Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Inhibitory Control Training Improves Cold But Not Warm Cognition In Typically Developing Preschoolers., Vahid Nejati, Ladan Ghotbi, Sarah Raskin

Faculty Scholarship

Inhibitory control, as a fundamental executive function, has been found to be associated with a range of cognitive processes. In this study, our objective was to enhance inhibitory control through a targeted training program and assess its impact on delay discounting and risky decision making. Thirty-two typically-developing children (age mean 6.89±0.32 years) were recruited in a random clinical trial design in two equal intervention and active control groups. Go/No-Go, Flanker, continuous performance, delay discounting, and balloon analogue risk tasks were used for assessment in three baseline, post- intervention, and 3-months follow-up sessions. The intervention group received the program for attentive …

Do Resilience And Treatment Satisfaction Moderate The Association Between Adhd And Quality Of Life?, Allison Macht

Senior Theses and Projects

This study examined how resilience moderated the association between ADHD symptom severity and general Quality of Life (QoL) in emerging adults. Using data from an anonymous online survey distributed at six US colleges/universities, participants (N=4396; 73% female-identifying; 72% White) reported on ADHD symptomatology and their diagnostic status; resilience; perceived QoL; and satisfaction with pharmacological and behavioral treatment for ADHD (if diagnosed). As hypothesized, overall ADHD severity was inversely associated with the different facets of QoL (rs = -.18 to -.29). However, contrary to our hypothesis, inattentive symptoms showed larger inverse associations with QoL compared to hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. There was a …

The Influence Of Preventive Dental Care And Its Role On The Patient-Provider Relationship, Maria Figueroa

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Surface: Understanding The “Blurred Lines” Of Sexual Dynamics And Consent In Trinity College's Hookup Scene, Zoe Kon

Senior Theses and Projects

This thesis explores the complex interplay of sexual behaviors, consent, and campus culture at Trinity College through qualitative ethnographic research. Delving into the nuances of hookup culture, a prevalent social phenomenon, the research examines how it often blurs the boundaries between consensual and non-consensual sexual interactions. Thirty in-depth interviews with Trinity College students reveal the intricate dynamics of consent communication and understanding within this context. The findings highlight significant gaps in students' communication about boundaries and consent, driven by the pressures of social capital and the normalization of alcohol-fueled encounters. The theme of blurred lines emerges as a central issue, …

Estrogen Replacement Therapy To Reduce Neurodegeneration And Socio-Cognitive Deficits In A Female Sprague Dawley Rat Model Of Early-Onset Alzheimer’S Disease, Miriam Kirylo

Senior Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Building Trust To Extinguish Burnout: A Qualitative Study Of Hospital, State, And Federal Policies That Impact Pediatric Nurse Burnout In Connecticut, Cecelia Angelica Morello

Senior Theses and Projects

This thesis explores how federal and state governments, as well as individual hospitals, respond or fail to respond to pediatric nurse burnout. The problem of nurse burnout is not new, and can cause nurses to make mistakes on shift, experience increased anxiety and depression, and increase risk of patient death or injury. Solutions to burnout in healthcare workers have been organized at the hospital, state, and federal government level. However, this thesis examines a lack of research on pediatric nurse burnout more specifically. After reviewing the national landscape of hospital-based solutions, short-term policy solutions, and long-term policy solutions, I examine …

Patterns Of Prospective Memory Errors Differ In Persons With Multiple Sclerosis., Caitlyn A Nguyen, Sarah A Raskin, Aaron P Turner, Zaenab Dhari, Lindsay O Neto, Elizabeth S Gromisch

Faculty Scholarship

INTRODUCTION: Prospective memory (PM) deficits have been documented in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aimed to explore the specific types of errors made by persons with MS (PwMS), including differences between PwMS and healthy controls (HC) and PwMS who do and do not have impairments in processing speed and/or verbal learning and memory.

METHOD: PwMS (

RESULTS: Nearly 93% of PwMS made at least one PM error, compared to 76% of HC (

CONCLUSIONS: PM errors are common in PwMS, particularly when there are longer delays and time-based cues. Not only do PwMS make more errors than demographically similar HC, …

Traumatic Brain Injury Screening And Neuropsychological Functioning In Women Who Experience Intimate Partner Violence, Sarah Raskin, Olivia Dejoie, Carolyn Edwards, Chloe Ouchida, Jocelyn Moran, Olivia White, Michelle Mordasiewicz, Dorothy Anika, Blessing Njoku

Faculty Scholarship

Objective: The potential for traumatic brain injury (TBI) to occur as the result of intimate partner violence (IPV) has received increased interest in recent years. This study sought to investigate the possible occurrence of TBI in a group of women who survived IPV and to measure the specific profile of cognitive deficits using standardized neuropsychological measures. Method: A comprehensive questionnaire about abuse history; neuropsychological measures of attention, memory and executive functioning; and measures of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder were given to women who were IPV survivors, women who were sexual assault (SA) survivors, and a comparison group of …

Measurement Of Prospective Memory In Spanish Speakers, Laura Cadavid, Alicia Camuy, Valerie Velez, Sarah Raskin

Faculty Scholarship

Introduction: This study aimed to provide preliminary evidence on the psychometric properties of a measure of prospective memory in Spanish speakers, the Memory for Intentions Test (MIST) Spanish translation.

