Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

Bridging The Gap In Science Research: Preparing Students For College- Level Research In The Sciences, Victoria Helwig, Yaoguang Li

UConn Library Presentations

Many first-year students enter college unprepared to fully engage with scientific literature and academic library resources. Drawing on experiences from academic librarians working with STEM students, this session explores common gaps in science research skills, including navigating databases, identifying scholarly sources, and understanding the structure of scientific literature. Participants will be introduced to practical strategies and classroom-ready activities to better prepare students for college-level research. Discussion questions: What science research skills do students struggle with most when entering college? How can high school instruction better support these skills? Where can librarians and educators collaborate to support student success?

Foveate, Dahlia Aggarwal

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates how textiles can unsettle visual assumptions, encouraging a perceptual shift. Through weaving, upholstery, and spatial installation, the work stages a tension between what a surface appears to be and how it is encountered by the body. Through woven pattern, tactile texture, and trompe l’oeil textile surfaces, perception is something negotiated rather than fixed: the eye anticipates one reality while the hand discovers another.

Drawing on a range of sensations gathered from observing landscape formations and textures, it translates enduring scale and material qualities into an interior landscape of woven surfaces and textile-based furniture. Rather than serving as …

Somatic Prosthetics For Planetary Resonance, Disha Dharesh Kumar R

Masters Theses

This thesis investigates how industrial design can transcend extractive technological paradigms in favor of relational interfaces that foster planetary attunement. Framing the climate crisis as a 'crisis of imagination', the research challenges the Western bifurcation of nature and culture by drawing on Indic cosmologies- which recognize stones, plants, and ecosystems as conscious at different levels and participants in a shared cosmic field. By synthesizing research in Biosemiotics, Quantum Information Pansycishm, and Neuroscience, the project redefines intelligence as a distributed, more-than-human phenomenon.

The research materializes as a speculative design artifact: a device that functions as a somatic prosthetic for planetary resonance. …

Expanding Access To Noninvasive Spinal Neuromodulation For Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation: A Comparative Device Study, Alice E C Palmer

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Theses

Paralysis following spinal cord injury (SCI) has traditionally been considered permanent due to the disruption of supraspinal input to spinal motor circuits. However, growing evidence suggests that spinal networks below the level of injury retain intrinsic motor-generating capabilities through central pattern generators. Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (scTS) is a noninvasive neuromodulation technique that delivers electrical stimulation through the skin to reactivate these spinal networks. Although prior studies demonstrate that scTS delivered through research-grade devices is safe and effective in adults and children with chronic SCI, clinical translation remains limited by lack of FDA-approved systems, high costs, and restricted access to …

Assessing Functional Visual Recovery After Retinal Regeneration In Zebrafish Using The Optokinetic Response (Okr), Yeganeh Tabatabaei Alavi, Yeganeh Tabatabaei Alavi

Medical Student Research Symposium

Zebrafish have a unique ability to regenerate retinal neurons through Müller glia-mediated reprogramming, a process not found in mammals. While structural regeneration has been extensively documented, the degree to which regenerated photoreceptors restore functional vision remains unclear. The optokinetic response (OKR), a reflexive eye-tracking behavior triggered by moving visual stimuli, provides a quantitative, non-invasive method to assess visual performance. This study aims to determine whether photoreceptor regeneration following acute and chronic light-induced injury results in functional restoration of vision. Adult zebrafish will be divided into three groups: uninjured control, acute injury (short-term high-intensity light), and chronic injury (long-term low-intensity light). …

The Role Of Extracellular Vesicles As Diagnostic Tools In Gut-Brain Axis Disorders, Patricia Marçal Da Costa, Paulo Iury Gomes Nunes, Gabriella Cunha Vieira Ciurleo, José Wagner Leonel Tavares Junior, Pedro Braga Neto, Ludmila Belayev, Reinaldo Barreto Oriá

