Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

About: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina is a education organization based out in Florianópolis, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 28408 authors who have published 55433 publications receiving 714461 citations.

Effects of caffeine in Parkinson's disease: from neuroprotection to the management of motor and non-motor symptoms.

Abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder affecting approximately 1% of the population older than 60 years. Classically, PD is considered to be a motor system disease and its diagnosis is based on the presence of a set of cardinal motor signs (rigidity, bradykinesia, rest tremor) that are consequence of a pronounced death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Nowadays there is considerable evidence showing that non-dopaminergic degeneration also occurs in other brain areas which seems to be responsible for the deficits in olfactory, emotional and memory functions that precede the classical motor symptoms in PD. The present review attempts to examine results reported in epidemiological, clinical and animal studies to provide a comprehensive picture of the antiparkinsonian potential of caffeine. Convergent epidemiological and pre-clinical data suggest that caffeine may confer neuroprotection against the underlying dopaminergic neuron degeneration, and influence the onset and progression of PD. The available data also suggest that caffeine can improve the motor deficits of PD and that adenosine A2A receptor antagonists such as istradefylline reduces OFF time and dyskinesia associated with standard 'dopamine replacement' treatments. Finally, recent experimental findings have indicated the potential of caffeine in the management of non-motor symptoms of PD, which do not improve with the current dopaminergic drugs. Altogether, the studies reviewed provide strong evidence that caffeine may represent a promising therapeutic tool in PD, thus being the first compound to restore both motor and non-motor early symptoms of PD together with its neuroprotective potential.

Das mobilizações às redes de movimentos sociais

Abstract: The reality of social movement is quite dynamic, and theorizations do not always follow this dynamism. With globalization and the information age, the social movements in several countries, including Brazil and Latin America, are more diversified and complex. Therefore, many paradigmatic or hegemonic explanations from the last century are in need of revision or updating vis-a-vis the emergence of new social subjects or political scenarios. This study begins by elucidating organized civil society's new forms, aiming to register the multiple types of collective action in the new millennium. From this comprehension the study seeks to explore the diversity of identity of the social subjects, the transverse nature of demands for citizen's rights, the forms of activism and the empowerment through networking and, finally, the political participation of network organizations.