Neurosciences Commons^™

Identification And Characterization Of Novel, Small Molecule Inhibitors Of Spermine Oxidase, Amelia Bryn Furbish

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The major intracellular polyamines spermine and spermidine are abundant endogenous compounds that are essential for cellular growth and development. Dysregulation of polyamine metabolism has been implicated as a key mechanism of injury across multiple forms of clinically challenging pathologies. Of the enzymes within the polyamine pathway, the catabolic enzyme spermine oxidase (SMOX) is of particular interest as it is subject to induction in response to infection, neuronal excitotoxicity, ischemia, and oxidative stress. In addition to the loss of radical scavenging capabilities associated with spermine depletion, catabolism of spermine by SMOX results in the production of toxic byproducts, including H_{2 …}

Mapping The Maze Of Time: Unraveling Chronological Age-Induced Structural Transformations In The C57bl6 Mouse Brain, Angelica Arshoun, Adam Jasper, Ella D'Amico, Frank Yeh, Kirk Erickson, Amrita Sahu, Fabrisia Ambrosio

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Safety And Efficacy Of L5-S1 Inclusion In Multi-Level Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusions, Danyal Quraishi, Shahed Elhamdani, Chen Xu, Alexander Yu

Tower Health Research Day

No abstract provided.

Apigenin Alleviates Autistic-Like Stereotyped Repetitive Behaviors And Mitigates Brain Oxidative Stress In Mice, Petrilla Jayaprakash, Dmytro Isaev, Keun-Hang Susan Yang, Rami Beiram, Murat Oz, Bassem Sadek

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Studying the involvement of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), specifically α7-nAChRs, in neuropsychiatric brain disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has gained a growing interest. The flavonoid apigenin (APG) has been confirmed in its pharmacological action as a positive allosteric modulator of α7-nAChRs. However, there is no research describing the pharmacological potential of APG in ASD. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the subchronic systemic treatment of APG (10–30 mg/kg) on ASD-like repetitive and compulsive-like behaviors and oxidative stress status in the hippocampus and cerebellum in BTBR mice, utilizing the reference drug aripiprazole (ARP, 1 …

Novel Tests For Motor And Spatial Deficits In Zebra Finches Verify A Role For Aromatase And Estradiol In Improving Spatial But Not Motor Outcomes Post-Cerebellar Lesion, Simran Patel, Lainy B. Day, Mathew Thibodeaux, Demetria Tolbert, Chyna-Rae Dearman, Gerald W. Stinson, Joshua Hamer, John C. Garner, Dwight Waddell

Neuroscience Research Showcase

Objective: Test the role of Arom and E2 in recovery of zebra finch posture and spatial learning post-CB lesion.

Simran Patel^1,2, Lainy B. Day¹, Mathew Thibodeaux¹, Demetria Tolbert^1,2, Chyna-Rae Dearman¹, Gerald W. Stinson¹, Joshua Hamer¹, John C. Garner³, Dwight Waddell ⁴ (¹ Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University MS; ² Mississippi INBRE Research Scholar, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg MS; ³ Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, Troy University, Troy, AL 36082; ⁴ Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, MS …

Sex Differences In The Role Of Estradiol On Recovery After Cerebellar Lesion In The Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Castanotis), Mathew Thibodeaux, Chyna-Rae Dearman, Lainy B. Day

Neuroscience Research Showcase

Purpose:

• Test sex differences in a spatial (Escape Maze) and motor task (Log Roll)
• Manipulate E2 and aromatase levels in order to differentiate roles of E2 and aromatase in recovery post-CB lesion
• Confirm steroids aid recovery in spatial but not motor tasks post-CB lesion
• Determine whether steroids differentially influence male and female recovery in cognitive and motor tasks

Mathew Thibodeaux¹, Chyna-Rae Dearman¹, Lainy B. Day^1,2 (¹Department of Biology & ²Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor, University of Mississippi)

