h i g h l i g h t s• Chronic stress impairs the development of the adolescent brain.• Chronic stress delays the maturation of extracellular structures called perineuronal nets, which stabilize synaptic contacts on inhibitory neurons, and prefrontal cortex-associated behavior.• These negative effects of chronic stress on the prefrontal cortex can theoretically occur in humans. Critical periods of plasticity (CPPs) are defined by developmental intervals wherein neuronal circuits are most susceptible to environmental influences. The CPP of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which controls executive functions, extends up to early adulthood and, like other cortical areas, reflects the maturation of perineuronal nets (PNNs) surrounding the cell bodies of specialized inhibitory interneurons. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of chronic stress on both structure and function of the adolescent's rat PFC. We subjected P28 rats to stressful situations for 7, 15 and 35 days and evaluated the spatial distribution of histochemically-labeled PNNs in both the Medial Prefrontal Cortex (MPFC) and the Orbitofrontal Cortex (OFC) and PFC-associated behavior as well. Chronic stress affects PFC development, slowing PNN maturation in both the (MPFC) and (OFC) while negatively affecting functions associated with these areas. We speculate upon the risks of prolonged exposure to stressful environments in human adolescents and the possibility of stunted development of executive functions.

Introdução: Uma das principais demandas da terapia ocupacional brasileira é a sua institucionalização acadêmica. Isso abrange, entre outros aspectos, a atividade de pesquisa, a formação e atuação dos profissionais em programas de pós-graduação. Objetivo: Caracterizar os terapeutas ocupacionais mestres e doutores no Brasil quanto a formação pós-graduada e a atuação profissional. Procedimentos Metodológicos: A pesquisa foi realizada a partir de informações coletadas em plataformas eletrônicas como a Plataforma Lattes e a Plataforma Sucupira, entre outras. Os dados foram analisados por meio da análise estatística descritiva. Resultados: 1188 currículos de terapeutas ocupacionais com mestrado e/ou doutorado foram analisados. Identificou-se um aumento na quantidade de mestres e doutores nas duas últimas décadas (2000-2017) e que encontra-se em curso uma mudança de perfil da formação pós-graduada desses profissionais, o que implica na produção de conhecimento e na institucionalização acadêmica da área. Conclusão: Esta pesquisa permitiu identificar algumas implicações dessa formação para o desenvolvimento da terapia ocupacional enquanto profissão e como área de conhecimento no país.

This paper aims to understand the meaning that occupational therapists attribute to occupations and the relationships they build with their professional practices. This is a qualitative phenomenological orientation that combines theoretical and practical knowledge of the science of occupation and occupational therapy. The participants were seventeen occupational therapists who work in care and education of occupational therapy linked to public service in the state of Pará, Brazil. It was observed that each occupational therapist is researched and is planning its own occupational therapy, according to its area of operation, population served, their own beliefs and values, and perspectives and theoretical predictions. The subjects share the idea that occupations are constituents of human life, understanding them to influence the health, quality of life and social participation of individuals, valuing structured interventions on what is meaningful, relevant and necessary for their patients. This research enabled the development of questions and reflections about the theoretical foundations and practical actions carried out in the field of occupational therapy. It is believed that studies both in the epistemological field and in the clinical are required for the development of these dialogues, because sharing is the understanding that the Brazilian occupational therapy, and particularly the development of occupational therapy in the Amazon region is unique, and very contribute to the development of the profession on the regional, national and international.

Introduction: The publication of Brazilian articles in journals indexed in databases has increased over the last decades, reflecting the growth of research and publications in the country. This growth has facilitated the development of studies on the trajectories of the different professions, through the analysis of bibliometric indicators. However, in occupational therapy, there is still a gap. Objective: to identify and classify articles published by occupational therapists who were affiliated with Brazilian institutions in national and international databases through indexation and citation metrics. Materials and methods: This is a descriptive study with a quantitative approach. Data collection was performed using the databases: Pyscinfo, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, PubMed, SciELO, LILACS, BIREME, and Google Scholar. Results: five hundred articles were analyzed. From those, fewer than 13% (n = 71) have received at least one citation. Conclusion: The data of indexing and citing of publication by occupational therapists can aid in discussion on the production and dissemination of research produced by the profession nationally.