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A Structural Examination Of The Connection Between The Amygdala And Nucleus Accumbens In Adolescents With Clinical Anxiety, Alyssa Griffith

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

The prominence of anxiety disorders in today’s general population is a major public health concern. Advancing research of the underlying pathophysiology of anxiety disorders can lead to the discovery of effective treatment interventions to treat the mental and physical symptoms of anxiety, and thus improve quality of life. This study aimed to examine two brain areas in the limbic and reward systems, the amygdala and Nucleus Accumbens (NAcc), and the structural white matter connection between them. This neural circuit assigns affective valence to environmental stimuli and motivates behavior to avoid potential harm. This study utilized diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) …

Cortisol Receptor Sensitivity As A Risk Factor For Depression, Michela Michielli

Honors Theses

In 2020, the World Health Organization reported over 264 million people across the world were suffering from depression. Studies have demonstrated that one source of depression is a hormonal imbalance involved in the stress response. Cortisol is a stress hormone regulated by the Hypothalamic-Anterior-Pituitary (HPA) Axis. Its effects on the stress response and other metabolic activities in the body are exerted through the glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors (GR and MR respectively).

Our research has examined mutations known as single-nucleotide-polymorphisms (SNPs) relating to cortisol-receptor sensitivity and the behavior of cortisol in the body to investigate the link between cortisol activity and …

The Effects Of Venlafaxine And Voluntary Exercise On Chronic Unpredictable Stress Induced Anxiety, Marly Mcgowan

Senior Independent Study Theses

Anxiety disorders can impair cognition and emotional control, particularly in the face of novel situations, which is concerning due to the high prevalence of such diagnoses. Exposure to unpredictable chronic stress can provide a way to induce anxiety-like behaviors in rodents by disrupting the stress response systems, including the HPA axis and autonomic nervous system. Pharmacological treatments, including SNRIs like venlafaxine, and voluntary exercise are both anxiolytic treatments that can alleviate the impacts of chronic stress. Using unpredictable chronic stress to mimic the human condition, and exposure to venlafaxine and exercise to mitigate the stress, the open field and elevated …

Physiological Effects Of Activity-Based Anorexia In Female Rats And An Overview Of Eating Disorders, Madelyn Uyemura

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

The aim of this thesis is to bring AN to the foreground of conversation both in a scientific and sociological framework. Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders, which is characterized by the feeling of a loss of control. In some cases, another disorder called anorexia nervosa (AN) can codevelop. AN is characterized by a refusal, and inability, to maintain a healthy body weight. Some suffering from anxiety may restrict caloric intake and increase exercise to cope with stress. This results in extreme caloric deprivation. AN can be modeled in rats using an activity-based anorexia (ABA) method. In …