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

The gut–brain axis represents a dynamic two-way signaling network whose dysregulation has been implicated in a wide range of neurogastrointestinal disorders. In this context, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as critical mediators of intercellular signaling and as promising non-invasive biomarkers. Derived from host and microbial cells, EVs carry bioactive cargo—including proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and metabolites—that reflect the physiological or pathological state of their cells of origin. Their ability to cross biological barriers, such as the blood–brain barrier, underscores their potential for diagnosing and monitoring gut–brain axis dysfunctions. In this mini-review, we integrate microbial and brain-derived EVs within the framework …

Glial Cytokine Modulation Improves Sleep And Circadian Disruption In Female Saa Knock-In Mice Of Alzheimer’S-Related Pathology, Teresa Macheda, Margaret R. Hawkins, Carrie E. Johnson, Madison G. Lapid, Haleigh R. Whitlock, Savannah M. Shepard, Makayla F. Cox, Kelly N. Roberts, Leke Bytyqi, Heather M. Hash, Omar A. Abou El-Ezz, Mohammed Abou El-Ezz, Katharina Kohler, Sridhar Sunderam, Bruce F. O'Hara, Linda J. Van Eldik, Michael Paul Murphy, Marilyn J. Duncan, Adam D. Bachstetter

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

Introduction: Sleep and circadian disturbances are early Alzheimer's disease (AD) features, yet mechanisms linking amyloid pathology, neuroinflammation, and sex differences remain unclear.

Methods: We longitudinally assessed sleep, circadian rhythms, and cognition in female and male hAPP^SAA knock-in and control mice from 2 to 19 months using piezoelectric monitoring. Aged mice (15 months) received MW151, a glial cytokine inhibitor (2.5 mg/kg, every other day, 6 weeks).

Results: Only females exhibited midlife reductions in light-phase sleep, increased rhythm fragmentation, and reduced rhythm stability, coinciding with selective reversal learning deficits, effects independent of amyloid or cytokine burden. MW151 increased light-phase sleep and …

From Fog To Function: An Occupational Therapist's Guide To Evaluating And Treating Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairments, Lauren E. Toner

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Doctoral Capstone Symposium

Cancer – related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common side effect of cancer treatment that interferes with cancer survivors’ occupational performance, independence, and quality of life. Despite its high prevalence, CRCI remains under recognized and inconsistently addressed within oncology care. About 70% of individuals diagnosed with cancer report cognitive changes during or after treatment, yet many do not receive treatment. Occupational therapists are clinically trained to evaluate and treat functional cognition, activities of daily activities, instrumental activities of daily living, and client centered goals, positioning them as key providers in addressing CRCI. However, limited occupational therapy specific resources have hindered …

Non-Invasive Detection Of Intracranial Pressure, Andrei V. Nesterenko

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Intracranial pressure is a critical metric used when managing tumors, strokes, TBIs, hydrocephalus, and other operative conditions. Traditional methods for continuous ICP monitoring, intraparenchymal catheters, epidural transducers etc., are invasive and carry a high risk of infection. Previous attempts to create accurate, easy to use, and non-invasive ICP monitoring techniques have been unsuccessful. In this study, we investigated the utility of supraorbital and posterior auricular photoplethysmography to monitor changes in ICP during orthostatic tilt and hyperventilation, which increase and decrease ICP respectively.

Through a continuous 5-minute recording on a tilt-table we characterized SOA and PAA waveforms in 12 participants (ages …

Temporal Evolution Of Brain Inflammation In The Bilateral Common Carotid Artery Stenosis Model Of Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion, Makayla F. Cox, Jill M. Roberts, Ryan K. Shahidehpour, David L. Dornbos Iii, Adam D. Bachstetter

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion is a major contributor to vascular cognitive impairment and dementia, primarily through its disruption of white matter integrity and promotion of neuroinflammatory cascades. The bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) model has emerged as the predominant experimental approach for studying the effects of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, particularly in aging-relevant contexts. This review synthesizes current knowledge of inflammatory responses in the BCAS model, with an emphasis on their temporal progression and functional consequences. We begin by outlining the clinical burden of hypoperfusion, the rationale for BCAS, and the hemodynamic phases it produces. We then examine early neurovascular unit …

