Ethanol consumption by pregnant women can lead to a set of clinical manifestations as a result of embryonic exposure to ethanol known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). This neurodevelopmental disorder presents various behavioral and cognitive phenotypes depending on the concentration, persistence and period of exposure to ethanol. Its manifestations resemble other developmental conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and this can lead to diagnostic confusion, which directly impacts on its treatment. This work aims to investigate biological indicators, both behavioral and molecular, for ASD. We used the zebrafish (Danio rerio), a small freshwater fish with high genetic homology with humans, as a model to investigate the effects of embryonic exposure to ethanol on behavior, cognition and gene expression patterns. We exposed zebrafish AB embryos 24 hours post-fertilization to three concentrations of ethanol (0.0%, 0.5% and 1.0%) for two hours. To observe the effect of embryonic exposure throughout ontogeny, we carried out behavioral analyses - using the Free Movement Y-Pattern test - and molecular analyses - using gene expression by qPCR - with the animals at the larval (15 days post fertilization, dpf), juvenile (45 dpf) and adult (90 dpf) stages. Our results showed hypolocomotion in the larval stage and hyperlocomotion in the juvenile and adult stages, as well as cognitive impairment in the latter two stages in individuals exposed to low concentrations of ethanol, evidenced by an increase in repetitive pattern movements and a reduction in the alternation strategy. As for the molecular markers evaluated, the results indicate a significant deficit in the expression of most of the genes studied in the larval and adult stages. Behavioral and molecular assessments in zebrafish exposed to ethanol during the embryonic period will help to elucidate the cognitive and physiological alterations involved in FASD.

Visual communication occurs through signals emitted by a signaller aiming to modify the
receiver's behaviour, providing mutual benefits. For conspecifics, these signals can increase
mating opportunities and prevent unnecessary conflicts but may also attract the attention of
predators. In fiddler crabs, females detect color signals during mate selection, yet the
relationship between these signals and individual or reproductive quality, as well as their role
in mitigating predation costs, remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of
coloration in socio-sexual signalling and prey-predator interactions. We conducted laboratory
analyses using spectrophotometry, photography, and force sensors to extract variables related
to color, shape, and strength. Additionally, field behavioural studies were conducted to assess
competitive ability, attractiveness during mate selection, and effects on predation. Our results
showed that visual signals from claws and carapaces, particularly nuptial coloration, serve as
reliable indicators of individual and reproductive quality. Furthermore, body coloration plays a
critical role in the deflection mechanism, diverting predatory attacks toward non-vital body
regions. We conclude that the visual ecology of fiddler crabs is shaped by distinct evolutionary
pressures, with body coloration playing a crucial role in their adaptation and evolution.

The body coloration of fiddler crabs is especially relevant in recognizing conspecifics and choosing reproductive partners. The color of fiddler crabs can vary within a population, due to factors such as age and body condition, and between populations, due to environmental differences in each location, such as different predation pressures or food composition. In the present study, we investigated the influence of body color of the fiddler crab Leptuca leptodactyla on the selection of reproductive partners. We tested the following hypotheses: 1) females prefer males with higher ultraviolet brightness and saturation and males with ultraviolet hue; 2) females prefer males from their own population over males from another population; 3) females prefer lighter males over darker males. To test these hypotheses, we performed dichotomous mate choice tests in a natural environment, which consisted of offering L. leptodactyla females the option between two males from the same population to test intrapopulation preference, and males from two populations to test interpopulation preference. We also measured the color of the males' hypertrophied chelipeds with a spectrophotometer. The analyses of color measurements were carried out using the ‘pavo’ package, in the R software (R Development Core Team). The results showed that, when given the option between two males from their own population, females preferred males with higher brightness (ultraviolet and visible) and lower green saturation. On the other hand, when confronted with local males and males from another population, females preferred local males, possibly basing this preference on information on the saturation of the hypertrophied cheliped, which differs significantly between the populations studied. Our findings provide a better understanding of the role of body color in the selection of reproductive partners in the fiddler crab L. leptodactyla. We demonstrate that natural variation in the color of the hypertrophied cheliped influences female preference for reproductive partners and that this preference can vary between populations.

With increasing age, it is common to encounter behavioral changes, whether in cognitive aspects or the rhythm of activity and rest, especially in aged animals. Blue light phototherapy has been used as a method capable of providing cognitive and emotional improvements. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of blue light therapy on the cognitive and emotional performance of young (3 months) and aged(20 months) rats based on behavioral tests such as open field and object recognition, as well as evaluating the rhythm of activity and rest. The animals underwent a period of adaptation in the activity and rest rhythm recording box for 14 days, under a C-E cycle of 12:12 hours, followed by behavioral tests and finally, a group of treated animals underwent therapy of blue light over 14 days, under a C-C-E cycle of 6:6:12 hours. Our results show that blue light did not impair the performance of aged animals, but it also did not induce an improvement in exploratory behavior and locomotor activity in the open field, when 33 compared to young animals. Both animals did not show improvements in episodic memory in the object recognition test, but for all animals, positive effects of blue light were observed on activity and rest rhythm. In this sense, blue light therapy may be efficient and capable of causing cognitive improvements, but more studies are needed to clarify the relationship between blue light and cognitive and emotional response.

Personality has been the subject of study in the sciences for several years, and it is known that it is influenced by various factors, including the developmental environment. Individuals from LGBTQIA+ communities face challenges from childhood that can have consequences for these individuals, including the formation of personality. The aim of the research was to investigate whether childhood events are related to the expression of personality traits in individuals from these communities. To this end, 371 participants in our study responded to the HEXACO and Dark Triad Dirty Dozen instruments to measure personality traits, the QUESI (Questionnaire about Childhood Traumas) to study the developmental environment, and finally the sociodemographic questionnaire. The results demonstrate that there is a positive correlation between QUESI score and conscientiousness and emotionality personality traits and a negative correlation for the socioeconomic measure. Detailing the QUESI, we found positive correlations between emotional abuse and some personality traits (conscientiousness, openness, emotionality, machiavellianism, and psychopathy) and negative correlation for agreeableness and the socioeconomic measure. Psychological abuse correlated positively with conscientiousness, emotionality, machiavellianism, and psychopathy, and negatively with the socioeconomic measure. In turn, sexual abuse showed a positive correlation with conscientiousness and psychopathy, as well as a negative correlation with the socioeconomic measure. Regarding neglect, emotional neglect correlated negatively with humility-honesty, machiavellianism, and psychopathy, and positively with agreeableness and the socioeconomic measure. When we compared the groups, we found differences in the trait of machiavellianism, where bisexuals had a higher average than homosexuals, and narcissism, with males having a higher average than females, and bisexuals with a higher average than homosexuals. The conclusion is that there is a correlation, positive or negative, between personality traits, socioeconomic status, and developmental environment, necessitating further investigation in future studies to determine if there is also a cause-and-effect relationship between these variables and sexual orientation and sex.

Defined as the voluntary delay of an intended course of action despite the expectation of inevitable negative consequences, procrastination remains poorly understood. Classic research has focused mainly on decision making, and only recently has individual motivation been included as a possible explanation for procrastination. Furthermore, there are almost no studies of this behavior from an evolutionary perspective, and the global pandemic situation generated by COVID-19 provides a rare opportunity to evaluate the influence of environmental cues on human motivation and procrastination. Hence, this study aimed to understand the phenomenon of academic procrastination based on its relationship with the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this, the following hypotheses were tested: 1. The levels of academic procrastination of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic are related to their perception of environmental unpredictability; 2. Academic procrastination in the post-pandemic scenario is related to Life History strategies, as well as the Fundamental Motives for affiliation; 3. There is a relationship between indicators of anxiety, depression and stress and levels of post-pandemic academic procrastination. 216 participants answered, anonymously and online, six questionnaires relating to the analyzed parameters: Sociodemographic Questionnaire; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21); Fundamental Motives Inventory; Mini-K (reduced version); Scale of Unpredictability Beliefs; and Academic Procrastination Scale, the last two referring to three periods: 2019, 2020, and 2022. The analysis was carried out taking into account two distinct dimensions of academic procrastination: procrastination and academic self-regulation, and the results were different for each one. Self-regulation showed a significant reduction during the pandemic for students who had an increase in unpredictability beliefs; furthermore, after the pandemic, this showed a significant positive correlation with Slow Life History strategies and self-protection motivations, as well as a negative correlation with the fundamental reason for affiliation (exclusion concern), with self-protection being the factor that best explains self-regulation; There was also a negative and significant correlation between self-regulation and depression. The postponement trait showed different results: there was no increase during the pandemic for participants who showed growth in unpredictability beliefs; however, in 2022, the positive and significant correlation between these two factors indicates the possibility that they are related, especially when considering that unpredictability beliefs have explanatory power almost twice as high as the fundamental motives of self-protection and affiliation (exclusion concern), the other two reasons that showed a correlation with postponement – negative and positive, respectively; Furthermore, there was a negative correlation between postponement and slow Life History strategies, as well as a positive correlation with levels of depression and stress. The results point to the need to study this phenomenon from a more thorough perspective, observing it as a complex behavior with different dimensions, which can be influenced by several factors internal and external to the individual, such as Life History strategies, unpredictability beliefs, motivations, mental health indicators, and others yet to be explored.

White-tufted marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) are a species of neotropical primate native to
northeastern Brazil, ranging from the Caatinga to the Atlantic Forest and with many biological and
social features similar to humans, such as cooperative breeding and gregarious habits, combined
with a wide vocal repertoire. In addition to being targets of interest in biomedical research due to
their similar biology and ease of being maintained in captivity, the vocalizations of these animals
have recently been extensively studied with increasing evidence of learning mechanisms and vocal
plasticity. However, few studies evaluate the natural context in which they occur in the species and
most of them focus on the animals' childhood and adult stages. Our research investigated variations
in the vocal configurations of four types of vocalizations in juvenile marmosets over six months in a
natural environment. We compared these variations with the vocalizations of adult marmosets,
seeking to understand the ontogeny of these individuals and the social context of call usage. We did
not observe significant variations in the parameters of the vocalizations analyzed in juveniles
throughout the study, nor noticeable influences of a vocal feedback reinforcement mechanism for
young individuals. However, we observed differences between “cry” and “phee” frequency values
between juveniles and adults, with a tendency for juvenile averages to approach those of adults. Our
data also confirm the presence of vocalizations from infant to adult stages in marmosets and show
variations in the frequencies of use and context observed for all vocalizations. These subtle and
gradual variations in vocal parameters and the use of vocalizations observed in juvenile marmosets
suggest that despite a vocal profile that can largely be explained by biological development, social
experiences must be important for the maturation and contextualization of the marmosets' main
vocalizations.

The production and release of pesticides in Brazil have significantly increased in recent years, resulting in the presence of many unknown chemicals in the environment. Diflubenzuron (DFB) and Pyriproxyfen (PPF) are two pesticides belonging to the class of insecticides widely used in agricultural crops and urban areas. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of acute and chronic exposure to diflubenzuron, pyriproxyfen, and their mixtures on the survival, ontogenetic development, and behavior of Zebrafish (Danio rerio). For these evaluations, Zebrafish embryos were exposed to different concentrations of both products (0.025, 0.125, 0.25, 1.25, 2.5, and 10 mg/L) in an acute exposure for 120 hours post-fertilization (hpf), as well as to their mixtures: 0.025 mg/L PPF + 10 mg/L DFB (Mix A), 0.125 mg/L PPF + 10 mg/L DFB (Mix B), and 0.25 mg/L PPF + 10 mg/L DFB (Mix C). Mortality, teratogenicity, and cardiotoxicity were observed in treated animals and their control groups (water and DMSO) throughout the exposure. For neurotoxicity assessment, optomotor response and avoidance tests were used. In the chronic exposure, embryos were exposed for 30 days, using concentrations of 0.025 and 0.125 mg/L (DFB) and 0.379 and 0.758 mg/L (PPF) obtained from the LC50 calculation. After chronic exposure, the animals were tested for new tank, aggression, and sociality tests. The results of the acute exposure demonstrated that survival and hatching were affected by the concentrations of PPF and DFB and by the pesticide mixtures at lower concentrations. Exposure to the mixtures caused more malformations than isolated exposure, suggesting a potentiating effect. After chronic exposure, the fish exposed to DFB showed greater reductions in locomotor patterns, while those exposed to PPF spent more time at the top of the water column. The findings indicate that DFB alters locomotor patterns, and PPF alters social and environmental perception patterns. Thus, it is important to reduce the use of these types of pesticides in both agricultural and urban environments to minimize effects on the health and well-being of animals and humans, as well as on the environment.

This study investigates the space use by a group of approximately 130 blond capuchin monkeys (Sapajus flavius) inhabiting a 270-hectare fragment of the Atlantic Forest located in Caaporã, PB. The research is based on a database collected from 2014 to 2023 by the research group, including 39 months of complete data, with information on animal behavior and location, as well as the monthly productivity of fruits and insects within the fragment. A total of 26,243 GPS points were used to calculate the total area of use and core area, analyzing the variation in space use by the group over the months. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that space use is influenced by food availability and temperature. We tested the following predictions: P1 - Due to the low food supply in the area, the animals will use an energy-minimizing strategy, reducing the home range and altering their diet to alternative items during months with lower productivity of fruits (preferred food). P2 - In months with higher temperatures, the group will cover a smaller area (smaller total home range and core range) as a strategy to avoid body overheating. We found that the home range comprised 100% of the monitored area, while the core range accounted for only 15%, indicating a limitation in total space and a low proportion of preferred locations within the fragment. Two seasons could be defined, with February and March as high productivity months and the rest of the year as low productivity in terms of fruit availability. A statistically significant value was observed in the Fruit Availability Index (FAI) (β = 10.447, p = 0.028), indicating that the blond capuchin monkeys are employing an energy-minimizing strategy. Minimum temperature showed marginally significant effects on both the MCP area (β = 5.584, p = 0.084) and HR95 (β = 3.688, p = 0.066) and HR50 (β = 0.871, p = 0.083), but in the opposite direction to what was predicted, with minimum temperature showing a positive correlation with the indicators used for the area of use. Since blond capuchin monkeys are one of the few remaining medium-sized species that perform zoochorous dispersal of larger fruits, understanding the factors that guide their foraging strategies, and the consequences of these strategies, is important for management, especially in fragmented areas.

High perinatal plasticity allows the brain to adapt to its environment, but it also marks a period of heightened vulnerability. The regulation of serotonin levels during development is extremely important for characteristic brain development. Changes in serotonergic signaling, both at low and high levels, appear to be harmful, leading to diverse behavioral deficits. Early exposure to antidepressants, such as SSRIs, during pregnancy or lactation implies several deleterious effects on the anatomical and functional organization in different brain circuits, including those related to the circadian rhythm. In recent years, different authors have investigated these deleterious effects and the mechanisms by which they lead to structural and functional disorganization in specific neural networks, as well as altered behavioral expression in the individual. However, there is a dearth of work at the neurochemical level on structures of the circadian timing system. In this context, this work aims to investigate whether early hyperstimulation of the serotonergic system, through perinatal exposure to an SSRI, can affect the circadian rhythm of activity and rest, especially investigating the expression of neuropeptides and clock proteins associated with the circadian rhythm at different stages of life. of the offspring (PN15, PN45 and PN90). In this study, the locomotor activity-rest rhythm and the visualization of chemical oscillatory markers of the circadian system (NPY, 5-HT, BMAL1, VIP and AVP) will be tested in two zeitgebers (ZT3 and ZT14) in exposed male and female rats. early (developmental period GD13-GD21) to fluoxetine (20 mg/kg). First, with the offspring in adulthood, we performed daily records of the locomotor activity-rest rhythm using activity sensors coupled to individual cages over four weeks, two in light-dark and two in constant-dark. Next, we will identify the expression of neurochemical markers in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, in the intergeniculate leaflet (FIG) and in the raphe nuclei in three life stages (PN15, PN45 and PN90). We hope that, at the end of all the steps, data will be generated that elucidate whether the use of SSRIs during the gestational period causes changes in the serotonergic circuitry in these mentioned regions, in such a way that it causes changes in the behavior of the circadian rhythm.

INTRODUCTION: SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to a range of sequelae, notably affecting mental health in the medium and long term. Between 30% and 80% of patients report cognitive difficulties shortly after COVID-19, and about one-third still complains two years later. Post-COVID cognitive dysfunctions, such as declines in attention, executive functions, memory, and processing speed, are well-documented, though primarily in younger populations. Understanding the neuropsychological profile of post-COVID cognitive dysfunction in older adults, who are more susceptible to cognitive decline, is essential, especially considering the pandemic's global impact.

METHODOLOGY: This quantitative, observational, prospective cohort study was conducted from 2021 to 2023 with older participants aged 60 to 80 in Natal, RN, who had no previous history of cognitive decline. The study involved two groups: 70 individuals exposed to SARS-CoV-2 before vaccination (COVID group) and 153 in a control group. Exclusion criteria were education ≤ 4 years, prior cognitive decline, unstable psychiatric conditions, and significant cerebrovascular or cardiovascular events in 2020. Participants underwent three serial assessments of cognitive functions, functional capacity, mood, and sleep quality at six-month intervals, up to 20 months post-infection. Statistical analysis used linear mixed models regression, excluding those with less than high school education for sample homogeneity. A subsequent regression evaluated prognostic factors influencing cognitive outcomes.

RESULTS: The average participant age was 66.97±4.64 years. Significant differences in executive functioning trajectories were observed between the COVID and control groups (Frontal Assessment Battery, p-interaction=0.051), with poorer performance in inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and working memory in the COVID group showing. Being married (p-interaction=0.065) and engaged in mentally stimulating activities (p-interaction=0.069) provided protection against executive decline. Conversely, overweight/obesity, anxiety, and arthralgia adversely affected cognitive outcomes.

CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 has long-term cognitive impacts on older adults, particularly affecting executive functions, regardless of initial infection severity. Enhancing cognitive reserve appears to offer resilience against these effects. Given the critical role of executive functioning in maintaining autonomy and independence along aging, implementing targeted cognitive rehabilitation strategies for older adults is imperative.

Since the immune defense against pathogens is expensive and merely reactive, human anti-pathogen defense is also characterized by proactive behavioral mechanisms that inhibit contact with pathogens. This behavioral immune system (BIS) comprises psychological processes that reduce the risk of contagion by responding to environmental cues through the activation of aversive behaviors. 

All living beings, regardless of their species or environment in which they are inserted, face stressful situations, predictable or not: food restriction, risk of predation, protection of offspring and other environmental conditions. As in many other species, exposure to something new can evoke anxiety responses in zebrafish, similar to what happens in rodents, for example, when placed in a new environment to observe their exploratory activity it presents a typical fear and anxiety behaviors in the species, such as freezing and reduced time at upper zone of the aquarium until the individual assesses whether it is safe to explore the environment. It is already known which exposure to chronic stress can contribute to development of anxiety and depression.

Many practices, mainly that use of controlled medication, have been used in order to minimize the negative effects of stress and psychiatric disorders. However, despite the benefits of using these drugs in therapeutic treatment, side effects deserve due attention, such as memory disorders, decreased psychomotor activity, mental confusion, social problems and abuse or dependence. It is known that prolonged consumption of anxiolytics can lead to tolerance, withdrawal and dependence. Based on that, some no-drugs alternative therapies are been adhered like auditory enrichment with classical music that improves welfare and reduces negative effects of stressful conditions. The auditory stimuli can affect physiology and behavior. It is already known that exposure to music, especially classical music, is beneficial in humans in reducing anxiety, improving sleep quality, reducing pain perception and is effective in environmental enrichment in several species. Therefore, music can be used as an alternative therapy in stressful situations. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a promising model to study human disorders in behavior, physiological responses and hearing research. To analyze the effects of classical music in stress, anxiety-like and depression-like behavior, we exposed adult zebrafish twice a day for 15 days of Vivaldi’s collection and tested in the open field, homebase formation and sociability test, to evaluate how UCS protocol (unpredictable chronic stress protocol) and music exposure can affect the exploration in the environment.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of chess practice on the adoption of the life history strategy, on levels of focused attention, self-efficacy, self-control, procrastination and resilience in adults and adolescents. To achieve this purpose, instruments were applied to assess the aforementioned variables in a sample of 225 participants, composed of adolescents (14 to 17 years old) and adults (18 to 57 years old), both age groups divided into subgroups of chess practitioners and nonpractitioners. The results of the analyzes indicated that no differences were observed between groups and genders for a life history strategy variable. For the focused attention variable, it was observed that only the Adult Chess Players group had higher focused attention than the other groups. With regard to the procrastination variable, it was observed that the Adult Chess Players group had a lower procrastination score than adolescents chess players and non-chess players, but it was observed a similar value comparing with adults who are not chess players. We also observe that Adult Chess Players showed higher resilience and self-efficacy than the other groups. The research and findings in the present study shed light on the importance of understanding how behaviors not directly linked to contexts of academic and professional conduct (such as games, sports and leisure time) can affect our performance, our choices and our cognitive functions.

Diversos traumas nos anos iniciais da vida podem causar danos no futuro, alterando o comportamento e a fisiologia de indivíduos na fase adulta. As origens do desenvolvimento da saúde e da doença (DOHAD, do inglês Developmental Origins of Health and Disease) liga a ocorrência de distúrbios precoces, no início da ontogenia, ao desenvolvimento de desordens fisiológicas, comportamentais e psicológicas futuras. Nesta perspectiva, esse trabalho se dedica ao estudo das desordens do espectro alcoólico fetal (FASD, do inglês Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders) que podem causar efeitos ao longo do desenvolvimento e podem gerar déficits sociais, cognitivos e comportamentais. No entanto, não é apenas a exposição precoce ao álcool que pode causar distúrbios ao longo do desenvolvimento. Diversos estressores presentes no meio ambiente são considerados fatores de risco, esses estressores são conceituados como circunstancias que ameaçam a integridade física ou o bem-estar psicológico, e podem trazer diversos malefícios à saúde, principalmente quando o estresse se torna crônico. Neste sentido, o presente trabalho tem o objetivo de examinar a influência do estresse crônico precoce e da exposição fetal ao álcool no comportamento de peixes zebra submetidos ao estado de desamparo inato e aprendido. O estado desamparado em animais é análogo à depressão em humanos: indivíduos que se encontram nesse estado têm dificuldades na resposta de alerta e na capacidade de aprendizagem como consequência da exposição previa a estímulos aversivos incontroláveis. Para que os objetivos dessa pesquisam sejam alcançados, serão aplicados dois estressores em estágios iniciais do desenvolvimento do zebrafish: exposição ao álcool e ao estresse crônico. Esses animais passarão por testes de testes de imobilização (reposta reflexa inata) e condicionamento aversivo (choque elétrico como estimulo não condicionado). Considerando que a DOHAD pode implicar no desenvolvimento de depressão e desamparo, ou contribuir para o desenvolvimento destas condições, é importante o aprofundamento nesse tema, pois tratamentos eficazes dependem do conhecimento das possíveis causas da depressão e do estado desamparado. Assim, este estudo trará novas informações sobre as respostas inatas e aprendidas, que são potencialmente relevantes para a busca por drogas para o tratamento da condição de desamparo e depressão. Além disso, pretende-se validar o zebrafish como modelo experimental para estados de desamparo.

Benzophenone-3 (BP-3) has been the most widely used ultraviolet filter (UV filter) in sunscreens. Its broad use by industries results in continuous discharge into aquatic environments, leading aquatic biota and humans to continuous exposure. The consequences of BP-3 exposure on the physiology of animals have been investigated, including their neurotoxic effects and as an endocrine disruptor. However, little is known about its consequences in longterm developmental and behavioral endpoints. This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of BP-3 exposure on behavioral and cognitive responses in zebrafish and evaluate biomarkers of oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. For this, we exposed zebrafish embryos (6-96 hpf exposure) and adults (15 days exposure) to BP-3 to evaluate the pollutant consequences. We analyzed anxiety-like behavior, social preference, aggressiveness, learning, and memory as behavioral endpoints, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, the enzymatic activity of the antioxidant defenses system, and neurotoxic biomarkers (GST, CAT and AChE), and expression of genes related to the antioxidant defenses. In general, animals exposed to BP3 showed increased anxiety-like behavior and reduced social preference. Cognition, in terms of learning and memory, was damaged by BP-3 exposure. The increase in ROS was accompanied by an increase in sod2 and cat gene expression and an increase in GST activity and decreased CAT activity. The biochemical changes caused by BP-3 exposure in larvae were maintained in adulthood. The behavioral and cognitive alterations associated with the biochemical responses found are critical for the survival of several species, represented here by the animal and translational zebrafish model. The continued exposure to personal care products that contain high concentrations of UV filters, whether based on oxybenzone or another organic filter, has harmful physiological effects and should be avoided. We must consider new types of UV filters and change our habits for a safer life and environment.

