Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
- Institution
Articles 1 - 4 of 4
Full-Text Articles in Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
Synaptic Properties Of Parabigeminal Circuits., Kyle Whyland
Synaptic Properties Of Parabigeminal Circuits., Kyle Whyland
Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Subcortical structures of the visual system have been the subject of intense study in recent years, but there remain some important unanswered questions regarding the synaptic relationships linking the nuclei that comprise this important sensory network within the brain. In these studies, we use several modern and traditional approaches, including viral tract tracing, in vitro slice physiology, immunohistochemistry, optogenetics, and electron microscopy to characterize the circuits linking the superior colliculus (SC), parabigeminal nucleus (PBG), and lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), with particular focus on GABAergic and cholinergic cell types. We found that the SC, an important visuomotor structure with connections to …
Morphological Characterization Of Two Transgenic Strategies For Genetic Access To Semilunar Granule Neurons In The Mouse Dentate Gyrus, David T. Rexford
Morphological Characterization Of Two Transgenic Strategies For Genetic Access To Semilunar Granule Neurons In The Mouse Dentate Gyrus, David T. Rexford
Masters Theses
Granule cells (GCs) of the dentate gyrus (DG) have been understood as a homogeneous class of neurons exhibiting a characteristic limited firing pattern. A subtype of GC called a semilunar granule cell (SGC) has been identified exhibiting variant morphology, electrophysiology, and positioning from normal GCs. SGCs represent an emerging novel subpopulation of GCs, however, there is presently no genetic tool to access SGCs separately from normal GCs. To provide access for future in vivo studies of this population, we examined two genetic strategies for putative SGC specificity in mouse brain slices. Morphological analysis was performed for quantitative identification of putative …
Role Of Nucleus Accumbens Dopamine Receptor Signaling In The Suppression Of Punished Reward Seeking, Grace M. Joyner, Anna Caroline Toburen
Role Of Nucleus Accumbens Dopamine Receptor Signaling In The Suppression Of Punished Reward Seeking, Grace M. Joyner, Anna Caroline Toburen
Senior Theses
Previous studies have shown that within the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain region associated with motivation and reinforcement learning, activity of neurons expressing the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R neurons) act as a “break” on risky behavior associated with negative outcomes. Moreover, when these neurons are stimulated, rats were found to become more risk averse. However, the impact of dopamine signaling through NAc D2R neurons in risk avoidance is still unclear. To further explore the role of NAc dopamine signaling in punished reward-seeking, we tested rats in a novel punished food-seeking paradigm in which subjects are trained to choose between a …
Age- And Sex-Dependent Alterations In Primary Somatosensory Neuronal Calcium Network Dynamics During Locomotion, Sami L. Case
Age- And Sex-Dependent Alterations In Primary Somatosensory Neuronal Calcium Network Dynamics During Locomotion, Sami L. Case
Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacology and Nutritional Sciences
Over the past 30 years, the calcium (Ca2+) hypothesis of brain aging has provided clear evidence that hippocampal neuronal Ca2+ dysregulation is a key biomarker of aging. Indeed, age-dependent Ca2+-mediated changes in intrinsic excitability, synaptic plasticity, and activity have helped identify some of the mechanisms engaged in memory and cognitive decline. However, much of this work has been done at the single-cell level, mostly in slice preparations, and in restricted structures of the brain. Recently, our lab identified age- and Ca2+-related neuronal network dysregulation in the cortex of the anesthetized animal. Still, investigations in the awake animal are needed to …