Dim Light At Night Impacts Circadian Rhythms And Alzheimer’S Disease-Like Neuroinf Lammation And Neuropathology In Humanized App Saa Knock-In Mice, Marilyn J. Duncan, Margaret R. Hawkins, Leke Bytyqi, Haleigh R. Whitlock, Savannah M. Shepard, Makayla F. Cox, Esther G. Drinkard, Teresa Macheda, Kelly N. Roberts, Katharina Kohler, Mary-Claire Schmidt, Carrie E. Johnson, Sridhar Sunderam, Bruce F. O'Hara, Michael Paul Murphy, Adam D. Bachstetter

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

Artificial light at night (light pollution) is widespread but understudied in the context of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Sleep and circadian disruption have been linked to amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation and neuroinflammation, but whether dim light at night (dLAN) modifies these processes remains unclear. We tested whether chronic dLAN exposure (8 lux during the dark phase, 8 weeks) alters circadian rhythms, amyloid pathology, and neuroinflammation in 12–13 month-old humanized APP knock-in (KI) mice. hAPP^SAA KI mice, which develop plaques, were compared with hAPP^WT KI controls carrying only a humanized APP sequence. dLAN reduced circadian rhythm amplitude and stability while increasing …

Probiotic Intervention In Managing Chronic Stress, Bianca Opdenbosch

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

Chronic stress can induce gut dysbiosis which contributes to the dysregulation of the gut-brain axis and leads to anxiety and depressive-like symptoms. The gut-brain axis relies on nervous, immune, and endocrine interactions. Gut dysbiosis, an imbalance within the gut microbiome, disrupts gut-brain communication, impairing gut barrier integrity, inflammation regulation, and hormonal and neurotransmitter production. These gut changes contribute to mood disorders resulting from stress, and thus it is important to implement dietary interventions, like probiotics, to help mitigate these effects. Research highlights the potential of probiotics to act as an intervention to combat stress-induced gut dysbiosis and replenish beneficial bacteria …

The Science Of Sound: Studying The Cognitive, Emotional, And Physiological Effects Of Frequency, Genre, And Music, Jett Yarborough

Senior Honors Theses

Music influences emotion, physiology, and cognition, yet little is known about how the frequency it is tuned to affects these influences. Prior research has shown that music tuned to 432 Hz can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve sleep. My colleagues and I conducted two studies to investigate this. Our research found that music tuned to 432 Hz promotes a significant increase in memory retention and induces a state of focus and relaxation. These results suggest that shifting from the standard tuning frequency of 440 Hz to 432 Hz could have a profoundly positive impact on our daily lives. …

Appearance Over Function - The Impact Of Long-Term Oral Contraceptive Use On Brain Development, Breast Tissue Composition, And Future Lactation Outcomes, Fiona M. Wang

Dissertations

This integrative review examines the long-term effects of combined oral contraceptive (COC) use beginning in puberty on brain development, breast tissue composition, and future breastfeeding outcomes. Puberty is a critical developmental stage during which hormonal changes significantly impact the neurological and reproductive systems. The introduction of synthetic estrogen and progestin through COC use during this time may disrupt natural hormonal pathways, potentially altering neuroendocrine signaling and breast tissue maturation. Such changes may have lasting consequences, including impaired milk production, a weakened milk ejection reflex, disrupted maternal-infant bonding, and reduced overall breastfeeding success. The review synthesizes findings from endocrinology, neuroscience, and …

