Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

The Effects Of Environmental Enrichment On Abstinence And Relapse Using An Animal Conflict Model, Joshua Alan Peck

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Heroin addiction is a significant health and societal problem for which there is no effective and well-accepted long-term behavioral or pharmacological treatment. Therefore, strategies that prolong heroin abstinence should be the primary focus of heroin treatment research. There is promising evidence that environmental enrichment may indeed support drug abstinence in animals using the reinstatement model of abstinence and relapse. The current studies used an animal conflict model that captures the aversive consequences of drug seeking (as are typical in humans, e.g., arrest, incarceration, job loss, and strained social relationships) to test the effects of environmental enrichment on heroin abstinence, prolonged …

Executive Dysfunction And Reward Dysregulation: Interactions In Drug Addiction, Kristen Paula Morie

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Cocaine addiction is a serious public health hazard, and contributes to disastrous outcomes for individuals who suffer from it. Addiction is accompanied by an inability to control one's own behavior, and a preoccupation with cocaine at the expense of other rewarding pursuits. Previous research has suggested that difficulties with executive function and reward processing may underlie these problems, but the extent to which each contributes to addiction severity, or how these two factors may interact, remains to be elucidated. By using event related potential (ERP) measures in combination with information about self-reported anhedonia over three experiments, we set out to …

Psychic Collapse And Traumatic Defense: How The Mind Mediates Trauma Living In The Body, Patricia Kim Yoon

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The aim of this exploratory study was to link psychoanalytic theories of trauma and its impact on the mind with psychobiological research of how trauma lives in the body. The study has expanded on prior research (Cramer, 2003) to evidence that defense mechanisms do in fact moderate the relationship between stress and physiological response, and that there are likely individual differences in physiological response to traumatic stress. This study goes further to identify the psychological concomitants of these individual differences within an adult population exposed to potentially traumatic events (PTEs), and their proclivity for using different defense mechanisms. Defense use …

A Behavioral And Biopsychological Investigation Of The Role Of The Illusion Of Control And Perseverative Chasing Between Problem And Non-Problem Gamblers, Brett Evan Bauchner

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The illusion of control is associated with problem gambling. The perception that one is in control of a random event, when in reality there is no control, can facilitate problem gambling behaviors. The degree or extent of control may activate physiological mechanism of increased excitation and reward that reinforce gambling. In the studies presented here, performance on simulated gambling tasks that provided varying levels gambling participation were compared to physiological measures of behavioral activation in problem gambler and nongamblers. Participants watched video clips of three horseraces scenarios that permitted different degrees of participation and control over wagering. Concurrently saliva samples …

Mental Representations, Social Exclusion, And Neurobiological Processes In Borderline Personality Disorder: A Multi-Level Study, Jeffrey K. Erbe

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is an ongoing public health crisis. Poor developmental quality of differentiation-relatedness of object representations and attachment insecurity have been clinically and empirically demonstrated as core patterns of intrapsychic and interpersonal dysfunction in this particular form of personality pathology. Differentiation-relatedness (D-R), which involves a complementary relationship between intrapsychic autonomy and interpersonal relatedness, has been shown to be a significant aspect of internal psychic experience that relates directly to external relationship patterns, including characteristic response to interpersonal interactions and has been a specific target for treatment of BPD. Specifically, individuals with BPD have shown lower developmental quality of …

Biological Motion Processing In Typical Development And In The Autism Spectrum, Aaron Krakowski

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Biological motion (BM) analysis and interpretation is a fundamental process of human neurocognition that has been only minimally explored neurophysiologically. In addition to its importance in understanding the underlying roots and development of social cognition, BM processing is a prime candidate domain for exploring the underlying etiology of social cognitive disorders such as the autism spectrum.

In an initial experiment, typical adults observed BM point-light displays of a human actor (UM) as well as their spatially scrambled counterparts (SM), in both an unattended distractor task as well as an explicit attention task. Results showed a neurophysiological response manifested as three …

The Role Of The Striatal Neuropeptide Neurotensin In The Methamphetamine-Induced Neural Injury In Mice, Qingkun Liu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Methamphetamine (METH) is a widely abused psychostimulant that induces neurotoxicity to several brain regions, including the striatum. Similar to dopamine (DA) in chemical structure, METH can be transported into DA pre-synaptic terminals, evoking the neurodegeneration in DA terminals and post-synaptic striatal neurons. Despite the critical role of DA in METH-induced neurodegeneration, no pharmaceutical therapeutics has been approved for these conditions. It is therefore essential to investigate the endogenous factors regulating the dopaminergic system. The neuropeptide neurotensin has emerged as a potential modulator of METH-induced striatal neurodegeneration mainly due to its intimate interactions with dopamine in the striatum.

