Neurosciences Commons^™

Certain General Anesthetics Used In Pediatrics Hinder Neurological Development In Infants, Michael R. Hirschi

Selected Honors Theses

General anesthetics act by either blocking N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors or over stimulating γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors.^1–3 The actions of these receptors are responsible for the anesthetized state and are also crucial in the neurological development of infants.^2,4–8 Animal studies, although limited, provide vital information about general anesthesia’s neurotoxicity its hindrance of neurological development. Exposure to general anesthesia can severely hinder proper neuronal migration, synaptogenesis, and can drastically increase neuronal apoptosis in infant animals.^9–16 General anesthetics are more neurotoxic to infant animals in combination compared to individually.^10,16,17 Additionally, multiple exposures to general anesthesia tend to have compounding …

The Therapeutic Role Of Turmeric In Treatment And Prevention Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Rylan M. Mcquade

Selected Honors Theses

As a devastating neurological condition that expends millions of lives each year, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a subject of intense investigation.¹ Although AD has been known for over a century, the precise mechanisms that underlie AD pathogenesis and development are still poorly understood. The Alzheimer phenotype is typified by extracellular amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), causing researchers to notice several key enzymes implicated in this process.¹ Most notable are β and γ secretases (which drive Aβ plaque production) and phospholipase

A₂ (which stimulates major cascade activation through the specific cleavage of fatty acyl esters). …