Dermatoglyphic Fluctuating Asymmetry In Schizotypy, Marcus R. Thomas

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Schizotypy has been linked with many of the proposed endophenotypes of schizophrenia, but research is limited on the relationship between schizotypy and dermatoglyphic fluctuating asymmetry. The present study sought to examine relationships between schizotypy, dermatoglyphic fluctuating asymmetry, handedness, and season of birth. 146 undergraduate students were identified as schizotypes (n = 52) or controls (n = 94) based on the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale and had their finger and palm prints collected along with completing additional measures of schizotypy and handedness. Schizotypes did not exhibit a greater degree of dermatoglyphic fluctuating asymmetry, negative schizotypy was associated with increased absolute finger ridge …

Peripheral Neuroimmune Mechanisms Of Chronic Back Pain, Aleyah Esther Goins

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Chronic back pain (CBP) affects 1 in 10 people worldwide, reducing mobility, productivity, and quality of life. Despite its prevalence, non-addictive treatments remain limited due to an incomplete understanding of chronic pain mechanisms. This dissertation examines peripheral neuroimmune interactions in CBP using a urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA)-induced mouse model (uPA-CBP). uPA, a pro-inflammatory serine protease, was injected into the L2/L3 lumbar spinous ligament, inducing prolonged mechanical and cold hypersensitivity. Flow cytometry of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) showed increased CD45+CD11b+ myeloid cells in males and CD45+CD3+CD4+ lymphocytes in females. DRG neurons from male uPA-CBP mice exhibited heightened action potential firing. Pharmacological …

The Endocannabinoid System's Influence And Modulation Of Nociception, Doreen M. Flannery

Honors Thesis

The anatomy and physiology of pain is a well-defined pathway where noxious stimuli is processed by different systems in the brain. The central research question of this review is how can we better understand the neurobiological effects pain has, and assess if there is therapeutic potential in using endocannabinoids to modulate these effects. Endocannabinoids are signaling molecules that play a key role at both the cellular and molecular level in modulating both acute and chronic pain by influencing different processes within each level that affect how the body responds to both internal and external stimuli. The endocannabinoid system is a …

Effects Of Social Isolation On Cecum Opioid Receptor Expression And Affective Behavior, Jordan Riser, John Tkaczynski, Nicole Shellenbarger, Maya Patel, Daniel Chandler, Daniel Manvich

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

BACKGROUND

Psychological stress can induce gastrointestinal symptoms and exacerbate existing gastrointestinal disorders, indicating an interaction between the central and enteric nervous systems. Central nervous system activation of opioid receptors stimulates sympathetic outflow to the enteric nervous system, delaying motility and reducing gastrointestinal secretions, producing a similar clinical presentation to IBS.

HYPOTHESIS

We hypothesize that social isolation induces anxiety states, disrupting homeostatic noradrenergic activity in the brain and gut, leading to neurophysiological changes in the cecum characterized by altered expression of opioid receptors.

METHODS

Sprague-Dawley rats were housed in either group (control) or socially isolated conditions. Affective behavior was assessed using …

Modulation Of Opioid Receptor Expression In The Ventral Tegmental Area Following Stress Exposure In Rats, Maya Patel, John Tkaczynski, Jordan Riser, Nicole Shellenbarger, Jin Park, Daniel Manvich, Daniel J. Chandler

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: The ventral tegmental area (VTA) contains dopamine-producing neurons projecting to various brain regions. VTA dysfunction is linked to addiction and depression. Delta opioid receptor upregulation relates to chronic pain, inflammation, cancer, and early adversity. Kappa receptors in the VTA influence stress, drug-seeking, mood, and reward. Notably, chronic substance abuse upregulates the κ-receptor/dynorphin system, and the opioid system regulates social interaction needs.

Hypothesis: Stress will upregulate opioid receptors.

Methods: We compared group-housed and individually-housed rats using stress tests, analyzing behavior and quantifying VTA opioid receptor expression.

