Now showing 1 - 10 of 94
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Moral thought after acquired cerebral damage. [El pensamiento moral después del Daño cerebral Adquirido.]

2018 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

Introduction. Moral thinking is a mental skill that allows respecting implicit and explicit social norms. One factor that can alter its functioning is acquired brain damage, as is the case of subjects who have suffered a brain injury at the frontal lobe. Aim. To analyze the relationship between the process of moral thinking and brain functioning, through the description of cases that have suffered acquired brain damage, with the purpose of explaining the situation that an individual lives after presenting brain damage and becoming unable to respect social norms. Development. The clinic of patients who have suffered brain damage at the frontal level, such as Phineas Gage, NN and Elliot, is shown, in which it was observed that its state after the traumatic event was characterized by going back to previous stages of thinking moral, unlike a subject who may present brain damage in later structures. Conclusions. We discuss the analysis performed on the role of the frontal lobe in the process of respecting social norms that allow human interaction and how it can be affected by brain damage. © 2018 Fundacion para la difusion neurologica en Ecuador - FUNDINE. All Rights Reserved.

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Scale reduced to value the sense of coherence: SOC 15 [Escala Reducida Para Valorar el Sentido de Coherencia: SOC 15]

2019 , Ortiz-Granja D. , Acosta-Rodas P. , Lepe-Martínez N. , Valle M.D. , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

Introduction: The sense of coherence is a construct of health that allows the individual to face difficult situations of life. It is configured by three factors: meaning, understanding and management. As a method of assessment of this construct, has been proposed the SOC scale with 29 items in its original version. Objective: The objective of this study is to propose a reduced SOC scale. Methods: We worked with a sample of 445 healthy participants from Quito-Ecuador, 145 men (32.5%) and 300 women (67.4%). Results: It was obtained that the reduced scale of 15 items presents an adequate internal consistency in its three factors: understanding α= .74, management α= .82 and meaning α= .82. In the confirmatory factor analysis, an acceptable adjustment of the reduced model was found (SOC-15) x2= 317.90, DF= 87, p= <. 001, CFI= .92, RMSEA= .07 (.06-.08) and SRMR= .04. Conclusions: The data is discussed in relation to the benefits of counting with a reduced scale for its future application in the clinical and health scientific context. © 2019 Fundacion para la difusion neurologica en Ecuador - FUNDINE. All rights reserved.

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Mobile Technological Apps to Improve Frontal Lobe Functioning

2021 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Acosta-Rodas M. , Sanchez-Gordon S. , Calle-Jimenez T.

The technological proposal here elaborated consists of a cellphone app denominated Mind & Brain which encompasses subcomponents that allow the compensation of each frontal lobe function. In the component of planning, for example, this application allows a person to have an electronic diary to set daily activities to accomplish and will have the opportunity to set reminders and alarms with the patient´s own voice about the activities that must achieve in that specific day. For emotional regulation, the person will be able to be in control of every emotion and reaction. In monitoring, the subject must follow verbal instructions to solve successfully a problem, previously inserted. For decision making, the app will identify the possible consequences of choosing one or another option. With this technological innovation, people with any frontal lobe disorder will improve their quality of life. © 2021, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

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Neuropsychological assessment of attention: Symbols and digits test.

2018 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Acosta-Rodas P. , Jadán Guerrero, Janio , Guevara-Maldonado C.B. , Zapata-Rodríguez M. , Apolo-Buenaño D.

Introduction: The symbol digit modality test is a reactive which provides great support in neuropsychological evaluation. Its execution permits to evaluate brain functions such as visual perception, stimuli recognition, attention (focal, selective and sustained), task supervision, interference control among others. Object: The purpose of the current research study was to analyze the normative percentiles of the execution of the test, to identify the performance activity of the reactive according to age group and gender; applying the test in a sample of college students. Method: The sample included 250 university students,142 (56.8%) males and 108 (43.2%) females. The age range of the participants was between 18 and 34 years old (M=21.53, DE=2.25). A transversal, non-experimental, quantitative research model with a correlational scope was used. Results: The correct answer average for the test was 52.83 (DE=13,60) and for percentile P5 31,55 right answers were found; for percentile P75 60,00 right answers, P25 had 46,00 right answers, and for P95 74,45 right answers were found. No significant differences were found for the mean of errors in the test in terms of age group f(3, 246)=0,67, p=0,57 and gender t(248)=0,68, p=0,49 of the participants as comparison factor. Conclusions: Results were discussed based on prior research pointing out the importance of counting with a first statistical parameter of the test as ground for neuropsychological clinical practice in Ecuador. © 2018 Fundacion para la difusion neurologica en Ecuador - FUNDINE. All rights reserved.

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Scale of clinical observation to valuate the third functional unit of the Luria theory: EOCL-1. [Escala de Observación Clínica Para Valorar la Tercera Unidad Funcional de la Teoría de Luria: EOCL-1.]

2019 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Benavides-Endara P. , Bolaños-Pasquel M. , Fonseca-Bautista S. , Ramos D.

