Developmental Neuroscience Commons^™

The Rpm-1/Phr Signaling Hub Modulates Tau-Induced Neurodegeneration Through Regulation Of Microtubule Stability And Mapk Pathways In C. Elegans, Xinxing Ding

Theses and Dissertations

Neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia, are characterized by the accumulation of pathological tau proteins and progressive neuronal loss. Although research regarding tau-mediated toxicity is extensive, the specific pathology that determine whether neurons maintain homeostasis or succumb to collapse under tau-induced stress remain incompletely elucidated. A central, yet still insufficiently understood, feature of these diseases is the disruption of the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton . The PHR protein family is evolutionarily highly conserved; within this family, RPM-1 in C. elegans functions as an intracellular signaling hub that regulates axon development, synapse formation, axon termination, and various microtubule-associated processes. This …

Determinants Of Corporal Punishment And Severe Physical Punishment In Egypt: A Mixed-Methods Analysis For Child Protection Policy, Marwa Moustafa Nassef

Theses and Dissertations

Corporal punishment (CP) and severe physical punishment (SPP) remain a major public health, child rights, and child protection policy concern. In Egypt, despite legislative reforms, survey-weighted analysis of the 2021 Egypt Family Health Survey (EFHS) 2021 (CAPMAS, 2022) reveals prevalence rates of 60.5% for CP and 27.4% for SPP among children aged 1–14 (author’s calculations using EFHS-2021, n=7623), yet evidence distinguishing the determinants of routine corporal punishment from escalation to severe physical punishment remains limited in low- and middle-income contexts. Guided by Bronfenbrenner’s ecological framework, this mixed-methods study identifies key drivers of CP and its escalation to SPP among Egyptian …

Empowering Women: Understanding Neurological Changes In The Aging Brain, Joy Mckenzie

InnovateHER Meeting 2026

Women tend to have more neurological changes than men as they age starting in their mid-30s (Mosconi, 2024). While aging is a natural process, the neurological changes can impact a woman’s personal and professional quality of life (Faubion et al., 2023; Gravini, 2023). For years, women’s neurological symptoms have been ignored by being told that their experiences are normal and just a part of life (Haver, 2025). That narrative is starting to shift with the increased awareness of changes specific to women. There are resources to assess cognitive changes such as memory, processing speed, and word finding and strategies to …

Rhythms Of Hippocampal Function And Memory After Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure, Lilliana May Sanchez

Psychology ETDs

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders involve morphologic and neurobiological abnormalities in offspring subjected to prenatal alcohol exposure. Although not as well studied as high exposure, moderate prenatal alcohol exposure represents the most common and undetected form in humans. While learning and memory deficits have been well characterized at the behavioral level in humans with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and in animal models of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure, few studies have determined the circuit or systems level mechanisms of the behavioral deficits. A complete understanding of the neural bases of memory deficits after moderate prenatal alcohol exposure is needed to ultimately identify …

Invisible Shipwrecks And Neurological Endangerment: The Trade-Off In Seeking Asylum - Reframing The Neurobiological Cost Of Forced Migration, Eisha Giran

CISLA Senior Integrative Projects

Forced migration along the Spain–Morocco route represents one of the most visible humanitarian crises of the twenty-first century, yet its neurological dimensions remain insufficiently examined. This paper investigates how prolonged displacement and trauma reshape neural systems involved in stress regulation, memory, and emotional processing. It introduces the concept of neurological endangerment, defined as a condition of prolonged and inescapable threat exposure during forced migration in which stress-response systems remain chronically activated, opportunities for recovery are structurally constrained, and cumulative neurobiological risk persists beyond the period of immediate danger.

To address the gap between biological measurement and lived experience, this paper …

Optimizing Itpa R178c Assays Via Hplc, Jared J. Reisnouer, Wally D. Pines

2026 Symposium

Two of the major nucleotide bases in DNA and RNA (Adenine and Guanine) are derived from the purine Inosine Monophosphate (IMP). IMP may occasionally form the noncanonical nucleotide Inosine Triphosphate (ITP) within the cell and become incorporated into DNA during replication, leading to potentially lethal errors. To combat this, human cells produce the “housekeeping” enzyme Inosine Triphosphatase (ITPA) to revert ITP to IMP. A mutation of this protein that replaces the 178th amino acid Arginine with Cysteine (R178C) is associated with a fatal infantile encephalopathy. Previous assessments of enzyme-substrate binding and catalysis for ITPA variants have been run at a …

Eeg Signatures Of Motor Development In Early Childhood: A Systematic Review, Sonia Khurana, Ashwini Kulkarni, Thomas C. Bulea, Hunter J. Bennett

