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Neuroscience and Neurobiology

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

Theses and Dissertations

Plasticity

Publication Year

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

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Molecular And Physiological Plasticity In The Ventral Hippocampus Following Associative Fear Learning, Vanessa Ehlers Aug 2020

Molecular And Physiological Plasticity In The Ventral Hippocampus Following Associative Fear Learning, Vanessa Ehlers

Theses and Dissertations

Pavlovian fear conditioning is useful for understanding how various brain regions support associative fear memory. The hippocampus plays an especially important role in fear learning. Evidence suggests disrupted dorsal and/or ventral hippocampal activity leads to pronounced fear memory deficits, and the dorsal hippocampus displays distinct plasticity changes following fear learning, including altered intrinsic excitability and immediate early gene expression. These mechanisms support fear memory consolidation. However, the molecular and physiological plasticity of the ventral hippocampus following various forms of fear learning remains poorly understood. The current experiments examine the nature of associative fear learning-related plastic changes in the ventral hippocampus …


The Mechanisms Underlying Cocaine-Induced Overexpression Of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (Bfgf, Fgf2), An Effect Reversed By Extinction, Madalyn Hafenbreidel Aug 2016

The Mechanisms Underlying Cocaine-Induced Overexpression Of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (Bfgf, Fgf2), An Effect Reversed By Extinction, Madalyn Hafenbreidel

Theses and Dissertations

Drug addiction is characterized by compulsive drug use and chronic relapse despite negative consequences. Drug-induced structural and functional changes in the brain are thought to underlie these characteristics. One mechanism that may mediate these characteristics are growth factors, such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF or FGF2), as they are necessary for cellular growth, survival, differentiation, and have roles in memory, mood, and anxiety disorders. bFGF mRNA and protein expression is increased following stimulant administration and is necessary for stimulant-induced changes in dendrites and behavioral sensitization. Moreover, addiction is maintained by cues associated with the drug, as they can can …


Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography For The Assessment Of Cerebrovascular Plasticity, Jacob James Michael Kay Aug 2016

Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography For The Assessment Of Cerebrovascular Plasticity, Jacob James Michael Kay

Theses and Dissertations

Vascular pathologies represent the leading causes of mortality worldwide, accounting for 31% of all deaths in 2012. Cerebral hypoxia is a condition that often manifests as a result of these medical conditions. Remarkably, the nervous system has evolved mechanisms to compensate for oxygen deprivation. The dilation of existing vessels and the growth of new blood vessels are two prominent physiological responses to hypoxia, both of which play a critical role in maintaining cerebral homeostasis. More recently, exercise has been shown to induce a mild state of hypoxia in the brain, leading to several robust morphological changes within the cerebrovascular system …