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Full-Text Articles in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
Identification And Delineation Of Neuronal Pathways Underlying Hypophagia, Jing Cai
Identification And Delineation Of Neuronal Pathways Underlying Hypophagia, Jing Cai
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
In terms of metabolism, eating disorders manifest in two extreme directions: overnutrition, which can lead to obesity, and malnutrition, which can result in underweight or even starvation. Both extremes compromise the quality of life. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5) standard, eating disorders affect up to 17.9% of young women and 2.4% of young men. Although eating disorders are primarily defined as mental disorders rather than metabolic disorders, they are intertwined with complex emotions and sensory perceptions. However, in contemporary animal research related to eating disorders and feeding behaviors, the majority of neuroscientists still examine …
Modification Of Aplysia Feeding Network By L-Dopa And Dopamine-Dependent Learning, Curtis Neveu, Curtis L. Neveu
Modification Of Aplysia Feeding Network By L-Dopa And Dopamine-Dependent Learning, Curtis Neveu, Curtis L. Neveu
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Dopamine (DA) is a ubiquitous neuromodulator of neuronal networks in the animal kingdom and has a well-established role in modulating motor behavior and encoding reward information. Although the effects of DA and DA-dependent learning at the behavioral and molecular levels are well-understood, many questions still remain concerning the effects of DA at the network level. DA-dependent learning effects on a neuronal circuit were examined by measuring the biophysical properties before and after in vitro operant conditioning (OC) of the feeding circuit of Aplysia. OC reduced the excitability of B4 and the B4-to-B51 synaptic connection, with a trend towards an …
Characterization Of Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 And Its Role In Parkinson's Disease Pathogenesis Using Drosophila, Antonio Joel Tito Jr., Sheng Zhang
Characterization Of Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 And Its Role In Parkinson's Disease Pathogenesis Using Drosophila, Antonio Joel Tito Jr., Sheng Zhang
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the selective loss of the dopaminergic neurons in the Substantia nigra pars compacta region of the brain. PD is also the most common neurodegenerative disorder and the second most common movement disorder. PD patients exhibit the cardinal symptoms, including tremor of the extremities, rigidity, slowness of movement, and postural instability, after 70-80% of DA neurons degenerate. It is, therefore, imperative to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in the selective degeneration of DA neurons. Although increasing numbers of PD genes have been identified, why these largely widely expressed genes induce …
Signaling Mechanisms That Control Gap Junctional Coupling Between Retinal Neurons, Wade Kothmann
Signaling Mechanisms That Control Gap Junctional Coupling Between Retinal Neurons, Wade Kothmann
Dissertations & Theses (Open Access)
Gap junctions between neurons form the structural substrate for electrical synapses. Connexin 36 (Cx36, and its non-mammalian ortholog connexin 35) is the major neuronal gap junction protein in the central nervous system (CNS), and contributes to several important neuronal functions including neuronal synchronization, signal averaging, network oscillations, and motor learning. Connexin 36 is strongly expressed in the retina, where it is an obligatory component of the high-sensitivity rod photoreceptor pathway. A fundamental requirement of the retina is to adapt to broadly varying inputs in order to maintain a dynamic range of signaling output. Modulation of the strength of electrical coupling …