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Background

Early identification of motor developmental disorders is limited due to lack of objective neural markers that characterize typical neurodevelopmental patterns. This systematic review interprets and synthesizes existing evidence to propose a framework of EEG signatures associated with motor development in children aged 0-5 years, which may help inform future benchmarks for early assessment and intervention.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched published and gray literature across five databases between 2000 and 2025 (registered protocol). Included studies examined EEG during task-based, resting-state, or sleep studies linked to motor milestones, task performance, or standardized motor assessments. Study quality was assessed using …

Exploring Anticholinergic Neurotoxicity: Diphenhydramine's Impact On Neuro-2a Cell Morphology, Expression, And Viability, Jordan B. Mcintyre

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Anticholinergic medications, such as diphenhydramine (commonly known as Benadryl), are increasingly recognized for their association with cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative disease. These medications, which inhibit the action of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for the formation and utilization of the central and peripheral nervous system, have been implicated in conditions such as dementia and may impact fundamental cellular processes like neurogenesis and cell proliferation. This study investigates the effects of diphenhydramine on neurogenesis when introduced to Neuro-2a cells during differentiation. For all studies cells were plated on coverslips or in 6-well plates with differentiation media containing 0 ng/mL, 50 ng/mL, …

Perinatal Inflammation And Oxidative Stress Alter Adult Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) Motor Behavior, Alexander Young

Honors College Theses

Recent evidence in comparative animal models suggests that early life exposure to elevated inflammation (via LPS exposure) and oxidative stress (via acetaminophen exposure) may synergistically interact to alter typical neurodevelopmental trajectories, resulting in lasting effects on both behavior and gut-brain neurochemistry. The current study observed emotional and motor behaviors and collected fecal-boli to measure Tyrosine (TE) levels in male and female Long-Evans (Rattus norvegicus) rats. Subjects were either treated with [1] saline [2] lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to introduce an inflammatory state, [3] acetaminophen (APAP) to introduce oxidative stress, or [4] a dual-hit of both LPS + APAP on postnatal day (PD) …

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 …

Sex-Specific Effects Of Early-Life Unpredictability On Hippocampal And Amygdala Responses To Novelty In Adolescents, Elysia Poggi Davis, Bianca T. Leonard, Robert J. Jirsaraie, David B. Keator, Steven L. Small, Curt A. Sandman, Victoria B. Risbrough, Hal S. Stern, Laura M. Glynn, Michael A. Yassa, Tallie Z. Baram, Jerod M. Rasmussen

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Unpredictable childhood experiences are an understudied form of early-life adversity that impact neurodevelopment. The neurobiological processes by which exposure to early-life unpredictability impact development and vulnerability to psychopathology remain poorly understood. In the current study, we investigated the sex-specific consequences of early-life unpredictability on the limbic network, focusing on the hippocampus and the amygdala.

Methods

Participants included 150 youths (54% female). Early-life unpredictability was assessed using the Questionnaire of Unpredictability in Childhood (QUIC). Participants engaged in 1 or more task–functional magnetic resonance imaging scans between the ages of 8 and 17 (223 total observations) measuring blood oxygen level–dependent (BOLD) …

Neurodevelopmental And Environmental Mechanisms Of Invasion, Proliferation, And Tumor Cell Fate Specification In Glioblastoma, Bianca Lynn Myers

Biomedical Sciences ETDs

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are the most aggressive primary brain tumors, and despite over 50 years of research efforts, the median survival remains at 14 months post-diagnosis. The current standard of care consists of maximal surgical resection radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy using temozolomide. However, the highly proliferative and invasive nature of GBM cells renders total resection nearly impossible as tumor cells invade the surrounding healthy tissue. The molecular and environmental drivers of these tumorigenic phenotypes are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the neurodevelopmental transcription factor ASCL1 enhances tumor cell proliferation and invasion while activating the expression of a neural stem cell …

Rod Photoreceptor Regeneration In A Zebrafish Model With Retinitis Pigmentosa, Eyad Shihabeddin

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

A cellular hallmark of inherited retinal degenerative diseases is progressive loss of photoreceptors until one is completely blind. Unlike mammalian models, Zebrafish have the ability to naturally regenerate their neurons after injury or disease is detected. We have generated a zebrafish model with the most common autosomal dominant form of the inherited retinal degenerative disease known as Retinitis Pigmentosa. We utilize immunohistochemistry, single-cell RNA sequencing, several analysis tools, behavioral assays and oligonucleotides to characterize our zebrafish model and identify the transcription factors necessary for rod photoreceptor regeneration. We show that our zebrafish model has continuous degeneration and regeneration of rod …

