Mechanistic Insight Into Traumatic Brain Injury Induced Neuronal Membrane Disruption: Cathepsin B Relocalization And A Neun Negative Cortical Neuron Subpopulation, Martina L. Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a mechanical insult to the head that leads to brain damage and, in turn, causes long-term sensory, motor, cognitive, and affective dysfunction. Diffuse pathologies seen following such injury are associated with these life-altering outcomes that impact the daily lives of TBI survivors. The diffuse pathology that this body of work focuses on is neuronal membrane disruption; it is characterized by increased permeability of the neuron’s plasma membrane. Moreover, our lab had previously found that membrane disruption is exacerbated with intracranial pressure (ICP) elevation. We set out to measure the duration of membrane disruption following injury …

Effects Of Hiv-1 Tat And Opiates On Gene Regulation Of Oligodendrocyte Lineage Cells: Identification Of Myrf As A Novel Target, Kelly M. Flounlacker

Theses and Dissertations

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders remain pervasive even with increased efficacy/use of antiretroviral therapies. Opioid use/abuse among HIV+ individuals is documented to exacerbate deficits. White matter (WM) alterations (myelin pallor, volume/structural) detected by diffusion tensor imaging, are common observations in HIV+ individuals. Using transgenic mice expressing HIV-1 Tat, we examined effects of 2-6 weeks of Tat/morphine exposure on WM using genomic/biochemical methods. RNA sequencing of striatal tissue after 2-weeks revealed robust changes in mRNAs associated with oligodendrocyte populations/myelin integrity, including Transferrin, Ndrg1, and myelin regulatory factor (Myrf/Mrf), an oligodendrocyte-specific transcription factor involved in differentiation/maturation. Immunoblots conducted after 6-weeks exposure in …

Hyperparameter Codependence In Fieldnet: Guidelines For Ann Construction, Seiji Akera

Pitzer Senior Theses

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) comprise a non-linear modeling method that is often used to analyze neural data in place of linear models. These networks fall under one of two classifications: pure prediction purposes and improving understanding of the brain through neural interpretability. FieldNet is an ANN designed by Dr. Gautam Agarwal that takes complex valued theta oscillations recorded from implanted multi-electrodes and predicts the rat’s location as it moves throughout a maze. In learning neural features to make this classification, FieldNet appears to reconstruct place fields. The construction of FieldNet has an impact on both the performance and reconstruction capabilities …

Meta-Analytic Connectivity Modelling Of Healthy Swallowing, Chris R. Tilton

Honors Theses and Capstones

A quantitative, voxel-wise meta-analysis was performed to investigate the brain regions involved in healthy human swallowing. Studies included in the meta-analysis (1) examined water swallowing, saliva swallowing, or both, (2) included healthy, normal subjects, and (3) reported stereotaxic brain activation coordinates in standard space. Following these criteria, a systematic literature review identified 8 studies that met the criteria. An activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis and meta-analytic connectivity modelling (MACM) analysis were performed with BrainMap software. Ten clusters with high activation likelihood were found in the bilateral precentral gyri, right insula, left declive, right medial frontal gyrus, right dorsal nucleus of …

Eeg-Based Spanish Language Proficiency Classification: An Eeg Power Spectrum And Cross-Spectrum Analysis, Blaise Xavier O'Mara, Skyler Baumer

Honors Theses and Capstones

Second language proficiency may be predicted with electrophysiological techniques. In a machine learning application, this electrophysiological data may be used for language instructors and language students to assess their language learning. This study identifies how electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectrum and cross spectrum data of the brain cortex relates to Spanish second language (L2) proficiency of 20 Spanish language students of varying proficiency levels at the University of New Hampshire. The two metrics for assessing cortical power and processing were event-related desynchronization (ERD)—a measure of relative change in power—of the alpha (8-12 Hz) brain frequency band, and alpha and beta (13-30Hz) …

Individual Behavioral And Neurobiological Markers Associated With A Vulnerable To Ethanol Use Phenotype, Kelsey M. Alimandi