Individuals have different behavioral traits that make up their personalities. Traits are considered characteristics that both have a genetic basis and are shaped by experiences throughout life, and guide the way individuals behave in different situations and environmental contexts experienced. The wide behavioral variability in a population is important for species maintenance and individual survival. These characteristics may also be related to risk behavior and influence the consumption, effects, and sensitivity of individuals to psychoactive substances. Among them, alcohol and caffeine seem to be the most consumed worldwide. Alcohol is the licit drug responsible for numerous diseases and accidents in human beings, while caffeine, despite not having such serious effects, can also be harmful if consumed in large quantities. Thus, the objective of this thesis was to evaluate the response of behavioral profiles related to one of the personality traits, the bold-shy profile, under the influence of alcohol and caffeine in zebrafish. In the first chapter, we assess the differences between the profiles of a zebrafish population, to determine the risk-taking and exploration behaviors that determine the two extremes of the bold-shy continuum. Then, we tested the extreme profiles in two different contexts, an affiliative context (social group) and an aversive context (presence of a predator), and under the effect of chronic and acute treatments with alcohol (chapter 2) and caffeine (chapter 3). Our results show that bold and shy profiles show differences in risk-taking, bold individuals are more prone to risk than shy ones, and in exploratory response, bold individuals are more exploitative than shy ones. Furthermore, the profiles respond differently to drug concentrations and analyzed contexts, with differences in drug sensitivity, which makes bold individuals more sociable in some situations and shy individuals less risk-averse in others. Our data show that there is a difference in responsiveness between bold and shy, corroborating studies that relate personality to the effects of psychoactive substances. We hope these results will help advance further research on the effects and treatments for substance abuse and its consequences. Finally, we reinforce the use of zebrafish as an adequate and reliable tool for translational studies related to psychotropic drugs

In adult rats, exposure to constant light condition (LL) leads to uncoupling of the circadian multiple oscillators on the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and it can produce an arrhythmic pattern on locomotor activity, cognitive and emotional impairments. However, when rats are kept in LL on lactation phase, they develop a circadian rhythm which is maintained for many days after weaning. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of LL during lactation in cognitive performance, anxiety-like and depressive-like behaviors in adult rats in LL or in a sub-sample of adult rats in LL that kept a long-term circadian rhythm. Male Wistar rats were submitted to LL on lactation phase, from postnatal day 1 (P1) to P22. On weaning, they were transferred to 12:12 light and dark cycle (LD), and on P61, they returned to LL (LL-LD-LL group; n = 8). As a control, a group were maintained in LD 12:12 for the entire experiment (LD-LD-LD; n = 7). ~P107, rats were submitted to an open field test (anxiety-like task), novel object recognition, object-in-place and passive avoidance tests (memory tasks) and sucrose preference test (anhedonia test). Food consumption and body mass were register weekly from the weaning. Finally, rats were euthanized one week after the last behavioral task in order to quantify the expression of c-Fos in the SCN, hippocampus, amygdala and pre-frontal cortex. Our preliminary results showed that 4 rats from LL-LD-LL group kept a long-term rhythm of locomotor activity and 4 rats did not. Moreover, LL-LD-LL showed a higher latency to start the rearing behavior in the open field, and did not show both object recognition and object and location association memory. Finally, LL-LD-LL show a weekly food consumption and body mass similar to LD-LD-LD group. The results for the sub-sample LL-LD-LL group, that kept a long-term circadian rhythm, are the same. Together, these preliminary results indicates that exposure to LL on lactation do not prevents impairments on object and spatial recognition, and this effect is independent of the maintain of a long-term circadian rhythm. More experiments with adaptations on the length of the reexposed to LL are necessary in order to get more conclusive results.

Worry is defined as a chain of predominantly verbal thoughts, whose contents are about future events with some degree of uncertainty. At an atypical level, concerns become persistent, pervasive, uncontrollable, and are associated with distress and functional impairment. There is a scarcity of measures that assess this construct, as well as the need for more evidence on the relationship between worry and other behavioral and cognitive variables. In order to expand the body of evidence on the phenomenon of worry, based on four articles that make up the thesis, this research aimed to review the role of worry from the Tinbergen’s four questions (Study I), to develop and investigate the properties psychometric measurements of an inventory to assess worries (Study II), to analyze the role of worry and sleep complaints in cognitive failures (Study III), to verify the relationship between worry, unpredictability beliefs, neuroticism and uncertainty intolerance (Study IV), and to explore the structural dynamics of worry based on network analysis (Study V).  Study I showed that the application of the four levels of explanation of behavior (e.g., mechanisms, ontogeny, adaptive function, and phylogeny) allows a multifaceted understanding of worry. In Study II, the Worry Assessment Inventory (WAI) was developed, consisting of 21 items based on content validity. The two-factor model provided the best fit and plausibility for the WAI. Evidence on concurrent and convergent validity, measure invariance for gender, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability was provided. Regarding Study III, it was found that worry leads to more cognitive failures. Worry and sleep problems correlated strongly. Sleep problems did not have a significant effect on cognitive failures at a latent level. In Study IV, results indicated that higher unpredictability beliefs about self, people, and the world predicted more intolerance of uncertainty and worry mediated by neuroticism traits. Intolerance of uncertainty mediated the effect of neuroticism on worry.
The Study V verified that the worry network is multifaceted and varied, with everyday functional impairment related to worrying being the most prominent and influential element.  In general, the set of studies presented here offers a new measure of worry and expands and provides new evidence on worry and how this construct relates to other behavioral and cognitive variables.

One of the foundations that structures and keeps cohesive animal societies is communication. The giant otter is a social animal that maintains group cohesion using vocal communication. Groups of giant otters defend territories along water bodies using acoustic and chemical signals. There is evidence of the existence of the vocal signature and individual recognition for the species. However, the vocal ontogeny of the giant otter remains poorly understood as well as the variation in the structure of the vocal repertoire. This work aims to investigate the vocal behavior of giant otter cubs, seeking to explore ontogenetic and functional issues in the Tocantins-Araguaia watershed (Cantão State Park), Tocantins state, Brazil. We recorded the sounds with a directional microphone from a minimum distance of 10m and a maximum of 50m and increased the sample using a Song Meter SM3 recorder at the entrance of the sighs of the giant otter burrows and five camera traps. We carried out 28 campaigns, and the campaigns lasted an average of 7 days, with an average of 12 hours in the field per day, totaling 2,688 hours of effort in the field. Otters are highly vocal from birth. Otter pups follow sequences of moans and yelps that can be characteristic of immature calls. Here we present a review of the classification of 16 vocal types found for spider pups and we associate the vocal repertoire with the age stage of these free-living pups. We also present three new types of sound that have not yet been heard for young spider spiders. Some vocal types such as: Cub call, Growl, Scream and Coo call appear in the first stage of life and remain until adulthood. Characteristically, how changes in the development of child production since birth (ontogeny) can bring information about the physiological and social factors that can influence such changes. In addition, this characterization is an important tool for preparing management plans in the natural environment, as well as helping to guide human activities involving the species, such as ecotourism.

Studies indicate that current consumption forms are influenced by specific motivating systems. In the evolutionary perspective, the fundamental social motives helped in the survival and reproduction of the individuals in the environment of evolutionary adaptation of the humans. The objective of this work is to investigate the relationship between basic motivations and conscious consumption, considering attitudes, consumption behavior, personal and socioeconomic characteristics and the perception of subjective well-being. Through the application of an instrument that investigates the fundamental social motives and the behavior of conscious consumption, among other information, the tests of the hypotheses of the study will be carried out. It is expected, in the end, an understanding of how human motivation systems can act on conscious consumption behavior in different ages and audiences.

This work explores the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on elements of human psychology, while also examining how perceived family experiences during childhood may have influenced psychological aspects during the pandemic. To achieve this goal, we conducted three independent studies, with the first and third being quasi-experimental and the second an exploratory study, all cross-sectional. Data were collected online, involving 127, 438, and 422 participants, respectively, in each of the studies. The first study demonstrated that both unpredictability experienced during the pandemic and perceived harm played a significant role in promoting self-protective and disease-avoidance behaviors, while also contributing to decreased subjective well-being. In the second study, perceived family unpredictability in childhood revealed impacts not only on the choice of life history strategies but also on the manifestation of fundamental motives, even during the pandemic. Finally, the third study highlighted that perceived family support in childhood emerged as the primary factor influencing the expression of higher levels of subjective well-being and lower levels of self-unpredictability, while suggesting that the pandemic may have heightened the perception of unpredictability in relation to the world, as observed in our sample. In summary, the work provides insights into some of the effects of the pandemic, highlighting the interconnections between childhood experiences, life history strategies, behavioral expressions, and subjective well-being in a global crisis scenario. This integrated perspective enhances our understanding of the factors that influenced the observed human behavioral plasticity during the pandemic.

Cetaceans can be found in oceanic, coastal, estuarine and river regions throughout the world. And despite the ecological importance of this group, essential information such as distribution and occurrence patthers are still scarce, especially for species with oceanic habits. The main objective of this thesis is to contribute to the understanding of the occurrence and bioacoustic patterns in sound emission from cetaceans in areas with little sampling effort, especially in the oceanic zones of the Northeast region of Brazil. Chapter 1 of this document deals with the occurrence of humpback whales in an area further north of the use limit considered for the species on the Brazilian coast. The presence of humpbacks was recorded through Passive Acoustic Monitoring carried out in the Barreirinhas Basin, Maranhão, in 2016. Here, we describe the songs of the males and compare the units sung with the song composition of the males from Itacaré, Bahia. We conclude that the singing males from the Barreirinhas Basin belong to Reproductive Stock A, the only stock that occurs on the Brazilian coast, and we suggest an expansion of the area that is commonly considered to be used by stock A. In chapter 2, we describe an unprecedented visual and acoustic record of melon-headed dolphins in the equatorial portion of the South Atlantic Ocean. The observed group had 300 to 400 individuals and was moving quickly, with occasional jumps. We present the acoustic parameters of 225 dolphin whistles and compare these data with records made of the species in other oceans. The frequencies of the whistles ranged from 4.74 to 31.47 kHz and the duration of the whistles from 0.03 to 2.80 seconds, with a mean (±SD) of 0.44 seconds (±0.40 seconds). In chapter 3, we present the acoustic parameters of 1,212 whistles of the pantropical spotted dolphin in two areas with different latitudes, the first in low latitudes close to the equator (02°-05°S), an area where there was no acoustic record for the species, and another area at latitude 14°S. In univariate tests, for the 10 acoustic parameters evaluated, 7 showed a significant difference between areas. And in the quadratic discriminant analysis this difference was also confirmed. We conclude that latitudinal variation and physical and oceanographic differences between the two environments can act as selection forces, shaping the acoustic behavior of the species in different habitats. In the final chapter, our objective was to answer the following question: are Brazil's marine protected areas delimited where there is the highest occurrence and density of cetaceans? We observed that the majority of conservation areas are coastal, with only seven Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) located after the shelf break. Therefore, we conclude that the current distribution of MPAs in Brazil is not sufficient and representative to cover the entire diversity of cetaceans that occur in our waters, especially in oceanic regions.

Luxury products can be defined as signs displayed to please observers, and in the
background they assume their material functions and are therefore termed products of
conspicuous consumption. Car owners report several arguments to justify their
consumption decision. The relevance of using automobiles as a model to investigate the
effect of luxury products on the perception of attractiveness and sociosexuality is given
by the fact that they meet the necessary requirements to function as a conspicuous sign
and be a model widely described in the literature. Based on this, this study was designed
with the main objective of investigating whether vehicle consumption affects the
perception of attractiveness and sociosexual attitude of third parties, as well as the
sociosexuality of individuals who use public or private transport. For this, a total of 278
Brazilian subjects participated in this study. Each participant answered a questionnaire in
which they rated six stimulus subjects (SS) of the opposite gender, each profile consisting
of a photo and a description. They rated each SS's attractiveness to (a) a casual
conversation, (b) a short-term relationship, and (c) a long-term relationship and described
the SS's attitude according to the revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (SOI- R). For
statistical analysis, General Linear Models (GLM) and Bonferroni's Post Hoc tests were
applied. For casual conversation, SS who do not own a car were more attractive than those
who own a popular or luxury car. For short-term relationships, there was an interaction
effect between the participants' means of transport and the treatment. For participants with
private transport, SS with luxury automobiles were more attractive than for participants
who travel by public transport. For long-term relationships, the effect found was similar.
In the SS who do not have a car or who have a popular car, for casual meeting and
marriage, no differences were observed. In these two types of relationship there was a
difference between men and women, however men were more sensitive to this stimulus
when compared to women. Subjects who own a luxury car had higher sociosexuality,
compared to those who own a popular car or those who do not. There were no differences
between the sociosexuality of those who did not have a car and those who owned a
popular car. In the analysis of the participants' sociosexuality levels, there was an
interaction between the participants' sex and the means of transport in sociosexuality.
Men who travel privately had a higher sociosexuality score than men who travel by public
transport; among women, no difference was observed. This study represents an advance
in evolutionary psychology research that seeks to better understand human behavior,
communication, preferences and motivations.

Reef environments are highly complex, providing different types of environmental signals that need to go through processing steps to facilitate acquiring information and making decisions. Despite the existing myth around fishes' short memory and limited behavioral repertoire, for a long time considered only instinctive, the development of functions related to learning and memory is widespread among teleosts. These skills are crucial for survival in natural habitats. Many fish species can perform tasks from the simplest to the most complex. However, our knowledge about the variations involving task characteristics or the effects of environmental variables on cognitive processes is still scarce. The general objective of this thesis was to investigate factors related to the nature/complexity of the task in behavioral responses related to learning and memory in damselfish, using three species: Stegastes fuscus, Acanthochromis polyacanthus, and Amphiprion percula. We evaluated information retention time in appetitive and aversive conditioning tasks (chapter 1), We investigated the influence of familiarity on the mnemonic response maintenance over time (chapter 2), and We assessed spatial learning and memory in response to environmental warming (chapter 3). Our results showed that the nature of the stimulus does not seem to interfere with information retention for up to 15 days in S. fuscus, which sustain the mnemonic response 5, 10 and 15 days after aversive and appetitive conditioning. We observed that S. fuscus showed individual recognition and ability to remember conspecifics through the agonistic response, which was affected by the interval time for re-pairing with conspecifics (5, 10, and 15 days). In addition, we observed that A. polyacanthus learns and remembers a spatial navigation task for 5 days while A. percula does not learn the task. In this same task, the increase of 2°C damages memory while the increase of 4°C impairs the learning of A. polyacanthus. Given the vulnerability of reef environments, the understanding of aspects related to the learning and memory of individuals can provide science with valuable results for future management and conservation plans, in addition to contributing to the knowledge of the biology of damsels, which show an elaborate cognitive capacity.

The freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii is a species of great economic importance. There are three adult male morphotypes in the species: small males can turn into orange claw males and these into blue claw males. However, there is little information about color preference and the importance of visual cues in mate choice in this species. Thus, this research seeks to analyze the preference for different colors in juveniles and adults and the role of visual cues in mate choice. We evaluated the preference of juveniles and adults for colors by placing the animal into an aquarium containing shelters of different colors to analyze the attraction of the prawn to them. For the analysis of the importance of visual cues in mate choice, we will first take photographs of the prawns and a river water environment. From these photographs, we will create computer stimuli that will correspond to figures with the exact coloration of the claw of a morphotype that will appear on a background that will correspond to the coloration of the claw of another morphotype or the coloration of the river water. We will display these stimuli to the prawns on a monitor. Defensive responses by the prawns will indicate that they are able to discriminate the color of the figure from the color of the background. Subsequently, we will analyze the mate choice in a four-arm experimental maze, through the preference of females for photographs of males of different sizes and colors of claw and the preference of males for photographs of females in different reproductive stages.

Overconfidence is one of the most widely studied and discussed self-assessment biases in the literature. However, it is still not widespread in Brazil, with most of the works focusing on the area of behavioral finance. Much is discussed about the human tendency to exacerbate their own evaluations, the accuracy of which in judging their performance is reported as little or none. Some factors are pointed out as possible drivers of self-assessment biases, such as the subject's familiarity with the analyzed topic. Over the years, some results have been superimposed in the literature, and some terms end up covering more than one behavior. Therefore, measures of overestimation, overplacement, and overconfidence in 400 adults subjects were assessed in relation to their performance in a questionnaire on Brazilian political knowledge. The results indicated the existence of the studied behaviors, but to a lesser extent than previously reported in the literature. The methodological aspects involved in the study of these biases are discussed, and the possible factors associated with the exacerbation of previous results.

The work context of elementary and higher education teachers presents different conditions, which may cause irregularities in sleep-wake pattern, excessive daytime sleepiness, and poor sleep quality. In this study, we compared the characteristics of work context, sleep knowledge and habits, sleep-wake cycle pattern, sleep quality and daytime sleepiness among 118 elementary school (BS) and 77 higher education (HE) teachers in public education. Participants completed the “Health and Sleep” and the Morningness and Eveningness (MEQ) Questionnaires, Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Sleep Diary for 10 days. Most of the ES teachers work 2 shifts (morning and afternoon), while in the EB, 1 to 2 shifts prevail, distributed among morning (21.6%), morning and afternoon (26.2%) and afternoon (24.3%); with a predominant weekly workload between 20-40h, being higher in the ES (t =-2.95; p=0.004). The teachers did not differ in bedtimes (t=-1.06, p=0.28) and time in bed (t=0.15, p=0.87) on working days, but the EB got up earlier (t=-3.07, p=0.01) on working and free days (t=- 2.37, p=0.01). Regarding the level of knowledge, the ES presented higher percentages of correct answers on the importance and influence of light on sleep schedules, while the EB, on general aspects about sleep. The EB presented higher levels of daytime sleepiness (t=3.04; p<0.001), without differences in the quality of sleep, which was poor in both groups (t=0.40; p=0.69). Regardless of education level, female gender predicted worse sleep quality (B=1.16; p=0.03), while morning tendency predicted greater irregularities in bedtimes (B=1.07; p=0.04), less daytime sleepiness (B=-0.09; p<0.01) and better sleep quality (B=-0.07; p<0.01). There was a tendency for higher scores on sleep knowledge to predict lower social lag (B=-2.16; p=0.06). Regarding the work context, starting work later predicted greater irregularity in time in bed (B=0.12; p=0.03), while finishing work earlier predicted greater irregularity in getting up times (B=-0.13; p<0.01) and time in bed (B=-0.15; p=0.01). Higher weekly workload predicted greater irregularity in getting up times (B=2.27; p<0.01) and time in bed (B=2.26; p=0.01); and higher number of shifts predicted greater social lag (B=13.66; p<0.01). Therefore, sleep parameters, daytime sleepiness levels and sleep quality of teachers are predicted by biological factors, such as sex and chronotype, and factors related to the work context, such as work schedules, weekly workload, and number of shifts, regardless of educational level.

Violence associated with soccer, or hooliganism, is a global phenomenon that causes upheavals in society. The view that football fans could be divided into types brings new possibilities for research about the evolutionary perspective on cooperative group dynamics through social dilemmas. Parochial altruism, understood as an association between group bias and antagonism to other groups, is the relevant representative of this dynamic, and its investigation through economic games can be done by measuring the generosity of individuals. However, methodological disregard for the costs inherent in cooperation can make the results less representative of the intensity of affiliation to a group, and hence of the motivations behind parochial altruism. In addition, the relationship between cooperative conflict and cognition suggests that physiological variables can influence how individuals deal with social dilemmas. Thus, by hypothesizing, that different types of supporters differ in degree of cooperative motivation. This project will investigate the pertinence of the division of the population in types, and differences in the generosity and neuroendocrine profile of the fans. To this end, parochial behavior will be attributed to the adoption of the paradigm of effort-based decision-making, in order to faithfully represent the fans' affiliative intensity.

Food-associated calls are widespread among primates. Its main function is to attract conspecifics to food sources, and callers may benefit from an increase in their inclusive fitness and by diluting predation risks. Conversely, food calls may increase competition over resources. In cooperative breeders, these calls may indicate their high proactivity in sharing resources with other group members, especially at moments where infant care is necessary. In the absence of infants, individuals possibly adopt compensatory strategies to offset infant care costs and to increase energy intake. We aimed at investigating Callithrix jacchus vocal behavior in feeding contexts, jointly addressing their cooperative care and intragroup competition. Thus, we performed a series of experiments in which marmosets would encounter food with diverse quantity and quality, both in periods where infants were present and not. We evaluated the latency to call, time feeding before calling, and the number of calls emitted before others’ arrival by the first animal to find the food. Finally, we analyzed the effects that marmosets’ social status, presence of infants, and different experimental conditions had on these behavioral variables. We observed greater participation of helpers in all sessions. Male helpers, in the presence of infants, had a faster vocal response, decreased food consumption, and an increased food call production. In the absence of infants, however, opposite results were found. Corroborating greater proactivity and willingness to share when infant care is necessary. Regarding different experimental conditions, female helpers showed an increase in their calling latency and food consumption for small amounts of food, which may indicate a lower propensity to share limited resources. Whereas males exhibited a decrease in latency and food consumption only for high-quality resources. Our results are consistent with Callithrix jacchus social dynamics and reinforce male helpers’ proactive prosociality and their crucial role in infant care, whereas subordinate females engage in a more competitive and less cooperative behavioral profile.

Depilation, removal or reduction practices by the body have been present in our history since the times of the Ancient Age, in different human cultures, inside and outside Western industrial societies. Despite being behaviors performed by men and women, hair reduction and removal is still, in terms of frequency, more practiced by women and signified differently between the sexes, whether within gender constructs or in social and sexual contexts. In this sense, evolutionary hypotheses have been launched in order to understand the role of the removal of body hair, as well as the intersexual difference: what makes the 'hairless' ideal an especially feminine attractiveness norm and that, in adaptive terms, preference and display of a hairless body could mean within sexual selection in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of individual characteristics of women in conditions with and without body hair and as possible within a context of attractiveness and choice of partners. Photos of female models with and without hair on the legs and armpits were used and, through online questionnaires, participants provided their first impressions of the age, personality traits (Big 5) and sociosexuality of the women observed. As a result, we found that men and women regarded as furry models as being more extroverted and more open than as furless models. Only female participants perceived models with body hair as being more emotionally stable. Only male participants perceived hairless models as more amiable and as models with body hair as being more sociosexually unrestrained. No difference was found for age and consciousness between the groups with and without body hair for both sexes. The present work aimed to expand the scientific knowledge about the subject, as well as to deepen the discussion of subjects with high social interest. It is hoped that the results of this study allow us to bring important contributions to the feminist debate and provoke reflections on the construction of gender and attractiveness norms.

Recent studies associate the prolonged and excessive use of new technologies, such as tablets, computers and smartphones, with sleep deprivation, with suggestions of negative impacts on quality and duration of sleep, and of morning consequences of impaired sleep, such as non-restorative sleep and daytime sleepiness. Most of those studies focus on younger age groups, such as children, adolescents and young adults, and mostly on the use of technology for leisure, with few considering the impact of excessive technology use on other age groups, especially on professionals who work directly and for long periods with said technologies, such as programmers, developers and software engineers. Among the long-term effects of this sleep deprivation, we can mention the impairments of cognitive functioning associated with reduced or poor quality of sleep: the most recent literature brings evidence of impairments to processes such as memory, attention and executive functions. Among those, research on the impact of sleep deprivation on executive functions stands out for its conflicting results, with losses in simpler tasks contrasting with the maintenance of executive functioning in cognitively more complex tasks. Processes such as inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility and working memory, classified as executive functions, are of great importance for the individual's functionality in different spheres of life, from daily activities to job performance, suggesting the importance of further research regarding the effects of sleep deprivation on these functions. In view of these three factors - sleep deprivation, excessive use of technology and impairment of executive functions, this study aims to investigate sleep deprivation and potential impacts on executive functions in a population of adult programmers, using subjective methods (neuropsychological tests) and objective methods (P300 wave analysis), compared to a control group without sleep deprivation symptoms and who does not use information technology for work.

Patterns of brightness and coloration of butterfly wings may have intraspecific, interspecific and physiological roles, with one of the main functions being thermoregulation. Differences in brightness between the ventral and dorsal surfaces serve to capture and dissipate heat, as butterflies regulate exposure to heat sources by opening and closing wings. Melanism can vary among butterfly families, different wing faces, and be related to wing size and environmental factors. Although well-established patterns exist for other biogeographic regions, no studies have evaluated these issues for Neotropical butterflies. The two main objectives of this work were (1) to survey the scientific production on butterfly color patterns on a global scale, to identify the main knowledge and geographic research gaps; and (2) to evaluate which environmental factors are related to neotropical butterfly wing melanism. The production of papers on butterfly coloration increased and followed the overall scientific production rate (r = 0.076, p > 0.05). We note the concentration of published articles in English-speaking countries (~60%), with most studies having American first authors (27.8%). We found that smaller butterflies are lighter (p < 0.05) and that families vary in brightness differences between the dorsal and ventral faces. There was no relationship between environmental variables and brightness pattern for Neotropical butterflies (p > 0.05), and butterflies from different biomes show similar melanism patterns. Probably, other variables may influence the melanism pattern of these butterflies, such as solar irradiance. For warmer environments, it is advantageous for the butterfly to be small and bright, thus avoiding stresses due to overheating. This variation in brightness among families may be related to different thermal tolerance thresholds, as well as different anti-predatory strategies such as "dynamic flash". Nevertheless, it is necessary to include more species from other biomes and localities in the rest of the country to re-evaluate our hypotheses based on more extensive environmental gradients, given that much of the research focusing on coloration and brightness patterns of butterflies evaluates communities from the northern hemisphere.

