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Theses and Dissertations

Physiology

LTD

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Pharmaceutical And Natural (Exercise) Mechanisms To Mitigate The Negative Impact Of Ptsd And Chronic Stress On Synaptic Plasticity And Memory, Roxanne M. Miller Nov 2017

Pharmaceutical And Natural (Exercise) Mechanisms To Mitigate The Negative Impact Of Ptsd And Chronic Stress On Synaptic Plasticity And Memory, Roxanne M. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Synapses can be altered due to experiences in a process called synaptic plasticity, which causes memory formations. Synapses can be strengthened through methods known as long-term potentiation (LTP) or weakened through long-term depression (LTD). Stresses can cause changes by altering synapses through either LTP or LTD. Rats were used to study the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms and a prophylactic treatment using pharmaceuticals. The first model used was the single prolonged stress (SPS) with two weeks of chronic light, which was not as effective for causing changes in synaptic plasticity. The second model, seven days of social defeat …


Pharmaceutical And Natural (Exercise) Mechanisms To Mitigate The Negative Impact Of Ptsd And Chronic Stress On Synaptic Plasticity And Memory, Roxanne M. Miller Nov 2017

Pharmaceutical And Natural (Exercise) Mechanisms To Mitigate The Negative Impact Of Ptsd And Chronic Stress On Synaptic Plasticity And Memory, Roxanne M. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

Synapses can be altered due to experiences in a process called synaptic plasticity, which causes memory formations. Synapses can be strengthened through methods known as long-term potentiation (LTP) or weakened through long-term depression (LTD). Stresses can cause changes by altering synapses through either LTP or LTD. Rats were used to study the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like symptoms and a prophylactic treatment using pharmaceuticals. The first model used was the single prolonged stress (SPS) with two weeks of chronic light, which was not as effective for causing changes in synaptic plasticity. The second model, seven days of social defeat …


Modulation Of Synaptic Plasticity: Endocannabinoids And Novel G-Protein Coupled Receptors Expression And Translational Effects In Interneurons, Katrina M. Hurst Jul 2017

Modulation Of Synaptic Plasticity: Endocannabinoids And Novel G-Protein Coupled Receptors Expression And Translational Effects In Interneurons, Katrina M. Hurst

Theses and Dissertations

Learning and memory are important processes that occur in the brain. The brain is comprised of neurons that make connections with each other known as synapses. Synaptic plasticity is widely believed to be the physiologic mechanism by which learning and memory occur. Synapses can either be strengthened through a process known as long-term potentiation (LTP) or weakened through long-term depression (LTD). The area of the brain that is most studied for its role in learning and memory is the hippocampus, which has been shown to be involved in memory consolidation. The detection of endocannabinoids and their receptors has opened a …


Endocannabinoid-Dependent Long-Term Depression Of Ventral Tegmental Area Gaba Neurons, Jared Mark Weed Dec 2013

Endocannabinoid-Dependent Long-Term Depression Of Ventral Tegmental Area Gaba Neurons, Jared Mark Weed

Theses and Dissertations

GABA neurons in the ventral tegmental area of the midbrain are important components in the brain's reward circuit. Long term changes in this circuit occur through the process of synaptic plasticity. It has been shown that high frequency stimulation, as well as treatment with endocannabinoids, can cause GABA neurons in the ventral tegmental area to undergo long term depression, a form of synaptic plasticity that decreases excitability of cells. The present study elaborates on the mechanism whereby high frequency stimulation can result in long term depression of ventral tegmental area GABA neurons. Using the whole cell patch clamp technique in …


Long-Term Depression Of Excitatory Inputs To Gabaergic Neurons In The Ventral Tegmental Area, Philip J. Sandoval Dec 2012

Long-Term Depression Of Excitatory Inputs To Gabaergic Neurons In The Ventral Tegmental Area, Philip J. Sandoval

Theses and Dissertations

Dopamine cells within the ventral tegmental area of the brain are involved in motivation and reward. Drugs of abuse target these dopamine cells altering their activity and plasticity resulting in addiction. While dopamine cell activity is primarily involved in addiction, the GABA neurons in the VTA have also been shown to have an indirect role. By decreasing the activity of the inhibitory GABA inputs onto dopamine neurons abusive drugs can indirectly increase dopamine cell activity resulting in addictive behaviors. However, although GABA neurons are important in the perception of reward, much less is known about how the excitatory inputs to …