Honors Theses and Capstones

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing brain condition that is characterized by excessive alcohol consumption, continued use when faced with negative consequences, and a negative emotional state associated with withdrawals (anxiety, irritability, depression). The main challenge to treating AUD is preventing relapse. The purpose of this study was to use a prolonged-exposure model to allow rats to self-administer ethanol to determine the brain regions active during relapse events. The rats performed multiple behavioral tests such as economic demand, negative consequences, and an elevated plus maze. These tests determined how hard rats were willing to work for an ethanol …

Neuronal Primary Cilia In Postnatal Brains & Alzheimer’S Disease Mice Eeg Patterns Under Fear Conditioning, Sierra Rose Mae Walsh

Honors Theses and Capstones

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition caused by the abnormal accumulation of amyloid β plaque. While small amounts of amyloid β plaque is to be expected with increased age, AD presents amyloid precursor protein (APP), a gene promoting inappropriate plaque formation, causing early neuronal death and tissue depreciation. APP23 transgenic mouse models contain the human mutation in the neocortical and hippocampal positions, areas revealing of plaque accumulation and memory loss. Within the hippocampal cortices, the primary cilia, which regulate higher cognition and neurodevelopment can be studied along with burst suppressions, or moments of high focal activity, to target potential …

The Role Of Serca In Neural Development And Brain Tumors, Hannah M. Christman

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Ion channels are essential for neural function, playing a variety of necessary cellular roles including excitability, maintaining ion gradients, and volume control. While the role of ion channels in neurons is well-defined, much less is known about excitability in neural progenitor cells. Recently it has emerged that these neural precursors may be affected by channelopathies, indicating a critical role of ion channels in neural development. Using the model system Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), I investigated the role of the ion channel SERCA (sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase). SERCA is a vital calcium ion pump located on the wall of the endoplasmic reticulum, …

A Picture Worth A Thousand Words: Factors Influencing Disability Accommodations, Alicia E. Martin

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

Because not all disabilities look the same it is difficult to label a person with disabilities just by looking at them. Given that our knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions impact how we interpret our world and our willingness to act, people, including professors, may be biased toward providing accommodations for those with easily recognizable disabilities and biased against those with non-recognizable disabilities, and this may impact the disabled person’s ability to learn. This thesis aims to address whether professors’ disability-related attitudes, perceptions of accommodation reasonableness, and willingness to provide accommodations differ when the disability is recognizable (student is pictured in a …

Is The Area Postrema Resistant To The Anesthetic Effects Of Ms-222?, Austin T. Csiszar

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

MS-222 is a common fish anesthetic that dampens neural activity by inhibiting neuronal voltage-gated sodium channels (Na_v) required for action potentials. Previous experiments conducted by our lab’s primary investigator using fluorescence calcium imaging in zebrafish neurons resulted in the observation that neurons in the area postrema (AP), a circumventricular organ located in the dorsal hindbrain, displayed prominent fluorescence intensity during MS-222 induced sedation. I used the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP6s to conduct fluorescence calcium imaging with the goal of recording neural activity in the larval zebrafish area postrema and optic tectum to compare the anesthetic effects of …

Negative Social Media And Its Influence On Athlete's Performance, Bernd R. Huber

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study aimed to investigate the potential impact of negative social media content on athletes' cortisol levels and subsequent performance. The study focused on the change in cortisol levels and differences in free throw performance, based on previous research findings. We hypothesized that negative social media postings would increase the stress experienced by student-athletes, resulting in elevated cortisol levels and decreased performance. Additionally, participants (n = 8) completed a questionnaire to examine the interaction between preexisting fear and the biological stress response. Contrary to expectations, there was no significant change in stress response, and negative postings did not have …

The Neuroscience Of Art: An Examination Of Uniqueness, Risa Davis

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

The field of Neuroaesthetics has an overwhelming potential for helping us to understand the world and human behavior through consideration of both neuroscience and art. Looking at the production of art across human history, it is clear we have evolved with art as every culture has developed some style and desire for art without influence of other peoples. The intriguing and undeniable psychological phenomenon of pareidolia raises the question of why the visual system might be set up in a way that leads to illusions and visual suggestions. The amygdala is also involved as the nuclei’s reaction to perceived or …