In this study, …

The Function Of The Phospholipid Flippase Atp8a1 In Neurotransmission, Brain Development And Autistic Behavior, Daniel Joseph Kerr

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The function of the phospholipid flippase Atp8a1 in neurotransmission, brain development, and autistic behavior

By

Daniel J. Kerr

The plasma membrane consists of lipids and proteins. Among the integral membrane proteins are P-type ATPases, widely expressed in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, which use ATP to translocate ions across a plasma membrane. Type IV enzymes are putative aminophospholipid translocases (APLTs) and catalyze phosphatidylserine (PS) transfer into the cytosolic leaflet of a lipid bilayer. Previously, our group showed pronounced PS externalization in Atp8a1 (-/-) mice but not wild type (WT). Subsequent behavioral testing demonstrated that these Atp8a1 (-/-) mice display significant deficiency …

Attention Shapes Our Expectations And Perceptions: The Neural Mechanisms Of Top-Down Attention During Adulthood And Development, Snigdha Banerjee

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Top-down attention is the focusing of attention at one's will through knowledge regarding a current task. There is evidence that top-down attention involves the modulation of sensory cortices by higher order regions. However, the mechanisms of top-down attention across sensory modalities, its influence on early sensory inputs, as well as interactions with motivational systems remain unclear. We performed the following set of electrophysiological experiments in typically developed adults and adolescents to examine these areas. 1) The supramodal attentional theory holds that parietally-based attentional mechanisms are shared across sensory modalities. We tested the supramodal theory by examining if lateralized parieto-occipital alpha-band …

Roles Of Dopamine D1 And D2, Opioid And Glutamate Nmda Receptor Signaling In The Acquisition And Expression Of Fat- And Glucose-Conditioned Flavor Preferences In Rats And C-Fos Analysis Of The Dopamine Mesotelencephalic And Nigrostriatal Pathways Following Intake Of Sugars And Fats In Rats, Julie Dela Cruz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Systemic administration of the non-competitive NMDA antagonist, MK-801, demonstrated that acquisition, but not expression, were found to affect the orosensory-mediated (flavor/flavor: f/f) fructose-conditioned flavor preference (CFP). The present studies demonstrated a similar outcome when f/f and f/n processes were combined. Fat-CFP and glucose-CFP studies indicated that systemic injections of the NMDA antagonist, MK-801, were able to significantly reduce acquisition, but not expression, of Corn-Oil (CO)-CFP and glucose-CFP. Both studies appear to have mitigated effects on acquisition as compared to the separate orosensory and postingestive CFP studies.

Previous studies found that systemic administration of dopamine (DA) D1 (SCH23390) and D2 (raclopride) …

The Developmental Trajectory Of Contour Integration In Autism Spectrum Disorders, Ted S. Altschuler

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Sensory input is inherently ambiguous and complex, so perception is believed to be achieved by combining incoming sensory information with prior knowledge. One model envisions the grouping of sensory features (the local dimensions of stimuli) to be the outcome of a predictive process relying on prior experience (the global dimension of stimuli) to disambiguate possible configurations those elements could take. Contour integration, the linking of aligned but separate visual elements, is one example of perceptual grouping. Kanizsa-type illusory contour (IC) stimuli have been widely used to explore contour integration processing. Consisting of two conditions which differ only in the alignment …

Supraspinal And Spinal Mechanisms Of Morphine-Induced Hyperalgesia, Caroline A. Arout

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Morphine is the most prominent pharmacological treatment for moderate to severe pain in both acute and chronic paradigms. However, morphine notoriously elicits a paradoxical state of increased pain sensitivity known as hyperalgesia that complicates its use in clinical application. Research over the past three decades has reported that morphine-induced hyperalgesia is dose- and sex-dependent, and likely involves the synchronous activity of several neural networks beyond the opioid system. Whereas systemic, supraspinal, and spinal administration of morphine all cause hyperalgesia that is differentially reversible by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists or melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) antagonists, it is unknown as to whether or …

The Neurodevelopment Of Basic Sensory Processing And Integration In Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alice Brown Brandwein

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis presents three studies that together explore the neurophysiological basis for the sensory processing and integration abnormalities that have been observed in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) since the disorder was first described over half a century ago. In designing these studies we seek to fill a hole that currently exists in the research community‟s knowledge of the neurodevelopment of basic multisensory integration -- both in children with autism and as well as in those with typical development. The first study applied event related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral measures of multisensory integration to a large group of healthy participants ranging …

Using Otoacoustic Emissions To Evaluate Efferent Auditory Function In Humans, Simon Henin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The auditory system continually adapts to changes in the acoustic environment over short periods of time. This fine-tuning of its dynamics is mediated in part by the medial olivocochlear (MOC) bundle, a neural feedback loop which aids in the regulation of cochlear micro-mechanics. The ability to measure the response of the MOC system in humans may provide significant insight into unique cochlear functions, such as its sharp frequency selectivity and wide dynamic range. In humans the efferent system can be investigated non-invasively using otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). However, how OAEs can best be used to evaluate efferent function, the pitfalls associated …

The Interplay Of Visual Attention And Saccade Planning In Active Vision, Afsheen Khan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Vision is a highly active process. When we view the world, we do not hold our eyes still, but constantly move them around in order to view the object or area of interest with the fovea (the region of the retina with the highest acuity). Saccades are the step-like movements that we most often employ for this purpose. In addition, our attention is constantly being covertly attracted or directed to points of interest. Combining these different aspects of viewing: visual processing, the orienting of attention, and eye movements can be referred to as `active vision'.