Influences Of Dietary Enrichment In Juvenile And Adult Male Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Castanotis) On Cheek Patch Growth And Color, Carley Craig, Mathew Thibodeaux, Mary Tharp, Gabrielle Morris, Woodward Young, Belinda Bagwandeen, Lainy B. Day

Neuroscience Research Showcase

Zebra finches (ZF) are sexually dimorphic. In captive ZFs, enriched diets increase cheek area and alter color, increasing adult male attractiveness. In the wild, breeding and brooding occur when proteinaceous seeds available. Our experiment tests whether supplemental egg food benefits captive non-breeding adults and juveniles.Pre-experiment, adults fed eggs, cuttlebone & bread 2x week. Other facets of our experiment showed enriched diet led to decreased reactive CORT levels and increased body mass, with the largest increase in females.

All authors are affiliated with the University of Mississippi Department of Biology and Neuroscience Minor.

The Effects Of Estradiol And Genistein On Cerebellar Neuroprotection In Zebra Finches, Grace Thompson, Renee E. Breaux, Emily Mcfatridge, Sarah Chong, Ethan Zadronzy, Estelle Blair, Lainy B. Day

Neuroscience Research Showcase

Introduction:

• Brain damage causes a secondary wave of degeneration
• Aromatase is upregulated in glia post-injury
• Aromatase (AROM) converts testosterone to estradiol (E₂) E₂ is neuroprotective and limits cell death
• E₂ is linked to cancer, stroke, and male infertility Genistein (GEN) is a soybean phytoestrogen with strong estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) affinity
• Genistein could be used clinically for neuroprotection
• ERβ receptors are abundant in the cerebellum AROM expression in the cerebellum is constitutively low
• Zebra Finch (ZF) brains have high neuroplasticity
• The ZF cerebellum is ideal for neuroplasticity research

All authors are affiliated with the University of …

Identifying The Distribution Of Peptide Hormones Regulating Adrenal And Gonadal Steroids In The Brains Of Diploid And Polypoid Treefrogs, Jordan Jackson, Chris J. Leary, Lainy B. Day

Neuroscience Research Showcase

Hypothesis: polyploidization altered the relative expression levels of hormone receptors > altered regulation of circulating hormone levels and influence hormone interactions, or mutation of duplicated receptor coding genes. RNAseq - expression levels and sequences of receptors in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) and hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal/ interrenal (HPA/I) axes

All authors are affiliated with the University of Mississippi Department of Biology.

The Effects Of Acute Hypoxia Exposure On Cognitive Function, John W. Sepko, Zakary Patrick, Parker Wilkerson, Madison Hulsey, Paul D. Loprizini

Neuroscience Research Showcase

Introduction: There is conflicting literature as to the effects of varying levels of hypoxia on cognition. Recent work by Loprinzi et al. (2019) demonstrated that moderate levels of hypoxia exposure increased memory (cognitive) performance. However, research investigating severe hypoxic exposure has shown immediate cognitive impairments (Nation, 2017). To reconcile these mixed findings, the present study aimed to investigate the extent to which varying levels of hypoxia affect cognition. Methods: Eighty-seven participants were recruited using convenience sampling at the University of Mississippi and completed a within-subject study design. The first lab visit was conducted for familiarizing the participant to the lab …

Eaat4-Dependent Effects On Glutamatergic Signaling In The Cerebellar Molecular Layer, Christopher Chen

Dissertations (1934 -)

Glutamatergic signaling is fundamental to human behavior and its dysfunction is implicated in a wide range of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Excitatory amino-acid transporters (EAATs) – of which four primary subtypes (EAAT1, EAAT2, EAAT3, and EAAT4) exist in the human brain – are primary regulators of glutamate signaling. Endogenously-expressed at either low (EAAT4-low) or high (EAAT4-high) concentration in cerebellar Purkinje cells, EAAT4 has been shown to regulate Purkinje cell activity in the cerebellar molecular layer. However, differences in glutamatergic signaling at the circuit and single-synaptic levels in EAAT4-low and EAAT4-high regions are poorly understood. To characterize EAAT4-specific effects on excitatory …