Mediators Between Job Stress And Health Quality Of Life Among Adults With Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Aida M. Benitez-Rexach

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal affliction that affects millions around the globe, impacting health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The biopsychosocial model, Folkman and Lazarus’ transactional model of stress, Leventhal’s common sense model of self-regulation health and illness, and Bronfenbrenner’s human ecology theory are relevant to conceptualize interactions among environmental factors, biopsychosocial responses, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This quantitative, cross-sectional, complex correlational study sought to provide more understanding of how and whether IBS symptoms of pain, cognitive functioning, and interpersonal functioning serve as mediators between work stress and HRQoL. A total of 133 English-speaking volunteers from …

Leveraging A Machine Learning Based Predictive Framework To Study Brain-Phenotype Relationships, Sage Hahn

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

An immense collective effort has been put towards the development of methods forquantifying brain activity and structure. In parallel, a similar effort has focused on collecting experimental data, resulting in ever-growing data banks of complex human in vivo neuroimaging data. Machine learning, a broad set of powerful and effective tools for identifying multivariate relationships in high-dimensional problem spaces, has proven to be a promising approach toward better understanding the relationships between the brain and different phenotypes of interest. However, applied machine learning within a predictive framework for the study of neuroimaging data introduces several domain-specific problems and considerations, leaving the …

Context, Goals, And Operant Behavior: The Role Of The Prelimbic Cortex And Associated Neural Circuitry, Callum Mark Piper Thomas

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Operant (instrumental) conditioning is a laboratory model of voluntary behavior. In its simplest form, performing a particular response, such as a lever press, leads to delivery of a reinforcing outcome (e.g., a sucrose pellet). Operant behaviors can be associated with preceding stimuli (“habits”) or outcomes (“goal-directed actions”). A factor that influences performance of operant behaviors is the context in which they are learned. Contexts can be defined as background stimuli that are present during behavior. For example, eating dessert may occur in the context of a restaurant and the sated feeling of a finished meal. The context for eating dessert, …

Vapourized Cannabis Extract Administration Impairs Memory And Alters Neural Activity In Laboratory Rats, Megan Chladny

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Although people have smoked cannabis for millennia, administration of cannabis by heating the dried plant material or distilled extracts to a temperature just below the combustion point (i.e., vapourization or "vaping") has rapidly increased over the past few years (Javadi-Payder, Cole, and Taffe, 2018; Manwell, Charchoglyan, Brewer, Matthews, Heipel, and Mallet, 2014). Conversely, most of the cannabinoid research using rodent models has used parenteral routes of administration to examine the effects of purified cannabis extracts such as ∆⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), making it difficult to directly compare laboratory research to human drug use. Building on previous studies showing that THC …

Spiking Neural Network That Maps From Generalized Coordinates To Cartesian Coordinates, Chloe K. Guie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In this thesis, I look to understand how insects compute task-level quantities by integrating range-fractionated sensory signals to create a sparse-spatial coding of Cartesian positions. I created biologically plausible 2-D and 3-D models of one species of the stick insect (Carausius morosus) leg and encoded the foot position through a spiking neural network. This model used spiking afferents from three angles of an insect leg which are integrated by one non-spiking interneuron. This model contains many dendritic compartments and one somatic compartment that encode the foot’s position relative to the body. The Functional Subnetwork Approach (FSA) was used …

Multimodal Neuron Classification Based On Morphology And Electrophysiology, Aqib Ahmad

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Categorizing neurons into different types to understand neural circuits and ultimately brain function is a major challenge in neuroscience. While electrical properties are critical in defining a neuron, its morphology is equally important. Advancements in single-cell analysis methods have allowed neuroscientists to simultaneously capture multiple data modalities from a neuron. We propose a method to classify neurons using both morphological structure and electrophysiology. Current approaches are based on a limited analysis of morphological features. We propose to use a new graph neural network to learn representations that more comprehensively account for the complexity of the shape of neuronal structures. In …