Throughout evolution, the animals have experienced various stress situations, so there is a great variability of stress responses, some adaptive and others not. Major depression (MD) is a psychopathology associated with chronic stress, vulnerability phenotypes, and non-adaptive stress responses. MD is one of the most disabling psychopathologies in the world, and there is still no completely effective treatment for it, thus generating enormous individual, social and economic losses. Thus, using as a basis the theory of stress inoculation which postulates that resilience can be trained, the psychedelics have become the target of research with prophylactic schemes against the emergence of some mental diseases. Ayahuasca (AYA) is a traditional beverage from the Amazon Forest that acts on the serotonergic system, and in addition to psychedelic effects has antidepressant action. Considering that from an economic, social and psychological point of view, treating depression is more expensive than preventing it, this study has evaluated the possible prophylactic effects of prolonged use of ayahuasca against a major depression induction protocol, the social isolation (9 weeks), using a nonhuman primate animal model of depression, C. jacchus. For this, physiological (fecal cortisol) and behavioral evaluations were performed. The animals (19 juvenile males) were divided into 3 groups: Ayahuasca Group (AG), 6 animals received 3-times AYA dosing while undergoing the depression inducing protocol; Stressed Group (SG) 8 animals submitted to the depression inducing protocol without going through the prophylactic scheme; and Family Group (FG), 5 control animals that remained in their families without any experimental scheme. Overall, a more adaptive stress response to AG was observed when compared to SG. The animals treated with AYA showed a fecal cortisol reactivity like FG and higher than EG, therefore they did not present hypocortisolemia, which is frequently induced by this depression-inducing protocol. Also, AG did not show signs of anhedonia and increased behavior indicative of chronic stress, for example: scratching, scent marking and autogrooming, which, on the other hand, were expressed by SG. Thus, the results showed a prophylactic action of AYA in response to a depression inducing protocol, this substance promoted the expression of resilience responses, keeping the response of cortisol in its homeostatic levels and buffered the emergence of depressive phenotypes. Although new studies are needed, this work opens doors to a new type of intervention in mental health field, the prophylactic use of psychedelics to prevent psychopathologies associated to chronic stress.

Peripheral nerve injuries are a public health problem. Motor, sensory, autonomic deficits and the development of Neuropathic Pain (DN), resulting from peripheral nerve injuries, can compromise patients' quality of life. After nerve damage, oxidative stress occurs and the release of inflammatory cytokines and allogeneic mediators that induce DR. The occurrence of these problems instigates the search in nature for compounds for the manipulation of new drugs. Lippia alba is a medicinal plant whose essential leaf oil has biological activity in the Peripheral Nervous System (SNP). The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of treatment with Lippia alba essential oil (OELa) on peripheral neuropathy caused by Chronic Sciatic Nerve Constriction (CCNC) in rats. Thirty Rattus novergicus (Wistar) rats, of both sexes, with body mass varying between 200-250g were used. The animals were divided into the experimental groups: Control treated vehicle (CON), control treated with OELa 100 mg/Kg, p.o. (CON+OELa), group submitted to CCNC treated with vehicle solution (CCNC) and group submitted to CCNC treated with OELa 100 mg/Kg (CCNC+ OELa). The treatment was administered 30 minutes before the CCNC was performed on the animal's right sciatic nerve for 14 consecutive days. The pain hypersensitivity test was performed using the von Frey test and hot plate, 24 hours before CCNC induction (day 0), and on days 5, 7, 9 and 14 after CCNC. On the 14th day after CCNC, the animals were euthanized. Then, dissection of the right and left sciatic nerve was performed to analyze the extracellular record of the Compound Action Potential (PAC). The evaluated parameters of the PAC were: Pico-a-Pico Amplitude (APP), chronaxia, positive amplitude reobase, conduction speed and duration of the 1st and 2nd components of the PAC. The phytochemical analysis of OELa identified a quantitative variation of substances, the major compound of which was citral (geranial with 42.59% and neral with 28.21%). The evaluation of the mechanical sensitivity presented in the CON an average of 20.87s in the reaction time to the stimulus. In the CCNC group, there was an increase of 72.4% in the reaction time to the stimulus on the 5th evaluation day in relation to the CON, followed by a “sustained” reduction from the 7th evaluation day, in 54.65%, 59.34%, 58.8% on evaluation days 7, 9 and 14, respectively in relation to the CON, characterizing mechanical hyperalgesia. The CCNC + OELa group increased the reaction time to mechanical stimulus by 116.79%, 145.4%, 54.56% and 62% on evaluation days 5, 7, 9 and 14, respectively in relation to the CON. In the CON + OELa group, the reaction time to the stimulus increased by 141.2% after the 5th evaluation, showing a greater response on the 7th evaluation day, with an increase of 260%. There was no significant difference in the sensitivity of the thermal stimulus in rats submitted to CCNC and CON group. However, there was a 56.25% increase in reaction time to the stimulus in the CON + OELa group also on the 7th evaluation day, compared to the CON. In the other experimental groups, there was no significant difference. CCNC caused electrophysiological changes in all evaluated parameters. The sciatic nerve excitability in the CCNC group (mean: 2.5 ± 0.14) increased by 27.53%, when reducing the reobase, compared to the CON (mean: 3.38 ± 0.17). Meanwhile, the chronaxia value increased by 54.89% in the CCNC group (76.67 ± 7.4) compared to the CON (49.5 ± 0.34). In the CCNC+OELa group (3.6 ± 0.05), the reobase increased by 39.5%, compared to the CCNC group, the chronaxia (59.7 ± 1.12) in this group did not change. The reobase in the CON + OELa group (4.14 ± 0.18) differed by 16.5% in relation to the CON. In the NE CCNC group (3.15 ± 0.25) the reobase was not changed. The chronaxia for the CON + OELa (68.5 ± 2.7) and NE CCNC (65.2 ± 5.7) groups did not differ from the CON. The APP in the CCNC group decreased 51.62% in relation to the CON. When associated to treatment with OELa (CCNC + OELa) the reduction in APP was 73%. The CON + OELa group reduced the APP by 54.8% compared to the CON. The positive amplitude of the first component in the CCNC group decreased by 52.53% in relation to the CON. In the CCNC + OELa group, it decreased 74.59%. The CON + OELa group also showed a 57% reduction. The second component was not registered in the CCNC group. However, this was preserved when CCNC was associated with treatment with OELa (CCNC + OELa), with an average of 0.3 ± 0.03, n = 6, with a decrease in amplitude of 88.14% in relation to the CON. The CON + OELa group also decreased the amplitude of the second component by 34.78%, with an average of 1.65 ± 0.14, n = 8, in relation to the CON. The NE CCNC group (2.24 ± 010, n = 6) showed no change compared to the CON. Regarding the PAC's conduction speed, the CCNC group showed a 44.73% reduction in the first component of the PAC. Treatment with OELa (CCNC + OELa) reversed this decrease by 102.96%, compared to the CCNC group. The other experimental groups showed no statistical difference, presenting the following averages: CON + OELa: 92.36 ± 5.28, n = 7; NE CCNC: 112.1 ± 14.45, n = 6. In the second component of the PAC, the driving speed was not changed in the CCNC + OELa and CON + OELa groups compared to the CON. The duration of the first component of the PAC increased by 45.21% in the group submitted to CCNC, in relation to the CON. The other groups showed no significant difference compared to the CON. As for the duration of the second component of the PAC, in the CCNC group it was not possible to evaluate, since it was not registered. In the other experimental groups, there was no statistical difference in relation to the CON. PAC behavioral and electrophysiological assessment data show that they are in line, suggesting an anesthetic effect of OELa. Since in the sensitivity assessment there was an increase in the response time to the stimulus and an increase in the reobase in the groups that received treatment with OELa, while in the CCNC group these parameters decreased. However, in the CCNC group, the chronaxia was increased, possibly related to changes in the passive properties of the membrane, resulting from CCNC. It is important to note that there was no change in chronaxia in the groups treated with OELa, suggesting a neuroprotective effect of OELa through neuronal damage, probably due to its antioxidant activity. Another evidence of the neuroprotective effect of OELa is the preservation of the fibers of the second component of the PAC in the CCNC + OELa group, considering that in the CCNC group there was no record of this. This is an important fact, as this phenomenon is probably related to the reduction of neuroinflammation and neuronal damage.

South America hosts two breeding stocks of humpback whales. During the austral winter/spring, stock A occupies the south-west Brazilian waters of the Atlantic and stock G, the south-east of the Pacific. Both stocks feed in high latitudes during the austral summer: Stock A in South Georgia and Sandwich Islands, and stock G in Corcovado Gulf, Magellan Strait and South Shetland islands. The aim was to determine if these stocks interact vocally and if so what is dynamics of song exchange that results in the evolution of song structure. Various researchers contributed to the dataset which is comprised by songs recorded in the breeding range of each stock, on their migration path and in feeding areas. Songs from years 2016 and 2017 were processed, while songs from 2018 and 2019 will further be included. Songs were transcribed into a sequence of letters representing each unit. Three criteria were used to letter-code each unit: the spectrogram, the aural perception by the analyst and the position of the unit in the recording. A string of letters was then generated. The Levenshtein distance between two strings computes the minimum number of insertions, deletions and substitutions necessary to transform one string into the other. Levenshtein calculation was applied on these letter strings resulting in values of similarity for further construction of a distance matrix. The matrix shows each song’s structure. Further, bird literature was consulted in order to establish new methods for assessing humpback whale song in more detail. Measurements widely applicable in bird song research were adapted to correspond a study of a humpback whale song: element repertoire (in humpback whale literature known as unit dictionary, (2) versatility (disposition of all units and their ratio within the recording), (3) syntax consistency (placement of units), (4) total number of unit types, as the total number of units sung by each individual per song , (5) mean number of units per song and (6) plateau This new approach could help in identifying if song structure changes more on the breeding or on the feeding sites. Preliminary results suggest a high level of song evolution along the breeding season, especially for stock G. Lacking recordings from the Antarctica feeding region for 2016 and 2017 are preventing any inferences on song evolution during that period. Indirect conclusions can be driven from song comparison among breeding areas in consecutive seasons. It is noteworthy that this project lays on the biggest humpback whale bioacoustic research network formed so far in Latin America.

The human social repertoire is one of the most puzzling phenomena and historically under examination by several philosophical and scientific traditions. Both the extent of that repertoire and the evolutionary process that fostered such a complex system are of particular interest for behavioural anthropologists. From this school of thought emerges a notable hypothesis tackling the evolution of our social behaviour, the cooperative breeding hypothesis (CBH). Cooperative breeding systems are present in group living species in which offspring receive extensive care from individuals other than their parents. Moreover, because of the prevalence of parental and, especially, alloparental care, this system is also characterized by life history attributes as well as behavioural peculiarities. The CBH posits that, under naturalistic conditions, the psychological and motivational mechanisms required for a cooperative breeding system to function smoothly might also support an increase in performance in a variety of socio-cognitive contexts and tasks. My approach was to explore the behavioural variation associated to contrasting interdependence levels in a cooperatively breeding primate species, namely the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Interdependence, a concept referring to the situation that a subject impacts a conspecifics’ overall fitness, is generally high in cooperative breeders, but variation also exists. Hence, comparing intra-specific behavioral variation in marmosets under different levels of interdependence allows for valuable insights into the underpinnings of their cooperative breeding system. These insights have implications for our understanding of the evolution of the human social repertoire and further tests of the CBH. The overarching goal of my PhD thesis was to investigate the CBH by exploring interdependence-driven intra-specific behavioural variation. In the first three subsequent empirical chapters, I assessed C. jacchus’ behavioural outputs by looking into three biologically relevant behaviours, namely social tolerance, food sharing and reaction to conspecific’s distress. Lastly, I reviewed the cooperative breeding system by addressing its prevalent definitions and pitfalls, the ecological benefits to parents, offspring, and helpers, the possible evolutionary pathways for this system to emerge and thrive, and finally, the behavioural consequences of the cooperative breeding system. In chapter 2, my goal was to assess if common marmosets’ social tolerance is higher in captivity where food is readily available or in the more demanding wild setting. The main finding was that, unlike independently breeding primates, adult common marmosets displayed higher social tolerance toward each other in the wild setting where food is scarce and mutual interdependence to successfully raise offspring therefore high. The results in this chapter thus emphasize the crucial relevance of interdependence in the evolution of highly tolerant cooperative breeders and therefore has implications for our understanding of the origins of humans’ social tolerance and hyper-cooperation. In chapter 3, the goal was to investigate how wild-living C. jacchus adjust their food-sharing behaviour towards infants as food availability varies. The primary finding was that all common marmosets, except female helpers, engage in an interdependence-driven strategy in which decreasing food availability increases food-sharing behaviour toward infants; this was also the case for older infants and for hard to obtain food items. Despite playing a relevant role overall in infant care, female helpers engage in an ecologically driven strategy and thus share food to infants more often when food is more abundant. This chapter helps us to illustrate how C. jacchus’ behavioural variation is remarkably reliant on interdependence levels. Additionally, it consolidates the interconnection between the cooperative breeding and interdependence hypothesis and their role in the evolution of the cooperative breeding system. Finally, in chapter 4, the ultimate objective was to evaluate how common marmosets react to conspecifics in distress and try to disentangle if emphatic rather than selfish motivations would govern these reactions. I found that all group members displayed contagion of emotional arousal, a previously unknown behaviour in common marmosets, thus indicating that common marmosets have a larger social repertoire than previously thought. Furthermore, I also found that male individuals were more likely to approach conspecifics in distress than relaxed ones, a finding consistent with the more conspicuous proactive prosociality from male common marmosets. Altogether, these results from chapter 4 highlight C. jacchus’ empathic competence in light of the combination model framework and helps us to better explain the emergence of empathetic capacities by moving the spotlight from large-brained species to highly interdependent ones. Overall, the main findings from this thesis reflect how interdependence is a driving force for social tolerance and food sharing in the cooperatively breeding common marmoset. Moreover, they also support the importance of social environments shaped through reproductive interdependence for the evolution of complex social skills in our model species, without the presence of large brains and its ensuing computational potency. Notably, the underlying finding from my thesis is the usefulness of interdependence variation as a tool to manipulate and thus expand our comprehension regarding the cooperative breeding system. Furthermore, interdependence appears to work as a linchpin for the cooperative breeding system, and therefore, its controlled manipulation might be used to assess a whole host of behavioural outputs from other species under this system and further explore the cooperative breeding intricacies.

The aging processes lead to cognitive decay, evidenced by the deficit in working memory, attention and problem-solving. These changes are caused by a long list of physiological processes, including lower rates of plasticity, decreased arborization and less dendritic spines. Research shows that the application of classic psychedelics, agonists of serotonin 2A receptors, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (d-LSD), psilocybin, ayahuasca, 5-MeO-DMT can cause changes in brain function that persist long after the acute effects. Also, serotonergic agonists induce gene expression related to synaptic plasticity and promote functional and structural neural plasticity. Thus, this project aims to investigate whether different acute doses of the serotonin agonist d-LSD in animals of different ages, young (2-3 months), adults (8-10 months) and old (12-18 months) can modulate in the long term (7 or 14 days) the cognitive performance of Wistar rats in object recognition (ORT) tasks. We also evaluated whether the serotonin agonist can modulate aversive conditioning tasks (ACT) and the elevated plus-maze (EPM) in adult animals. We found that a single dose of d-LSD increases the preference for the new object in young and adult animals. d-LSD alone did not recover performance in old animals, but when it was combined with environmental enrichment there was a significant increase in novelty preference in old animals. Adult rats also showed higher rates of freezing in the ACT and greater time spent in the open arms of the LCE. Thus, our results show that d-LSD appears to positively modulate memory and learning in cognitive tasks, while at the same time decreases the anxiety levels of these animals. Our results also show that d-LSD has the potential to promote cognitive recovery in old animals.

Bicycling has been proposed by several studies as a therapeutic procedure for patients with Parkinson Disease (PD), particularly to motor rehabilitation. The act of pedaling in these patients is related to an improvement of motor impairments, to reduction of tremors as well as in improvements in bradykinesia and cognition. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying these effects are little understood. It is known that pedaling suppress the beta-band activity (13-35Hz) in the cortex and subthalamic nuclei. It has been suggested that this effect is a consequence of activation cortical circuitry by sensorial proprioceptive feedback from the lower limbs while pedaling, which is a simpler movement than walking, since the pedal connect the two legs. It is also well known that visual stimulation modulates the neural activity by allowing the emergence of spontaneously cortical patterns. Objective: The main objective of this work was to study the neural activity of healthy volunteers through an electroencephalogram record while they pedal with and without visual temporary deprivation. Methods: Forty-two healthy undergraduate students (19 female) aged 18-28 years old participated of the study. In the experiment, the volunteers alternated between rest and pedaling phases on an ergometric horizontal bicycle in two different conditions: without (open eyes) and with visual deprivation (by wearing a blindfold). The pedaling movements were performed in two cadences, 40 and 80 rotations per minute. We recorded an electroencephalogram of the participants during the experiment and calculated the maximum power and maximum power frequency for the alpha (8-12Hz), low beta (13-22Hz) and high beta (23-35Hz) bands. Results and discussions: The movement of pedaling resulted in a lower maximum power of high beta activity when compared to resting. We found no effect of visual deprivation on max. power for beta bands. Thus, visual deprivation does not contribute to a lower neuronal recruitment beyond that resulting from pedaling. We also found no difference between the two cadences. These findings are similar to previous studies and support the relevance of pedaling as an therapeutic sport to people with PD. Regarding visual deprivation, we think that other studies should be done to better investigate the relationship between visual system and PD. Conclusions: High beta activity is suppressed by pedaling movement. This is one more research to clarify the effects of bicycling on the brain and the mechanisms underlying the therapeutically effect of pedaling in PD.

Throughout the time, science has dedicated itself to understanding the mechanisms of various mental pathologies, which has led to essential discoveries in the treatment and understanding of numerous health complications. The evolutionary perspective has made an important contribution in the identification of such mechanisms, both with regard to their biological bases in normal functioning and changes associated with pathologies. However, there are relatively few studies based on the understanding from such a perspective of positive aspects of mental functioning such as human strengths and virtues and how this is reflected in people's overall well-being. It is currently known that subjective well-being involves a number of factors that include the inheritability of the propensity for well-being, as well as cultural, social, family and relationship contexts that can modulate their understanding. In this sense, the present study aims to present an evolutionary view of the perception of subjective well-being, including an articulation with practices belonging to Positive Psychology, such as the practice of gratitude, meditation of induction of positive affects and development of character forces, since such tools may be useful for arousing positive aspects, especially in self-critical individuals.

The hippocampal theta rhythm (6-10 Hz) was extensively studied along the literature and has involved with cognitive functions, sensory-motor integration, paradoxical sleep and locomotion. And was well characterized along the septo-temporal hippocampal axis. However, the delta rhythm (0.5-4 Hz), commonly investigated on the slow-wave sleep, inactivity, anesthesia and epilepsy seems to be widespread over multiple cortical and subcortical areas as theta oscillations. What is coherent with the literature, once that slow frequency oscillations allow the exchange of information of neuronal assemblies between distant brain areas. In the present work, we proposed an electrophysiological characterization of theta and delta oscillations through two distinct locomotion protocols on a treadmill, on the hippocampal area of CA1 dorsal of rodents. In the first manuscript, we take data of the electrophysiological register of 3 long-evans male rats submitted to 11 sessions (n=11) of 35 runnings of 15 s at 30 cm/s on a maze task. Where we observed an increase and a gradual decrease of the delta and theta power, respectively across the runnings. Beyond that, an increase of the interhemispheric phase coherence of the delta band. Next, on the second manuscript, we take electrophysiological registers of the local field potential in 6 male rats of wistar lineage on 22 sessions (n=22) of 48 bouts of 20 s on 3 accelerated speeds (1, 1,5 and 2cm/s) and 3 constant speeds (20, 30, 40 cm/s) escalated on a sequence of 8 blocks of 6 runs. Trough these protocols we verified that delta oscillations showed an increase of power meanwhile theta oscillations showed a power decrease along of the runnings. Yet, the hippocampal delta oscillation of rodents showed a significative increase in power and frequency on runnings at highest speed. Together, our results suggest that the hippocampal delta oscillation has function on the physiological condition signaling of the experimental subject, which could serve as a signaling parameter of the fatigue levels on rodents along of successive runnings.

Stable differences in behavioral patterns, also called personality, have been studied in farm animals, particularly to improve their welfare and production. In horses, studies show that personality is linked to performance, risk of accidents, and animals’ health. The most common traits in horse personality are: reactivity, gregariousness, reactivity to humans, sensory sensitivity and locomotor activity. However, methodologies for studying personality in horses vary, with few studies testing for consistency in personality structure. Our objective was to test whether different methods (questionnaire, test and behavioral observation) present congruent results when assessing a horse's personality. This study included 40 animals housed in two riding schools, one in Natal / RN and another in João Pessoa / PB. We used a personality questionnaire with 24 adjectives, which was answered by at least two people. In addition, the animals participated in six personality tests, which were repeated after one month, being: reactivity (three tests), neophobia, gregariousness and reactivity with humans. Finally, we performed 60 min of behavioral observation of the animals in the stall. To verify the temporal consistency and among the respondents, we used analysis of interclass correlation tests. With the relevant variables, we performed principal component analyzes to define the dimensions found by each method. As a way to check the consistency between methods, we performed the Person test with the values of Z-scores of the individuals in each factor found. Of the adjectives in the questionnaire, only nine were considered valid and grouped into two characteristics: sociability and openness. Seventeen out of 34 variables from tests showed e temporal consistency test and were grouped into six traits: fear, locomotor activity, sociability towards human beings, neophobia, aggressiveness towards human beings and food. The behavioral observation variables comprised six stereotyped behavior groups: locomotor, related to food, social eating, threatening, restlessness and scratching. Six correlations were found between all traits that suggests the existence of only one personality axis: proactive-reactive or bold-shy. Locomotor behavior in the tests, openness to new experiences in the questionnaire and threatening behavior in the stall was considered a proactive behavioral syndrome. Reactivity in the tests had a negative correlation with neophobia and a positive correlation with food stereotypes and scratching, indicating more reactive animals. Altogether, we found more correlations between tests and behavior than between these and the questionnaire, suggesting that different methods may not be measuring the same personality traits. The use of diverse methods in conjunct reveal that individual differences in horse can be resumed in one single proactive-reactive axis.

Reserpine induces a failure in the storage capacity of monoamines in synaptic vesicles, generating a depletion of these substances in the terminal nerve and an increase in oxidative stress. A large body of evidence shows that this drug causes the appearance of motor and non-motor symptoms similar to those seen in Parkinson's disease, with its common application protocol resulting from a light phase, using nocturnal animals as the main experimental model. Some studies, however, realization that in the light phase there is a lower concentration of antioxidants in the animal body, nocturnal animals due to daily fluctuations in the production of enzymes such as catalase and superoxide dismutase, in addition to the neurohormone melatonin, which show peaks during the dark. These oscillations, therefore, can represent a phase-dependent vulnerability to disorders resulting from damage to a DNA structure, lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. Many parameters of biological rhythmicity are not taken into account when standardizing experimental models, which can distance the animal results from the pathophysiology of some disorders. In view of the interactions of circadian machinery and EO, the objective of this work is to observe whether the pharmacological model of reserpine in rats (Santos et al., 2013), when provided during a dark phase, has the same effect of inducing symptoms DP engines compared to their standard application protocol in the clear phase, as well as neurochemical changes in the nigroestrital pathway. 41 animals were used with an approximate age of 3 months. The animals were prepared for the administration of reserpine in two distinct phases, activity and rest; the effect of the drug on behavior was assessed using the catalepsy test. The animals also have a group assessment of the rest-rest rhythm throughout the experimental procedure. Subsequently, neurochemical parameters related to the quantification of dopaminergic neurons were adopted. The administration of reserpine does not change changes in the activity / rest period of the groups. In catalepsy test we observed that animals treated with the drug had the expected motor loss at the end of the protocol, however the group that has received the treatment with reserpine during the night had the beginning of this motor loss later, in relation to the group that has received the treatment during the day. In the neurochemical evaluation, it was not seen a neuronal loss consolidating in the substancia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) and substancia nigra lateral (SNL), only a ventral tegmental área (VTA) revealed a meaning neuronal loss in the group that includes a reserpine during the night in relation to its control group.