Methods: In addition, this study investigated whether acculturation influenced performance on the MIST. Finally, we measured other cognitive factors that might be impacting the relationship between culture and prospective memory performance. These factors were working memory, autobiographical memory, and episodic future thought.

Results: Overall, the psychometric properties of the Spanish MIST appear to be similar to the English language MIST, but our sample size was too small to allow for the …

Gesundheit, Glück Und Schrecken: Der Krankmachende Eroberungszug Der Nationalsozialisten Für Die Hygiene Aus Wissenschaftlich-Humanistischer Sicht, Nic Zacharewski

Senior Theses and Projects

Hygiene and Horror- The Ethical Considerations of The National Socialists' Conquest for Health and the Parallels to Contemporary Considerations and Consequences;

A Scientific Humanist Perspective

Nicholas Zacharewski

It is a long-held misunderstanding that evil has exceptional origins. Time and history have proven that evil is banal. An environment of economic crisis, extreme patriotism, and social rejection have all played an essential role in creating some of the greatest atrocities known in human history. The National Socialist (Nazi) party, which controlled the German state from 1933-1945, epitomizes evil. Infamous for its crimes against humanity, however, relatively unknown otherwise, are the origins …

Lysosomal Storage Diseases: How Gene-Targeted Therapies Are Changing What Is Treatable, Jake Borgida

Senior Theses and Projects

Lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are a set of inborn errors of metabolism characterized by deficiencies in acid hydrolases that lead to substrate accumulation in cells and decreased or absent formation of downstream products. Substrate buildup can result in a wide range of symptoms affecting multiple peripheral organ systems and the central nervous system. Disease onset is commonly observed in infancy or childhood, but adult-onset forms also occur. Current treatments include enzyme replacement therapy and substrate reduction therapy, which are effective in the short term, but gene therapies are emerging as a potential long-term and efficacious treatment option. Delivery of gene …

The Influence Of Digital Media Consumption On Disordered Eating And Body Image, Tasha Casey

Senior Theses and Projects

Previous research states that disordered eating is a growing and concerning issue. With the rise in disordered eating, there has been a consistent rise of the media, especially in reports of time spent online. The key to understanding, and hopefully ending, the development of disordered eating may lie in understanding the media, and how it influences a need for perfection and the necessity of a thin-body ideal. To examine this, 83 students at Trinity College completed a questionnaire consisting of questions from the Eating Disorder Inventory -3 (EDI-3) and modified questions from the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Scale - 3 …

The International Student Social Experience At A Predominantly White Institution, Arianna Patel

Senior Theses and Projects

Past research has shown widespread disparities in the way domestic students adjust to this transition versus the way international students adjust to the transition of moving into university; especially at predominantly white institutions (PWI) within The United States of America. In many studies, international students have been found to attain elevated levels of anxiety, and experience more difficulty in finding a sense of belonging. Therefore, the present study sought to examine these concerns more carefully. 49 students from all academic years at Trinity College, a PWI, were administered two surveys in order to objectively gauge their levels of anxiety and …

Evaluating Law Enforcement De-Escalation Tactics Used With Individuals Exhibiting Psychotic Symptomology, Jasmine Morgan

Senior Theses and Projects

This study evaluated the use of de-escalation measures utilized by police officers in the state of Connecticut. In particular, it focused on the use of training measures used in conjunction with individuals displaying symptoms of severe mental illness, more specifically psychotic disorders. Data was collected via an online software, allowing participants to undergo a series of survey and hypothetical scenario-based questions. The study examined demographic information, trainings regarding weapon exposure and mental illness, and de-escalation tactics used when interacting with individuals showing symptoms of psychosis. Regarding sample demographics, it was found that the 22 participants were mostly Caucasian (77%), male …

Probability Distribution Of Sars-Cov-2 (Covid) Infectivity Following Onset Of Symptoms: Analysis From First Principles, Mark P. Silverman

