Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medical Neurobiology Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 9 of 9

Full-Text Articles in Medical Neurobiology

Fos Expression In Lateral Hypothalamus/Perifornical Area Is Correlated With Psychosocial Stress-Induced Cocaine-Seeking Behavior In A Sex-Specific Manner, Milena Sudarikov, Nicole M. Hinds, Ireneusz D. Wojtas, Desta M. Pulley, Daniel F. Manvich May 2024

Fos Expression In Lateral Hypothalamus/Perifornical Area Is Correlated With Psychosocial Stress-Induced Cocaine-Seeking Behavior In A Sex-Specific Manner, Milena Sudarikov, Nicole M. Hinds, Ireneusz D. Wojtas, Desta M. Pulley, Daniel F. Manvich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Cocaine Use Disorder persists as a significant public health concern in the United States. Recent epidemiological data indicate that rates of cocaine-involved overdose deaths are rising, and treatment of Cocaine Use Disorder is challenging due to a lack of FDA-approved medications to help patients achieve abstinence and avoid relapse. Stress can precipitate cocaine craving and trigger relapse episodes, however the underlying neural circuitry by which stressors drive cocaine seeking is not completely understood. Our laboratory has recently identified the potential involvement of the rostrolateral aspect of the periaqueductal gray (rlPAG) in psychosocial stress-induced cocaine-seeking behavior using a rodent model of …


A Preliminary Report On The Role Of Lipoxin A4 In Reinstating The Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity In A Rodent Model Of Acute Inflammation With Impaired Cerebrovasculature, Minjal Patel, Shruti Varshney, Ananya Nethikunta, George G. Godsey, Mary C. Kosciuk, Ana Rodriguez, Bernd Spur, Kingsley Yin, Randel L. Swanson, Venkat Venkataraman, Robert G. Nagele, Nimish Acharya May 2024

A Preliminary Report On The Role Of Lipoxin A4 In Reinstating The Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity In A Rodent Model Of Acute Inflammation With Impaired Cerebrovasculature, Minjal Patel, Shruti Varshney, Ananya Nethikunta, George G. Godsey, Mary C. Kosciuk, Ana Rodriguez, Bernd Spur, Kingsley Yin, Randel L. Swanson, Venkat Venkataraman, Robert G. Nagele, Nimish Acharya

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is responsible for maintaining brain homeostasis and ultimately proper neuronal function. Disruption of the BBB, leading to increased BBB permeability, has been reported in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Lipoxins (LXs) are a class of arachidonate-derived eicosanoids, which are a class of specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPMs). SPMs are known to inhibit immune response through inhibition of cellular infiltration, downregulation of pro-inflammatory mediators and upregulation of anti-inflammatory mediators. Hence, LXs are recognized as “breaking signals” in the inflammatory process. One form of LXs, Lipoxin A4 (LXA4) …


How Does Schizophrenia Affect The Expression Of Alpha 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors In The Brain?, Shruti Varshney, Nimish Acharya May 2024

How Does Schizophrenia Affect The Expression Of Alpha 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors In The Brain?, Shruti Varshney, Nimish Acharya

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a psychiatric disorder with a pathophysiology that has not yet been fully understood. This mental illness is characterized by disruptions in cognition, social activity, affect, and perception, and affects approximately 0.085% of individuals worldwide. The Alpha 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor (α7nAChR) has been connected to auditory function gating deficits. The purpose of this review is to understand the current literature in how the levels of α7nAChR expression and function are affected by SZ, information that could be used to develop therapies to modulate auditory hallucinations in patients with SZ. A literature search was conducted for peer-reviewed journal …


The Neuroprotective Role Of Lipoxin A4 In Reinstating Blood Brain Barrier Integrity In Neuroinflammatory Disease Processes, Minjal Patel, Nimish Acharya May 2024

The Neuroprotective Role Of Lipoxin A4 In Reinstating Blood Brain Barrier Integrity In Neuroinflammatory Disease Processes, Minjal Patel, Nimish Acharya

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The blood-brain barrier (BBB), formed by the vascular endothelium, astrocytic foot processes, pericytes, is a highly selective barrier that is responsible for maintaining brain homeostasis and ultimately proper neuronal function. Disruption of the BBB, leading to increased BBB permeability, has been reported in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).1 Loss of BBB integrity leads to the proliferation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including TNFɑ, IL-1β, and IL-6.2 Moderate inflammation has a beneficial response in the system following an acute injury. However, prolonged inflammation has been known to perturb homeostasis and have …