Parkinson Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease mainly characterized by a progressively dopaminergic depletion on central nervous system (CNS). Furthermore, PD patients exhibit non-motors symptoms like sexual dysfunction, cognitive impairment, olfactory damage, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbs, circadian disruptions and others signs. These non-motors symptoms are result of neurochemical changes in others neurotransmission circuitries like noradrenergic, cholinergic, serotoninergic and/or histaminergic systems. Human post mortem studies showed alterations in histaminergic receptors and neural projections distribution throughout the CNS of PD patients. Moreover, studies based on neurotoxin infusion reinforced this relationship between the histaminergic system and the physiopathology process of PD. In mammals, the histaminergic system controls alertness and wakefulness status, acting as an essential component of sleep-wake regulatory system. Here, we used an intracerebroventricular infusion of 6-hydroxydopamine as a pharmacological tool to induce rest-activity rhythm fragmentation and investigated what types of rhythmic parameters were affected and how the wake-promoter histaminergic system contributes with this phenomenon. Our protocol induced a progressive rest-activity rhythm impairment, without changing histidine decarboxylase or bmal1 protein expression in tuberomammilary or suprachiasmatic nucleus. Parametric and non-parametric rhythm analyses were conducted to describe the impairment of rest-activity rhythm as a progressive circadian dysfunction with increased fragmentation/variability on animal activity throughout the day, as well as a reduced stability of this activity pattern between consecutive days within both entrained and constant conditions (i.e. light-dark and constant darkness schedules, respectively). We conclude that dopamine exerts an important role on rest-activity rhythm regulation, in both synchronized and constant photoperiods, without affecting the histaminergic tonus.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relation between use of electronic media and degree of urbanization of living areas with the sleep-wake cycle and attention components in adolescents. 214 adolescents between 12 and 18 years-old, of both sexes, participated in the study, being 111 from the suburban area and 103 from the urban area, enrolled in the 8th and 9th years of Elementary School II in morning shift of the Rio Grande do Norte/Brazil public school system. The sleep-wake cycle was assessed by the questionnaires “Health and Sleep”, “Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index”, “Morningness-Eveningness questionnaire” and “Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale”; in addition to Sleep Diaries and actigraphy for 10 days. While attention, was assessed by the Continuous Performance Task. Most adolescents that have electronic devices in the bedroom, being cell phones the majority, have the habit of sending messages before going to sleep, listening to music and using it when waking up at night. Most people who share a bedroom with these adolescentes also report the use of cell phones in the bedroom. In the urban area, adolescents report: having greater proportion of TV in the bedroom and the habit of watching it before bed, having internet at home and on their cell phones and having greater proportion of internet access at home, but less internet access on their cell phones, than the suburban area. In addition, in the uran area, they have greater irregularity in get up time and more reports, during weekdays, of waking up only when someone calls them, in relation to those in the suburban area, who mostly wake up with alarm clock aid. There was also a greater tendency to eveningness and higher levels of daytime sleepiness in the urban area. Regardless of the area, adolescents presented poor sleep quality and claimed the use of an electronic device before going to sleep, at least one day per week, with greater frequency of use on weekdays. Regarding the components of attention, there was a higher percentage of correct responses in all components, greater general stability during the task, lower percentage of omissions in tonic alertness and selective attention and a tendency to have lower percentage of omissions in phasic alertness, in the urban area. As for the relation between use of eletronic media and degree of urbanization with sleep variables, the general multivariate linear model did not show associations between use of media and sleep variables. On the other hand, the urban area was associated with lower sleep efficiency on weekdays (β = - 0.64; p <0.01) and weekend, (β = - 0.70; p <0.01), lower sleep latency on weekend (β = - 0.31; p <0.01), greater number of nighttime awakenings on weekdays (β = - 0.69; p = 0.00) and weekend (β = - 0.64; p <0.01), greater irregularity in bedtime (β = 0.38; p <0.01) and get up time (β = 0.66; p <0.01) and had higher percentage of correct responses in selective attention (β = 0.26; p <0.01). In addition, the model pointed out that girls have higher levels of daytime sleepiness (β = - 0.18; p = 0.04), lower sleep efficiency on weekdays (β = 0.17; p = 0.02), and fewer nighttime awakenings on weekend (β = 0.22; p <0.01) when compared to the boys. Thus, in both áreas, adolescents use eletronic media and have bad sleep habits. The urban area was associated with greater irregular sleep hours, worst sleep quality, greater daytime sleepiness, tendency to eveningness and better attentional performance.

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders in the world. Despite the availability of pharmacological treatment, some patients are not responsive, others experience severe side effects, and the antidepressants take time to produce therapeutic effects. Thus, new antidepressants are needed. Nociceptin/orfanin FQ (N/OFQ) is an endogenous peptide that binds to an inhibitory receptor coupled to G protein, called NOP receptor. NOP receptor antagonists display antidepressant activity and are able to increase resistance to acute stress. However, there are few studies investigating the preventive effects of NOP antagonists in the development of behavioral changes induced by chronic stress, when chronically administered. The aim of this study was to investigate whether treatment with NOP receptor antagonist SB-612111 prevents the development of social defeat stress-induced behavioral changes. To this aim, male Swiss mice were subjected to 10 days of social defeat stress. It was observed that after 5 days of stress, animals showed slight behavioral changes that became significant after 10 days of social defeat, and that remained significant 7 days after stress ceased. The defeated animals displayed a longer immobility time in the tail suspension test (TST), spent lesser time in the center of the open field test (OF) and they significantly lose weight. However, no behavioral changes were detected in the social interaction test (SI). Repeated treatment with imipramine, a classic antidepressant, was carried out to validate the experimental conditions. Imipramine prevented the onset of depressive behavior in TST, but it did not protect against weight loss caused by social defeat. In addition, imipramine induced anxiogenic-like effects in the control group, while no effects were observed in the defeated mice in the OF. The repeated treatment with SB-612111, started concomitantly with social defeat stress, reduced immobility time in defeated animals 24 h and 7 days after the end of the stress, having no effects on the control group. In addition, due to the reduced sample size, other behavioral changes were not detected, thus impacting the investigation of the protective effects of this compound. In conclusion, SB- 612111, administered concomitantly with stress, showed lasting antidepressantlike activity in defeated animals, since the effects were observed 7 days after the end of the treatment. Neurochemical studies are necessary to support the potential increase in resistance to stress induced by blocking the NOP receptor under chronic stress conditions.

Alcohol is a legal drug of great social acceptance and the impacts of its excessive consumption are targets of concern in the last decades. One of the main damages associated with the use of alcoholic beverages is its consumption by pregnant women. Exposure to alcohol during the prenatal phase compromises the function of the placenta and the fetus development, which can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), responsible for morphological, sensory, and cognitive abnormalities. Many studies have sought to identify the mechanisms of action of this substance at the cellular level and, due to limitations in studies with humans, many research use alternative animal models, such as the zebrafish (Danio rerio). Although recent research has explored this vertebrate as a model for alcoholic exposure during development, these studies are mainly focused on embryonic morphological malformations, with a gap in the knowledge of possible behavioral and cognitive deficits in individuals who do not have visible physical deformities. Thus, this thesis aimed to investigate whether early exposure to moderate doses of alcohol can cause behavioral or cognitive alterations, and especially, whether these signals would be detected at early stages of life. For this, we (1) characterized the embryonic development of zebrafish under different doses of alcohol; (2) investigated behavioral changes in zebrafish larvae under the context of a novel tank and inhibitory avoidance; (3) analyzed behavioral and neuronal effects of alcohol exposure at different embryonic stages memory, examining the levels of cell death at each stage; and (4) evaluated the effects of embryonic alcohol exposure on place preference, in fry and adult zebrafish. Our results showed that in addition to the alcohol concentration used and the embryonic stage in which animals were exposed, the effect of alcohol also depends on the particular behavior that is being observed, requiring multidisciplinary analyzes. We observed that behavioral indicators of FASD can be detected at very early ages and could be useful to the precoce diagnosis of the disorder. Also, we confirm the versatility of zebrafish as an animal model for studies of behavior and pharmacology, and especially of development, since this model facilitated scientific approaches that would be more difficult to be developed in mammalian models.

One of the most intense anthropogenic noises occurring in the oceans is caused by the explosions of air guns during seismic surveys. The highest energy levels produced by seismic surveys overlap the sound frequencies emitted by baleen whales, and most of their noise emissions are within the toothed whale's auditory range. As more research are being done and more information about the effects of seismic surveys on the marine biota has been investigated, Brazilian research should continue to contribute with scientific knowledge to improve the mitigation measures of these effects in our country. The first step to mitigate the effects of seismic surveys on cetaceans is the detection of these animals during this activity. The detection of cetaceans involves monitoring the oceans in two ways: a) visual monitoring; and b) passive acoustic monitoring (PAM). Were used as independent platforms of simultaneous monitoring, the traditional monitoring platform (TMP), the seismic vessel itself; and the alternative monitoring platform (AMP), the support vessel supporting the seismic vessel. The main goal of this study is to analyze the acoustic detections recorded during seismic survey activities, by the comparison of the methods of sampling effort (MSE) punctual and continuous, and between the TMP and AMP; and, b) to compare the visual detections recorded between TMP and AMP. The specific objectives of this research are: a) to verify if there is difference in the number of acoustic detections per hour, between the punctual MSE, in comparison to the continuous MSE; b) to verify if there is a difference in the highest values detected per hour of acoustic sampling effort between TMP and AMP; and, c) to verify if there is a difference in the number of visual detections recorded by the TMP in comparison with the AMP. A significant difference was found in the acoustic detection between the MSE and in the acoustic detections of higher values between the platforms, with the addition of the unidentified signal. But no significant difference was found between the acoustic detections of higher values between the platforms, without the unidentified signal and in the number of visual detections between the platforms. Here, we demonstrated the potential for cetacean detection that different methods and platforms have. Further research should be done prioritizing the standardization and union of cetacean monitoring and detection methods, so that we can detect them more efficiently and better identify the effects of seismic prospecting in each group.

Several researches on the intersexual differences of human sexual strategies and mate choice criteria have been made over the last decades, resulting in empirical data supporting the theories that have explained the evolution of human sexual and reproductive behavior, such as Sexual Strategies Theory (SST), Strategic Pluralism Theory (SPT) and Biological Market Theory (BMT). In general, these studies have focused on heterosexual individuals because hypotheses and predictions from explanatory theories of sexual strategies focus on their consequences in terms of reproductive success. Though many recent researches have also been performed with samples of homosexual individuals, pointing largely towards sex-typical behavioral strategies regardless of sexual orientation, the transgender phenomenon still remains relatively absent from investigations on human sexual strategies. This study aimed to assess and compare indicative and moderating variables related to sexual strategies and mate choice criteria in a sample of 120 individuals composed by 27 male-to-female (MtF) transgenders, 24 female-to-male (FtM) transgenders, 37 female cisgenders (F) and 32 male cisgenders (M). It was investigated whether either biological sex or gender self-perception was more influent on transgenders’ measures of sociosexuality (SS), mate value self-assessment (MVS), self-esteem (SE) and preferred characteristics for both short- and long-term mates. Statistical analysis of the obtained data indicated that, for sexual strategies deemed as more advantageous from an evolutionary standpoint (short-term for males and long-term for females), transgenders’ mate preference criteria were concordant with their biological sex. For the less advantageous strategies (long-term for males and short-term for females), however, the data pointed towards a likely influence of gender self-perception on mate preference criteria. Transgenders’ MVS measures were also congruent with their gender self-perception, whereas SS ones were mostly sex-typical. No statistically significant differences were found for SE measures. In sum, the study’s findings largely corroborated SST, SPT and BMT predictions, although both MtF and FtM transgenders had mixed patterns for what literature has established as being typical of each sex regarding the investigated variables.

The delayed sleep phase, characterized by later sleeping and waking hours, seen in adolescence may persist after the youths' entry into university. In this context, many students use stimulants to minimize the effects of daytime sleepiness generated by chronic partial sleep deprivation on week schooling. This behavior can modify the habits and quality of sleep and thus, cause damage in the attention of those of the morning shift. Knowing that attention is a basic process capable of interfering in cognitive processes and that knowledge acts in decision making, we investigate the relationship between the level of knowledge about sleep and habits and the quality of sleep, and the components of attention young people from an RN public university. The 35 participants (19.8 ± 1.9 years old - 27 women and 8 men) answered the questionnaires: Health and Sleep, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire & Östberg; filled out the Sleep Diary and used an actiwatch for 10 days, and performed a Continuous Execution Task. Overall, G2 reported better sleep habits when compared to G1, such as: lower cell phone use and higher frequency of spontaneously arouse on school days, lower caffeine intake before sleep and less irregularity in total sleep time. Regardless of the group, some sleep habits differed between school days and free days. The bed, sleep, wake-up and get up times occurred earlier in school days (Anova, p <0.05) and the total time in bed and sleep duration were shorter on school days (Anova, p <0.05). However, the number of awakenings after sleep onset was greater on the days off (Anova, p <0.05). The quality of sleep did not differ according to the knowledge about sleep whereas daytime sleepiness scores were negatively correlated with the number of correct sleep alternatives (r = -0.35, p <0.05). Daytime sleepiness was reported more frequently by G1 (X2, p <0.05) who tended to have higher means of sleepiness scores (Mann-Whitney, p <0.05). At wake-up time, the sleepiness differed only between class and free days (Anova, p <0.05). The performance in the task that evaluates the four components of attention differed from that expected, since there was no relationship between performance and sleep knowledge. Most indicators and components of attention did not differ. There was only a tendency for G2 to present a reduction in the percentage of correct responses throughout the task (Anova, p = 0.09), suggesting a trend towards less sustained attention. Therefore, it is suggested that knowledge about sleep is related to the practice of better sleep habits and lower diurnal sleepiness. However, no relationship was observed regarding knowledge, sleep quality and performance in the attention task. Therefore, it is necessary to expand the sample to clarify the relationship between the level of knowledge about sleep and sleep habits and quality, and the components of attention of college students.

Captive animals must cope with chronic stressors in their lives, from reduced and altered space to lack of scape areas. Capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) are detached models to study effects of life in captivity, not only due to their prevalence in Brazilian rescue centers and Zoos, but also because of their detached behavioural flexibility, which made it possible for them to adapt to different natural environments such as the Atlantic forest and the Caatinga. This thesis uses behavioural and physiological (fecal glucocorticoid metabolics - FMG) measures in capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus) from different captive environments (CETAS at Natal/RN and Cabedelo/PB, and zoo at João Pessoa/PB) to test the hypotheses that social crowding, visitor presence and high hierarchical position are factors that increase stress levels, while social grooming and sexual behaviour decreases stress levels. In the first chapter, we explain the concept of stress, allostatic load and how it is affected by the environmental and social factors we will to analyze. Selecting regression models based on Akaike Information Criteria, our analyses corroborated the hypotheses that social crowding is a strong stressor to capuchins as revealed by increased mean, median and maximum FMG levels, however, presence of visitor was not a strong predictor of cortisol levels. As expected, dominant individuals were more stressed than subordinates. Contrary to expected grooming was not a strong predictor of decreased cortisol levels, but "sexual behaviour", "retreat", "proximity", "self-grooming" were. In conjunct these results indicate that despite increased vigilance in zoos, crowding is a stronger stressor to captive capuchin monkeys, and animals use an avoidance strategy, proximity and sex to cope with challenges of social life in captivity.

Conjugal infertility is a disease of the reproductive system that occurs in couples trying to conceive for at least twelve months without any contraception and without success. Male infertility may be related to the reduction of seminal quality and was related to numerous factors, whether physiological or even psychological. This research sought the relationship between seminal quality parameters and psychological aspects such as fertility adjustment, relationship satisfaction, self-esteem and the dimensions of self-perception of mate value in men seeking treatment for infertility at the Assisted Reproduction Center of the Maternity-School Januário Cicco in Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. A total of 135 men filled up the research questionnaires and collected semen samples in the institution. The correlation between the spermogram values and the psychometric scales was performed to test three hypotheses: if there is a relation between seminal quality and psychological aspects; If there are differences between men who already have children and men who do not; if there are differences between men who know to have a male factor as the cause of infertility and men who do not know? A correlation was found between seminal volume and the sociability’s dimension, and also between progressive sperm motility and appearance’s dimension. Men who have children scored more in the relationship’s dimension. Men who did not have a diagnosis of male factor of infertility presented a higher score in two dimensions, view of the opposite sex and relationship. We conclude that there is a relation between the results obtained in the seminal analyzes and the psychological reality experienced by infertile men, more evident for the man who has a diagnosis of a male factor. We understand that neither the cause of infertility or the fact that the man has already had children has shown to be relevant to his fertility adjustment, his self-esteem and his satisfaction in the relationship. The greater impact of coping with the disease is the self-perception of mate value’s dimensions, of how the man sees and feels in relation to the opposite sex.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are most commonly prescribed psychotropic drug during pregnancy and lactation. In this sense, it exposes mothers and infant brain to up modulatory and trophic effects of serotonergic neurotransmission. The serotonin promotes fundamental changes across development which include neuron migration, differentiation and organization of brain circuitry related to emotional, cognitive and circadian behavior. Early exposure to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) induce long-lasting effects on behavioral and neural signalization of rodents. These effects include increased anxiety and depression-like behavior in adulthood and also aberrant neural circuit formation during lifespan. However, the long-term effects of early exposure to antidepressant over circadian rhythms and their neurochemical markers remain unclear. In this study, we tested the locomotor activity-rest rhythm, anxiety-memory performance and chemical oscillatory markers of the circadian system (neuropeptide Y and serotonin) at two zeitgebers (ZT6 and ZT18) in male and female offspring rats early exposed (developmental period GD13-GD21) to fluoxetine (20mg/kg). First, we carry out daily records of the locomotor activity-rest rhythm using activity sensors coupled to individual cages over four weeks. Then, we tested the anxiety-trace and memory behaviour using the open field chamber (OF) and discriminative avoidance (DA) paradigms. We lastly identify the neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression labelling both suprachiasmatic nucleus and intergeniculate leaflet (IGL), and as well the serotonin (5-HT) expression in the dorsal and medial raphe nuclei. In summary our results showed (1) perinatal fluoxetine affect anxiety and memory behaviour only in female rats (2) perinatal fluoxetine affect NPY and 5-HT expression and phase entrainment of locomotor circadian rhythm at ZT6 and ZT18 more in male than female offspring. Our data concur with previous reports had been showing that perinatal fluoxetine treatment do not elicit anxiety-trace and memory deficits in male rats although we have shown differential effects in females. The sexual differences induced by early exposure to fluoxetine on both locomotor circadian rhythm abnormalities and neurochemical expression are an important highlight of present work. Here, we show that male rats are more susceptible of phase entrainment and the NPY and 5-HT mis-expression compared to female rats. Thus, our results may helpful to a better knowledge about neurobiological mechanisms of circadian rhythms and relevant to understand the “broken brains” and behavioural abnormalities of offspring early exposed to antidepressants.

Flower coloration is as beautiful and intriguing as the ecological and environmental factors behind them. Since the beginning of studies in floral biology, the question of the reasons behind floral coloration has been asked. Many authors have attributed flower colors to sexual selection and pollinator pressure. This is well exemplified by the idea of pollination syndromes: flowers with certain similar characteristics, such as color, are visited by similar groups of pollinators. Such a diverse array of coloration, however, is hardly ever explained by one factor alone. In this study, we aimed at understanding which environmental, ecological and physiological pressures are behind flower coloration, emphasizing, in testing, if flowers predicted by pollination syndromes are in fact conspicuous to their pollinators. We used Apis mellifera (honeybee), Drosophila melanogaster (housefly), Heliconius erato (butterfly) and Sephanoides sephanoides (hummingbird) as models to study how different pollinators see flowers. Flowers were more conspicuous to tetrachromat (housefly, female butterfly and hummingbird) than to trichromat (honeybee and male butterfly) pollinators. Coloration of Flowers is obtained mainly by pigments, that beyond the function of attracting pollinators have a role as chemical defense against herbivore and protection against solar radiation, among other things. Furthermore, plants are competing for pollinators, which might lead to divergence or convergence of floral color, depending on the environment. Even only taking pollination pressure into account, many animals have innate preferences for certain colors, and can easily learn how to associate color and rewards, which matters directly during foraging. Probably the interaction of all these factors have shaped the coloration of flowers across time, and pollination syndromes are a piece of the whole picture.

Sleep is a behavior that occurs in several taxa of the animal kingdom, suggesting that sleep emerged primarily in the evolutionary chain of metazoans. Despite being a widely studied behavior in vertebrates, mainly mammals and birds, it is known that some invertebrates also present this quiescence state. Octopus is one of the invertebrates in which this behavior is expressed in a complex way, with electrophysiological records showing that brain activity increases when the animal is resting. However, these data were observed only in 4 Octopus vulgaris, due to technical challenges of conducting electrophysiological records in the aquatic environment that make this type of experiment difficult. However, sleep studies can be performed using the behavioral criteria used to identify this state in vertebrates. Thus, this work aimed to investigate, classify and describe in detail the quiescence states observed in Octopus insularis and Octopus cf. vulgaris through comprehensive behavioral quantification using video recordings. In addition, to assess potential differences in the arousal threshold of each state, O. insularis were exposed to visual and vibratory stimuli during each identified sleep-wake state. The results showed that O. insularis and O. cf. vulgaris have conspicuous behavioral variations during quiescence. Some of them have been cited in the literature, such as presenting half-and-half body pattern (QHH) and narrow or completely closed eye pupil (QCP). But other changes in the quiescent state have not been described yet: The change in body pattern to dark color (observed only in O. cf. vulgaris); one eye movement (QOEM) (observed in both species); and a REM-like sleep of vertebrates (QEMBPC) (observed only in O. insularis). In this last, occurs movement of both eyes while the animal changes the skin color and texture, accompanied by contractions of the body similar to muscular spasms and random movement of the suckers. The test to evaluate the arousal threshold of each state showed significant difference between the states, with the highest latency observed in the QEMBPC state, followed by the QPC, QHH and, finally, the alert, with the lowest arousal threshold. These results suggest the existence of different sleep states in the octopus, which makes the quiescence of this animal even more similar with the vertebrates sleep. For example, the "QCP" state appears to be analogous to slow wave sleep, while QEMBPC appears to be analogous to REM sleep. In addition, the QOEM state may be an evidence of uni-hemispheric sleep, which is an adaptation commonly observed in marine mammals and birds. Thus, this work suggests investigating whether, in addition to the behavioral similarities observed, the sleep of these cephalopods also have the same physiological functions that it performs in vertebrates. This will be possible with the improvement of techniques for conducting electrophysiology in the aquatic environment or without the use of wires, as well as by investigating immediate early genes that may be associated with the sleep of these animals.

Primates have the ability to be trichromat, but this characteristic is quite variable. While in catarrhine monkeys males and females both have trichromatic vision, in platyrrhine there is color vision polymorphism, with occurrence of trichromat and dichromat females, while males are necessarily dichromat. Trichromacy is thought to be an adaptation to improve detection of ripe fruits and / or young leaves against a background of mature leaves. On the other hand, it has been suggested that dichromat individuals are better at finding camouflaged insects, whereas trichromatmas have the advantage of detecting conspicuous insects. Although there are several studies on color vision focused on visual modeling, experiments on semi-natural conditions and studies on nature, the results are inconsistent. Therefore, in this study we analyze if color vision influences the detection of fruits and insects in groups of Callithrix jacchus in Caatinga. For this, two groups of marmosets were followed from dawn until dusk and recorded the food items consumed. Fruit availability and arthropod abundance in the foraging area of marmoset groups was also evaluated. We used visual modeling to calculate the chromatic contrast (JND) between fruits and insects and their backgrounds for the six color vision phenotypes from field photographs. According to our work, the fruits found in Caatinga can be detected by the brightness and the green-red axis, while the insects can only be detected by the green-red axis, suggesting an advantage of the trichromats in the detection of both. the items. We have found that trichromat phenotypes have superior fruit detection performance as expected. As far as insect detection is concerned, although phenotype 543/562 outperforms, all phenotypes are equally able to detect insects. This is the second work on color vision carried out at Caatinga and the first visual modeling work that includes the two main food item types of the calithrichid diet.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a mental disorder whose prevalence grows significantly with each generation, today affects more than 320 million people and is predicted that by 2030 it will be the first disabling cause for work. To elucidate the neurobiology underlying MDD is useful to understand this disorder , and is a service to the advancement of clinical practice focused on its identification and treatment. In this context, there are psychophysiological parameters with potential to be biomarkers of MDD, including cortisol and the sleep quality. Likewise, it is understood that, besides depressive symptoms, other psychological aspects are linked to the presence and course of MDD, being anxiety and self-esteem some of the main ones. Thus , this study, a clinical trial, aimed evaluating before and after monotherapy treatment using group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy( GCBT), cortisol (plasma and salivary) levels , anxious symptoms, self-esteem levels and sleep quality in depressed patients (n = 20; women n = 11), specifically college students. Prior to treatment, patients showed higher plasma cortisol levels than their healthy peers, the control group (n = 25; women n = 13), and higher salivary cortisol response on awakening and poor sleep quality. Patients responded to the intervention with decreased of depressive symptoms, and 55% of the m achieved remission. In addition, there was a reduction in anxious symptoms, increased of self-esteem and improved sleep quality; however, cortisol levels remained without significant variations. Still, it was noticed that self-esteem had a mediating effect and that cortisol had a moderating effect on the symptoms of depression, due to the remission of MDD. In view of these data, the efficacy of GCBT monotherapy in the treatment of patients with mild and moderate levels of MDD was observed, which surpassed remission rates of clinical trials with psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and combined use of both. Therefore, it is understood be relevant additional studies that investigate the GCBT and psychophysiological biomarkers in order to contribute to the solidification of precision psychiatry.

Maned wolves are difficult to observe in the wild because of their low densities and of their cryptic and crepuscular-nocturnal habits. Exploring their long-range call – the roar-bark – is an efficient alternative to study the species. We used a combination of methodologies: we played back roar-barks in their natural habitat to test how free-ranging animals would respond and to understand the propagation properties of this vocalization in the wild; we recorded spontaneous roar-bark sequences of wild maned wolves through a grid of autonomous recorders for eight months to reveal long term temporal patterns; and we used captivity records to access gender and individuality in the roar-bark and test its application on natural recordings. We found that maned wolves vocalize more on the beginning of the night, and this was the only period we obtained responses during the playback experiment, despite dawn being the best propagation period for roar-bark transmission. Social factors may be influencing the timing of their long-range vocal activity. We suggest that roar-barks may be an honest advertisement of quality for territorial defense. Maned wolves vocalize more on better moonlit nights, especially when the first half of the night is illuminated, likely as a consequence of reduced foraging time and therefore having more time to invest in acoustic communication. It was possible to identify the mating and circa-parturition period in the natural recordings by an increase in solo and group vocal activity, which indicates a role of roar-barks in partner attraction/guarding and intra-familiar-group communication. In captivity, male roar-barks were distinguishable by their longer duration, also indicating a sexual function and suggesting a higher energy investment to advertise motivation. Roar-barks were also individually distinct. However, site characteristics, such as presence of vegetation, drastically affected both the propagation of broadcasted roar-barks and most identity and gender parameters’ transmission in the wild. Elevating the speaker 45° upward to simulate the head/muzzle position during vocalization lead to lower sound intensities, but partially counteracted the negative effects of vegetation on signal transmission. The few stable parameters were able to discriminate individuals, although with lower success rate. In wild recordings the variation of parameters due to propagation was larger than the variation due to individual differences limiting passive acoustic monitoring as a means of counting individuals in their natural habitats. Despite the present limitation of vocal identification in the wild, bioacoustics tools proved efficient in revealing the secretive behavior ecology of maned wolves.