Faculty Scholarship

The phasing out of protective measures by governments and public health agencies, despite continued seriousness of the coronavirus pandemic, leaves individuals who are concerned for their health with two basic options over which they have control: 1) minimize risk of infection by being vaccinated and by wearing a face mask when appropriate, and 2) minimize risk of transmission upon infection by self-isolating. For the latter to be effective, it is essential to have an accurate sense of the probability of infectivity as a function of time following the onset of symptoms. Epidemiological considerations suggest that the period of infectivity follows …

Differential Ketogenic Diet-Induced Shift In Csf Lipid/Carbohydrate Metabolome Of Pediatric Epilepsy Patients With Optimal Vs. No Anticonvulsant Response: A Pilot Study, Susan A. Masino, David N. Ruskin, Natalie R. Freedgood, Marie Lindefeldt, Maria Dahlin

Faculty Scholarship

Background: The low carbohydrate, high fat ketogenic diet can be an effective anticonvulsant treatment in some pediatric patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Its mechanism(s) of action, however, remain uncertain. Direct sampling of cerebrospinal fluid before and during metabolic therapy may reveal key changes associated with differential clinical outcomes. We characterized the relationship between seizure responsiveness and changes in lipid and carbohydrate metabolites. Methods: We performed metabolomic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid samples taken before and during ketogenic diet treatment in patients with optimal response (100% seizure remission) and patients with no response (no seizure improvement) to search for differential diet effects in …

Ketogenic Diet Effects On Inflammatory Allodynia And Ongoing Pain In Rodents, David N. Ruskin, Isabella C. Sturdevant, Livia S. Wyss, Susan A. Masino

Faculty Scholarship

© 2021, The Author(s). Ketogenic diets are very low carbohydrate, high fat, moderate protein diets used to treat medication-resistant epilepsy. Growing evidence suggests that one of the ketogenic diet’s main mechanisms of action is reducing inflammation. Here, we examined the diet’s effects on experimental inflammatory pain in rodent models. Young adult rats and mice were placed on the ketogenic diet or maintained on control diet. After 3–4 weeks on their respective diets, complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) was injected in one hindpaw to induce inflammation; the contralateral paw was used as the control. Tactile sensitivity (von Frey) and indicators of spontaneous …

Patterns Of Contagious Yawning And Itching Differ Amongst Adults With Autistic Traits Vs. Psychopathic Traits, Molly S. Helt, Taylor M. Sorensen, Rachel J. Scheub, Mira B. Nakhle, Anna C. Luddy

Faculty Scholarship

Both individuals with diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and individuals high in psychopathic traits show reduced susceptibility to contagious yawning; that is, yawning after seeing or hearing another person yawn. Yet it is unclear whether the same underlying processes (e.g., reduced eye gaze) are responsible for the relationship between reduced contagion and these very different types of clinical traits. College Students (n = 97) watched videos of individuals yawning or scratching (a form of contagion not reliant on eye gaze for transmission) while their eye movements were tracked. They completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), …

Under The Microscope: Painting From Histology, Meg Smith

Senior Theses and Projects

My goal as an artist is to create paintings which explore the intersections of biology, philosophy, aesthetics, and personal experience. I want to challenge the viewer to engage with their own anatomy and physiology on a microscopic scale. I also aspire to communicate my sense of awe and wonder at the structures and mechanisms of life on every scale, from the cellular to the cosmic.

I am deeply interested in how physiological processes generate the human experience

—I became a neuroscience major because I was interested in the mechanisms of sensation and perception. My love of histology—the study of the …

Depression And Information Processing: The Influence Of Affective Cues On College Students’ Memory Retrieval, Yutong Zhu

Senior Theses and Projects

Given the reciprocal influence of biased cognition and depression on the development of depressive symptoms, this study used affective facial images to elicit corresponding negative emotions among college students with different depression and cognitive vulnerability levels to investigate the impact of negative emotions on positive, neutral, and negative word recognition. Students (N = 20) from a liberal arts college were asked to complete two self-reports to assess their level of depression and cognitive vulnerability. Participants completed two affective word recognition tasks, between which affective facial images were presented to elicit negative moods. The findings suggest that emotions had an impact …

Thirty-Fourth Annual Symposium Of Trinity College Undergraduate Research, Trinity College, Hartford Connecticut

Science Symposia Abstracts

2021 annual volume of abstracts for science research projects conducted by students at Trinity College.