Ongoing Study Of The Association Of Apoe Gene Polymorphisms With Cognitive Impairment In The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Population, Jaime Miguel L. Saveron, Daniela Gamez, Chun Xu

Research Symposium

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD), a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, exhibits a significant genetic component. In addition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a key risk factor for AD. While certain demographic factors and genetic variants associated with AD and cognitive impairment have been identified in non-Hispanic populations, limited research exists on this subject within the Hispanic population, particularly in the Rio Grande Valley. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the APOE gene, specifically its ε4 allele, and cognitive impairment in the Hispanic population of the Rio Grande Valley.

Methods: A total of 269 Hispanic subjects, aged 60 and above, with …

Exploring Neuroplasticity Changes In Neurotoxin-Induced Parkinson’S Disease: A Preliminary Analysis Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Tomas Gomez Jr., Daniel Salinas, Kelsey Potter-Baker, Nawaz Hack, Ramu Vadukapuram

Research Symposium

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that affects movement, cognition, gait, and significantly impacts one's quality of life. Studies have suggested that neurotoxin pre-exposure is related to PD pathology and progressive motor/non-motor deficits, though it remains unclear how neurotoxin exposure affects neuroplasticity. The present study aimed to examine neurotoxin–induced PD-associated neuroplasticity changes in relationship to mental acuity and PD motor functionalities.

Methods: 7 voluntary participants experiencing early-stage PD symptoms with self-reported neurotoxin pre-exposure were enrolled in the longitudinal, repeated-measures clinical study; 2 sex-matched, age-matched, and occupation-matched healthy subjects were recruited for controlled comparative analysis (n=9). UTRGV’s Institute …

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (Gaba) Neurons And Perineuronal Nets (Pnn) In The Monodelphis Domestica And Relevance To Psychiatric Disorders, Jatziry Z. Luna Escobedo, Mariela Garcia, John L. Vandeberg, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

Background/ Purpose: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid that serves as the central nervous system’s (CNS) main inhibitory neurotransmitter. By inhibiting nerve transmission, it works to lower neuronal excitability. Altered GABA levels have been associated with a variety of psychiatric disorders, for example Epilepsies, Parkinson’s Disease, and Schizophrenia. Perineuronal nets (PNN) are extracellular molecules that are released by neurons and glial cells that modulate many neuronal and glial functions by encapsulating the inhibitory cells and neurites. Altered PNN levels serve as a potential trigger to synaptic imbalance. The purpose of this study is to quantify and analyze the presence, …

Contribution Of 24-H Blood Pressure Variability To Dementia-Related Disorders In Hispanics, Nura Salhadar, Kristina Vatcheva, Silvia Mejia-Arango, Luis J. Mena, Ney Alliey-Rodriguez, Carlos A. Chavez, Ciro A. Goana, Egle Silva, Gustavo Calmon, Rosa P. Mavarez, Joseph H. Lee, Joseph D. Terwilliger, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Gladys E. Maestre

Research Symposium

Introduction: As the number of people living with dementia is increasing at alarming rates worldwide, there is an urgent need to understand the physiopathology of dementia syndromes. Among the most important preventable risk factors, treatment of vascular risk factors such as high blood pressure (BP) decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Recent evidence suggests that examining BP variability provides additional physiopathological and predictive information above the mean BP level. However, studies examining the relationship between 24-h BP variability and ADRD are limited, and evidence of the association with dementia has not been documented yet. Therefore, we …

Automated Seizure Detection Based On State-Space Model Identification, Zhuo Wang, Michael Sperling, Dale Wyeth, Allon Guez