ReactiMemory reactivation can induce two apparently competing processes, namely extinction and reconsolidation. Extinction involves reduction of a previously acquired response to a stimulus through formation of a new memory trace. On the other hand, reconsolidation involves modification of a previously established memory trace, either for its strengthening or updating. Several studies discuss the opposition between extinction and reconsolidation, but little attention was given to a possible interaction between them. Previous work by our group has demonstrated that extinction memory is susceptible to reconsolidation in a BDNF-dependent manner. In the present work, we investigated the mechanisms involved in activation/expression of BDNF and the pathways it activates in CA1 region of dorsal hippocampus. We trained male Wistar rats in step-down inhibitory avoidance task, extinguished the aversive memory and performed pharmacological interventions before (Ro 25-6981) and/or after (rapamycin, BDNF, anti-BDNF, anisomycin, pep2m, Ro 25-6981, TCN-201) memory reactivation. In addition, we analyzed expression and phosphorylation of target molecules at different times after reactivation of extinction memory. As a result, we observed that rapamycin administration immediately, but not 6 h after reactivation, impairs reconsolidation of fear extinction, an effect reverted by BDNF co-infusion. In addition, we showed AMPARs trafficking is required for reconsolidation of fear extinction and BDNF is not able to reverse the amnesic effect of AMPARs trafficking blockade. Finally, we observed that NMDARs containing GluN2B participate in destabilization, while NMDARs containing GluN2A participate in trace restabilization during reconsolidation of fear extinction. Finally, our results suggest the existence of a mTOR-BDNF-AMPAR pathway that would act in the memory trace restabilization.

Studies have shown the influence of the environment on the growth of peripheral nervous system (PNS) injured nerve fibers, as well as the potential for stem cell (CT) use, associated or not with Fibroblast Growth Factor - 2 (FGF - 2), in make this environment more conducive to nerve regeneration. Thus, the study proposes to analyze the effect of the inoculation of mesenchymal CTs in combination or not with FGF-2, in promoting facial nerve regeneration. Wistar rats were submitted to facial nerve crushing in the vicinity of the post-auricular region and were treated or not with CT associated or not with FGF-2. Then, the behavioral evaluation of the animals was performed for 90 days, after which the facial nerve tissue analysis was performed through immunohistochemistry for the growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), for the nuclear neuronal protein (NeuN), for Protein glial fibrillary acid (GFAP) and for OX-42. The study showed the influence of the Stem Cells and FGF-2 on the behavior of the motor function of animals submitted to facial nerve injury, evidenced by the behavioral analysis. When comparing the four groups in the histological evaluation, these presented significant differences between them, when comparing the results, it was observed that the groups with CT administration and the CT group associated with FGF-2 and the FGF-2 group presented better results, considering that the Stem Cells groups associated with FGF-2 and FGF-2 groups showed a greater number of fibers, demonstrating a greater axonal budding, thus confirming the properties of FGF-2 in optimizing the differentiation of Stem Cells, as well as stimulate the regenerative process. In view of the results, it is evident that the use of stem cells and FGF-2 potentiated the regenerative process of the facial nerve, providing a more significant functional and histological recovery.

Introduction: Attention is considered a psychological process that supports all cognition. To measure attention in a natural learning context (classroom), using objective and non-invasive methods, easy to use and with scientific rigor, to understand how it behaves over time and how it is modulated from the individual characteristics of the students, has become a challenge for teachers and researchers. Today it is known that the Sustained Attention (SA) can be measured by autonomic activity of Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Objectives: To design and validate an SA detection system from HRV (ADS-VHR1). To detect HRV behavior from time, frequency and non-linear measurements domains, throughout 60 minutes of classes in class room. To verify if the SA can be modulated by individuals Personality characteristics, Emotion and Chronotype in University students. Method: 12 systems ADS-VHR1 were validated using long segments with heart pulse recordings in a time no longer than 10 minutes, paired to a standard system, in a simple random sample, with three male volunteers. Subsequently, the Cardiac Pulses were recorded in a time of 60 minutes during 4 sessions of classes in a sample of 30 Nursing and Physiotherapy undergraduate students, with an average age of 25 ± 6,951. Subsequently, using a nonparametric procedure, it was verified how students psychological structure modulates the SA in classroom. Results: In the exploratory analysis for the validation of the, a Cross-Correlation Coefficient of r=0.569 to r=0.996; an Intraclass Cross-correlation of CCI=0.605 to CCI=0.998 and a Cronbach's Alpha of α=0.61 to α=0.99. The correspondence between the paired systems is confirmed by an analysis of variance. On the other hand, there were significant differences in HRV in the time series in the 60-minute window, in all its parameters (Time domain, Frequency and non-linear measurements), with a systematic reduction of heart rate to from the first 15 minutes until the end of classes. At the same time, there was no significant intra-group difference in any psychological measure associated with HRV. However, for Chronotype, in the 40th minute there is a difference with respect to the High Frequency band [χ²=9,853(3), p=0,020] and there is a significant difference between the Vespertino and Matutino groups [H=-20,1 (DV=-2.73), p=0.038]. Conclusions: The validity and reliability of ADS-VHR1 is demonstrated for what it was designed. It is concluded that the time of attention sustained in the university students has an important physiological activation in the first 15 minutes of a class. It was also verified that the Chronotype modulates, although in a diffuse way, the Sustained Attention in the university students in the classroom. It is recommended to continue with the studies.

The pulvinar complex plays a key role in the processing and transmission of information between cortical areas. This nucleus receives inputs from various areas of major sensory systems, such as the cortex, and projects to areas of association of the cerebral cortex, and is thus considered as an associative nucleus. This structure is not identifiable in rodents or other small mammals. However, in primates or pulvinar complex it occupies much of the thalamus and is a component of the subcortical visual system as it receives afferences from the retina and superior colliculus and exhibits the necessary notifications for various areas of the neocortex. Classically this structure has four subdivisions, inferior, medial, lateral and anterior, neuronal density and fiber distribution, being the first three changes in visual processing. Aging is the biological process of decreased physiological function that involves neurological changes associated with cognitive decline, as well as neurodegenerative diseases during advancing age. The marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is one of the New World primates of daytime habit and visual guidance, which is used in biomedical research because of its phylogenetic proximity to humans. Our objective was to perform a cytoarchitectonic characterization of the pulvinar complex in this species by performing a comparative analysis between two groups: adult and elderly animals, showing their subdivisions and identifying a distribution of neurons, axonal terminals and glial cells and subdivisions of this complex. For this purpose, histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques were used, as well as intraocular injection of neuronal tracker to display as subdivisions, neuronal distribution, glial cells, and currently complex fibers/terminals. All experiments were approved by the Animal Use Ethics Committee of UFRN (CEUA-UFRN Nº. 009.013/2017). Our results demonstrate the presence of subdivisions in the pulvinar complex in the anterior pulvinar nucleus (APul), medial pulvinar nucleus (MPul), lateral pulvinar nucleus (LPul) and inferior pulvinar nucleus (IPul) presenting the latter four subnuclei: inferior pulvinar centromedial (IpulCM), inferior medial pulvinar (IPulM) and posterior inferior pulvinar (IPulP). The pulvinar complex presents along its rostrocaudal extension, immunoreactive neurons to the specific neuronal nuclear protein (NeuN), the calcium binding protein calbindin (CB), besides glial cells immunoreactive to the glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP). Data in elderly animals differ from adult animals, as older animals have a lower intensity of cell labeling in NeuN and CB and a lower intensity of labeling in GFAP. The presence of immunoreactive fibers/terminals in the subunit b of the cholera toxin (CTb) was well evidenced in the IPul only in the medial subnucleus, contralateral to the injected eye, characterizing the presence of direct retinal projection in this nucleus. In older animals, a retinal projection shows discrete when compared to young animals. Despite being a qualitative study, our data indicate differences between adult and elderly animals, suggesting that the pulvinar complex may suffer a significant loss of functional character during the processing of visual information.

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate annually from feeding to breeding grounds in tropical and subtropical areas during the winter and spring. One of these reproductive habitats is off Brazil, where the Abrolhos’ Bank (Bahia) is the principal area of the subspecies M. n. australis occurrence and concentration in the Occidental South Atlantic Ocean. Throughout the breeding season, males produce complex and long vocalizations: the song. It is comprised of repetitive patterns and it is structured hierarchically by units, phrases and themes. Even though the song’s function is not fully understood, it is associated with the species sexual selection. The hypothesis most accepted is that the song is a way to attract females and may act as inter- and intra-sexual displays. Each population in the world has its own song version that evolves along the years with varying rates of change and all males from the same population incorporate these changes. The modifications and the learning of all the males result in different or new songs, phenomenon previously described as cultural evolution. There are few qualitative studies about the song evolution of the humpback whale population that visits Brazil, but to the best of our knowledge no quantitative study in medium temporal scale has been done yet. The present study aims (1) to describe the song themes of males in Brazil from 2006 to 2017, (2) to characterize themes composition in phrase level and (3) to identify theme sequences alterations quantitatively by Levenshtein distance similarity index method from 2000 to 2017. Data were collected by passive acoustic monitoring during the breeding season in Brazil (July to November). Just static themes were considered to define the median song of each year and a song cycle was compounded by a sequence of themes without repetition of themes. The results enabled verifying song cultural evolution in small temporal scale when comparing consecutive years and medium temporal scale when assessing a longer time interval (2000 to 2017). Inter- and intra-individual variations were found in different hierarchical levels of the song: unit, phrases and themes, probably reflecting the dynamics of the species’ sexual selection process. Qualitative analyses characterized the structure of the song from Breeding Stock ‘A’ (Brazil). Additionally, quantitative analyses showed different rates of change in the song over the years, demonstrating no single pattern. These results show that song cultural evolution within the population that visits Brazil is not directed by a single force emphasizing that and further research is necessary to define what is driving this phenomenon.

Emotions and social skills such as perspective-taking, empathy, and compassion are fundamental to a highly social, like the human specie. It is considered that prosocial behavior emerged and remained evolutionarily because it presented a survival and reproductive differential for the species. It is suggested that there are stable individual characteristics that favor individuals to be more or less responsive in behaviors that help their co-specific ones, especially the personality trait called agreeableness and one of the affective components of empathy, empathic concern. It has been shown that exercises or mental training can influence the behavioral response to prosociality, and in particular are meditative techniques such as loving-kindness meditation (LKM). There are indications that even short LKM exercises may influence social decision-making by impacting on cognitive control and regulating emotional states, directing behavior towards greater prosociality. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the influence of individual differences, through agreeableness and empathy traits, and the effect of a brief LKM intervention on the prosocial decision-making of unilateral donation of resources and the help intention in different scenarios (travel and disease) as well as the coherence between them. We also investigated the effect of meditative intervention on the participants' emotional state. The sample consisted of 134 undergraduate students, divided into three experimental conditions: LKM, neutral control and positive control. There was correlation between the agreeableness trait and the help intentions in the travel and disease scenarios and a correlation between the empathy trait and the help intention only in the disease scenario. There was no correlation between socialization and empathy scores nor its subcomponents in relation to the task of donating resources to third parties. There was no difference among the experimental groups regarding the donation of resources to third parties nor regarding the help intentions. There was a positive correlation among the three prosocial tasks investigated only in the LKM group. The three experimental groups showed a decrease in negative affects after intervention and there was a reduction of positive affects in the neutral control group. The results suggest that the meditative interventions impact differently on the prosocial decision-making, and the brief intervention of LKM promoted greater coherence in the prosocial decision-making, between the help intention and the effective behavior of donation of resources to third parties. It is considered that the translated and adapted LKM protocol can open the way for future investigations with the use of easy-to-execute and low-cost techniques in Brazil. In addition, it is suggested that it has a potential applicability as a supporting measure for the improvement of subjective well-being through the regulation of emotional states, especially with regard to the reduction of negative affects, and the cognitive and affective controls on the decision-making process in social interactions, potentially reducing conflicts between intention and action.

Evolutionary Psychology (EP) is a perspective that starts from the knowledge about the Theory of Evolution and uses them to seek to understand the behaviors and the human mind. It’s originated from the union of elements of cognitive psychology and evolutionary biology, presenting the advantage of undoing the existing dichotomy between the biological and cultural aspects that are common to other perspectives within psychology. The fundamental tenet of EP is that the human brain is shaped to solve issues related to survival and reproduction. To understand this it is necessary to keep in mind that the brain has been shaped over time in the so-called Evolutionary Adaptive Environment, that is, the environment where our hunter-gatherer ancestors lived. This environment had characteristics different from those currently found; the search for food possibly demanded more energy expenditure, the groups were smaller and with more related individuals, which increased the probability of cooperation between the individuals and made it easier to identify who was not collaborating for the common good, called free riders. In this context, some mechanisms were developed to deal with the occurrence of free riders in the group, such as kinship selection, reciprocal altruism and indirect reciprocity. In addition to these mechanisms, studies that include the understanding of cooperation from ontogeny add important elements related to the development context of the individual. Such studies aim to identify the modulating factors and how they influence the prosocial behavior of children by making possible comparisons among several of these factors, such as: gender, age, individual characteristics, as well as parental and cultural influences. In order to investigate whether there was influence of the maternal prosocial behaviors and the perception of this prosociality in the prosocial behaviors presented by the children, the study was conducted in Natal / RN and had the participation of 71 dyads composed of children between seven and eleven years old and their mothers. The mothers answered a self-report questionnaire about their prosocial behavior (BPP) and the questionnaire for sociodemographic characterization of the participants. The children answered a questionnaire about their perception of the prosocial behaviors of their mothers and participated in a round of the dictator's game as a behavioral measure of prosociality. Some similarities and differences were observed between the children's perception in relation to that reported by their mothers. In three factors (out of a total of 7), the means of mothers and children did not differ significantly, indicating that in these factors, children may be easier to identify the behaviors performed by them. The model created to investigate which variables influenced the prosocial behavior of the children explained 30% of the variation of the data, with one of the factors of BPP (Reasoning Related to the Other) and age presenting main effect, which requires more in-depth studies to investigate other variables that influence this behavior. Finally, children who demonstrated more prosocial behavior took less time to decide on donation, indicating that prosocial behavior may require less rationalization and would be more intuitive than pro-self behavior.

One of the most fund––amental principles of Life History Theory is that natural selection has shaped life forms to harvest energy from the environment and convert it into replicates of themselves. However, fitness maximization does not always imply producing large amounts of offspring: considering environmental factors such as mortality and unpredictability is crucial to understand trade-offs performed by organisms along their lifespan, therefore, their life history strategies, which are organized around a fast-slow dimension. Fast strategies are characterized for greater energetic allocation in tasks and traits related to current reproduction, while slow strategies are future-oriented, allocating energy towards somatic effort. Human beings lie on the slow end of the continuum, but still exhibit intraspecies and populational variation. In the past decades, the global phenomenon of fertility decline in spite of the current affluence of resources have been challenging tenets of human reproductive behavior. In this context, in our empiric study we sought to understand how factors such as mortality, unpredictability, socioeconomic context and populational density might explain variation in reproductive strategies in a Brazilian sample. We found evidences that mortality, childhood unpredictability and socioeconomic context predict some life history behavioral markers such as reproductive effort, idealized offspring quantity, idealized age of first reproduction and length of commited relationship. Our results partially corroborate current literature about the interaction between environment and life history strategies development. On the other hand, we found unusual results regarding the relation between childhood context and life history strategies, which demonstrate that more investigation on this subject is required, especially in countries out of North American and European contexts, such as Brazil.

Cooperation is an affiliative social interaction that brings a gain to all involved. In a social group, investment in this interaction provides a cooperative response as a direct result. In primates, affiliative social interactions reinforce the bonds between individuals in the group. There are also agonistic interactions, which refer to behaviors used in aggressive and submissive contexts, but these are less frequent in primates. Callithrix jacchus males play an important role in the relationship cooperation x competition in this species. In order to understand the interactions dynamics of more complex societies, many researchers use networks approach to find a refined design of social groups structural aspects. In this study, male subjects (adults and subadult) of a marmosets group were observed twice a month, as well their affiliative and agonistic behaviors were recorded. Affiliative behaviors (grooming and contact) were documented by the focal animal method, recording the duration and frequency of interactions, while agonistic behaviors (avoidance, escape, submission, intimidation and fight) and sexual behavior (mount) were documented by behavioral sampling. The collected data were used in the social network elaboration and other analyzes. The results showed that grooming and contact duration, and the aggressions frequency did not differ statistically. However, the affiliative behaviors frequency, grooming and contact, differs between males, with the dominant showing such behaviors more frequently. Sociograms show that affiliative dynamics and agonistic interactions between males differ. We have verified that the breeder and the second male in the hierarchy succession perform more agonistic displays for other individuals. The breeder also holds the largest number of affiliative interactions while the others are similar in these interactions. We found that there is a social interaction asymmetry involving C. jacchus males in the Caatinga environment, and this asymmetry is related to the dominance position occupied by the animal in the social group.

Common marmoset, Callithrix jacchus, is a New World primate considered an important experimental model. Until very recently, most of the studies have been performed using adult marmosets in different areas of interest, such as genetics, metabolism and, mainly, neurosciences. The study of the stress response in this model has also produced relevant information, where mature males and females present a behavioral and endocrine dimorphic response. In the perspective of current models for depression and considering the high prevalence of 18% of this neuropsychiatric disorder in the human population, and around 14% in adolescents, the use of these animals during development is in the initial phase of research. Therefore, studies with immature animals are necessary to validate this experimental model in the early stages of its development. The objective of this study was to describe the hormonal and behavioral changes in immature males and females within family group and during social isolation. Twenty-nine animals with ages of 6 (n = 8, 4 males), 9 (n = 10, 5 males) and 12 (n = 11; 5 males) were used, where data collection occurred in the family group (baseline), in the first 2 days (FEI) and in the last two days (FEF) after separation for 3 weeks, and two days after the animal returned to the family group (reunion). Females presented significant changes in cortisol at 3 studied ages and males responded by increasing cortisol faster than females at 9 months, while cortisol elevation at this age in females occurred at the final stage of the separation period. The behavior of the females showed significant differences in the autogrooming in relation to that of males and the behavior of scent marking showed an increasing profile with the age of both males and females. The food intake behavior, modulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, showed a decrease in the final phase of the study in females and needs to be investigated in males. These results indicate the potential of common marmosets, at young age, as an important experimental model, when exposed to isolation, for the study of psychiatric disorders in adolescence, and emphasizes that the protocols should be aware to the sex and age of the animals in their use as experimental models.

The Gymnotiform weakly electric fishes are widely used as animal models for studies in electrocommunication. The theoretical body regarding the vision of these animals is scarce, since their eyes are less developed than their electric sense. In comparison to the physiological evidence from the Gymnotiform Eigenmannia virescens, it is believed that the South American electric fish Ituí-cavalo (Apteronotus albifrons) is a long-wave-sensitive cone monochromat. However, no experiment demonstrated the color perception in this animal by behavioral basis, nor was the influence of the brightness cue on its natural behavior investigated. In the present study, eight Ituí-cavalos in the UFRN Sensory Ecology laboratory were tested for preference of brightness and color by comparisons on backgrounds. The stimuli were designed after visual modeling for the photopic and mesopic vision of the fish under 800 and 8 lux, respectively. The brightness parameters were referenced at 40, 65, 70 and 100% to the gray color reflectance standard, while the chromaticity parameters were 100% of the reflectance pattern of the yellow and green colors. Circular backgrounds were divided into three equal parts, one for the brightness experiment, divided into gray40 (dark), gray65 (intermediate) and gray100 (light), and one for color test, divided into yellow100, green100 and gray70. The greys used in the brightness test were controlled for the same chromatic value and varied only in achromatic value, inciting discernment based solely on the brightness cue; in the color test, all colors were controlled for the same achromatic value and only varied in chromatic value, guaranteeing that the animal would only differentiate them if it had color vision. The time spent/area of the stimulus was recorded as a deterministic parameter of preference. The results showed that the Ituí-cavalo had a population preference for darker shades, avoiding the lightest one, and that the possible color preferences were individual and without any discernible pattern. The preference for dark backgrounds can be justified as a possible maneuver to reduce stress and/or risk of predation, as observed in Heterandria formosa, while color preference rests on a possible visual modeling mismatch, since the spectral sensitivity of a close species was considered in the absence of accurate physiological evidence on Ituí-cavalo. These findings demonstrate the importance of behavioral experimentation for the practical verification of physiological studies. 

Stress can be defined as a set of physical and psychological mechanisms to coping disturbances that threat the homeostasis. Long-term exposure to stressful events is associated with negatives effect on cognition, emotion and behavior, moreover, these alterations are suggested to be in onset of psychiatric disorders. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are the main hormones involved in stress response. The glucocorticoids receptor (GR) are extensile expressed in different types of tissues in the body, including the central nervous system (CNS), especially in hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex. These structures are involved in mood regulation, anxiety and mnemonic processes and are targets of the stress. Although, it remains controversial how stress can impair functionality in these brain areas and how it correlates with disturbances in mood, anxiety and memory impairment. In contrast, oscillations of sex hormones, such as estradiol and progesterone, can profoundly influence the CNS, acting against deleterious effects of stress. In this regard, we used an animal model of chronic stress - social isolation - in female rats with intact estrous cycle to investigate modulatory effect of sex steroid on cognitive and emotional responses. Moreover, we investigated the dissociative effect of estradiol and progesterone, using agonist or antagonist. Our main results demonstrated that: (1) females in diestrus showed depressive-like behaviors and memory deficits when compared to estrus and proestrus phases; (2) depressive-like behaviors and memory deficits induced by social isolation was estrous-cycle dependent; (3) stressed females treated with estradiol (but not progesterone) showed less depressive-like behaviors and memory impairments; (4) tamoxifen (but not mifepristone) induced depressive-like behaviors in proestrus females; (5) There was a anxiolytic effect induced by progesterone. Taken together, these findings suggest that endogenous variations of sex hormones are important to modulate mood, anxiety and mnemonic process in socially isolated females.

Obesity, characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue, is considered a serious public health problem and increasingly reaches the adult population. Bariatric surgery (BS) has proven to be an effective method for the treatment of obesity, but this procedure can cause significant changes in perception and body satisfaction, self-esteem and in the eating behavior. After surgery, some people often have difficulties in including unfamiliar foods in their diet, which may characterize food neophobia (FN), defined as reluctance to eat unfamiliar foods. In this sense, the aim of this study was to evaluate the explicit and implicit FN, body image and self-esteem of adults undergoing BS. This research is composed by 3 studies. In Study 1, a cross-sectional correlational study was carried out with 140 adults, both sexes, applying the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) and the Implicit Association Test for food neophobia (IAT-FN). For studies 2 and 3, a prospective longitudinal cut study was performed with adults, both sexes, submitted to BS evaluated at 3 moments: preoperative, 3 and 6 months after the BS. In the second study 37 eutrophic and 68 obese individuals responded to FNS and performed IAT-FN. In the third study 35 obese answered the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Brazilian silhouettes Figures Scale for Adults, the three time points. The results of Study 1 showed that IAT-FN represents a satisfactory tool for FN assessment, showing no association with the explicit FN measurement. In Study 2 it was found that the explicit and implicit response of FN in eutrophic group was like obese participants in the preoperative period. It was also observed that obese individuals presented greater neophobia 3 months after BC, but the implicit measure did not change. In Study 3 it was seen that after BS there was a significant improvement in perception and satisfaction with the body image, accompanied by an increase in the participants' self-esteem. These findings bring relevant contributions in the clinical practice of health professionals who accompany individuals submitted to BS, helping to better understand the effects of surgery under aspects related to neophobic food behavior, satisfaction with new body image and self-esteem.

Normal aging is accompanied by declines in visual system even in the absence of pathological processes. Among the components of this system, the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) comprises the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) and ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN). A characteristic of these nuclei is the immunoreactivity of calcium binding proteins (CaBPs), which regulates the intracellular concentration of this ion and presents a daily and regional expression. In parallel, modern theories of aging correlates functional deficits of neurons to dysregulation of calcium homeostatic mechanisms. In this context, the present study aims to describe quantitative morphological parameters of LGN and immunoreactivity of the CaBP calretinin (CR) in distinct phases of day across different age groups. Male wistar rats were divided into three age groups: young, middle-age and aged (3, 13 and 23 months old) and perfused with formalin (10%) in Zeitgeber times (ZTs) corresponding to distinct photic conditions, namely ZT 0 (dark/light transition), ZT 6 (light), ZT 12 (light/dark transition), ZT 14( beginning of dark) and ZT 18 (dark) . Then, the brains were sectioned and submitted to immunohistochemistry for Neuronal Nuclei protein (NeuN) with Nissl counterstain or immunohistochemistry for CR. Through the stereological methodologies of optical fractionator and Cavalieri estimator we estimated the regional volume, neuronal and glial number, glia/neuron ratio and CR+ neuronal number in the CGL nuclei. We observed LGN neuronal numbers remained stable during aging. However, glial numbers, glia/neuron ratio and volume increased in a region-specific manner. In addition, we observed a peak of CR-immunorreactive cells in the light phase that was diminished in the beginning of the dark in all LGN subnuclei of young animals. Furthermore, we show na age-related reduction of CR+ cells in all subnuclei at ZT 12, as well as in ZT 6 of IGL and the external portion of vLGN. These reductions seem to be due to the neuron capacity in express CR rather than neuronal loss, since no alterations were observed in total cell numbers. The daily rhythm of CR observed in young is lost in middle-aged and aged animals and were detected only in the light phase.

