. Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a safe non-invasive neuromodulatory therapy used to modulate dysfunctional circuitries frequently and successfully applied in affective disorders for symptom alleviation. Here we investigated anxiolytic and antidepressant effects of tDCS in GEAS-W rats and the role of corticosterone as a possible mechanism of action. GEAS-W and Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, sham-tDCS and active-tDCS groups. Both tDCS groups received 15 sessions of sham or active-tDCS (1 mA, cathode). Behavioural tests included the Open Field and Forced Swimming tests followed by corticosterone analysis. We observed a main effect of treatment and a significant treatment by strain interaction on anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviours, with active-tDCS GEAS-W rats entering the center of the open field more often and showing less immobility in the forced swimming test. Furthermore, there was a main effect of treatment on corticosterone with active-tDCS animals showing marked reduction in plasmatic levels. This study described preclinical evidence to support tDCS treatment of affective disorders in epilepsy and highlights corticosterone as a possible mechanism of action.