Computational Mechanisms Of Face Perception, Jinge Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The intertwined history of artificial intelligence and neuroscience has significantly impacted their development, with AI arising from and evolving alongside neuroscience. The remarkable performance of deep learning has inspired neuroscientists to investigate and utilize artificial neural networks as computational models to address biological issues. Studying the brain and its operational mechanisms can greatly enhance our understanding of neural networks, which has crucial implications for developing efficient AI algorithms. Many of the advanced perceptual and cognitive skills of biological systems are now possible to achieve through artificial intelligence systems, which is transforming our knowledge of brain function. Thus, the need for …

Effects Of Development On Hpa Function Following Pubertal Stress, Brittany D. Elliott

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

For women, two of the greatest risk factors for affective disorders are adversity experienced during puberty and later becoming pregnant. We have created a translationally relevant mouse model where we address these complex risk factors. Previously, we discovered that pregnant mice (dams) that experienced chronic variable stress (CVS) during puberty display a blunted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) response when exposed to an acute stressor. Interestingly, this alteration only first becomes apparent during pregnancy, which is a sensitive period for these effects due to normative neuroendocrine changes. Further investigation of the mechanisms underlying this dysfunction revealed altered gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus …

Artificial Light At Night Disrupts Pain Behavior And Cerebrovascular Structure In Mice, Jacob Raymond Bumgarner

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Artificial Light at Night Disrupts Pain Behavior and Cerebrovascular Structure in Mice

Jacob R. Bumgarner

Circadian rhythms are intrinsic biological processes that fluctuate in function with a period of approximately 24 hours. These rhythms are precisely synchronized to the 24- hour day of the Earth by external rhythmic signaling cues. Solar light-dark cycles are the most potent environmental signaling cue for terrestrial organisms to align internal rhythms with the external day. Proper alignment and synchrony of internal circadian rhythms with external environmental rhythms are essential for health and optimal biological function.

The modern human environment on Earth is no longer …

Sense And Sensitivity: Spatial Structure Of Conspecific Signals During Social Interaction, Keshav Ramachandra

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Organisms rely on sensory systems to gather information about their environment. Localizing the source of a signal is key in guiding the behavior of the animal successfully. Localization mechanisms must cope with the challenges of representing the spatial information of weak, noisy signals. In this dissertation, I investigate the spatial dynamics of natural stimuli and explore how the electrosensory system of weakly electric fish encodes these realistic spatial signals. To do so In Chapter 2, I develop a model that examines the strength of the signal as it reaches the sensory array and simulates the responses of the receptors. The …

Spatial Processing Of Conspecific Signals In Weakly Electric Fish: From Sensory Image To Neural Population Coding, Oak Everette Milam

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

In this dissertation, I examine how an animal’s nervous system encodes spatially realistic conspecific signals in their environment and how the encoding mechanisms support behavioral sensitivity. I begin by modeling changes in the electrosensory signals exchanged by weakly electric fish in a social context. During this behavior, I estimate how the spatial structure of conspecific stimuli influences sensory responses at the electroreceptive periphery. I then quantify how space is represented in the hindbrain, specifically in the primary sensory area called the electrosensory lateral line lobe. I show that behavioral sensitivity is influenced by the heterogeneous properties of the pyramidal cell …

Cue Reactivity In Electronic Cigarette Users With Sign-Tracking Or Goal-Tracking Behaviors, Polina Krom

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Polina Krom

Cue reactivity is an important predictor of addiction course and relapse. However, cue reactivity is only observed after an addiction develops. As such, it is unclear to what degree cue reactivity represents a state stemming from the addiction process versus a trait-like propensity towards developing cue-reward associations. Work in animal models has pointed to important individual differences in trait-like inclination to attribute incentive salience to reward-predictive cues that is associated with addiction-relevant behavioral and neurobiological features. These individual differences manifest as sign-tracking (ST) and goal-tracking (GT) behaviors during Pavlovian conditioning. Little research has attempted to translate ST and …

Exploring The Molecular Basis Of Touch: A Comparative Analysis Of Gene Expression In Sensory Corpuscle-Rich And Corpuscle-Poor Skin Regions In The Duck, Thomas Hart