Major depression can be triggered by stressful events which deregulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response, promoting, in some circumstances, sustained elevation of circulating glucocorticoid levels. Hypersecretion of glucocorticoids may alter the functionality of glucocorticoid (rG) receptors at the CNS level, especially on the HPA axis and the hippocampus, generating behavioral abnormalities observed in patients with depression. Clinical and preclinical findings suggest antidepressant effects due to the blockade of the NOP receptor signaling. This study aimed to investigate the behavioral effects of acute and chronic administration of dexamethasone in mice and the NOP receptor antagonist, SB-612111, in this experimental model. Male and female Swiss mice were used. The behavior of the depressive type was evaluated through the Tail Suspension Test (TSC), the splash test and the social interaction test; in addition, the spontaneous locomotor activity of the mice was measured in the open field. Dexamethasone (64 μg / kg, sc) was capable of altering the behavior of the mice, inducing a depressive-like state in males and females, by increasing TSC immobility time, self-cleaning latency in the splash test, and reduce the frequency of interactions with an unknown animal. Treatment with the anti-depressants Nortiptilin (i.p) and Venlafaxine (i.p) reversed most of these behaviors, except for social interaction. Also, acutely administered dexamethasone did not affect the spontaneous lomocoção of the animals, however the acute administration of Nortiptilina and Venlafaxina significantly reduced the distance covered. In addition, the data point to similar behavioral change in males and females, thus characterizing this protocol as a good inducer of experimental depression. NOP receptor antagonist treatment reversed the depressive-like behavior caused by the acute administration of dexamethasone in the TSC and reduced the latency for self-cleaning in the splash test, without altering the locomotion of the mice. For the repeated protocol, dexamethasone (16 μg / kg, s.c.) was administered for 14 days and the behavior measured at two times (eighth and sixteenth day). In the first seven days, dexamethasone showed a depressive type profile responding with elevated immobility in the TSC and increased latency in the splash test without altering the locomotion in the open field. After administration of dexamethasone for an additional 7 days, treatment with Imipramine was able to reverse the increase in immobility in TSC and increase latency in the splash test. In conclusion, this data suggests that acute and repeated dexamethasone induces depressive-like effects which are reversed by conventional antidepressants and NOP antagonist (acutely). In addition to being an effective protocol in males and females for the induction of experimental depression caused by stress. Ultimately, these data provide evidence of the therapeutic potential of NOP antagonists in the treatment of depression.

The studies  related to animal  behavior have increased in recent years, and are important because they allow better understanding of the causes that guide the actions of the animals  and allow for better planning in the implementation of more eficiente production systems.  Adding  to  this,  the  animal  welfare  has  received  increasing attention in the technical, scientific and academic means. The main reasons that lead people to be concerned with the farm animals welfare are concerns of ethnic origin, the potential effect it may have on productivity and quality of food and the links between animal welfare and international trade its products of animal origin. The study of the welfare is shown as complex and includes different aspects related to health and animal behavior and interactions that occur  between  these  aspects.  The  dairy  farming  is  a sector of animal production in which the human-animal interaction is of fundamental importance because of contact that establishes daily in carrying out routine activities. Among the factors that affect the behavior of cattle and buffaloes, stand out food, the weather and the adopted production  system. For lactating animals, the number of milkings,  production and time of milkings  are key conditions in their behavior patterns. Currently, the dairy Gir is the second breed in official milk control in Brazil, the first Brazilian zebu and dairy breed in the world. The Gir has established itself as breed adapted to the conditions of tropical Brazil, with good productive results. The Gir, as well as other Zebu breeds, tolerate higher ambient temperatures and can be managed  in  regions  with  these  temperatures  without  severe  impairment of milk production. Regarding the buffalo, one of the main points stand out these animals is the fact that the cost of production in general is not far from both the cost of cattle, as well as great adaptability to almost any kind of weather. In Brazil four breeds  are recognized, and the Murrah used in this research. The Murrah buffalos can be created in various weather conditions, often presenting as an option for the areas of use of the  property  to  which  the  cattle  do  not  fit.  The  buffalo  milk  has  a  different composition compared to cow's milk, and provides an output of oil products with high  commercial  value.  In  this  work,  the  Gir  cattle  and  Murrah  buffaloes  were exposed  to  two  different  types  of  milking,  manual  milking  and  subsequently mechanical tandem milking for Gir  and mechanical "espinha de peixe" milking and then milking carousel for Murrah buffalo.  The  aim  of  this  study  is  to  describe  the behavioral expression during routine milking in dairy cows of Gir and dairy buffaloes of  Murrah  and  identify  possible  changes  in  the  productive  and  nutritional characteristics of milk. The change in the milking routine and change the type of used milking can bring behavioral changes with influence on productivity. However, the two  races  presented  behaviorally  extreme  docility  that  was  reflected  in  an  easy adaptation  to  the  new  proposed  milking  system,  without  compromising  the productive aspects.

The study of individual differences in behavioral patterns of animals has gained prominence in the scientific literature. However, the forms of measuring these differences between individuals of different species are still being defined and tested. In this work we used two methodologies to assess individual differences in sport horses: a questionnaire with caregivers and behavioral tests. We tested two hypotheses: 1) questionnaire and behavioral test are identifying the same personality traits in animals; and 2) the behavioral profile will show temporal stability. The study was performed with 21 animals kept in the Vila do Cavalo stud farm in the city of São José de Mipibu, with 10 adult males and 11 adult females animals. It was possible to define two behavioral axes: Exploration/Safety and Activity/ReactivityAlert, as well as 5 axes through the questionnaire: Neurotic, Self-confident, Consciousness, Social and Nervousness. The Activity/Reactivity axis of the behavioral test exhibited a tendency to positively correlate with Consciousness, and the Exploration/Safety axis tended to correlate negatively with the Self-confident axis of the questionnaire. Among the 13 indexes created, the Alert was the only one to present a consistency over time, while animals considered as explorers, showed less explorations after four months. This low congruence between the indicators and the low consistency in the behavioral profile of the animals, when at the time of retest, questions the validity of the tested instruments and demands for new analyzes of the behavioral profile of horses.

Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) is a heptadecapeptide, acting as an endogenous ligand of the NOP receptor. The NOP receptor has wide expression in the central nervous system and its activation induces inhibitory effects, causing reduction of neurotransmitters release and/or inhibition of neuronal firing, depending on the site (pre or post-synaptic) in which it is expressed. In vivo studies have showed the involvement of the N/OFQ-NOP receptor system in the modulation of emotional states. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the NOP agonist, Ro65-6570, on the mouse behavioral changes after an uncontrollable stressful situation due to unpredictable electric footshocks. To achieve this aim, the learned helplessness model (LH) was used as a stressor to induce a helpless behavior. Helpless phenotype consists of a deficit in the escape behavior of the electrified compartment. Not all animals exposed to the LH developed the helpless phenotype, and then two distinct groups were observed: helpless and non-helpless mice. After the LH, tests were performed aimed to identify the behavioral changes induced by stress, such as elevated plus maze (EPM), forced swimming and open field. LH exposure induced anxiogenic-like effects in helpless mice. In fact, when compared to non-helpless and naive controls, helpless mice displayed decreased number of entries and time spent in the open arms of the EPM. After then, the effects of diazepam (1 mg/kg, via ip) and the NOP agonist, Ro65-6570 (1 mg/kg, via ip) were assessed in the anxiogenic-like behavior of helpless mice, as well as in spontaneous locomotion. Diazepam was able to reverse the anxiogenic-related behaviors of helpless mice in the EPM, without affecting locomotion. Similarly, the administration of Ro65-6570 induced anxiolytic effects only in helpless mice, without changes in the locomotor activity. In conclusion, this study supports to the N/OFQ-NOP receptor system as an innovative therapeutic target for the treatment of psychiatric disorders related to stress.

Alcoholic beverages are popularly consumed in various human cultures. However, excessive and long-term alcohol consumption can promote social, physical and psychological damages that are difficult to reverse. In fact, alcohol has different effects on the body. Low concentrations promote euphoria, relaxation, and stress/anxiety relief (anxiolytic effect), and abstinence after chronic medial doses increases stress / anxiety (anxiety) and may interfere with learning. However, there is little information on how this drug alters cognitive and psychological aspects in stress/anxiety situations involving learning. Therefore, in-depth investigations are required with the proposition of translational animal models. As a result, characteristics such as: easy maintenance and reproduction in the laboratory, genetic homology superior to 70% to that of the human genome, and ease of administration of drugs, make zebrafish (Danio rerio) an ideal model in translational research involving drugs of abuse. In this sense, the present work sought to investigate the effect of different alcoholic treatments (chronic and acute) in the unfolding of the anxiety response and in the aversive associative learning of zebrafish.For this, the effects of alcohol in the aversive associative learning of zebrafish (article 1) and the effects of alcohol and environmental enrichment on the impossibility of the fish to avoid a stressor were tested (Article 2). The results indicated that anxiety-like behaviors in zebrafish are altered by changes in alcoholic concentrations, in the exposure regime or in the environment. Acute alcohol increases anxiety and potentiates the electroshock perception. While EE promotes anxiolytic effect and decreases the perception of electroshock. Finally, we suggest that this work serves as a basis for genetic and behavioral neurophysiological research regarding the effects of the interaction between drugs of abuse and environment.

In adolescents, sleep phase delay is associated with reduced sleep duration, resulting in excessive diurnal sleepiness and low academic performance. This low performance may be related to the reduction in attention, cognitive process, whose components present circadian variation, and as well as the sleep-wake cycle (SWC) can be modulated by cycles of light-dark. Therefore, this study aims to verify the existence of relations between the lighting intensity in the classroom and the SWC, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and attention in adolescents in the morning shift of private schools of the capital (C) (Natal: Latitude: 05º 47' 42" South, Longitude: 35º 12' 34" West) and from the interior (I) (Santa Cruz: Latitude: 6° 13' 46'' South, Longitude: 36° 1' 24'' West) of the RN‟s state. A total of 115 adolescents (C: 56 and I: 59), of both sexes (41 boys), enrolled in the freshman and sophomore years of high school, participated in the study. The students answered the questionnaires: "Health and Sleep", Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Puberty and Phase Preference Scale, and Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale, as well as a Sleep diary, which contained the Maldonado Sleepiness Scale, the latter for 10 days. Attention was assessed by the Continuous Performance Task (CPT), between 7:30h and 9:30h during school hours on a single application. The light intensity was recorded during the students' break time. The classroom was subdivided into 6 quadrants for measurement, which occurred with all lights on and also with the lights out and a projector on, simulating a projected class. In general, the sample had poor sleep habits and quality, partial deprivation and sleep irregularity between schooldays and weekends, regardless of where they live, showing that the start time of classes in the morning shift remains a challenge for adolescents. The individuals exposed to high light intensity within the classroom had earlier get up times (r = -0.30, p <0.001), later bedtimes (r = 0.23, p <0.05), and get up time irregularity (r = 0.20, p <0.05), and shorter time in bed during the week (r = -0.16, p = 0.05); As well as better attention performance through a higher percentage of correct answers (A) and lower omissions (O) for the tonic (A: r = 0.22, p <0.05, and O: r = -0.26, p<0.05) and phasic alertness (A: r = 0.22, p <0.05 and O: r = -0.23, p <0.05), and sustained attention (A: r = 0.17, p = 0 ,06 and O: r = 0.26, p <0.001). Thus, light intensity in the classroom can be a factor that influences sleep and attention components, such as tonic and phasic alertness and sustained attention; since those who attend classes in rooms with higher light intensity presented modifications in the sleep pattern and better attentional performance. However, additional studies with a larger number of schools in the localities studied are necessary to confirm this evidence.

General life expectancy has increased, which has provided to women around the world live about half of their adult lives after menopause, facing estrogen deficiency. Hormone deprivation evidenced in this period of life brings with it a great number of consequences for women, including cognitive deficit, changes in mood such as depression and anxiety, reduced sleep quality, and characteristic symptoms of this period, which includes hot flashes and facial flush, among others. Hence, this research aims to assess whether mood, sleep quality, menopausal complaints and surgical ovariectomy predicted the cognitive performance in perimenopausal women. Sixry-nine women were recruited in the Climacteric Clinic at the Januário Cicco Maternity-School, Natal-RN, Brazil. The assessment of cognitive performance occurred through tests of episodic memory, executive function and a questionnaire of memory complaints. Mood, sleep quality, comorbidities, menopausal complaints and surgical ovariectomy were analyzed as predictors of the cognitive performance. Comorbidities and menopausal symptoms data were collected in the participants’ medical records. The menopausal complaints were measured by the Blatt-Kupperman Index. The statistical analysis was conducted using general linear model and all data analysis was considered significant when P- value was &lt; 0.05. Higher anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as worse sleep quality, predicted executive function performance. Also, menopausal complaints and depression symptoms predicted memory complaints, but comorbidities did not predict cognitive performance. Surgical ovariectomy but not natural perimenopause predicted reduced episodic memory performance in women. The acute hypoestrogenism faced by surgically ovariectomized women indicates a fast change in cognitive performance, which may suggest the degenerative effect of hormonal absence and a preventive use of hormone therapy could possibly reduce this alteration, as supported by the critical windows hypothesis. In the perimenopausal transition typical physiological alterations are commonly found, as well as hypoestrogenism repercussions on cognition, mood and sleep quality. Hence, an integrated approach of those factors may improve life quality for the climacteric patients.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that mainly affects males with advancing age. PD is characterized by several motor symptoms such as tremors, bradykinesia, stiffness and postural changes. In addition to these, cognitive symptoms such as attention and memory deficits, dementia and mood changes are also present. It is also possible to notice a marked change in the sleep architecture of patients with PD. The hormone melatonin synthesized mainly by the pineal gland located in the thalamus is considered one of the hormones that induce the sleep phase of the organisms. Its action occurs after binding to specific receptors, MT1 and MT2. In the present study, 15 male Wistar rats (10 months) were divided into two groups called Control (CTR) and Reserpine (RES). These animals were submitted to a chronic protocol of 20 injections of reserpine, in order to create symptoms similar to PD. During the experimental protocol the animals were evaluated by catalepsy test. At the end of the treatment the animals were sacrificed and submitted to an immunohistochemical procedure to identify the MT1 and MT2 receptors in 5 areas of the central nervous system related directly to the sleep cycle and with more evident symptoms of PD, VLPO, SN and ZSPV. Our results showed that during the period of treatment the animals of the reserpine group presented a considerable and progressive motor deficit that were accentuated on days seven, eight, nine and ten of injections. Our immunohistochemical analyzes have shown that there is a significant reduction in the expression of melatonin receptors in the reserpine animals in all evaluated nuclei, however, new studies are necessary to better understand the real reason for this decrease in receptor expression and whether this decrease has a significant effect on Observed in patients with PD.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric condition characterized by the appearance of typical symptoms after exposure to a traumatic event, which can occur either directly or indirectly. The clinical presentation is of reliving the trauma, avoidance maneuvers of these intrusive memories, negative changes in cognition and mood, and symptoms of physical and psychic hyperreactivity. The chronic stress situation present in PTSD involves changes in the physiological mechanisms related to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and to the autonomic nervous and immune systems. The literature shows no homogeneity regarding the findings indicative of the changes, demonstrating that the secretion profile of the hormone cortisol is high, reduced or unmodified, in studies involving participants with PTSD compared to a control group. A similar situation occurs with dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate hormone (DHEA-S) as well as with the immune response associated with PTSD, evaluated by C-reactive protein (CRP). The present study was carried out with two groups of men, matched for age, 17 of them with clinical diagnosis of PTSD and 17 of the control group (without PTSD). The serum profiles of cortisol, DHEA-S, cortisol / DHEA-S ratio and CRP in the two groups were analyzed using non-parametric Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney, Kruskall-Wallis and Spearman´s correlation coefficient. The statistical analysis considered the value of p <0.05. Results showed no statistically significant difference in any of these indicators between the two groups. Within the experimental group, when PTSD grades were stratified, DHEA-S levels were statistically lower in men with severe PTSD grade, when compared to the sum of the levels of participants with mild and moderate degrees. The Spearman´s correlation coefficient showed a negative association between cortisol levels and DHEA-S in the control group and, in the experimental group, a positive correlation between cortisol and CRP. These results suggest that the studied variables, alone, do not seem to be good markers for PTSD diagnosis, but when correlated, may reinforce this diagnosis. In addition, significantly lower levels of DHEA-S in severe PTSD suggest a decrease in the neuroprotective effect of this hormone and, consequently, the worsening of PTSD. The increase in the sample size could better characterize this alteration and if the reduction of DHEA-S could represent a marker for the diagnosis of PTSD severity.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are widely prescribed to treat depression, anxiety and other disorders. The developmental exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) results in persistent behavioural impairment into adulthood. In this way, serotonergic overexpression in early life may lead to structural and functional changes in brain circuits that control cognitive and emotional behaviour. Here, we addressed the question of how postnatal (PN7-PN21) exposure to fluoxetine affects memory, anxiety- and depression- like behaviours, as well as neurochemical markers of interneurons and serotonergic cells in brain areas related to these behaviours in juvenile (PN45) and adult (PN90) female and male rats. In a first stage, we analysed both female and male rat’s performances in several behavioural tasks and investigated the expression of serotonin (5-HT) in the dorsal and median nucleus of raphe, and parvalbumin (PV) in PFCm and hippocampus at PN45. We found that early-life exposure to fluoxetine increased anxiety- and depression-like behaviours (more in female compared to male animals), and induced a working memory impairment only in the juvenile male. Afterwards, we performed behavioural and neurochemical analysis of male and female adult rats (PND90), where we found that fluoxetine affects only anxiety-related male behaviour. Also, the memory impairment (more in male than female) and depressive-like profile (both sexes) remained in adult age. Moreover, the exposure to fluoxetine affect PV immunoreactivity in the hippocampus in any sex at PN45 and PN90; however, adult animals appear to recover neurochemical deficits observed at the juvenile age. The results revealed developmental fluoxetine effects on juvenile behaviour that can have implications for affective disorders and mnemonic processes. These results revealed persistent changes a sex and age-manner related to developmental exposure to fluoxetine, where serotonergic modulation induce differential profile of anxiety-and depression-like behaviour and mnemonic impairment on female and male rats at juvenile and adult age. Also, suggest a sex-dependent compensatory mechanism, which it is possibly related to serotonergic sinalisation. Circuits may involve sub-cortical and cortical information processing, including subcortical limbic and possible (pre)frontal areas. Thus, our findings suggest that serotonergic modulation during critical periods of SNC development may alter the organisation of excitatory-inhibitory circuit and induce behavioural changes, which may have repercussions for the onset of neuropsychiatric disorders.

Major depression has a great impact on an individual’s quality of life and it is

considered the leading cause of burden in terms of years lost due to disability. However,

despite the severity of depression, the pathophysiology of the disease is still elusive. In

this regard, the use of animal models plays an important role in research for the etiology

of depression. This work compared biochemical alterations occurring on serum, pre-
frontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus in two animal models of depression: learned

helplessness and administration of lipopolyssaccharide from E.Coli (LPS). Learned

helplessness protocol used in this work resulted in 70 % of helpless mice, assessed by

the inability to escape from electroshocks given 24 h or 48 h after the helpless-induction

session. The other 30 % of mice were considered resilient. Helpless animals showed

more oxidative damage in PFC and serum when compared to controls. No difference

was seen between helpless and resilient groups, but there was a positive correlation

between the oxidative damage on serum and PFC and helpless behavior. There was no

difference in the concentration of IL-1β, TNFα, IL-6 and IL-10 cytokines on PFC and

hippocampus of the animals exposed to the learned helplessness test, but there was a

significant positive correlation between IL-6 concentration and depressive-like behavior

on hippocampus. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) enzyme activity was not altered

on learned helplessness model. Systemic administration of LPS (0,8 mg/kg) induced

sickness behavior on animals characterized by decreased food and water intake, body-
weight loss and altered body temperature 6 h after administration. Sickness behavior is

over after 24 h, but LPS-treated mice displayed higher immobility time in the tail

suspension test when compared to saline. There was more oxidative damage in serum,

PFC and hippocampus of LPS group when compared to saline and controls. No

differences on IL-1β and TNFα concentration on serum, PFC and hippocampus of the

animals were detected, suggesting a transient nature of the LPS-induced inflammation.

LPS-treated group displayed higher concentrations of IL-6 on PFC when compared to

saline group, and IL-6 concentration positively correlated to depressive-like behavior.

IL-10 concentrations on hippocampus were negatively correlated to depressive-like

behavior and IDO activity was increased on PFC and decreased on hippocampus of

LPS-treated mice. Data presented here corroborate for the hypothesis of immune

activation during depressive episodes, then resulting in oxidative damage assessed in

two animal models of depression. IDO activity behaved with some specificity in each

animal model depending on the brain or systemic area.

Acoustic and vibratory signals are used by several ant species in intraspecific and interspecific interactions, although studies concerning these signal modalities are scarce. Stridulation and drumming are among the main ways of producing vibroacoustic signals. These signals can transmit messages relative to alarm, distress, recruitment, attack, colony activation, clues for provisioning of larvae, evaluation of food resources and non-receptivity of females. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of acoustic signals in Neoponera villosa (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ponerinae). In order to achieve our aim, we characterized workers, gynes and males stridulation; we analyzed N. villosa colonies’ response to workers’ stridulation and evaluated the acoustic response of N. villosa colonies to nest disturbance. The results showed that stridulatory signals of N. villosa workers are composed mainly of monosyllabic chirp trains, with chirps composed of a single sequence of pulses. Nevertheless, the majority of the chirps produced by the reproductive castes presented a low amplitude pulse sequence preceding the main high amplitude sequence of pulses. These chirps were composed of two subunits and, thus, were identified as disyllabic chirps. The stridulatory signals presented significant differences among the N. villosa castes regarding the inter-chirp interval, the number of pulses per chirp, the inter-pulse interval and the pulse repetition rate. When exposed to workers’ stridulation, N. villosa colonies responded to the emission of stridulatory signals with behavioral pattern changes only if these acoustic signals were produced by nestmates. In nest disturbance context, N. villosa colonies did not respond with stridulatory signal emission, but with the emission of acoustic signals produced by drumming.

The phase-amplitude coupling (PAC) between the neuronal oscillations in the theta (3-6Hz) and gamma (30-90Hz) bands composes the basis of sensory integration, memory and attentional selection mechanism. In the present work, we present evidence through electroencephalography (EEG) that the AFA between theta and gamma in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC), respectively, is an underlying process in the perceptual closure in a recognition task holistic view of Mooney's Faces through the formulation of a Gestalt. The PAC tetha-gamma was quantified using the modulation index (MI). The role played by executive functions in this process was verified through logistic regression analysis with measures of general intelligence (IQ) performance and working memory test. The results show a lower MI when the faces are presented in the canonical position (left hemispheres 1.4 ± 0.3^x10-3 and right 1.4 ± 0.4^x10-3, p <.001 in both) in relation to vertically inverted faces (left hemispheres 2.5 ± 0.5^x10-3 and right 2.7 ± 0.7^x10-3).  However, the MI does not differ (p> .05) as to the success or failure to identify the images. No regression model tested allowed the prediction of success in the identification of faces based on measures of cognitive performance and MI. Thus, our study provides further evidence that PAC is adjacent to long-range communication between cortical areas and corroborates the discarding of the role of executive functions in supporting Gestalt's visual formulation in the parietal cortex.

Cada indivíduo apresenta uma respostas comportamental diferente diante de um desafio ambiental, muitas vezes mesmo quando comparado a outro indivíduo da mesma espécie, sexo e idade, essas diferenças são chamadas tipos comportamentais e quando consistentes ao longo do tempo caracterizam uma síndrome comportamental ou personalidade animal. Evidências apontam que a personalidade animal pode interferir na aptidão reprodutiva do indivíduo. Tendo isso em vista, no presente estudo machos e fêmeas adultos de Betta splendens foram observados em três contextos (exploratório, social e avaliação de risco), para identificar a existência de tipos comportamentais e diferenças entre os sexos nos tipos comportamentais nessa espécie. Os indivíduos foram classificados em três níveis em cada contexto: contexto social (social; intermediário e não-social), contexto exploratório (explorador, intermediário e não-explorador) e avaliação de risco (bold, intermediário e shy). Após essa classificação, machos sociais e nãosociais, exploradores e não-exploradores de coloração vermelha e azul foram utilizados no experimento de escolha de parceiro pelas fêmeas. Nossos resultados apontam que a maioria dos indivíduos testados possui fenótipos intermediários para os três contextos avaliados, e uma minoria de machos e fêmeas apresentaram tipos comportamentais. E a análise de correlação mostra que machos e fêmeas se comportaram de modo diferente em relação aos contextos. No experimento de escolha de parceiro, os resultados mostram que os tipos comportamentais da fêmea e do macho influenciam no processo de escolha de parceiro e que, mesmo na presença de pistas visuais (coloração corporal dos machos), o tipo comportamental continua sendo importante no processo de escolha.

