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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

The Impact Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms On Cortisol Receptor Activity In Populations With Obesity, Cassidy Michalicka Jun 2022

The Impact Of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms On Cortisol Receptor Activity In Populations With Obesity, Cassidy Michalicka

Honors Theses

Cortisol is a crucial part of the endocrine system; it has the capacity to affect nearly every organ and tissue in the human body. When functioning correctly, cortisol is known to regulate the body’s stress response, control metabolism, suppress inflammation, regulate blood pressure, regulate blood sugar, regulate our body’s circadian rhythm, and much more. When the concentration of cortisol in the blood is elevated for an excessive period, the body responds with symptoms such as hyperglycemia, hypertension, weight gain, and moon face. Commonly this is known as Cushing’s Syndrome (CS), and interestingly, we have seen a phenotypic resemblance when contrasted …


The Effects Of Astrocytic Derived Insulin-Like Growth Factor (Igf-1) On Cognition And Astrocytes, Destiny Wilson May 2022

The Effects Of Astrocytic Derived Insulin-Like Growth Factor (Igf-1) On Cognition And Astrocytes, Destiny Wilson

Honors Theses

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is a neuroendocrine signaling hormone that plays a vital role in growth and development, as well as learning and memory. Inhibition of this hormone results in cognitive impairments like those seen with age-related decline. While a majority of research has focused on the role of IGF-1 on neurons, the role of astrocytes still needs to be explored. Our research investigates how astrocytes and cognition are affected as a result of direct regulation of localized IGF-1 production in early development and after puberty. Preliminary studies in our laboratory established a connection between IGF-1 and glial fibrillary …


The Neuroprotective Effects Of Estradiol And Genistein In Zebra Finch Cerebellum, Renee E. Breaux May 2022

The Neuroprotective Effects Of Estradiol And Genistein In Zebra Finch Cerebellum, Renee E. Breaux

Honors Theses

The estradiol (E2) synthetic pathway converts testosterone to E2 via aromatase (AROM) and plays an important role in neuroplasticity. However, exogenous E2 increases cancer risk and interferes with gonadal function. Phytoestrogens, plant-based estrogens, may provide neuroprotection without negative E2 effects. Genistein (GEN), a soy phytoestrogen, preferentially binds to estrogen receptor beta (ER β), which is expressed at a relatively higher concentration than ER α in the cerebellum (CB). The songbird CB is an ideal model for steroid-mediated plasticity. Songbird brains are highly plastic and CB contains all steroid-synthetic enzymes. Previous studies in zebra finches (ZF) have shown that AROM and …


Ameliorative Effects Of Minor Cannabinoids Over Hiv-1 Tat-Mediated Visceral Pain, Charlie Worth Apr 2022

Ameliorative Effects Of Minor Cannabinoids Over Hiv-1 Tat-Mediated Visceral Pain, Charlie Worth

Honors Theses

As the total number of people living with HIV continues to rise across the world, an effective HIV treatment is still sought after. While modern-day advanced therapies exist for mitigating much of the negative effects of HIV, the virus remains evasive and problematic in the central nervous system. Thus, even with treatment, many people living with HIV continue to suffer from a plethora of symptoms. However, a large proportion of HIV-positive patients claim to feel a reduction in those persevering symptoms after cannabis usage. This anecdotal evidence has sparked interest in the efficacy of cannabis constituents for HIV therapy. This …


The Role Of Socioeconomic Status In Cognition And Brain Health Across The Lifespan, Erica Chung Jan 2022

The Role Of Socioeconomic Status In Cognition And Brain Health Across The Lifespan, Erica Chung

Honors Theses

Disparities in cognition are inevitable throughout the lifespan due to socioeconomic gaps. Individuals of lower socioeconomic status (SES) may have fewer access to environmental resources, especially with regard to education, than individuals of higher socioeconomic status. Differences in available resources from a young age may affect brain development, leading to detriments in cognition and behavior, further impacting socioeconomic success in adulthood. In the present study, we modeled the development of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and changes in cognitive function throughout the life trajectory in the Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research Rockland Sample. The DLPFC volume was predicted to …