Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Neuroinflammation In Alzheimer's Disease And Vascular Cognitive Impairment, Erica M. Weekman

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

It was once believed that the brain was immunologically privileged with no resident or infiltrating immune cells; however, now it is understood that the cells of the brain are capable of a wide range of inflammatory processes and phenotypes. Inflammation in the brain has been implicated in several disease processes such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID); however, the role of inflammation in these two dementias is poorly understood.

When we stimulated a pro-inflammatory phenotype with an adeno-associated viral vector in a transgenic mouse model of AD that develops Aβ plaques, we saw a pro-inflammatory …

Attenuating Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain By Repurposing Pioglitazone And D-Cycloserine In The Novel Trigeminal Inflammatory Compression Mouse Model, Danielle N. Lyons

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Approximately 22% of the United States population suffers from a chronic orofacial pain condition. One such condition is known as trigeminal neuropathic pain frequently reported as continuous aching and burning pain, often accompanied by intermittent electrical shock-like sensations. Dental procedures or trauma are known causes of peripheral trigeminal nerve injury and inflammation. Patients who have this type of facial pain also suffer from emotional distress. For these reasons, trigeminal neuropathic pain needs to be studied in more detail to improve the understanding of the etiology and maintenance of this condition, as well as to develop effective treatment strategies. The first …

Sex Differences In Cell Death And Steroid Hormone Receptors In Cortical Explants, Amanda L. Trout

Theses and Dissertations--Physiology

Estrogens, such as the biologically active 17-b estradiol (E2) have many actions in the male and female brain. Not only does E2 regulate reproductive behavior in adults, it organizes and activates the brains of younger animals in a sex-specific manner. In addition, many human studies have shown E2 to provide protection against a variety of neurological disorders, including stoke. These studies have been controversial and depend largely on the type and timing of hormone replacement. Animal studies are much less controversial and clearly demonstrate a neuroprotective role for E2 following ischemic brain injury. Because much of E2 neuroprotection requires sex …