O consumo excessivo de bebidas alcoólicas e tabaco é considerado uma das doenças mais devastadoras e dispendiosas atualmente, sendo responsável por inúmeros efeitos prejudiciais aos indivíduos e à sociedade. Dentre as áreas de investigação que abordam o consumo de álcool, muitas se preocupam em determinar os mecanismos de ação desta substância no encéfalo. Apesar de anos de pesquisa, ainda é pouco o conhecimento sobre os mecanismos pelos quais o álcool afeta as funções neurológicas e quais seriam as causas exatas das deficiências cognitivas e de memória relacionadas ao seu uso. Por outro lado, as ações da nicotina já foram bastante estudadas, e o mecanismo de ação melhor estabelecido. No entanto, o uso concomitante de álcool e nicotina ainda necessitam de pesquisas mais aprofundadas no sentido de se estabelecer como as drogas interagem no sistema nervoso e quais as consequências do uso combinado. Uma das principais funções do sistema nervoso é a capacidade de aprender e lembrar. Os reflexos condicionados são mudanças comportamentais, que podem ser aprendidas a partir de experiências repetidas. Essa aprendizagem pode sofrer alterações de acordo com mudanças fisiológicas e neurais, por exemplo, após o uso de substâncias psicoativas, como o álcool e nicotina. Devido à complexidade do sistema nervoso dos mamíferos e de suas respostas comportamentais variadas, outros modelos animais mais simples têm sido propostos, entre eles, o peixe paulistinha, Danio rerio. Neste trabalho, utilizamos esta espécie, com o objetivo de testar os efeitos de álcool, nicotina e álcool + nicotina no desempenho cognitivo do peixe na tarefa de aprendizagem associativa. Neste sentido, seis grupos foram testados: Controle (C00A00, n=13), Álcool 0,5% agudo (Ca00Aa0.5, n=9), Álcool 0,5% crônico (Ca0.5Aa0.5; n=13), Nicotina 50mg agudo (Ca00An50, n=13), Álcool 0,5% crônico + nicotina 50mg agudo (Ca0.5An50, n=15), Álcool 0,5% agudo e Nicotina 50mg agudo (Ca00Aa0.5An50 n= 7). Nossos resultados mostram que o peixe paulistinha é capaz de realizar tarefas associativas, mesmo sob ação de álcool 0,5% agudo, álcool 0,5% crônico, associação álcool crônico + nicotina 50mg agudo, Álcool 0,5% agudo e Nicotina 50mg agudo. No entanto, a nicotina (50mg) aguda interferiu negativamente na aprendizagem do animal. Nossos resultados sugerem que o peixe paulistinha consegue executar tarefas de aprendizagem associativa em labirinto em cruz. Ademais, os grupos expostos ao álcool e que receberam a associação do álcool e da nicotina, não tiveram o desempenho afetado com exceção do grupo que foi exposto somente a nicotina.

O cuidado parental é muito importante para aumentar a chance de sobrevivência da prole. Porém esse comportamento causa custos aos parentes implicando em um conflito entre pais e prole. Trivers (1974) enfatizou que pais devem otimizar o seu investimento para serem capazes de garantir a sobrevivência da prole atual e ainda serem capazes de ter mais proles no futuro. Por outro lado, infantes tentariam maximizar seus ganhos. Em espécies que são reprodutores cooperativos e possuem uma reprodução custosa esse conflito vai estar distribuido entre os membros do grupo. Como exemplo temos Callithrix jacchus, primatas que vivem em grupos de cinco a dezessete indivíduos, incluindo machos e fêmeas adultos assim como animais imaturos. Uma de suas características mais notáveis é que ajudantes contribuem para o cuidado da prole. O cuidado de comportamento parental parece ser influenciado por uma variedade de fatores tais como idade, sexo e experiência mas ainda não é claro como estes fatores interagem e determinam quando cada individuo irá contribuir. Portanto, é nosso objetivo estudar o investimento feito pelos cuidadores para os infantes em C.jacchus e analisar se existe cuidado parental diferencial em condições naturais. Nós estudamos uma grupo na Floresta Nacional de Assu durante doze meses e gravamos comportamentos de cuidado tais como carregamento, partilha de alimento, catação e amamentação de todos os indivíduos do grupo. Nós analisamos esse comportamento entre várias proles em um grupo familiar. Nós encontramos que o sexo dos cuidadores e dos filhotes só é relevante para o comportamento de catação e que a competição entre fêmeas em diferentes proles muda diretamente a alocação de cuidado para todos os comportamentos registrados e afeta a alocação de cuidado de todos os membros do grupo. Os resultados nos levam a concluir que não existe cuidado parental diferencial ao nível de indivíduo. Por outro lado, o cuidado parental e aloparental refletem a dinâmica social do grupo de C.jacchus e por essa razão podem ser usados com esse propósito como uma alternativa aos comportamentos agressivos e afiliativos.

Substâncias psicoestimulantes vêm sendo utilizadas de forma indiscriminada há muitos anos, e pouco se sabe os efeitos que elas causam a curto e longo prazo no comportamento geral, na aprendizagem e na memória. Essas substâncias são bastante usadas por jovens e adultos e elas possuem efeitos diferentes. Essas substâncias são dose dependente, caso consumidas em baixa quantidade agem como estimulante, aumentando a atividade locomotora, caso consumidas em alta quantidade, causam efeito depressor, diminuindo a atividade locomotora e/ou causando ansiedade. Poucos estudos vêm investigando os efeitos dessas substâncias na atividade locomotora, aprendizagem e memória e grande parte desses estudos são realizados em roedores. Peixe paulistinha é um modelo animal promissor para estudos comportamentais, cognitivos, ontogenéticos, dentre outros. Nossos objetivos foram determinar os efeitos do álcool, cafeína e de seu uso combinado com álcool, na atividade locomotora desses animais, usando para isso doses crônicas durante 27 dias e doses agudas durante um dia. Visto que pouco se sabe sobre os efeitos dessa exposição prolongada. Também investigamos os efeitos das substâncias em teste de reconhecimento de objetos, que se baseia na memória de único evento. Essas memórias são mais vulneráveis que memórias baseadas em várias repetições de eventos. Sendo assim, um teste adequado para utilizar com uso de substâncias psicoativas. Observamos que o uso crônico de cafeína provoca alteração na atividade locomotora dos animais, do mesmo modo, abstinência de álcool combinada com cafeína em dose aguda (dose média) provoca aumento de atividade locomotora. Quando submetidos a testes de memória, os animais exposto a doses altas agudas de álcool e em abstinência dessa droga têm prejuízo na formação e/ou resgate da memória. No entanto, tratamento com cafeína não prejudica a formação de memória. Animais expostos a tratamento com dose crônica moderada de álcool e dose aguda moderada de cafeína tem melhor desempenho na tarefa, indicando que dose aguda moderada de cafeína pode evitar os efeitos deletérios ocasionados pela abstinência do álcool. Em termos do comportamento geral, doses agudas de cafeína aumentam a locomoção, enquanto doses elevadas e a abstinência de cafeína induzem a comportamentos tipo-ansioso. A combinação álcool crônico e cafeína aguda induzem a alto comportamento tipo-ansiedade, enquanto a combinação cafeína crônica e álcool agudo diminuem tanto a locomoção quanto a ansiedade.

A reativação pode levar as memórias consolidadas a um novo estado de labilidade, tornando-as suscetíveis à incorporação de nova informação através de um processo de reestabilização dependente da expressão gênica e da síntese de novas proteínas conhecido como reconsolidação. A interrupção da reconsolidação usualmente produz amnésia. Contudo, algumas memórias são particularmente resistentes a agentes bloqueadores da reconsolidação, indicando que este processo ocorre somente quando é dada uma série específica de condições. Utilizando ferramentas farmacológicas e comportamentais, neste trabalho demonstramos que a consolidação prévia de informação não aversiva é essencial para a reconsolidação da memória de esquiva inibitória em ratos.

Esse estudo objetiva avaliar se a expressão da enzima de reparo de DNA Neil3 é importante para o desenvolvimento funcional dos neurônios. Estudos previos tem demonstrado que Neil3 interfere tanto na neurogênese adulta como na fazer embrionaria. Eu utilizei whole cell patch clamp para estudar propriedades sinapticas e de membrana das células granulares do giro denteado. O giro denteado é uma das regiões com maior expressão de Neil3 no cérebro e estudos previos tem demonstrado que a neurogênese reativa em camundongos adultos é afetada pela ausencia da enzima de reparo Neil3. Eu encontrei que a maioria das propriedades de membrana nas células granulares de camundongos knockout para Neil3 são normais com exceção à resposta de membrana às correntes de hiperpolarização e pós-hiperpolarização. Diferentemente de neurônios imaturos, as células granulares do giro denteado de camundongos com ausência de Neil3, na qual as correntes de hiperpolarização ativadas são geralmente as ultimas a aparecerem durante o desenvolvimento. Além disso, correntes sinapticas excitatorias foram similar em amplitude mas apresentaram um decaimento ligeiramente mais rapido em células de camundongos knockout de Neil3. Esses resultados podem indicar um balanço diferente entre os receptores AMPA e NMDA em camundongos knockout. Analises morfologicas de neurônios preenchidos com biotina e reconstrução post hoc não apresentaram grandes diferenças na morfologia dendritica entre animais controle e knockout. Esse estudo mostra que, em relação diferenças entre animais controle, neurônios do giro denteado de animais knockout de Neil3 não podem ser classificados como imaturos. Eu encontrei diferenças pontuais na corrente de hiperpolarização e pequenas diferenças em propriedades sinapticas. Ainda devem ser avaliadas se essas diferenças podem ser responsáveis por alterações comportamentais encontradas em camundongos Neil3-knockout. Além disso, estudos futuros utilizando marcadores de neurônios recém-nascidos são necessários para analisar o efeito da eliminação da enzima Neil3 no desenvolvimento de neurônios.

A expressão do Ciclo Sono/vigília é resultante de interações entre características individuais, conhecimentos e hábitos de sono, e o ambiente social. Em estudos com professores do ensino fundamental e médio, foi observada má qualidade de sono e sonolência diurna em metade da amostra, além de privação de sono. Dessa forma, é importante uma investigação em professores universitários, que além da docência, desenvolvem atividades de pesquisa e extensão acumuladas a funções administrativas. O objetivo desse trabalho foi caracterizar de forma comparativa os hábitos e conhecimentos sobre o sono, a qualidade de sono, sonolência diurna de professores de uma instituição de ensino superior das áreas Biomédica e Tecnológica. Estes aspectos foram avaliados por meio dos questionários: 1. Sono e Saúde, 2. Índice de qualidade do sono de Pittsburg, 3. Escala de Sonolência de Epworth, e 4. Avaliação do cronotipo de Horne e Ostberg (HO). Além disso, o padrão de sono e vigília e os horários de trabalho foram registrados por meio do 5. Diário de sono e do 6. Protocolo de atividades diárias preenchidos durante 10 dias. Participaram da pesquisa 86 professores, sendo 44 (23 mulheres) da área biomédica e 47 (14 mulheres) da área tecnológica. O horário de início de trabalho (BM: 9:53h ± 1:30h; TC: 10:05h ± 2:30h) e a duração do trabalho na instituição (BM: 7:30h ± 1:27h; TC: 7:30h ± 1:28h) não diferiram entre as áreas (ANOVA, p > 0,05). Porém, o horário de fim de trabalho foi mais tardio em professores da área tecnológica (BM: 18:10 ± 1:35 h; TC: 18:48 ± 1:24 h – ANOVA, p < 0,05). A carga horária total de trabalho tendeu a ser maior em professores da área biomédica (ANOVA, p = 0,06). Associado a isso, houve uma maior carga horária em ensino em programas de pósgraduação e número de orientandos nesta área (ANOVA, p < 0,05). Professores da área biomédica apresentaram um percentual maior de acertos nas questões sobre o conhecimento sobre sono, acompanhado de melhores hábitos de higiene do sono (X2 , p < 0,05). Os horários de dormir (BM: 23:53h ± 15min; TC: 23:31h ± 22min) e de acordar (BM: 6:46h ± 40min; TC: 7:40h ± 30min), e o tempo na cama (BM: 6:58h ± 60 min; TC: 7:12h ± 55min) não diferiram entre as áreas (ANOVA, p > 0,05). Embora os professores da área biomédica tenham apresentado uma tendência à matutinidade em relação aos professores da área tecnológica (X2 , p < 0,05). Quanto à qualidade de sono e sonolência diurna, há um percentual maior de boa qualidade acompanhado de um percentual menor de sonolência diurna excessiva na área biomédica (X2 , p < 0,05). Essas diferenças nos parâmetros de sono podem estar relacionadas a melhores hábitos de higiene do sono e conhecimento sobre o sono nos professores da área biomédica. Dessa forma, sugere-se que a área de atuação profissional influencie os conhecimentos sobre o sono impactando os hábitos de sono, produzindo efeitos na qualidade e na sonolência diurna de professores universitários. Esse quadro reforça a necessidade de realizar programas educacionais sobre o sono com professores universitários na tentativa de promover melhores hábitos de sono e consequentemente melhor qualidade de vida, saúde e produtividade acadêmica nesses profissionais.

In communication a signal is transmitted by a sender and can carry information about its identity, size, sexual status, ability to fight and to survive. Multiple factors can interfere with this communication, varying the output signal as a result of variation in the environment, body size, social learning and cultural transmission. Acoustic signals may vary within species between populations. Dialects are signal variations of two populations that can exchange genes and geographic variation micro- or macro-geographic, depending on the distance, occurs when individuals from different populations don’t mix. These terms are not well established in the literature and are often considered the same or used errouneously, thus a revision was made to clarify the terms involved in acoustic variation. A standardization of terms is proposed and clear deffinitions presented based on the processes that may or may not be related to the evolution of variability. Odontocetes (toothed whales, Order Cetartiodactyla) use acoustic communication in the mediation of social interactions, to obtain food and to navigate. One of the main sounds produced by dolphins in their interactions is the whistle (frequency modulated tonal sound). This study aimed to compare whistles of estuarine dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) collected in Baía Formosa, RN (6o 22' S; 35° 00' W) with published data from other sites in Latin America. The results show significant correlations between maximum and end frequencies as well as between initial and minimum frequencies in Baía Formosa as well as in all other places, indicating a preponderance of frequency ascending whistles used by the species along its distribution. The duration had a significant negative correlation with the initial frequency at all locations tested (p <0.00001 and r = 0.71) and suggests a physiological threshold for high frequency whistles. The principal component analysis divided sites into two major groups, but the discrimination was not related to latitudinal variation. Sampling differences (equipment with distinct sample rates) and analyses with different parameter values likely resulted in different results. Other likely explanations are: variations due to the environment, presence and percentage of calves in the data samples (producing higher frequency sounds) or larger animals (emit lower frequencies) and social vocal learning.

O comportamento pró-social se refere a quaisquer ações que têm a intenção de beneficiar outros, independente do ator também se beneficiar no processo. O termo é bastante amplo e abrange vários subcomponentes, tais como cooperação, mutualismo, altruísmo e ajuda. A cooperação geralmente traz um custo para o indivíduo cooperador que resulta na diminuição da sua aptidão. Embora isto pareça contraditório com a teoria da seleção natural, mecanismos que favorecem a evolução da cooperação foram selecionados, tais como a seleção de parentesco, a reciprocidade direta e a reciprocidade generalizada. Por trás do comportamento pró-social pode estar um componente emocional motivador, tal como o sentimento de empatia. A empatia é a capacidade de experienciar reações afetivas ao observar a experiência do outro (empatia emocional), partilhando o seu estado emocional, e ser capaz de adotar o ponto de vista do outro (empatia cognitiva). Ainda não há um modelo animal estabelecido para o estudo da empatia como motivador do comportamento pró-social, em seus diversos aspectos. Dessa forma, utilizamos um protocolo que propõe avaliar empatia e comportamento pró-social em ratos (Bartal et al., 2011) visando verificar sua reprodutibilidade e buscando compreender aspectos como ajuda e cooperação (reciprocidade direta e generalizada) bem como motivação para esses comportamentos. O comportamento de ajuda foi avaliado a partir da libertação de um colega aprisionado, pela abertura da porta de uma caixa restritora. A posterior retribuição da ajuda foi o parâmetro utilizado para investigar reciprocidade para um rato conhecido (direta) ou não (generalizada). Os ratos não recebiam treinamento ou recompensa pela tarefa. Reproduzimos os resultados do protocolo original e verificamos a presença de reciprocidade, porém não pudemos distinguir a direta e da generalizada. Identificamos outros fatores associados com a abertura da porta. Vimos que os animais continuavam abrindo a porta quando submetidos a um teste com a caixa restritora vazia, após ter aprendido como abrir a porta. Vimos também que os ratos “libertadores” entravam na caixa após abertura e permanenciam nela a maior parte do tempo durante o teste. Quando os ratos foram submetidos previamente à caixa vazia e depois à caixa com um coespecífico não houve abertura em nenhuma das circunstâncias, indicando um possível efeito de hábito sobre o comportamento. Sendo assim, é necessário investigar os demais fatores que possam estar envolvidos com a abertura da porta antes de considerar o uso do paradigma aqui estudado para investigação de mecanismos relacionados à empatia e ao comportamento pró-social.

The study of development has been highlighted with the growing acceptance of new models that argue that behavioral processes can play an important role in the origin and maintenance of phenotypic variation. This perspective is particularly relevant in the study of species living in socially and ecologically complex environments, because is during development that individuals improve appropriated behavior for survival in the
face of immediate conditions. We evaluated the changes in social redes and changes in patterns of foraging and obtaining food in immature capuchin monkeys, specifically analyzing the following hypotheses: 1. Infants exert widespread attraction to other members of the group; 2. The social relations of lactating females are mediated by market forces; 3. The feeding behavior efficiency increases with development; 4. Social proximity acts as a facilitator in foraging behavior. We used data collected from a group of capuchin monkeys (Sapajus sp.) inhabitants of the Tiete Ecological Park (PET) (about 20 ha), located on the east side of São Paulo and composed of 26 individuals. The observations were made between the years 1999 and 2001, totaling 304 hours, 18,081 scans of behavior and proximity, and 1568 behavioral sequences. Infants were the most tolerated among all immature, having the highest levels of reach and strength in their proximity redes, while juveniles from the second year of life received significantly more aggressive approaches. These results support the evidence high tolerance to individual infants. However, the results do not support the model that the lactating females´
interactions follow market rules, because these females both received and offered more grooming. In the analysis of feeding behavior we detected changes in obtaining food strategies, with infants making use of breastfeeding; Juveniles I, getting food scrounging from foraging conspecifics; and juveniles II and III gradually increasing the percentage of time dedicated to handling the food by themselves. Infants were more central than at later ages, and efficiency at this age correlated to centrality. Consistently, the centrality not correlated to foraging efficiency in juvenile over 2 years. Nowadays, for many species the rate of environmental changes exceeds the capacity of animals to adapt to new conditions. Knowing that most of behavioral plasticity occurs during development, social tolerance for maintenance of group cohesion and for learning foraging skills is
crucial for survival of young individuals.

Social interactions between workers in a colony do not happen randomly, since workers decide how often they will interact and who they will interact with. Interactions rate in the colony are regulated by the density of individuals it contains and through which can quickly transfer information in the colony, causing changes in network dynamics. In order to analyze the flow of information among workers of Dinoponera quadriceps we investigated two colonies based on the number of workers and larvae in the nest, number of individual interactions, number of outputs, 'strength' and 'reach of each interaction, and also the information flow at different times. The study was conducted in the Behavioral Biology Laboratory at UFRN. Two colonies with different densities of workers were observed for 16h/colony, totaling 8 hours/day by recording using a digital camera. Colonies of D. quadriceps showed no correlation between the total number of interactions with the total number of workers nor to the number of nest exits. The per capita rates of interactions showed a similar pattern in both colonies, being higher during the food availability periods. The colony with lower density of workers had more interactions per individual, especially on the day and period with food, and these interactions got stronger and greater range. The dynamics of social networks also showed a similar pattern among colonies, with greater flow of information during the feeding time. Based on these results we conclude that workers of D. quadriceps regulate foraging activity through self-stimulation, as well as with their contact rates by increasing the number of interactions when food was offered to the colony, changing the flow of information and increasing dissemination of information.

Stress response system is essential to an optimal energetic allocation to the different physiological systems and coordinated behavioral responses during psychosocial and physical challenges. Such allocation is also a central core in Life History Theory, which seeks to explain how and why individuals “decide” to allocate energy and time in somatic or reproductive effort (e.g. mating or parenting effort). Recent theoretical approaches seek to understand how early life experiences can shape the stress response system and their behavioral (e.g: attachment and sociosexuality) and physiological outcomes in adulthood, which are associated with life history strategies. Besides, scholars have hypothesized these components can interact in a functional ways. In study I, it was sought to validate an attachment measure, it was translated and adapted to Brazilian context, showing appropriate indices of reliability. Through study II, distinct physiological reactivity patterns during a psychosocial stressor were found based on basic dimensions of attachment styles and sociosexuality. Erotic videos were presented to participants (study III) and individual differences in cortisol reactivity and habituation response in skin conductance were explained by attachment and sociosexuality. Lastly, study IV showed that differences in marital satisfaction could be explained by attachment-related avoidance and sex specific differences in the overall magnitude of the cortisol response. Thereby, these studies contribute to understanding how early life experiences reflect in different behavioral strategies and physiological profiles underlying the Life History Theory, which could be activated in a context dependent way.

O craving por alimentos pode ser definido como um desejo intenso de comer um tipo de alimento em particular. Trata-se de um comportamento bastante comum na população em geral. O presente trabalho se propôs a investigar o comportamento de craving por alimentos em população brasileira, validando questionários para este fim, além de pesquisar a relação do craving por alimentos com o estado de cromo no organismo. Como resultado, foi realizada a tradução, adaptação cultural e validação dos Food Cravings Questionnaire (State e Trait), da versão reduzida do dos Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait e do Attitudes to Chocolate Questionnaire (ACQ), além do desenvolvimento e validação da versão brasileira do Food Craving Inventory. Foram identificadas influências do estágio de vida, sexo, adiposidade corporal e restrição dietética na ocorrência do craving por alimentos. Também foi encontrado que os indivíduos com níveis mais baixos de cromo plasmático apresentam maior craving por alimentos doces, o que foi concomitante a maior frequência de consumo deste tipo de comida e maior adiposidade corporal.

Reproductive strategy of the hermaphroditic fish, the marbled swamp eel, Synbranchus marmoratus (Bloch, 1795) (Osteichthyes: Synbranchidae) was verified, with individuals captured from July, 2011 to October, 2013, from two hydrographic basins of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The following aspects of the study species were verified, morphometric measurements, taxonomy, sex ratio, length-weight relationship, body size at first sexual maturity (L₅₀), gonadal development stages, gonadosomatic index (GSI), the condition factor (K), hepatosomatic index (HSI), fecundity and the reproductive period, besides the environmental variables and otolith analyses. The data obtained from the results of this research are presented in the form of six articles, one book chapter  and four international abstracts. The first article deals with the reproductive biology of S. marmoratus, which confirmed four different sexual types of individuals in the sampled population, and characterized the species as a protogynic hermaphrodite with diandria. The second article presents the seasonal changes of the condition factor, gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indices of S. marmoratus during an annual period. The growth was negatively allometric and the reproductive period was during July and August, when theGSI had its peak values.The third article explains about the equilibrium strategy (K) adapted by S. marmoratus. The fourth article describes the histological aspects of gonad development during sex reversal of S. marmoratus. The fifth article presents and compares the reproductive strategies adapted by six fish species including S. marmoratus of the semi-arid region. S. marmoratus presentes equilibrium strategy with low fecundity and total spawning. The sixth article indicates that sex reversal ocourrs in females at a mean age of five and six years based on otolith studies. The book chapter is based on sex change dynamics of S. marmoratus females, showing that the transitional individuals presented both ovarian and testicular tissues in their gonads.  The four international abstracts depict the temporal dynamics of reproduction of the neotropical fish S. marmoratus, including the sex ratio, length-weight relationship, body size at first sexual maturity, K, GSI, HSI, L₅₀ and fecundity.  S. marmoratus is a sequential hermaphroditic species, exhibiting protogyny, and diandry, presenting an equilibrium reproductive strategy. This strategy renders the species well adapted to the semi-arid region.

Circadian entrainment depends on a complex interaction between light information and photoreceptor cells. The neurobehavioral circadian light effects are mediated primarily by retinal ganglion cells. Rods and cones operate in light detection and also interfere in the circadian timing system, but the mode of action of these photoreceptors in the control of circadian rhythms in diurnal non-human primates is unknown. Our study evaluated the effect of wavelength and intensity of light on parameters of the circadian activity rhythm in marmosets by analyzing the effect of short and long wavelengths of light in three light intensities. The locomotor activity was monitored by infrared sensors in 16 adult male marmosets, kept in controlled temperature and humidity in a light/dark (LD) cycle 12:12. The effect of two wavelengths in light phase were evaluated: short, with λmax 463 nm - in the spectral region of blue light, and long: with λmax 631 nm - in the spectral region of red light, in three light intensities: 200, 100 and 10 lux, in relation to control condition (fluorescent light). At the end of each stage, the marmosets were maintained in constant light (LL) under 10 lux and 200, to analyze the mechanisms of synchronization. An interval lasting 15 days (fluorescent light - 200 lux/2 lux) was given between the stages with different wavelengths. During the exposure to blue and red lights, the phase angle of the end of active phase was anticipated, and the duration of the active phase and the total daily activity were lower in relation to the control condition, with modulations at 10 lux. There was an increase in the spectral power of circadian period in blue and red lights in LL under 200 lux. We also observed that the duration of the experiment modifies the expression of circadian activity rhythm, possibly affecting the photoreception mechanisms in marmosets. From these results it is suggested that: 1) blue and red wavelengths of light used in LD cycles modify the endogenous expression and photic synchronization of the circadian activity rhythm in marmosets; 2) the animals respond differently to blue and red wavelengths of light at the beginning and end of active phase, with a larger advance the end of active phase, reducing the length of alpha and total daily activity, probably due to a masking effect; 3) the effect of wavelength varies depending on light intensity, with no difference between the intensities of 200 and 100 lux and a greater instability at 10 lux; 4) the duration of exposure of animals to blue and red wavelengths is a factor to be considered in the construction of experimental protocols with this species.

