Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Pediatric Neurotropic Infection Alters Synaptic Development In The Developing Brain, Anuoluwapo Grace Fadare, Yashika S. Kamte, Manish N. Chandwani, Lauren A. O'Donnell

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Many neurotropic viruses cause more significant pathology in younger hosts as their brains are still developing. This experiment asked how central nervous system (CNS) viral-infections affect the development of synapses in the pediatric brain during infection and post-infection. Synaptogenesis is at its peak in pediatric mice (10 days old) and we hypothesized that a neurotropic infection could disrupt synaptic proteins. We used a transgenic mouse model where measles virus (MV) infects only mature neurons, leading us to question whether synapses were impacted. We examined synaptic markers in the cerebellum and hippocampus in MV-infected and uninfected mice 9 days and 90 …

Are You Numb Yet?, Monica Lozano Garcia, Chelsea Erazo Macias, Victoria Cuello, Kelsey Baker

Research Colloquium

Background: Recent research has suggested that after a spinal cord injury (SCI), detrimental reorganization of neural structures favors stronger muscles while inhibiting weaker muscles. Temporary deafferentation (TD) is a technique that uses short-term anesthesia, to inactivate sensation pathways from stronger muscles so that the brain releases inhibition that was placed on weaker muscles, thereby strengthening them. Here, we seek to evaluate when peak TD is achieved to define when strength-building exercises on a weaker muscle should begin.

Methods: 5% lidocaine cream was applied to the right biceps of 7 healthy volunteers. We measured sensation every 15 minutes after …

Spinal Cord Injury: What About The Brain?, Monica Lozano Garcia, Kelsey Baker

Research Symposium

Background: Recent research has suggested that the brain may also undergo neurodegeneration after a spinal cord injury (SCI). Here, we evaluated neurodegeneration in the brain of patients with SCI and related neurodegeneration to rehabilitation performance, spine degeneration, and motor function.

Methods: T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted images of 13 SCI patients and 13 healthy controls were obtained. We evaluated fractional anisotropy in the motor cortex (MC), the sulci in front of the MC, the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC), and the cerebral peduncles (CP) in both hemispheres to determine neurodegeneration. Statistical analysis was performed between patients with SCI …

Can Alternative Medical Methods Evoke Neuro-Functional Somatosensory Responses? A Case Study Suggesting Functional Improvement, Alhasn Otaif, Mashan E. Alshammari, Christine G. Gerin

Research Symposium

Somatosensory pathways act as the avenue in transferring information concerning the body and its interaction with the external environment to the brain. We aim to demonstrate that through studying somatosensory, motor cortical and subcortical networks, we can explain functional recovery after stimulations applied as an alternative medical treatment. Those stimulations might have evidenced neural pathways and networks important in recovery of function. Materials and methods: The de-identified medical reports of nine patients with initial presentations of cerebral trauma or stroke inducing paralysis were studied.These included the alternative treatments they received and other available materials such as videos and photographs. Patients …

Resistance Training Improves White Matter Structural Connectivity In Older Adults At-Risk For Cognitive Decline, Ryu Lien

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Diabetes is a global health concern that impacts 415 million people worldwide. Individuals who are at-risk for diabetes (characterized by high blood glucose and/or being overweight) have white matter atrophy, decreased cognitive function, and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recently, resistance training (RT) has been shown to lower white matter atrophy and white matter lesion volume. However, investigating changes in white matter tracts is complex, hence previous findings remain inconclusive. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) serves as a highly sensitive tool that enables visualization and characterization of white matter tracts and has the potential to combat this complexity. The …

Impact Forces And Patterns Of Axonal Injury Differ Between Two Models Of Tbi, Edward Lai, David M Devilbiss

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects approximately 3.8 million Americans a year and results in complex neuropathological and neurocognitive sequelae. Animal models of TBI attempt to replicate the impact forces and pathology of injury in humans. However, in these models, the forces generated at the time of impact are poorly understood. Nonetheless, a variety of shear and strain forces generated at the time of impact can produce diffuse axonal injury. Injury to axons and neurons across a variety of brain regions resulting from axonal injury underlies the cognitive and behavioral impairments observed after TBI. Three critical brain regions, the corpus callosum …

Discovering The Brain Activation Patterns Associated With Somatosensory Stimulation In The Lower Extremity In Healthy Adults At Rest: Preliminary Results For A Systematic Review, Siying Luan

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Stroke, which is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in adults in North America, burdens millions of people as they age. When people experience the long-lasting consequences of stroke, such as limited mobility, the rehabilitation process becomes critical. The mechanism behind walking is supported by a complex system, the somatosensory nervous system. This system transmits information that is essential for one to complete daily tasks, which means the relationship between the somatosensory system and walking is critical to understand for future innovative rehabilitation interventions. Thus, we are investigating the brain activation patterns associated with …

Understanding The Traumatized Brain, Sam Marion, Elizabeth Marston

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Students who have experienced trauma are often in need of behavioral intervention due to challenging behaviors and reactivity. Understanding the body’s threat response system gives insight into these behaviors and allows for empathy within the interventions. This presentation will outline basic neuroscience theories, propose interventions focused on self-regulation, and demonstrate how adding basic elements to existing interventions can increase efficacy.

Cranial Injuries With Screwdriver – Ucck, Besnik Elshani, Salih Krasniqi

UBT International Conference

In terms of anatomy, the human body is very complicated. Moreover it represents an entire structure of a human being. What makes it very unique is the way of its composition; different and diverse types of cells and everything is connected to everything else. A combination of cells create tissues which then those tissues create the organ systems. Therefore, in this study presentation I will present the importance of brain as an organ, with a focus on the cranial Injury with a screwdriver. One of the most important and complicated parts of the body is the human head.