Luria's brain organization model proposes the interaction of three functional units to understand the work performed by the human brain. The first of them is responsible for the regulation of tone and wakefulness. The second one to receive, process and store the information. The third, and of central interest of the investigation, is responsible for programming, executing and verifying mental activity. To evaluate this theory, a series of experimental neuropsychological tests have been developed, however, a scale has not been proposed that, based on the theoretical precepts on the third functional unit, allows to assess it based on the behaviors of the daily life of the human being. This research proposes a scale that will allow the clinician to assess the mental abilities associated with the ability to program, execute and verify the most complex form of mental activity; integrated in the third functional unit of Luria. The proposal is discussed, based on the benefit that is generated by having a scale that will allow to assess this theory, in the different environments where the individual develops through the action of the cerebral abilities of the third functional unit. © 2019 Fundacion para la difusion neurologica en Ecuador - FUNDINE. All rights reserved.

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Neuropsychological evaluation of inhibitory control and interference control: Validation of experimental tasks in the ecuadorian context

2017 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Jadán Guerrero, Janio , Ramos D. , Bolaños M. , Ramos V. , Fiallo-Karolys M.X.

This article reports a study in which three experimental tasks (SIMON, Go / No-Go and Stroop Victoria) were adapted and validated to evaluate the inhibitory control and interference control in a sample of Ecuadorian students. The sample consisted of 100 students between 6 and 15 years old (M = 10.13 years, SD = 2.48) belonging to the public education system of Ecuador. The process followed in the adaptation and validation was through the linguistic translation of the experiments, followed by an expert judgment and a pilot study. In the results it was found that there are no statistically significant differences in the measures that assess the inhibitory control and the interference considering the sociodemographic variables of the participants as comparison factors. In the correlation analysis we found a statistically significant association between the measurements of the experiments. We conclude by analyzing the associations found and underlining the need to continue providing evidence in the research line of adaptation and validation of test for using in neuropsychological evaluation.

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The myths of publication of a psychological scientific article in Ecuador [Los mitos de la publicación de un artículo científico psicológico en Ecuador]

2018 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

[No abstract available]

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Neuropsychological analysis in a case of Global Aphasia [Análisis neuropsicológico en un caso de Afasia Global]

2023 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Gaibor-Estévez J.

Acquired brain damage generates a series of neuropsychological alterations, among which we can highlight aphasia. This syndrome is characterized by language impairment, with its main features being deficits in fluency, comprehension, repetition, naming, reading, writing and calculation. In this article we present the case of a patient suffering from global aphasia, who presents severe linguistic alterations. The state of the disease and its neuropsychological condition are analyzed. Finally, we close this analysis, highlighting the need for a correct neuropsychological approach at the level of diagnosis and rehabilitation which can help the patient. © 2023 Fundacion para la difusion neurologica en Ecuador - FUNDINE. All rights reserved.

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Low-Cost Human–Machine Interface for Computer Control with Facial Landmark Detection and Voice Commands

2022 , Ramos, P. , Zapata, Mireya , Valencia, K. , Vargas, V. , Ramos Galarza, Carlos

Nowadays, daily life involves the extensive use of computers, since human beings are immersed in a technological society. Therefore, it is mandatory to interact with computers, which represents a true disadvantage for people with upper limb disabilities. In this context, this work aims to develop an interface for emulating mouse and keyboard functions (EMKEY) by applying concepts of artificial vision and voice recognition to replace the use of hands. Pointer control is achieved by head movement, whereas voice recognition is used to perform interface functionalities, including speech-to-text transcription. To evaluate the interface’s usability and usefulness, two studies were carried out. The first study was performed with 30 participants without physical disabilities. Throughout this study, there were significant correlations found between the emulator’s usability and aspects such as adaptability, execution time, and the participant’s age. In the second study, the use of the emulator was analyzed by four participants with motor disabilities. It was found that the interface was best used by the participant with cerebral palsy, followed by the participants with upper limb paralysis, spina bifida, and muscular dystrophy. In general, the results show that the proposed interface is easy to use, practical, fairly accurate, and works on a wide range of computers. © 2022 by the authors.

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Technological Innovation to Assess Cognitive Functions in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

2021 , Ramos Galarza, Carlos , Acosta-Rodas M. , Acosta-Vargas P. , Salvador-Ullauri L.

The development of a neuropsychological assessment procedure through a technological platform for children with ADHD. This platform is based on Python programming language, where stimuli have been inserted and, to which, children evaluated must respond freely (letters P), and others to which must inhibit his/her responses (letters R), using an adapted button box (greater attraction for children with ADHD). Variables of interest to the clinician are (a) number of responses to impulse control stimuli, (b) total time of execution of the task, (c) time in milliseconds from the moment when the stimulus is presented until getting a response from the child, and (d) total answers made. This study was applied in children with ADHD versus children without the disorder, finding that children with ADHD presented a mean error of M = 5.05 while children without ADHD M = 3.42. © 2021, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.