Department of Neuroscience Faculty Papers

In this study, we developed a machine learning model for automated seizure detection using system identification techniques on EEG recordings. System identification builds mathematical models from a time series signal and uses a small number of parameters to represent the entirety of time domain signal epochs. Such parameters were used as features for the classifiers in our study. We analyzed 69 seizure and 55 non-seizure recordings and an additional 10 continuous recordings from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, alongside a larger dataset from the CHB-MIT database. By dividing EEGs into epochs (1 s, 2 s, 5 s, and 10 s) and …

Promoting Diverse Perspectives: Addressing Health Disparities Related To Alzheimer's And All Dementias, Gladys Maestre, Carl Hill, Percy Griffin, Stephen Hall, William Hu, Jason Flatt, Ganesh Babulal

School of Medicine Publications and Presentations

Dementia research lacks appropriate representation of diverse groups who often face substantial adversity and greater risk of dementia. Current research participants are primarily well-resourced, non-Hispanic White, cisgender adults who live close to academic medical centers where much of the research is based. Consequently, the field faces a knowledge gap about Alzheimer's-related risk factors in those other groups. The Alzheimer's Association hosted a virtual conference on June 14–16, 2021, supported in part by the National Institute on Aging (R13 AG072859-01), focused on health disparities. The conference was held entirely online and consisted of 2 days of core programming and a day …

Characterization Of Anti-Cancer Properties Of Fungal Metabolite Ophiobolin A, Asma Syed, Rozena Shirvani, Maximiliano Arath Morales, Shizue Mito, Alexander Kornienko, Xiaoqian Fang

Research Symposium

Background: Ophiobolin A (Oph A) is a secondary metabolite and a phytotoxin produced by the pathogenic fungi Cochliobolus heterostrophus that causes “southern corn leaf blight” disease in maize via modulation of the calcium binding protein calmodulin. Numerous studies have found antiproliferative effects of Ophiobolin A against a variety of cells including bacteria and various cancers including melanoma, glioma and leukemia. Recent studies have shown that OphA induces paraptosis-like cell death in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells via vacuolization of the cytoplasm and enlargement of the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Notably, unlike apoptosis, paraptosis cell death lacks DNA fragmentation and activation …

Selective Targeting Of Microglia By Quantum Dots And Green Synthesis Of Metal Organic Biohybrids; Applications In Dynamic Cell And Assay Systems, Navya Uppu

Doctoral Dissertations

Neurological disorders are the leading cause of physical and cognitive disability across the globe, currently affecting approximately 15% of the worldwide population. Part of the glioma microenvironment are microglia, resident immune cells of the CNS that were thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of diverse neurodegenerative diseases. Though it remains uncertain what triggers microglial activation in these disorders, targeting and tracking microglial functions using nanotools like Quantum Dots (QDs) could help us elucidate them in such neurological diseases. This research focuses on the comparative study of different QDs formulations and their selective uptake by brain microglia in primary cultures …

Neural Correlates Of Fear Extinction: Investing The Impact Of Puberty And Sex In Children And Adolescents Through Neuroimaging, Sneha Bhargava, Clara Zundel, Samantha Ely, Carmen Carpenter, Reem Tamimi, Leah Gowatch, Mackenna Shampine, Emilie-Clare O'Mara, Jovan Jande, Shravya Chanamolu, Ahmad Almaat, Hilary Marusak

Medical Student Research Symposium

Fear-based disorders, including anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, are more prevalent in females than males. Steroid hormones (e.g., estradiol) are involved in fear extinction learning and later recall—a process implicated in the pathophysiology of fear-based disorders. Fear-based disorders commonly emerge during the transition from childhood to adolescence, a period marked by the onset of puberty and a natural increase of steroid hormones. Here, we examined the effects of puberty, sex, and their interaction on extinction recall and underlying neural circuitry in youth. Eighty-five youth (6-17 years, 46% female) completed a two-day Pavlovian fear extinction paradigm while undergoing functional magnetic resonance …