Hormonal and gestational parameters in female rats submitted to the pilocarpine model of epilepsy

Endocrine and reproductive alterations are frequently reported to occur in women with temporal lobe epilepsy as well as in female rats in different experimental models of limbic seizures. As previously reported, women with epilepsy have lower fertility rates than women without epilepsy (Tanganelli, P., Regesta, G., 1992. Neurology (suppl.) 42 (5), 89-93; Cummings, L.N., Guidice, L., Morrel, M.J., 1995. Epilepsia 36, 355-359). In order to investigate the possible substrate of endocrine alterations in epilepsy, hormonal and gestational parameters were studied in female rats submitted to the pilocarpine model of epilepsy. The results demonstrated that the oestrus cycle is altered following pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus and such alteration lasted for several weeks. Progesterone, LH and FSH levels decreased and estradiol levels increased significantly during the period of spontaneous and recurrent seizures. The frequency of seizures during pregnancy and lactation decreased. These results document that significant changes in gonadal, hypophyseal and hypothalamic hormones, as well as in sexual behaviour, occur following status epilepticus induced by pilocarpine administration.     

How accurately do drivers evaluate their own driving behavior? An on-road observational study

Self-assessment of driving skills became a noteworthy research subject in traffic psychology, since by knowing one's strenghts and weaknesses, drivers can take an efficient compensatory action to moderate risk and to ensure safety in hazardous environments. The current study aims to investigate drivers’ self-conception of their own driving skills and behavior in relation to expert evaluations of their actual driving, by using naturalistic and systematic observation method during actual on-road driving session and to assess the different aspects of driving via comprehensive scales sensitive to different specific aspects of driving. 19–63 years old male participants (N = 158) attended an on-road driving session lasting approximately 80 min (45 km). During the driving session, drivers’ errors and violations were recorded by an expert observer. At the end of the driving session, observers completed the driver evaluation questionnaire, while drivers completed the driving self-evaluation questionnaire and Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ). Low to moderate correlations between driver and observer evaluations of driving skills and behavior, mainly on errors and violations of speed and traffic lights was found. Furthermore, the robust finding that drivers evaluate their driving performance as better than the expert was replicated. Over-positive appraisal was higher among drivers with higher error/violation score and with the ones that were evaluated by the expert as “unsafe”. We suggest that the traffic environment might be regulated by increasing feedback indicators of errors and violations, which in turn might increase the insight into driving performance. Improving self-awareness by training and feedback sessions might play a key role for reducing the probability of risk in their driving activity.