Early Motor And Language Development In Infants At Elevated Likelihood For Autism, Natalie C. Deal

Senior Theses

During the early stages of infant development, various emerging skills set the foundation for more complex abilities. One such connection is the development of motor skills, which play a crucial role in influencing language outcomes later in the infants' first year. Although these developmental cascades are well understood in typically-developing populations, less is known about the cascade in infants at elevated likelihood for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Many infants who are later diagnosed with ASD have motor delays or language delays, suggesting that the cascade from motor to language may not be typical in this population. Additionally, little is known …

Data Reporting Quality And Semantic Interoperability Increase With Community-Based Data Elements (Codes). Analysis Of The Open Data Commons For Spinal Cord Injury (Odc-Sci), Anushka Sheoran, Kenneth A. Fond, Lex Maliga Davis, J. R. Huie, Romana Vavrek, P. J. Axtman, Vance P. Lemmon, John L. Bixby, Ubbo Visser, John C. Gensel, Karim Fouad, Adam R. Ferguson, Jeffrey S. Grethe, Anita Bandrowski, Maryann E. Martone, Abel Torres-Espin

Neurology Faculty Publications

Data interoperability is crucial for effectively combining data for scientific inquiry. To facilitate interoperability, data standards such as a common definition of variables are often developed. The Open Data Commons for Spinal Cord Injury (odc-sci.org) has established an initial set of community-based data elements (CoDEs)—a minimal set of variables for sharing—to promote data interoperability in SCI research, aligning with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles. We sought to understand the use of CoDEs by the SCI community to inform current standards adherence and future standards development. We systematically analyzed 39 public datasets in relation to 17 required CoDEs …

Plasma S100Β Is A Predictor For Pathology And Cognitive Decline In Alzheimer’S Disease, Geetika Nehra, Bryan J. Maloney, Rebecca Smith, Wijitra Chumboatong, Erin L. Abner, Peter T. Nelson, Björn Bauer, Anika M. S. Hartz

UK CARES Faculty Publications

Background Blood–brain barrier dysfunction is one characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and is recognized as both a cause and consequence of the pathological cascade leading to cognitive decline. The goal of this study was to assess markers for barrier dysfunction in postmortem tissue samples from research participants who were either cognitively normal individuals (CNI) or diagnosed with AD at the time of autopsy and determine to what extent these markers are associated with AD neuropathologic changes (ADNC) and cognitive impairment.

Methods We used postmortem brain tissue and plasma samples from 19 participants: 9 CNI and 10 AD dementia patients who …

Blood Biomarkers In Down Syndrome: Facilitating Alzheimer’S Disease Detection And Monitoring, Melissa E. Petersen, Lisi Flores-Aguilar, Elizabeth Head, Laia Montoliu-Gaya, Andre Strydom, Sarah E. Pape, Juan Fortea, Nicholas J. Ashton, Chinedu Udeh-Momoh, Sid E. O’Bryant, Dwight German, Florin Despa, Mark Mapstone, Henrik Zetterberg

Neurology Faculty Publications

Blood-based biomarkers continue to be explored for disease detection, monitoring of progression, and therapeutic outcomes as the diagnostic determination of Alzheimer’s Disease in Down Syndrome (DS-AD) remains challenging in clinical settings. This perspective highlights the current status of this effort. Overall, amyloid (A), tau (T), and neurodegeneration (AT[N]) blood-based biomarkers have been shown to increase with disease pathology for individuals with DS. Phosphorylated tau biomarkers (p-tau217, p-tau181) have been consistently shown to track disease progression for DS-AD and are likely good candidates for use in clinical settings. Biomarkers of inflammation (glial fibrillary acidic protein) also show promise; however, additional work …

Weighted Family History Density Of Substance Use: Influence On Participant Substance Use Onset, Escalation, And Duration, Carleigh A. Litteral

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Substance use disorders impose a staggering toll on the United States (U.S.), straining healthcare systems, destabilizing communities, and profoundly impacting both individuals and families. Approximately one in six Americans aged 12 and older had a past-year substance use disorder in 2022 (Key Substance Use, 2022), and nearly one-third of adults experience a substance use disorder in their lifetime (Wu, 2010), contributing to an economic burden exceeding $400 billion annually (National Drug Threat Assessment, 2011). Family history of substance use disorders is a key predictor of vulnerability, with individuals who have affected relatives being 2–8 times more …

Effect Of Family-Centered Care Interventions On Motor And Neurobehavior Development Of Very Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Manasa Kolibylu Raghupathy, Shradha S. Parsekar, Shubha R. Nayak, Kalesh M. Karun, Sonia Khurana, Alicia J. Spittle, Leslie Edward S. Lewis, Bhamini Krishna Rao

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Aim

To assess the effectiveness of family-centered care (FCC) interventions on motor and neurobehavior development of very preterm infants.