Trinity Return-To-Learn Post-Concussion Protocol Assessment, Anna Hackett

Senior Theses and Projects

Return-to-learn protocols after concussion have received less attention than return-to-play protocols. Return-to-learn protocols are step by step guidelines for students and teachers to help ease concussed students back into their academic work. At Trinity College, faculty are given information on common effects of concussion and suggested academic accommodations. This study aimed to assess the entire return-to-learn protocol currently in place at Trinity College, with a specific focus on how well known the program is to students and how helpful they have found it, in an attempt to ascertain what aspects of the protocol work well and what could be improved. …

Mantra In Meditation: The Effect Of Sound On Relaxation, Philisha Abrahim

Senior Theses and Projects

The use of mantra as a tool for meditation is an ancient practice. It is a spiritually rooted discipline, thought to release various types of energy when producing sounds. The study expanded upon previous research, which analyzed the physiological effects of sound in meditation, to examine the “OM” sound and its effect on brainwaves and skin temperature. Participants were asked to complete four meditations: a baseline, silent, guided, and “OM” meditation. Study 1 included a sample population of 30 participants with no restriction on meditation experience. Study 2, with a sample population of 15, included participants with at minimum one …

The Effect Of Hypoxia On Brain Cell Proliferation In Weakly Electric Fish, Petrocephalus Degeni, Kaitlin Klovdahl

Senior Theses and Projects

Oxygen levels tend to remain at a steady state concentration in the Earth’s atmosphere, yet in some bodies of water, they can fluctuate and decrease drastically. Many organisms that inhabit the swamps, lakes, streams, and parts of the ocean where this occurs have evolved adaptations to manage this environmental uncertainty and continue normal oxygen consumption. The Lwamunda swamp in Uganda is chronically hypoxic, yet it is home to many species, including the electric fish Petrocephalus degeni. P. degeni are unusual by nature of their immense brain, and the Lwamunda swamp appears ill-suited for maintaining this large, metabolically active organ. To …

"Urban" Dengue? An Examination Of Perceived Dengue Risk And Notions Of The Urban In Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador, Charlotte Robbins

Senior Theses and Projects

Is dengue fever an urban disease as public health literature suggests? And what does this literature mean by urban? To answer these questions, I compare perceptions of the urban and dengue risk from residents who I interviewed across different sites in Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador. I ground my analysis in four urban frameworks: the bounded city theory, postcolonial theory, assemblage urbanism, and urban political ecology. I find that residents in Esmeraldas Province think about urban spaces very differently from how the Ecuadorian government defines what is urban. In particular, residents discuss government investment in infrastructure and services as an important dimension …

Fomo, Liquid Courage, And The Intoxicated Self, Lindsay Pressman

Senior Theses and Projects

“Binge-drinking” cannot simply be recognized as a feature of campus culture, but as the product of a profoundly alienating one, made strikingly evident by our creation of a separate world (“drunk world”). We have created a small world of impossible possibles that exists in the corners of the actual; a separate world, in which the imagining of the self, other, and the world, is not only permissible but promoted. At the heart of college students’ “partying hard” is a longing, hope, and dogged determination that the liberating and unifying aspects of this world can overwhelm the actual...and in the meantime …

Examining Gaps In Maternal Care Experience Of Women Covered By Medicaid Versus Private Insurance In Ct, Isabelle Alexandre

Senior Theses and Projects

Maternal mortality is the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy. The United States currently has the highest maternal mortality rate compared to other developed countries. Pregnancy-related deaths affect a disproportionately large population of black women compared to white women. Past studies have revealed that health insurance coverage may be a contributing factor to the large number of maternal deaths occurring within the U.S. This study, in collaboration with the YWCA, investigated whether there are gaps in the maternal care experience of women covered …

Thirty-Third Annual Symposium Of Trinity College Research, Trinity College, Hartford Connecticut

Science Symposia Abstracts

2020 annual volume of abstracts for science research projects conducted by students at Trinity College.

Adenosine A1 Receptor-Mediated Protection Of Mouse Hippocampal Synaptic Transmission Against Oxygen And/Or Glucose Deprivation: A Comparative Study, Masahito Kawamura, David N. Ruskin, Susan A. Masino

Faculty Scholarship

© 2019 the American Physiological Society. Adenosine receptors are widely ex-pressed in the brain, and adenosine is a key bioactive substance for neuroprotection. In this article, we clarify systematically the role of adenosine A1 receptors during a range of timescales and conditions when a significant amount of adenosine is released. Using acute hippocampal slices obtained from mice that were wild type or null mutant for the adenosine A1 receptor, we quantified and characterized the impact of varying durations of experimental ischemia, hypoxia, and hypoglycemia on synaptic transmission in the CA1 subregion. In normal tissue, these three stressors rapidly and markedly …

Fifteenth Annual Summer Research Symposium Abstract Book, Trinity College, Hartford Connecticut

Science Symposia Abstracts

2019 summer volume of abstracts for science research projects conducted by students at Trinity College.