Browsing by Author "Caldas, A. Castro"
Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Effects of emotional valence and three-dimensionality of visual stimuli on brain activation: an fMRI studyPublication . Dores, A. R.; Almeida, I.; Barbosa, F.; Castelo-Branco, M.; Monteiro, L.; Reis, M.; Sousa, L. de; Caldas, A. CastroBACKGROUND: Examining changes in brain activation linked with emotion-inducing stimuli is essential to the study of emotions. Due to the ecological potential of techniques such as virtual reality (VR), inspection of whether brain activation in response to emotional stimuli can be modulated by the three-dimensional (3D) properties of the images is important. OBJECTIVE: The current study sought to test whether the activation of brain areas involved in the emotional processing of scenarios of different valences can be modulated by 3D. Therefore, the focus was made on the interaction effect between emotion-inducing stimuli of different emotional valences (pleasant, unpleasant and neutral valences) and visualization types (2D, 3D). However, main effects were also analyzed. METHODS: The effect of emotional valence and visualization types and their interaction were analyzed through a 3 × 2 repeated measures ANOVA. Post-hoc t-tests were performed under a ROI-analysis approach. RESULTS: The results show increased brain activation for the 3D affective-inducing stimuli in comparison with the same stimuli in 2D scenarios, mostly in cortical and subcortical regions that are related to emotional processing, in addition to visual processing regions. CONCLUSIONS: This study has the potential of clarify brain mechanisms involved in the processing of emotional stimuli (scenarios' valence) and their interaction with three-dimensionality.
- Quality of infant sleep, electronic devices and bullying behaviors in schoolsPublication . Gomes, A. M.; Figueiredo, Sandra; Silva, B.; Ferreira, E.; Caldas, A. Castro; Cercatti, JulianaThis research investigates the relationship betweenthe quality of infant sleep, the use of electronic devices and of videogames before bedtime and bullying behaviors in school context. Research Questions: Is the quality of infant sleep and the use of electronic devices at bedtime related to bullying? The use of electronic devices before bedtime affects sleep duration and latency? Purpose of the Study: To analyze the relationship between the use of electronic devices before bed and the sleep infant quality. As well as, the relation between the quality of the children sleep duration, children’ sleep latency, use of electronic devices, videogames in a daily basis, and bullying behaviors in school context. Research Methods: Participants are divided into two groups; one of these groups consists of the children who responded to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index andthe Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ-PT), totalling 860. The other group had a sample of 51 children, the Sociodemographic Questionnaire and the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ-PT) were applied. Findings: A statistically significant relationship was found between sleep quality and use of electronic devices before bed, with the exception of television. As a relationship between sleep quality and bullying behaviors, and also between using electronic gadgets before bedtime and bullying behaviors just for listening to music. Considering the sleep latency, a negative correlation was found with daily videogames use. Conclusions: There seems to be a relationship between sleep quality and bullying behaviors in school, and between the use of electronic devices and sleep quality. Also listening to music at bedtime is positively related to bullying behaviors. On the other hand, the videogames daily use before bedtime affects in a significant manner the children’ sleep latency (and the sleep REM)..
- Relationship between bullying behaviours and sleep quality in school-aged childrenPublication . Gomes, A. M.; Ferreira, E.; Silva, B.; Caldas, A. CastroDo children who practice bullying have more sleep disturbances than those who do not practice bullying? The research questions for this study were 1)Are there are differences in sleep quality between aggressors and non-aggressors and between victims and non-victims? 2)Do aggressors have higher SDI than non-aggressors?3)What are the sleep characteristics in aggressors, non-aggressors, victims and non-victims?The purpose of the study was to analyse whether school-agedchildren who practice bullying have worse sleep quality than those who do not practice it and to identify the characteristics of dysfunctional sleep for aggressors?The research method was a cross-sectional study focusing on quantitative methodology. We analysed and compared the results of two questionnaires: bullying, aggressiveness among children with n= 1109, answered by the children and the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), with n= 883, answered by the parents. A convenience sample of 8 state and private schools in Portugal was worked upon.The SDI of aggressorsis not significantly different from the SDI of non-aggressors. In the 33 CSHQ items, in seven the aggressors manifest significant differences: they go to bed at the same time less often, "fight" going to bed, sleep poorly, wet the bed more often, have a more agitated sleep, wake up with nightmares and are grumpier.There are no differences between the two groups, as both have high SDI. In the aggressors, the SDI is accentuated in relation to non-aggressors with regard to the following: more difficulty in going to bed at the same time, fight more at bedtime, sleep less, wet the bed, have more agitated sleep, wake up with nightmares more and wake up grumpy.
- Sleep quality and chronotype of Portuguese school-aged childrenPublication . Gomes, A. M.; Figueiredo, S.; Rocha, C.; Ferreira, E.; Silva, B.; Caldas, A. CastroIs the perception of school-aged children and parents about the children’s sleep quality and chronotype consistent with their real sleep quality and effective chronotype? The research questions for this study were 1) Do children's sleep perceptions and chronotype differ from real sleep quality and chronotype? 2) Are there differences in sleep quality between genders? 3) What will be the effective quality of sleep and chronotype? The purpose of the study was to analyse the perceptions of children and parents about the children’s sleep quality and chronotype and compare them with effective sleep quality and chronotype, to study sleep quality and chronotype considering gender, and to analyse the perceptions of Portuguese parents about children’s sleep in a migrant context. The research method was a cross-sectional study, quantitative methodology. The data from three questionnaires were analysed with regard to the three study aims: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) (n=1109 children), the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) (n=883 parents), and the Children's Chronotype Questionnaire (CCTQ) (n=58 parents, Portuguese emigrants in Luxembourg). The samples were collected from 8 Portuguese schools and 2 Luxembourg schools. The PSQI showed high sleep quality, which contradicts the results for CSHQ. Children from state schools (n=538) revealed higher diurnal dysfunction levels compared to the children from private schools (n=571). Females showed best sleep latency and duration. The CSHQ presented general negative sleep quality. The CCTQ demonstrated that parents’ perceptions did not fit with the effective children’s chronotype. The children's perception showed a wellbalanced sleep quality but the results revealed a high incidence of sleep disturbance. There were no statistical differences for gender. Portuguese emigrant parents revealed low awareness of their children’s chronotype and there was significant contrast between parents’ perceptions and the real chronotype of children.
- The role of MEG in unveiling cognitionPublication . Nunes, M. V. Silva; Maestú, F.; Caldas, A. Castro