Method

Randomized and quasi-randomized trials assessing the effect of FCC on motor and neurobehavioral outcomes in very preterm infants (28–32 wk gestation) were included. Five electronic databases and grey literature were searched from January 2010 to August 2022. Two reviewers independently screened the titles/abstracts and full texts, assessed the risk of bias, and extracted data. The Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 Tool and GRADE were used for risk and evidence certainty assessments. Meta-analysis or narrative synthesis was performed based on data …

Investigating Tumor Growth And Regulation In Supratentorial Ependymomas; The Impact Of Dlk1 And Egr1 Knockout, Om Sinojia

Honors Scholar Theses

Ependymomas (EPNs) are primary brain tumors that often arise from radial glial cells lining the ventricular system. Supratentorial ependymomas (ST-EPNs) are particularly aggressive, and understanding the molecular factors driving their growth is critical for developing targeted therapies. This study investigates the roles of DLK1 and EGR1, key regulators in cellular differentiation and tumorigenesis, in the development of ST-EPNs. We utilized genetically engineered mouse models to induce postnatal knockouts of DLK1 and EGR1 and evaluated tumor growth using histological and imaging techniques. Tumor area was quantified across multiple brain sections from both male and female mice. DLK1 knockout brains exhibited consistent …

Increased Neuroinflammation And Compromised Blood Brain Barrier In A Mouse Model Of Autism, Amani S. Ikram, Rekha Jagadapillai, Idil Tuncali, Gregory N. Barnes, Evelyne Gozal

The Cardinal Edge

No abstract provided.

Parallel Electrophysiological Abnormalities Due To Covid-19 Infection And To Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementia, Yang Jiang, Jennifer Neal, Pradoldej Sompol, Görsev Yener, Xianghong Arakaki, Christopher M. Norris, Francesca R. Farina, Agustin Ibanez, Susanna Lopez, Abdulhakim Al-Ezzi, Voyko Kavcic, Bahar Güntekin, Claudio Babiloni, Mihály Hajós

Neurology Faculty Publications

Many coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive individuals exhibit abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) activity reflecting “brain fog” and mild cognitive impairments even months after the acute phase of infection. Resting-state EEG abnormalities include EEG slowing (reduced alpha rhythm; increased slow waves) and epileptiform activity. An expert panel conducted a systematic review to present compelling evidence that cognitive deficits due to COVID-19 and to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (ADRD) are driven by overlapping pathologies and neurophysiological abnormalities. EEG abnormalities seen in COVID-19 patients resemble those observed in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ADRD. It is proposed that similar EEG abnormalities in …

Multiple Guidance Mechanisms Control Axon Growth To Generate Precise T-Shaped Bifurcation During Dorsal Funiculus Development In The Spinal Cord, Bridget M. Curran, Kelsey R. Nickerson, Andrea R. Yung, Lisa V. Goodrich, Alexander Jaworski, Marc Tessier-Lavigne, Le Ma

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

The dorsal funiculus in the spinal cord relays somatosensory information to the brain. It is made of T-shaped bifurcation of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory axons. Our previous study has shown that Slit signaling is required for proper guidance during bifurcation, but loss of Slit does not affect all DRG axons. Here, we examined the role of the extracellular molecule Netrin-1 (Ntn1). Using wholemount staining with tissue clearing, we showed that mice lacking Ntn1 had axons escaping from the dorsal funiculus at the time of bifurcation. Genetic labeling confirmed that these misprojecting axons come from DRG neurons. Single axon analysis …

Cerebrovascular Reactivity Mri As A Biomarker For Cerebral Small Vessel Disease–Related Cognitive Decline: Multi-Site Validation In The Markvcid Consortium, Peiying Liu, Zixuan Lin, Kaisha Hazel, George Pottanat, Cuimei Xu, Dengrong Jiang, Jay J. Pillai, Emma Lucke, Christopher E. Bauer, Brian T. Gold, Steven M. Greenburg, Karl G. Helmer, Kay Jann, Gregory Jicha, Joel Kramer, Pauline Maillard, Rachel M. Mulavelil, Pavel Rodriguez, Claudia L. Satizabal, Kristin Schwab, Sudha Seshadri, Herpreet Singh, Ángel G. Velarde Dediós, Danny J. J. Wang, Rita R. Kalyani, Abhay Moghekar, Paul B. Rosenberg, Sevil Yasar, Marilyn Albert, Hanzhang Lu

Neurology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) represent a major factor in cognitive decline in older adults. The present study examined the relationship between cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cognitive function in a multi-site study, using a predefined hypothesis.