Most work on active vision …

Vegf Treatment During Status Epilepticus Alters Long-Term Hippocampal Astrocyte Morphology: A Detailed Description Of Astrocyte Morphology And Glutamate Transporter Patterns With And Without Administration Of Vegf And Seizure Induction, Janice Rene Lenzer

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

VEGF treatment during pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE) causes enduring preservation of behavioral function in rats in the absence of enduring neuroprotection (Nicoletti et al., 2010). In addition, VEGF treatment reduces hyperexcitability in hippocampal slices without altering neuronal membrane properties (McCloskey et al, 2005). Combined, these data suggest the possibility that other cells or mechanisms could be involved in the beneficial effects of VEGF during SE. Our laboratory is interested in the potential contribution of astrocytes to these effects. Astrocytes are not only reported to contribute to epileptiform discharges in the hippocampus (Tian et al., 2005; Kang et al., 2005) but …

The Characterization Of Pb2+ Toxicity In Rat Neural Development: An Assessment Of Pb2+ Effects On The Gaba Shift In Neural Networks And Implications For Learning And Memory Disruption, Lorenz Simon Neuwirth

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The toxic effects of Pb2+ on the developing rat nervous system has been investigated to assess early developmental GABAergic disruption and its implications with altering inhibitory learning and memory. This goal was achieved using a multi-systems approach: blood lead levels (clinical physiology), qRT-PCR (molecular genetics), brain and primary neuronal culture immunology (immunohistochemical and cellular approaches), physiological cellular components (synaptosomes and protein expression) and finally through learning and memory assessment with GABA mimetic drug manipulations in the intact animal (behavioral pharmacology). The influence of a 956ppm Pb2+ gestational diet (i.e. from birth to sacrifice) resulted in pup mean blood lead levels …

Intracellular Mechanisms Associated With Cocaine Induced Conditioned Place Preference, Stephanie K. Nygard

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The aim of this dissertation was to investigate the intracellular responses associated with the acquisition and expression of cocaine-context associations. ERK (extracellular regulated kinase), CREB (cAMP responsive element binding protein), FosB and deltaFosB proteins were of particular interest due to their involvement in cocaine reward and in synaptic plasticity underlying learning and memory. We used the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm, which employs a Pavlovian conditioning procedure to establish an association between a drug-paired environment and the drug's rewarding effects, to study the role of these signaling pathways in cocaine-context associations. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonism prior to cocaine administration during …

On The Role Of Neuronal Oscillations In Auditory Cortical Processing, Monica Noelle O'Connell

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Although it has been over 100 years since William James stated that "everyone knows what attention is", its underlying neural mechanisms are still being debated today. The goal of this research was to describe the physiological mechanisms of auditory attention using direct electrophysiological recordings in macaque primary auditory cortex (A1). A major focus of my research was on the role ongoing neuronal oscillations play in attentional modulation of auditory responses in A1.

For all studies, laminar profiles of synaptic activity, (indexed by current source density analysis) and concomitant firing patterns in local neurons (multiunit activity) were acquired simultaneously via linear …

Neurophysiological Bases Of Frequency Discrimination In Children With Auditory Processing Disorder Or Specific Language Impairment, Christine Rota-Donahue

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if 10-12 year old children with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) or Specific Language Impairment (SLI) could discriminate three different frequency changes behaviorally and electrophysiologically. Behavioral frequency discrimination and event-related potentials were examined using a 1000Hz pure tone base frequency. Typically developing children and children with APD or SLI differed in in their detection of frequency changes: behavioral results were below chance level and the MMN amplitude was smaller in the impaired population. Slight differences between children with APD and children with SLI were also found that might shed light on the controversy …

Neuroimmune Crosstalk: A Role For Neuropeptide Y In Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Henry H. Ruiz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a 36-amino acid peptide widely expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems. In addition to other cells, NPY is also synthesized and co-released from sympathetic nerve fibers functioning as a potent sympathetic neuromodulator. NPY has been implicated in playing important roles in the regulation of energy balance, appetite, anxiety, vascular tone, and immune cell functioning. In addition, immune cells of both the innate and adaptive immune systems express functional NPY receptors. Some immune cells can produce and secrete NPY, and genetic alteration of these receptors results in altered immune cell functioning. Its direct association with …

Quantitative Evaluation Of Microglial Activation And Vascularization In Suicide, Tatiana Pavlovna Schnieder

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Accumulated evidence points to immunological factors in psychiatric disorders. In a variety of chronic neurological disorders, exacerbation is associated with inflammation and a loss of integrity of the blood-brain barrier. Microglia, the principal brain immunological cells in the healthy state, respond to changes in the internal environment of the brain through a sequence of activated states. This study compared microglial phenotypes in the white matter of autopsy brains from 11 suicide victims and 25 subjects who died involuntarily. Both groups included cases with and without major psychiatric disorders, which were determined by PA interviews. Cases were matched for sex, age, …