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Introduction: The cerebellum has been traditionally associated with motor control learning and performance. However, since 1970 a growing body of clinical and experimental evidences has suggested that the cerebellum may be involved in nonmotor cognitive functions as well., Objective: To explore the presence of eventual cognitive impairment in non-demented patients with isolated degenerative cerebellar diseases., Patients and Methods: Twelve patients with the diagnosis of selective degenerative cerebellar disorders, either inherited or sporadic, were selected (mean age: 40.42 +/- 13.49 years; mean education level: 9.92 +/- 3.99 years; duration of illness: 12.13 +/- 11.27 years, MMSE: 26.75 +/- 1.5) and evaluated through a standardized neuropsychological tests battery. Normalized Z scores were estimated and compared against 0, employing the t test for one sample., Results: Significant cognitive deficits were found in the following domains: executive, visuo-spatial, memory and attention functions. Performance on the Wisconsin test showed a significative number of perseverative errors. Memory deficits included verbal learning and free recall difficulties, with good recognition of the material presented., Conclusions: The findings of this study are consistent with the role of the cerebellum as modulator of mental functions. The cognitive deficits resulting from cerebellar pathology may be related with the disruption of cerebello-cortical connexions involving a complex network which includes the prefrontal region, suggesting that the cerebellum may process cortical information coming from different areas linked with the control of cognition.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate through conventional analytical procedures, the degree of modification of the starch fraction of regional products based on corn, such as grits, flours, precooked grits, flakes, precooked flour, "frangollo" and "locrillo." Based on the interpretation of changes in the starch fraction, the following conclusions are reached. Corn grits, flours, "frangollo" and "locrillo" are raw corn products subjected to physical processes such as shelling, degermination and size reduction. They do not show changes in their physicochemical characteristics. Precooked grits present certain structural modification (among others, changes in their rheologic behavior) and partial molecular change (among others, changes in the insoluble carbohydrate fraction), indicating that they have been subjected to processes wherein factors such as temperature, moisture and/or pressure intervene. Corn flakes and precooked flours show a high enzyme digestibility and a high degree of change in their functional properties (mainly, in regard to solubility, absorption and viscosity). These changes indicate modification at granular and molecular level.

Iron, calcium, zinc and phytic acid contents in vegetable blends from wheat, corn and soy were determined. Wheat and corn substitution with soy in compound products, gave an important amount of iron and calcium to the blends, while the initial content of phytic acid in wheat and corn was not significantly modified. Dehulling and enzymatic inactivation technological processes denoted a rather low influence on soy mineral content. In a similar way, the extrusion-cooking process did not affect appreciably the soluble iron content in blends. Soy incorporation greatly decreased in vitro iron availability in vegetable blends, while fortification with mineral blends slightly interfered, decreasing iron availability with regard to iron-fortified vegetable blends.