Results: Social isolation upregulated delta and kappa opioid receptors in …

Investigating Prefrontal Cortex Neuronal Signatures Of Opioid-Induced Risk-Taking Behavior, Cana Quave

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Opioid use disorder occurs alongside impaired risk-related decision-making, but the underlying neural correlates are unclear. We developed an approach-avoidance conflict task using a modified conditioned place preference procedure to study neural signals of risky opioid seeking in the prefrontal cortex, a region implicated in executive decision-making. Following morphine conditioned place preference, rats underwent a conflict test in which fear-inducing cat odor was introduced in the previously drug-paired side of the apparatus. While the saline-exposed control group avoided cat odor, the morphine group included two subsets of rats that either maintained a preference for the paired side despite the presence of …

The Role Of The Female Reproductive Cycle In Social Communication And Relevance To Mental Health, Julissa Amaro Castillo, Fernando Dominguez, Ariana Hinojosa, Giselle Padilla, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

The female reproductive cycle is characterized by fluctuating hormones, including estrogens and progesterone, that are involved in reproductive health; however, they have also been linked to disorders like Premenstrual syndrome (PMS), Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), mood swings, depression and others. The goal of this study is to use the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) as an animal model to examine the influence of the reproductive cycle and hormones on behavior. Scent-marking activity known as flank marking is exhibited by territorial or sociable animals. In essence, animals mark their territory or convey information such as reproductive status by rubbing their flanks or …

Effects Of Arginine-Vasopressin In The Brain On Cardiovascular Function In A Psychosocial Stress Animal Model, Esmeralda Lopez-Garcia, Ariana V. Hinojosa, Esperanza I. Alaniz, Fernando Dominguez, Giselle Padilla, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

Background: Psychosocial stress impacts cardiovascular health, increasing the risk of events like myocardial infarction (MI), stress cardiomyopathy, and neuropsychiatric disorders, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Anxiety. However, our understanding of the biological mechanisms that connect psychosocial stress with negative cardiovascular and psychological outcomes remains incomplete. Arginine-vasopressin (AVP) is linked to both mental and physical health by regulating social behavior, blood pressure, and anxiety-related behaviors. This study investigates the potential cardioprotective effects of the neuropeptide AVP, in an effort to generate evidence that it may strengthen heart function and lessen the severity of adverse cardiovascular events caused by stress, brain …

Exploring The Effects Of Serotonin And Ssris On The Neurological, Behavioral, And Cardiovascular Systems Under Induced Stress –Using The Animal Model Of The Syrian Hamster, Ariana V. Hinojosa, Esperanza I. Alaniz, Esmeralda Lopez-Garcia, Giselle Padilla, Fernando Dominquez, Mario Gil

Research Symposium

Background: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has been found to have a wide range of effects on not just the neuropsychological processes but has also been found to exert effects outside the central nervous system (CNS); regulating numerous biological processes, such as metabolism, gastrointestinal system, reproductive function, and even the cardiovascular system. However, there is still a limited understanding of how serotonin affects all these systems due to its complexity and ability to regulate homeostasis. This project aims to create a stronger foundation of knowledge about serotonin and its influence on the interaction between the CNS, behavior, and cardiac function …

Alzheimer’S Disease And The Immune System: The Emerging Role Of Temra Cells, Edric D. Winford, Adam D. Bachstetter

Neuroscience Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Racial Health Disparities Among Pregnant Women Of Color In New York City: Biological And Systemic Impacts, Kaylin Peña

Pitzer Senior Theses

Racial Health Disparities Among Pregnant Women of Color in New York City: Biological and Systemic Impacts

Abstract

This thesis aims to explore how racial health disparities, underrepresentation in gynecology, and socioeconomic barriers contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes among women of color in New York City. Through an interdisciplinary approach that combines resources from medical anthropology and human biology, this research will examine the biological implications of chronic stress, specifically HPA axis dysregulation, and its role in maternal health outcomes. With the idea of intersectionality, as conceptualized by Kimberlé Crenshaw, the study analyzes the various effects of systemic inequities and social …