The Caatinga occupies an area of approximately 800,000 km², and is characterized by rainfall scarcity, high temperatures, and variability in climatic seasonality, with strong intercalation of dry and floody years. Among these phytophysiognomic and morphoclimatic aspects, it is worth noting that this area has at least two landscapes known in the literature: Caatinga stricto sensu and Caatinga lato sensu. The Caatinga stricto sensu refers to areas located in the Northern Country Depression (Depressão Sertaneja Setentrional), with shrubby vegetation and higher temperatures. On the other hand, the Caatinga lato sensu comprises areas of arboreal-bushy vegetation located on the tops of plateaus and mountains with more than 500 m altitude, thus presenting milder temperatures. Classical studies highlight the existence of a pattern of relictual distribution for some lizard species of the Caatingas, which seem to be unique from areas of Caatinga lato sensu. Four 20-day trips were carried to the study area, two in 2014 and two in 2015, in March (rainy season) and September (dry season). In 2014, Squamata specimens were registered and/ or collected through active search and pitfall traps, and for each active specimen, habitat, microhabitat and activity hour were recorded. In 2015, behavioral observations of tropidurid lizards were carried out through focal sessions to analyze the themoregulatory and foraging behaviors and compare them with populations of a Caatinga stricto sensu area. A total of 34 species of Squamata was recorded, and the rarefaction curve did not reach an asymptote, indicating the possibility of more species in the area. Noteworthy is the presence of species with relictual distributions, such as Acratosaura mentalis, Enyalius bibronii and Anotosaura vanzolinia. Comparing the composition of the lizard species with other Caatinga sites, we observed the formation of three groups: communities from forested highlands; from areas of Caatinga lato sensu, and from areas of Caatinga stricto sensu. A null model analysis showed that the studied lizard community is structured on the spatial niche axis, indicating a significant influence of contemporary ecological factors on this assemblage. The non-random use of space by the lizard species indicates the presence of competitive interactions that influence the selection of habitats and microhabitats used. In general, the two Tropidurus species did not differ in their thermoregulatory behavior, although T. semitaeniatus exposed yourself to the sun more than T. hispidus during the rainy season. Regarding the foraging behavior, T. hispidus and T. semitaeniatus behaved similarly in the dry season, changing strategy during the rainy season. The two species foraged more actively during the rainy season in the studied site when compared with an area of Caatinga stricto sensu. In conclusion, the data obtained in this study confirm the presence of relictual species and the presence of different behavioral strategies for tropidurid lizards in area of Caatinga lato sensu.

A nociceptina/orfanina FQ (N/OFQ) é um heptadecapeptídeo, sendo o ligante endógeno, de um receptor acoplado a proteína G do tipo inibitória, o receptor NOP.O sistema da nociceptina/orfanina FQ (N/OFQ) e seu receptor NOP tem se mostrado com grande potencial para o desenvolvimento de fármacos antidepressivos com evidências farmacológicas e genéticas apontando um potencial efeito antidepressivo induzido pelo bloqueio do receptor NOP. O modelo do desamparo aprendido (DA) emprega eletrochoques, incontroláveis e imprevisíveis, nas patas dos animais como evento estressor para induzir um fenótipo tipo depressivo. Este paradigma é baseado no fato de que após exposição à eletrochoques incontroláveis, os animais desenvolvem déficits no comportamento de escape do compartimento eletrificado, evento este revertido pelo uso de antidepressivos. O DA é um modelo de depressão mais bem validado em comparação com os testes de desespero comportamental, que são atualmente mais utilizados no screening de novos agentes antidepressivos. Sendo assim, o presente estudo tem como objetivo validar o modelo do desamparo aprendido nas nossas condições experimentais, bem como avaliar a ação de antagonistas do receptor NOP em animais que desenvolveram a condição de desamparo. Para realização deste estudo, camundongos machos foram submetidos a três fases do protocolo DA (i.e., (1) indução,  (2) screening e (3) teste). Os animais que desenvolveram o fenótipo tipo depressivo foram submetidos à sessão teste, cuja fase existe a possibilidade de escape do eletrochoque e o tempo de escape do compartimento onde recebeu o choque, bem como o número de vezes que o animal não escapou deste compartimento foi registrado. O efeito dos seguintes tratamentos, administrados antes da sessão de teste, foi avaliado: nortriptilina (30 mg/Kg, ip, 60 min),fluoxetina (30 mg/Kg, ip, 60 min), ambos antidepressivos clássicos, SB-612111 (1 e 10 mg/Kg, ip, 30 min) e UFP-101 (1 e 10 nmol, icv, 5 min), ambos antagonistas NOP. Ainda, para descartar possíveis falsos positivos no comportamento do tipo desamparado, foi avaliado o efeito destas drogas sobre os componentes motivacional e cognitivo. Assim, foi evidenciado que nos animais que desenvolverem o fenótipo tipo depressivo nortriptilina, SB-612111 e UFP-101 foram eficazes em reduzir a latência de escape e o número de vezes que o animal não escapou do compartimento eletrificado, sem promover nenhuma alteração nos componentes motivacional e cognitivo do DA; o mesmo não ocorre com a administração de fluoxetina, que não promove nenhuma alteração nos parâmetros analisados. Em conclusão, o tratamento agudo com antagonistas NOP é capaz de promover um efeito do tipo antidepressivo em camundongos submetidos ao modelo do desamparo aprendido.

O Sistema de Temporização Circadiana (STC), em roedores, é composto por estruturas neurais interligadas como o núcleo supraquiasmático (NSQ) do hipotálamo, o folheto intergeniculado (FIG) do tálamo, vias sincronizadoras e efetores comportamentais. O NSQ tem sido descrito como o principal marca-passo circadiano em diversas espécies de mamíferos enquanto que o FIG parece estar envolvido na integração de informações fóticas e não-fóticas retransmitindo-as ao NSQ. O STC, como um todo, permite que o organismo tenha uma organização temporal interna ordenada, o que propicia a execução adequada dos mecanismos fisiológicos e comportamentais trazendo homeostasia para o organismo. No entanto, essa estabilidade é perturbada com o avanço da idade trazendo inúmeros transtornos patológicos que vão desde a perda de funções fisiológicas simples à diminuição no desempenho cognitivo, sendo assim fundamental a compreensão dos efeitos da senescência sobre os componentes deste sistema. Tendo isso em vista, é proposto nesse estudo verificar se há mudanças neuroquímicas, citoarquitetônicas e de aferências retinianas no FIG com o envelhecimento e suas possíveis implicações morfofuncionais. Para isso, ratos Wistar foram divididos em 3 grupos: Jovem (3 meses); Meia Idade (13 meses); Idoso (23 meses). Esses animais foram submetidos a perfusão transcardíaca de paraformaldeído (4%) para fixar seus tecidos. Posteriormente seu encéfalo foi removido e submetido à microtomia (30 μm) onde as secções foram coletadas em intervalos de 6. Essas secções foram processadas por coloração de Nissl e imunoistoquímicas para GFAP, GAD, ENK, NPY e CTb a fim de verificar as características do FIG. Observamos uma perda celular em animais de meia-idade e idosos na marcação de Nissl, NPY e nas projeções de CTb. Além disso, vimos um aumento de GFAP em animais de meia-idade quando comparados a jovens e idosos. Não houve diferenças na análise dos outros marcadores. Esses achados indicam que essa estrutura perde aferências retinianas e neurônios, em especial os produtores de NPY, existindo uma provável gliogênese compensatória. Isso aponta para uma correlação entre os déficits de funcionamento do STC e deterioração anatômica de seus componentes com o envelhecimento.

 As bromélias constituem importante microhabitat para a herpetofauna, pois são bastante utilizadas como abrigo contra predadores, além de sua arquitetura foliar possibilitar manutenção de umidade e temperatura relativamente constantes no seu interior, compondo um ambiente favorável para os anfíbios e répteis, especialmente em áreas sob estresse hídrico. No entanto, os estudos que tratam dessa relação ainda são incipientes e mais concentrados sobre as bromélias fitotelmatas acumuladoras de água. No caso das bromélias rupícolas não fitotelmatas do gênero Encholirium, que se desenvolvem em afloramentos rochosos e abrigam espécies de regiões semiáridas como as Caatingas, as  relações animais-plantas são praticamente desconhecidas. Nesse contexto, este estudo teve como objetivos estudar a fauna herpetológica habitante das bromélias macambiras, Encholirium spectabile, analisando a ocupação e uso destas bromélias pelos diferentes táxons, e a ecologia comportamental do largarto Psychosaura agmosticha, buscando identificar os fatores associadas com esta relação estrita em área de Caatinga. Uma ampla revisão da literatura mundial acerca do tema lagartos em bromélias subsidiou este estudo sob a perspectiva ecológica dessa associação. O trabalho de campo foi realizado na Fazenda Tanques, município de Santa Maria/RN,  mesorregião do Agreste potiguar, com as observações e/ou coletas diurnas e noturnas efetuadas mensalmente, durante três dias consecutivos, de Janeiro de 2011 a Agosto de 2012, totalizando 450 horas.homem de esforço amostral. Registraram-se dezesseis espécies, seis de lagartos (Famílias Mabuyidae, Tropiduridae, Gekkonidae e Phyllodactylidae), seis de serpentes (Famílias Boidae e Dipsadidae) e quatro de anfíbios da Família Hylidae. O efeito da borda da mata sobre a distribuição das espécies ao longo do afloramento foi significativo, com a maioria das espécies encontradas nas bordas do afloramento. Constataram-se diferença significativa entre alguns pares de espécies com relação ao uso das bromélias, e sobreposição de nicho quase total no uso de microhabitat. 62.5% das espécies são de hábito noturno e utilizaram essas plantas para abrigo, reprodução e alimentação. Quanto às relações entre o lagarto Psychosaura agmosticha e as bromélias macambiras, foram registrados os comportamentos de termorregulação e de forrageio nas estações seca e chuvosa. Os períodos de atividade foram concentrados entre 07 e 10 h e entre 15 e 17 horas nas duas estações, demostrando um padrão claramente bimodal. A espécie usou basicamente as folhas verdes e não houve diferenças significativas entre machos e fêmeas na utilização das bromélias. Associações positivas foram encontradas entre a temperatura do corpo e temperaturas das bromélias e do ar. Esta espécie passou em média 19.5 ± 3.8% do tempo em movimento (PTM) e se movimentou em média 0.36 ± 2.1 segundos por minuto (MPM), com diferenças significativas entre as estações chuvosa e seca para PTM, e também entre o tempo médio da parada e duração média dos movimentos, sendo considerada forrageadora sedentária. Psychosaura agmosticha, na área estudada, é bromelícola, utilizando as macambiras principalmente para termorregulação e forrageio. Os resultados deste estudo destacam as bromélias rupícolas Encholirium spectabile como elementos chaves para a manutenção de anfíbios e répteis a ela associados, e uma clara associação vantajosa para a conservação dos grupos envolvidos.

A epilepsia é uma patologia crônica do sistema nervoso central que atinge cerca de 65 milhões de indivíduos no mundo, dos quais cerca de 30% desenvolve uma epilepsia resistente a fármacos. Além disso, os fármacos antiepilépticos utilizados clinicamente provocam diversos efeitos colaterais. Nesse sentido, é evidente a necessidade do desenvolvimento de novos fármacos que possam tratar os casos resistentes e/ou minimizar os seus efeitos colaterais.
Uma fonte de substâncias que podem servir como modelos para o desenvolvimento de novos fármacos são os venenos de origem animal, uma vez que eles possuem alta potência e especificidade por seus alvos moleculares. Dentre os diversos animais peçonhentos, os artrópodes se destacam pelo grande potencial biológico de suas peçonhas, especialmente no que se refere a toxinas com alta afinidade por estruturas moleculares do sistema nervoso. Porém, a maioria dos estudos envolvendo a peçonha dos animais desse filo é de espécies de escorpiões e aranhas, ao contrário do veneno de formigas, onde há apenas poucos estudos sobre seus efeitos biológicos.
Nesse contexto, escolhemos estudar a peçonha da formiga Dinoponera quadriceps, que é uma espécie endêmica na região Nordeste do Brasil. Em um estudo anterior demonstramos que a administração prévia da peçonha desnaturada foi capaz de proteger os animais de crises convulsivas e morte no modelo de convulsões induzidas por bicuculina em camundongos. Assim, o objetivo desse estudo foi testar as diferentes frações obtidas, através de cromatografia líquida de alta desempenho (CLAD), da peçonha da formiga Dinoponera quadriceps para investigar qual (is) possui (am) atividade anticonvulsivante no modelo de crises induzidas por bicuculina em camundongos. A CLAD resultou na separação de seis frações principais que foram injetadas no ventrículo lateral (icv) de camundongos e o comportamento dos animais foi avaliado no campo aberto durante 30 min. Nenhuma das frações testadas alterou significativamente os comportamentos de exploração, auto-limpeza e imobilidade, bem como não houve registro de comportamento atípicos tais como saltos, quedas ou estereotipia.
Quando as frações foram previamente administradas icv em camundongos antes da indução de crises convulsivas por bicuculina observamos que as frações DqTx1, DqTx3, DqTx4 e DqTx6 aumentaram significativamente a latência para o desenvolvimento de crises tônico-clônicas. Além disso, as frações, exceto DqTx5, aumentaram a latência para a morte dos animais. Ainda, todas as frações, exceto DqTx2, foram capazes de proteger os animais do desenvolvimento de crises tônico-clônicas, sendo que a DqTx6 apresentou uma proteção de 62,5% para os animais testados. Bem como, todas as frações protegeram os animais da morte, sendo a DqTx6 a fração que protegeu 100% dos animais.

Demanda acadêmica, novo contexto social, novas rotinas e diminuição do controle dos pais são fatores que podem influenciar o padrão de sono de estudantes que ingressam na universidade. Os discentes de Medicina da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) apresentam alta carga horária, conteúdo denso nas disciplinas, as aulas do 1o semestre começam às 7 horas da manhã e sua população é formada por adultos jovens, que ainda sofrem com o atraso de fase de sono comum na adolescência, o que indica que o horário de aula pode ser inadequado nesta faixa etária. A redução do sono noturno durante os dias de aula e a tentativa de recuperação do sono perdido nos dias livres – Jet lag social (JLS), sugere que já no primeiro semestre os estudantes sofrem com pressão do sono, o que pode refletir negativamente em tarefas cognitivas e no desempenho acadêmico, Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho é avaliar a relação entre a pressão do sono e o perfil acadêmico de estudantes de Medicina do primeiro semestre da UFRN, caracterizando sociodemograficamente esta população e investigando possíveis reflexos no ritmo de atividade-repouso e no desempenho acadêmico. Participaram desta pesquisa 88 estudantes, saudáveis de ambos os sexos, que respoderam aos seguintes questionários: Qualidade de Sono de Pittsburgh (IQSP), Escala de Sonolência de Epworth (ESE), Cronotipo Horne & Ostberg (HO), Cronotipo Munique (MCTQ) e “A Saúde e o Sono”, adaptado. Actimetria foi utilizada em 14 dias para elaboração de actogramas e obtenção de variáveis não paramétricas do ritmo de atividade-repouso. A nota da disciplina Módulos Biológicos I foi utilizada como desempenho acadêmico. O JLS foi utilizado como medida de pressão do sono e o nível de significância estatística foi 95%. A população é homogênea em relação aos aspectos sociodemográficos e a maioria tem estilo de vida saudável, pratica atividade física, locomove-se até a universidade em carro e leva entre 15 e 30 minutos para realizar tal percurso. Em relação ao CSV, grande parte apresentou cronotipo intermediário e vespertino, necessidade de cochilar durante a semana, sofre sonolência diurna e apresenta má qualidade de sono. 83% da amostra tem ao menos 1h de JLS, o que nos levou à divisão em dois grupos: Grupo < 2h JLS (N=44) e Grupo ≥ 2h JLS (N=44). Os grupos diferiram apenas no cronotipo, demonstrando que indivíduos mais vespertinos apresentam mais JLS. Entretanto, não encontramos diferenças em relação aos aspectos sociodemográficos, ritmo de atividade-repouso ou desempenho acadêmico. A homogeneidade da amostra possivelmente dificultou a comparação entre os grupos, todavia, é alarmante que os estudantes já apresentem, no primeiro semestre: alta pressão de sono, qualidade de sono ruim e sonolência diurna, os quais podem acentuar-se no decorrer do curso, com o início de plantões noturnos e o aumento da carga horária. Abordar a importância de bons hábitos de sono e a mudança no horário de início da aula são estratégias que visam à melhoria na saúde dos estudantes.

Os machos de baleia jubarte, Megaptera novaeangliae, produzem uma longa e complexa sequência de sons, denominada canto, que podem ser definidas em uma estrutura hierárquica, consistindo de subunidades e unidades, subfrases e frases, temas, canto e sessões de canto. O canto ocorre predominantemente em áreas de reprodução, no entanto, machos também cantam, porém com menor ocorrência, em áreas de alimentação e durante a migração. A função do canto ainda não é bem compreendida, porém, entre muitas hipóteses propostas, as teorias predominantes são de que os machos cantam para atrair as fêmeas, ou para estabelecer e/ou manter dominância entre machos.n. Inicialmente descritos como padrões fixos, estudos subsequentes mostraram que o canto está sob frequentes mudanças ao longo de uma ou mais estações reprodutivas dentro de uma população. Este processo tem sido referido como um exemplo de evolução cultural. Desde o início da moratória à caça, muitas populações de baleias vêm se recuperando em todo o mundo e, no Brasil, acompanhando o aumento da ocorrência das baleias jubarte, o turismo de observação (Whale-Watching) desta espécie vem se tornando cada vez mais frequente no estado da Bahia. Embora permita uma utilização mais sustentável das jubartes como um recurso natural, o rápido crescimento desse tipo de turismo vem gerando preocupação sobre os possíveis efeitos que a atividade pode causar na espécie, em especial nas áreas de reprodução, como é o caso do Banco dos Abrolhos, litoral sul da Bahia, principal área de reprodução da espécie no oeste do Oceano Atlântico Sul. Todas as embarcações, desde os menores barcos até os grandes petroleiros, produzem ruídos, os quais variam com as características das mesmas. Estudos investigando as possíveis respostas da baleia jubarte frente à aproximação de embarcações verificaram que a duração de alguns elementos do canto foi alterada, podendo até mesmo levar à interrupção do comportamento vocal em períodos de tráfego intenso ou têm seus cantos mascarados pelos ruídos das embarcações, o que pode ser um problema para detecção e localização de machos cantores e comunicação entre as baleias. As consequências dessa ruptura no sistema de comunicação podem resultar em graves efeitos sobre o sucesso de acasalamento individual, podendo até mesmo, em longo prazo, causar efeitos na viabilidade das populações. Este trabalho tem como objetivo (1) analisar a variação na estrutura do canto das baleias jubartes no Banco dos Abrolhos durante o período de 2003-2005, descrevendo as variações encontradas no nível hierárquico de frases, e, definir linhagens de temas ao longo deste período; (2) comparar o comportamento vocal de machos de baleia jubarte na presença e na ausência de barcos a motor associados à atividade turística na região do banco dos Abrolhos; e, (3) caracterizar os ruídos das embarcações e identificar as características dos barcos que influenciam nas respostas comportamentais das baleias jubarte. Vinte e um temas foram descritos entre o perído de 2003 e 2005. Linhagens de continuidade foram definidas para temas nos quais haviam frase padrão definida através de teste estatístico. Foram observadas mudanças na estrutura espectral das unidades, a introdução de novas unidades, unidades de remoção e também variação na estrutura geral sentença intra e inter-individual. No capítulo 2, o canto foi adquirido sem a presença de barco a motor e durante a aproximação de um único barco a motor, o qual se aproximava seguindo as diretrizes para as atividades de "whale watching" nesta área. Os resultados mostraram que embora o número de frases por tema diminuam na presença de barco, esta diferença não é significativa. Similarmente, a duração da frase também é mantida mesmo durante a exposição ao ruído de barcos a motor, o que sugere que esta métrica deve ser importante para a comunicação de machos reprodutivos e deve apresentar uma forte pressão seletiva para manter sua consistência. Finalmente, no terceiro capítulo, os resultados sugerem que os sons produzidos pelos diferentes tipos de embarcações neste estudo (veleiro e traineiras) e os diferentes tipos de motor (motor de popa e motor interior), parecem não ter qualquer influência no comportamento acústico ou espacial das jubartes. Além disso, os valores encontrados para as métricas utilizadas (3 dB bandwidth e source level) na caracterização dos ruídos produzidos pelas diferentes embarcações, parecem não apresentar nenhuma associação com os diferentes tipos de barcos de turismo considerados na análise. No entanto, 71 % (n = 7) das embarcações apresentaram valores de 3 dB bandwidth que se sobrepõe as frequencias utilizadas no canto dos machos de baleia jubarte, sugerindo o possível mascaramento das vocalizações das baleias. Devido à importância da comunicação acústica para as baleias jubarte, faz-se necessário compreender melhor os processos envolvidos na evolução do canto da espécie, bem como a melhor compreensão dos possíveis efeitos provocados pelos ruídos das embarcações sobre as baleias jubartes que podem fornecer informações relevantes na tomada de decisões para a conservação e o melhor gerenciamento do turismo de observação das jubartes no Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos, ambiente de extrema importância para a espécie.

Em saguis, foi observado que a sincronia entre os perfis circadianos de atividade dos animais que vivem em grupo é mais forte entre os indivíduos de uma mesma família do que entre famílias diferentes. Dentro do grupo é mais forte entre juvenis do que entre juvenis e seus pais. No entanto, são desconhecidos os mecanismos envolvidos na sincronia social. Com o objetivo de investigar os mecanismos de sincronização envolvidos na sincronia entre os perfis circadianos de atividade em casais de saguis, foi registrada continuamente a atividade motora por actímetros em 3 díades. Os casais foram submetidos a duas condições de iluminação: ciclo claro escuro CE 12:12 (CEJ I - 21 dias), e depois em claro constante (~350 lux). Em CC, os casais foram submetidos a 4 situações experimentais: 1. convívio completo (CCJ I - 24 dias), 2. remoção de um membro do casal para outra sala com condições semelhantes (CCS I - 20 dias), 3. reintrodução do membro do casal na gaiola da 1° situação (CCJ II - 30 dias), e 4. remoção do membro de cada casal para outra sala experimental (CCS II - 7 dias) para avaliar os mecanismos de sincronização.  Por fim, os membros do casal foram reintroduzidos na gaiola e submetidos ao ciclo CE 12:12 (CEJ II - 11 dias). Os casais entraram em livre curso na primeira condição em CC em convívio social, com períodos idênticos entre os membros do casal, semelhante ao observado na segunda condição. Nas etapas sem convívio social, apenas 2 fêmeas entraram em livre curso na primeira etapa e 3 animais na segunda. Nas referidas condições, os ritmos dos animais de cada casal apresentaram diferentes períodos endógenos. Além disso, nas condições com convívio social (CEJ e CCJ), os membros do casal apresentaram relação de fase estável entre si para o início e fim da fase ativa, enquanto que nas etapas com separação entre o casal foi observada uma quebra de estabilidade nas relações de fase entre os perfis circadianos de atividade, com um aumento na diferença de ângulo de fase entre o casal. Ao entrar em livre curso, na transição entre CEJI e CCJI, todos os animais anteciparam progressivamente o início e o fim da fase ativa em fase semelhante à condição anterior, expressando sinal de arrastamento ao CE anterior. Enquanto que nas etapas seguintes isto foi observado em apenas 3 animais entre CCJI e CCSI, e entre CCJII e CCSII, demonstrando sinais de arrastamento às pistas sociais entre os membros dos casais. Por outro lado, 1 animal atrasou progressivamente entre CCJI e CCSI, 3 animais atrasaram entre CCSI e CCJII e 3 animais entre CCJII e CCSII, possivelmente por arrastamento aos animais da parte externa da colônia. Processo semelhante foi observado em 4 animais entre CCSII e CEJII, indicando arrastamento ao CE. Na transição entre o CCSI e CCJII foram observados sinais de mascaramento no ritmo de uma fêmea em resposta ao macho e em outro casal no ritmo do macho em relação ao da fêmea. A correlação geral e máxima entre os perfis circadianos de atividade dos animais foi mais forte nas condições em convívio social em CE e CC do que na ausência do convívio social em CC, evidenciando o efeito social. Os casais tiveram maiores valores para a correlação máxima em CE e CC juntos do que quando os perfis foram correlacionados com animais de gaiolas diferentes de mesmo ou diferente sexo. Resultados semelhantes foram observados na correlação geral. Portanto, sugere-se que o convívio social favorece a uma forte sincronia entre os perfis circadianos de atividade dos casais de sagui, que envolve sincronização por arrastamento e mascaramento. Porém, estudos adicionais são necessários para avaliar o efeito das pistas sociais na sincronização do ritmo circadiano da atividade entre casais de saguis na ausência de pistas sociais externas a fim de confirmar esta hipótese.