Alpha 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression In The Hippocampus Of Patients With Schizophrenia, Shruti Varshney, Ananya Nethikunta, Minjal Patel, Mary Kosciuk, Randel L. Swanson, Venkat Venkataraman, Robert Nagele, Eric Goldwaser, Nimish Acharya May 2024

Alpha 7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression In The Hippocampus Of Patients With Schizophrenia, Shruti Varshney, Ananya Nethikunta, Minjal Patel, Mary Kosciuk, Randel L. Swanson, Venkat Venkataraman, Robert Nagele, Eric Goldwaser, Nimish Acharya

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Schizophrenia (SZ) is a heterogenous psychiatric condition characterized by disruptions in cognition, social activity, affect, and perception often associated with a varied combination of positive and negative symptoms. The pathophysiology behind SZ remains poorly elucidated. Earlier reports have cited the importance of the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChR) in the hippocampus and the receptor’s association with auditory sensory gating and cognitive function. Specifically, variations in the expression and functionality of α7nAChR can be linked to auditory hallucinations experienced by patients with SZ and several therapies have been researched that target α7nAChRs. However, there are very few primary research …


The Impact Of Traumatic Brain Injury On Noradrenergic Innervation Of The Prefrontal Cortex, Jil P. Modi, Christopher P. Knapp, Rachel L. Navarra May 2024

The Impact Of Traumatic Brain Injury On Noradrenergic Innervation Of The Prefrontal Cortex, Jil P. Modi, Christopher P. Knapp, Rachel L. Navarra

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a common cause of death and disability in the United States, and it can occur due to varied reasons including motor vehicle accidents, gunshot wounds, and falls. Following TBIs, patients are often left with lifelong disabilities and cognitive problems that can lead to increased risk-taking behaviors. The main goal of my research was to understand the neural mechanisms that drive increased risk-taking behaviors due to TBIs. The specific areas of the brain I was interested in looking at were the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and/or anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of the prefrontal …


Pediatric Neurotropic Infection Alters Synaptic Development In The Developing Brain, Anuoluwapo Grace Fadare, Yashika S. Kamte, Manish N. Chandwani, Lauren A. O'Donnell May 2024

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 …


Intra-Accumbens Microinfusion Of The Dopamine D3 Receptor Partial Agonist (±)Vk4-40 Does Not Affect Basal Locomotion In Mice, Yeonwoo Sim, Nicole M. Hinds, Amy Hauck Newman, Daniel F. Manvich May 2024

Intra-Accumbens Microinfusion Of The Dopamine D3 Receptor Partial Agonist (±)Vk4-40 Does Not Affect Basal Locomotion In Mice, Yeonwoo Sim, Nicole M. Hinds, Amy Hauck Newman, Daniel F. Manvich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The opioid epidemic remains a pressing public health crisis, prompting the search for alternative pharmacotherapies for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). This study explores the potential of the dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) partial agonist, (±)VK4-40, as a novel treatment option. We investigated the impact of intra-nucleus accumbens (NAc) microinfusion of VK4-40 on basal locomotion in mice. Results indicate that VK4-40 did not significantly alter basal locomotion, suggesting that its therapeutic effects may not be mediated through disruptions in generalized motor function. Future research will focus on elucidating the neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying VK4-40's therapeutic actions and exploring its effects on psychostimulant-induced hyperlocomotion. …


Interactions Between Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury And Methylphenidate Administration On Catecholamine Transporter Protein Levels Within The Rodent Prefrontal Cortex, Anna Abrimian, Eleni Papadopoulos, Christopher P. Knapp, J. Loweth, Barry Waterhouse, Rachel Navarra May 2024

Interactions Between Repetitive Mild Traumatic Brain Injury And Methylphenidate Administration On Catecholamine Transporter Protein Levels Within The Rodent Prefrontal Cortex, Anna Abrimian, Eleni Papadopoulos, Christopher P. Knapp, J. Loweth, Barry Waterhouse, Rachel Navarra

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

It is theorized that low concentrations of dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) within in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) following traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to increased risky behavior. Our lab has shown that repeated mild TBI (rmTBI) sex-differentially increases risky behavior in a rodent model. Methylphenidate (MPH) is a psychostimulant drug used to treat symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), also driven by a hypo-catecholaminergic PFC. MPH elevates catecholamine levels by blocking DA and NE transporters, DAT and NET. While the potential of psychostimulants to treat post-TBI symptoms have been explored, the effects of sub-chronic MPH on transporter levels following …