Behavioral Neurobiology Commons^™

Investigating The Effects Of Maternal Immune Activation On Sensory Processing: Timing, Immune Mechanisms, And Gene-Environment Interactions, Faraj Haddad

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Maternal infection during the first or second trimester of pregnancy poses a risk factor for the child to have neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia. Various clinical and preclinical studies have shown that the maternal immune response to infection, also known as maternal immune activation (MIA), can disrupt fetal brain development.

Over the past two decades, MIA has been studied in rodents using the Polyinosinic Polycytidylic acid (Poly I:C) rodent model. Poly I:C has a molecular pattern resembling viruses that can induce a robust immune response. Following exposure to Poly I:C MIA, rodent offspring exhibit many brain …

Cannabinoid Transmission In The Basolateral Amygdala Modulates Prefrontal Cortex And Ventral Hippocampal Activity, Brian J. Pereira

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The cannabinoid system is important for maintaining neuron-to-neuron communication within the mammalian brain. One of the most commonly used substances to alter the cannabinoid system is cannabis. Individuals who are exposed to cannabis report having dissociable effects; both positive and negative. High amounts of THC have been commonly associated with the negative effects of cannabis, whereas CBD can be used to counter these. Pre-clinical evidence suggests that the combination of the two compounds can produce a therapeutic benefit for individuals who are susceptible to the effects of THC. The present study investigates whether the combination of THC+CBD can prevent electrophysiological …

Dissociating The Psychoactive Effects Of Distinct Cannabis Compounds In The Mesocorticolimbic Circuitry, Jordan S. Zunder

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The discovery of the endocannabinoid system propelled understanding of the mechanisms of action of cannabinoid compounds. While marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in the world, the neuropsychopharmacological mechanisms that underlie the diffuse effects of cannabis in the brain remain poorly understood. This is because marijuana smoke represents a complex mixture of chemical components, possessing dissociable psychoactive properties. Clinical evidence suggests a functional dissociation between the two main pharmacological components of cannabis, Δ9- tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Using a combination of cortical microinfusions during two emotional learning paradigms, and single-unit in vivo electrophysiological recording, we investigated the …