Behavioral Neurobiology Commons^™

Sleep Duration Is Associated With Caudate Volume And Executive Function, Nicole Jones

Honors Theses

The ineligible role of the caudate nucleus in sleep has been implicated throughout multiple scientific studies. Previous literature has shown that greater caudate volume is associated with longer habitual sleep duration in older adults- ranging from 55 years of age and up. However, the association between sleep duration and caudate volume remains unknown in the younger population. In this study, we examined the caudate volume in youth to older adults (10 to 85 years old) with a greater sample size (N=464) to increase statistical power. The volumetric size of the caudate nucleus showed significantly positive association with habitual sleep duration, …

Does Anodal Tdcs Over The Left Prefrontal Cortex Using The C3-Rso Montage Improve Cognitive Control?, Jhoan Rodriguez

Honors Scholar Theses

Executive function is the ability to change one’s behavior in order to achieve a goal, which is supported by the prefrontal cortex (for review, Abdullah et al., 2021). Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that changes the likelihood of neuronal firing by sending current through at least two electrodes on the scalp. Prior work in our lab found no enhancement of executive function on healthy participants when at- tempting to stimulate the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex using anodal tDCS with the F3-RSO montage (Darling et al., 2020). However, current modeling suggests that the C3-RSO montage may …

Investigating Cognitive Impairment In Tdp-43 Mouse Models Of Ftd-Als Using Automated Touchscreens, Keon Coleman

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

TAR-DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) misfolding and aggregation is a major pathological hallmark of frontotemporal dementia-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FTD/ALS). FTD/ALS is characterized by motor and cognitive impairment, with cognitive impairment frequently reported before the onset of classical motor symptoms. Yet, treatment for cognitive decline in FTD/ALS is lacking, and robust cognitive phenotypes related to TDP-43 proteinopathy have not been established for most mouse models of FTD/ALS. Herein, we used automated touchscreen technology to assess executive function (affected in FTD/ALS) in male TDP-43^Q331Klow and ^-G348C FTD/ALS transgenic mice. The touchscreen pairwise visual discrimination task revealed impairments in 4-5-month-old TDP-43^Q331Klow and …

Translating Touches: New Approaches For Modeling And Rescuing Executive Function Deficits After Prenatal Alcohol Exposure, Johnny A. Kenton

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Background: With a recent meta-analysis indicating that 9.8% of women worldwide consume alcohol during pregnancy, understanding the effects of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is critical for both identifying and treating those afflicted. Traditional preclinical research investigating the behavioral effects of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as FASD, has utilized tasks designed for specific animal models. For this reason, preclinical research into FASD requires a shift into clinically relevant behavioral testing. One such method involves touch-sensitive screens integrated into an operant box to emulate clinical computer-based tasks, such as the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery.

Methods: Here, we utilized a mouse model …

Executive Function Deficit As A Precursor To Memory Impairments In Hapoe4 Transgenic Rats, Kaitlin Mcmanus

Honors Theses

The hApoE4 allele is one of the strongest genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It underlies amyloid-bdeposits and neurofibrillary tangles, the two hallmarks associated with AD pathology, and is subsequently associated with AD symptomology. Despite its importance, no rat animal studies to date use hApoE4 knock-ins. In addition to this deficit in the field of AD literature, the vast majority of AD studies focus on memory, even though executive function deficits may precede memory impairments in AD, and may be a predictor of AD development. Thus, the present study addressed these gaps in AD research by investigating the behavioral …

Mechanisms Underlying Executive Function Deficits, Sagar Jayawantrao Desai

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In our daily life, we come across situations where we meet unanticipated challenges, we must take certain decisions, pay attention, be flexible and inhibit impulsive actions to achieve goal directed behaviour. During these processes, we unknowingly use sets of interdependent cognitive processes collectively called ‘executive function’. Executive function is mainly regulated by the frontal lobe. Impaired executive function is associated with disorders such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

In this thesis, we investigated neurotransmitters and interactions among them regulating executive function. Further, we investigated mechanisms underlying those interactions mediating executive function in rats using …

Affective Decision-Making Predictive Of Chinese Adolescent Drinking Behaviors, Lin Xiao, Antoine Bechara, Jerry L. Grenard, Alan W. Stacy, Paula Palmer, Yonglan Wei, Yong Jia, Xiaolu Fu, C. Anderson Johnson

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

The goal of the current investigation was to address whether affective decision making would serve as a unique neuropsychological marker to predict drinking behaviors among adolescents. We conducted a longitudinal study of 181 Chinese adolescents in Chengdu city, China. In their 10th grade (ages 15–16), these adolescents were tested for their affective decision-making ability using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and working memory capacity using the Self-Ordered Pointing Test. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess academic performance and drinking behaviors. At 1-year follow-up, questionnaires were completed to assess drinking behaviors, and the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale was used to examine …