Theses and Dissertations--Biology

Cutaneous touch is facilitated by discrete cellular complexes composed of non-neuronal cells associated with mechanoreceptor neuron endings. The non-neuronal cells of these cutaneous end organ complexes (CEOCs) are believed to contribute to touch, but their role in touch sensation remains unclear. To better understand the function of CEOC cells, we sought to characterize the transcriptional profile of CEOC-rich tissue and identify genes expressed in CEOC cells. Bill skin of the tactile foraging Pekin duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is dense with CEOCs, specifically the avian analogs of mammalian Pacinian and Meissner corpuscles, while corpuscles in duck foot skin are scarce. Using RNA …

Polyrhythmic Pathways: Using Bimanual Coordination Research To Develop A New Framework For Practice, Performance, And Pedagogy, Christian Swafford

Theses and Dissertations--Music

This study reviews and compares percussion literature pertaining to polyrhythms and scientific literature pertaining to bimanual coordination. There exists a gap in the pedagogical approach to polyrhythms, and there is much disagreement between common instructional methods, especially when considered against the findings of several bimanual coordination studies. The purpose of this study is to reveal insight to the percussion community that the learning of polyrhythms is facilitated by the brain in novel ways, and the uniqueness of this learning process requires a rethinking of the current pedagogical approach. Percussion articles, method books, popular literature, and music scores are surveyed alongside …

The Effects Of Extended Fructose Access On Relative Value And Demand For Fructose, Saccharin, And Ventral Tegmental Stimulation, Megan Halloran

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Globally, food addiction (FA) is a growing area of research and is largely attributed to the availability of foods that are both energy dense and high in fats and sugars. Further, it has been suggested, that sugar and fat, when consumed frequently, have properties similar to drugs of abuse. While the validity of FA is questioned, researchers have drawn parallels between substance use disorder (SUD) and FA. For example, sugar binge models emphasize craving, withdrawal and binging as primary components of FA, which are also hallmarks of SUD. Additionally, both natural rewards, like sugars, and drug rewards act on the …

Calcium Imaging Of Central Amygdala Activity After Fentanyl Escalation, Samantha Malone

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Evidence suggests that rats given long access (LgA) sessions to self-administer (SA) opioids escalate their intake, while also showing greater withdrawal severity and drug-induced reinstatement compared to rats maintained on short access (ShA) daily SA sessions. Little is known about the neural changes that occur during opioid escalation that may impact withdrawal and relapse. Past work examining opioid SA using ShA sessions in rodents has identified the central amygdala (CeA) as an area of interest that becomes hyperactive in acute withdrawal and may be involved in the incubation of craving that occurs after protracted withdrawal. However, these studies have not …

Epithelial Membrane Protein 3 (Emp3b) Is A Novel Regulator Of Sympathetic Nervous System Development In Zebrafish., Jessica M. White

Theses and Dissertations

Notable progress has been made in understanding the development of the neural crest (NC). Neural crest cells (NCCs) can be divided into 4-5 subpopulations. A major lineage among trunk NC derivatives are sympathoadrenal (SA) cells, which give rise to the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Trunk NCCs follow a ventromedial migration pathway where signals derived from the dorsal aorta instruct migrating NCCs to a SA cell fate. Defects in NC development can result in syndromes known as neurocristopathies. Neuroblastoma is one of the most common forms of pediatric cancer affecting nearly 800 infants each year in the United States (Takita et …

Interactions Between Hiv And Opioids On Antiretroviral Accumulation, The Blood Brain Barrier, And The Inflammatory Response In The Brain., Kara Rademeyer

Theses and Dissertations

The complex mechanisms related to HIV infection, neurodegeneration, and chronic neuroinflammation collectively describe neuroHIV (Hauser et al. 2007; Chang et al. 2014; Smith et al. 2014). Specifically, opioid abuse, poor penetration of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, chronic inflammation and neuronal injury/degeneration are all implicated in neuroHIV (Fantuzzi et al. 2003; Letendre et al. 2004; Verani et al. 2005; Duncan and Sattentau 2011; Hong and Banks 2015; Simoes and Justino 2015; Olivier et al. 2018; Murphy et al. 2019; Osborne et al. 2020). For the first time, we demonstrate that morphine, fentanyl, and methadone in vivo alter the brain accumulation of ARVs, …