Protonic Capacitor Cell Energetics: Transmembrane-Electrostatically Localized Protons/Cations, James Weifu Lee

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The transmembrane-electrostatically localized protons/cations charges (TELPs/TELCs) theory can serve as a theoretical framework to better explain cell electrophysiology and elucidate bioenergetic systems including both delocalized and localized protonic coupling. According to the TELCs model, the excess positive charges of TELCs at one side of the membrane are balanced by the excess negative charges of transmembrane-electrostatically localized hydroxides anions (TELAs) at the other side of the membrane. Through the TELCs-membrane-TELAs capacitor model, the energetics of oxidative phosphorylation have recently been better elucidated in mitochondria and alkalophilic bacteria, leading to the identification of a novel Type-B energetic process. Both the TELCs model …

Cardiac Timing Effects On Response Speed Are Modulated By Blood Pressure But Not Heart Rate Variability In Healthy Young Adults, Xiao Yang, Catalina Roldan, Michael Gazzanigo, Yasmine Nabulsi, Fang Fang

Research and Infrastructure Service Enterprise (RISE) Faculty Publications

Cardiac timing effects reflect the dynamic interplay between interoceptive and exteroceptive processes. Human information processing tends to be facilitated during cardiac diastole and inhibited during systole, reflecting autonomic regulation and the neuromodulation by baroreceptor afferents. Thus, blood pressure (BP) and vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) are potential modulators of those effects. Additionally, cognitive control appears to play a critical role in the processes. However, whether cardiac timing effects are influenced by those factors remains unclear. The present study aimed to clarify these relationships. Fifty-one healthy young adults completed three experimental sessions to assess BP, short-term HRV, and cardiac timing effects. …

Computational Approaches For Diagnosing Neurological Impairments And Restoring Functional Movement, Serhii Bahdasariants

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Movement is the primary means by which the nervous system converts intention into interaction with the environment. Voluntary limb motion enables standing, walking, reaching, and grasping—actions that underpin self‑care, communication, and economic participation. When diseases or injuries disrupt the pathways that couple neural commands to muscle forces—whether through cortical stroke, spinal cord injury, or peripheral nerve damage—mechanical outcomes such as weakness, loss of coordination, and ultimately reduced mobility emerge. These impairments cascade into secondary complications, increased dependence on caregivers, and diminished quality of life. Quantifying how the lesion alters the mechanics of movement is therefore essential for designing targeted interventions …

Use Of Electrical Bone Growth Stimulators In High-Risk Patients Following Spinal Fusion, Soumya Malhotra, Khavir Sharieff

HCA-NSU MD Research Day

Title: Use of Electrical Bone Growth Stimulators in High-Risk Patients Following Spinal Fusion Authors: Soumya Malhotra, BA., MS1 & Khavir Sharieff, DO, MBA2 1Class of 2027, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Fort Lauderdale, FL 2Assistant Professor of Surgery, Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tampa Bay, FLNova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the advantages of EBGSs following high-risk spinal fusions. Background: Pseudarthrosis is a condition where bones fail to fuse after an injury or surgery. It causes significant …

Using Machine Learning To Determine A Functional Classifier Of Reward Responsiveness And Its Association With Adolescent Psychiatric Symptomatology, Robert James Richard Blair, Johannah Bashford-Largo, Ahria Dominguez, Matthew Dobbertin, Karina S. Blair, Sahil Bajaj

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Background. Machine learning (ML) has developed classifiers differentiating patient groups despite concerns regarding diagnostic reliability. An alternative strategy, used here, is to develop a functional classifier (hyperplane) (e.g. distinguishing the neural responses to received reward v. received punishment in typically developing (TD) adolescents) and then determine the functional integrity of the response (reward response distance from the hyperplane) in adolescents with externalizing and internalizing conditions and its associations with symptom clusters.

Methods. Two hundred and ninety nine adolescents (mean age = 15.07 ± 2.30 years, 117 females) were divided into three groups: a training sample of TD adolescents …