METHODS: We conducted the study in a total of three analysis sites and 263 subjects. Each site performed an identical CVR MRI procedure using 5% carbon dioxide inhalation. A global cognitive measure of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and an executive function measure of item response theory (IRT) score were used as outcomes.

RESULTS: CVR …

Genomic Data Science Approaches For Understanding Human Diseases, Snehal Shah

All Dissertations

The intricate interplay of genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and lifestyle acts as the multifactorial landscape of diseases. Understanding this complexity presents a significant challenge. Molecular insights into disease mechanisms, particularly the interactions of DNA, RNA, and proteins with environmental and lifestyle factors, have revolutionized disease diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. High-throughput technologies, such as next-generation sequencing, generate large amounts of molecular data, holding a wealth of knowledge. These datasets unveil the roles of genes and their interactions with various factors through analysis, shedding light on previously unknown molecular mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis. Furthermore, they facilitate the discovery of biomarkers crucial for …

Decentralized Clinical Trials For Medications To Reduce The Risk Of Dementia: Consensus Report And Guidance, Leanne Howard, Carla Abdelnour, Erin Abner, Ricardo F. Allegri, Hiroko H. Dodge, Serge Gauthier, Camilla M. Hoyos, Gregory Jicha, Patrick G. Kehoe, Catherine J. Mummery, Adesola Ogunniyi, Nikolaos Scarmeas, Xiaoying Chen, Jodie R. Titiner, Christopher R. Weber, Ruth Peters

Neurology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Recent growth in the functionality and use of technology has prompted an increased interest in the potential for remote or decentralized clinical trials in dementia. There are many potential benefits associated with decentralized medication trials, but we currently lack specific recommendations for their delivery in the dementia field.

METHODS: A modified Delphi method engaged an expert panel to develop recommendations for the conduct of decentralized medication trials in dementia prevention. A working group of researchers and clinicians with expertise in dementia trials further refined the recommendations.

RESULTS: Overall, the recommendations support the delivery of decentralized trials in dementia prevention …

Effects Of A Cb1 Receptor Antagonist On Anxiety In Adult Rats Exposed To Thc During Development, Jennifer Aguilera-Fonseca, Karla Colley, Atoria Hamm, Eddie Galarza, Joe Morse, Rachel Ntor, Destiny Pichardo, Vincent P. Markowski

McNair Scholars Program

No abstract provided.

Towards A New Role Of Mitochondrial Hydrogen Peroxide In Synaptic Function, Cliyahnelle Z. Alexander

Student Theses and Dissertations

Aerobic metabolism is known to generate damaging ROS, particularly hydrogen peroxide. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive molecules containing oxygen that have the potential to cause damage to cells and tissues in the body. ROS are highly reactive atoms or molecules that rapidly interact with other molecules within a cell. Intracellular accumulation can result in oxidative damage, dysfunction, and cell death. Due to the limitations of H₂O₂ (hydrogen peroxide) detectors, other impacts of ROS exposure may have been missed. HyPer7, a genetically encoded sensor, measures hydrogen peroxide emissions precisely and sensitively, even at sublethal levels, during …

Immunopathogenesis Of Post-Infectious Hydrocephalus, Sascha Powers Bernier

Honors Scholar Theses

Hydrocephalus is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) within the brain ventricles. In post-infectious hydrocephalus (PIH) cases, the condition presents challenges in understanding the immune response. PIH is a complex condition, often persisting after the initial infection is treated and thus requiring a deeper understanding of the immune mechanisms involved in its development. This thesis will explore the immunopathogenesis of PIH, elucidating the relationship between the immune response and neurological complications that would succeed infection. The immune response of PIH includes a series of events, beginning with the activation of immune cells and finishing with the release …

Pediatric Neurotropic Infection Alters Synaptic Development In The Developing Brain, Anuoluwapo Grace Fadare, Yashika S. Kamte, Manish N. Chandwani, Lauren A. O'Donnell

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Many neurotropic viruses cause more significant pathology in younger hosts as their brains are still developing. This experiment asked how central nervous system (CNS) viral-infections affect the development of synapses in the pediatric brain during infection and post-infection. Synaptogenesis is at its peak in pediatric mice (10 days old) and we hypothesized that a neurotropic infection could disrupt synaptic proteins. We used a transgenic mouse model where measles virus (MV) infects only mature neurons, leading us to question whether synapses were impacted. We examined synaptic markers in the cerebellum and hippocampus in MV-infected and uninfected mice 9 days and 90 …