Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Descriptive Analysis Of Acute Ischemic Stroke In Covid-19 Patients Through The Course Of The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amman Bhasin, Jay Liuhong Liu, Keval Shah, Amin Marji, Ricky Sareini, Shishir Rao, Wazim Mohamed, Kumar Rajamani, Parthasarathi Chamiraju, Ayaz Khawaja

Medical Student Research Symposium

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS). Here, we characterize our institutional experience with management of COVID-19 and AIS. Baseline demographics, clinical, imaging, and outcomes data were determined in patients with COVID-19 and AIS presenting within March 2020 thru October 2020, and November 2020 thru August 2021, based on institutional COVID-19 hospitalization volume. Of 2512 COVID-19 patients, 35 (1.39%, mean age 63.3 years, 54% women) had AIS. AIS recognition was frequently delayed after COVID-19 symptoms (median 19.5 days). Four patients (31%) were on therapeutic anticoagulation at AIS recognition. AIS mechanism was undetermined or due to …

Mortality From Aspiration Pneumonia: Incidence, Trends, And Risk Factors, Trisha Gupte, John D. Cramer M.D., Arthur Knack Phd, Ccc-Slp

Medical Student Research Symposium

Aspiration pneumonia is a potentially preventable, aggressive type of pneumonia. Little is understood on the burden in mortality from aspiration pneumonia. Our objectives were to first examine the burden of mortality from aspiration pneumonia in the United States and second investigate comorbidities associated with aspiration pneumonia to understand risk factors. We conducted a case-control study of individuals who died of aspiration pneumonia matched to those who died of other causes. We analyzed all deaths in the United States using the Multiple Cause of Death Dataset from 1999-2017. Cases were matched with controls based on age, sex, and race. We calculated …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Emerging Adults With Type 1 Diabetes, Sahar Elmenini

Medical Student Research Symposium

In March 2020, COVID-19 began spreading across the US. People with underlying health conditions, like type 1 diabetes (T1D), were at elevated risk for a severe COVID-19 infection. Recommended mitigation strategies included mandatory lockdowns, quarantines, and mask mandates. Emerging adults’ (EA, age 16-25) unique developmental stage, with its focus on the development of identity, independence, and autonomy, places EAs at greater risk for sub-optimal diabetes management. In this study, ten EAs with T1D were recruited from a diabetes clinic within an urban children’s hospital to participate in qualitative interviews during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic (May-June 2020). Using framework …

Patient Versus Employee Perspective On The Climate Of Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In The Henry Ford Emergency Department, David Asebiode

Medical Student Research Symposium

MSRF Report

Title- Patient Versus Employee Perspective on the Climate of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Henry Ford Emergency Department

Abstract

Background- The Emergency department is a unique environment unlike any other within the healthcare system since it is one of the, if not the only department in our current system where patients regardless of their insurance status, socioeconomic status, ability to pay for services rendered are provided high-quality care. As a result, the ED often reflects many of societies' disenfranchised and marginalized populations. This study takes a deep dive into the perspectives of both patients and Employees regarding …

Acetyl Isogambogic Acid Activates Unfolded Protein Response And Apoptosis In Head And Neck Cancer, Mehrnoosh Ghafouri, Chester Gauss, Yue Xi Phd, Thomas Jetmore Md, Jordyn Lucas Md, Michael U. Callaghan Md, Andrew M. Fribley Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) develops in the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and throat. HNSCC is the sixth most common malignancy in the world with 650,000 new diagnosis and 350,000 death every year. Current treatments are chemotherapy and radiation however, the 5-year survival rate for patients at stage 3 or 4 is less than 50%. There is an urgent unmet clinical need to investigate novel treatments for these patients. HNSCC is characterized by dysregulated cell growth rate and aberrant protein synthesis which leads to increased protein folding demand and the need for chaperones. This high protein …

Opioid Usage And Clinical Outcomes After Minimally Invasive Surgery (Mis) Versus Open Lumbar Fusions, Ho Jun Yun, Travis Hamilton, Edvin Telemi, Seokchun Lim, Mohamed Macki, Hsueh-Han Yeh, Kylie Springer, Lonni Schultz, David Nerenz, Muwaffak Abdulhak, Kevin Taliaferro, Jason Schwalb, Jad Khalil, Ilyas Aleem, Richard Easton, Mick Perez-Cruet, Paul Park, Victor Chang

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction:
Minimally invasive (MIS) lumbar fusion surgery continues to gain popularity with promising clinical results, such as better functional mobility, and decreased hospital stay. As being opioid-naive has been described as a protective risk factor for postoperative opioid consumption, the objective of this study is to determine the differences in long-term opioid usage between Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (MIS TLIF) versus traditional open lumbar interbody fusions. We hypothesize that patients undergoing MIS surgery will have a greater degree of pain control compared to open surgical cases.

Methods:
All lumbar fusion surgeries performed between 2019 and 2021 were reviewed …

Meta-Analysis Of 175 Patients With Covid-19 And Seizures, Status Epilepticus, Or Cortical Myoclonus: An Individual Patient Data Analysis, Aditi Kappagantu Bs, Helena A. Brantz Ms, Amman Bhasin Ba, Cristina Jageka Bs, Rooqash Ali Md, Izzy Saef Md, Brittany M. Stopa Mph, Ayaz Khawaja Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Objective

To characterize management and outcomes of seizures, status epilepticus, and cortical myoclonus in COVID-19, with individual patient data analysis of published literature.

Methods

Systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Criteria included new-onset seizures, status epilepticus, and/or cortical myoclonus with concomitant COVID-19. COVID-19 severity was dichotomized into mild and severe cases. Good outcome was defined as discharge without severe deficits, and/or return to baseline.

Results

A total of 105 studies reporting 176 patients (male 56.3%;mean age 47.8,SD 25.6) were included. Status epilepticus occurred in 47 patients (26.7%) and myoclonus in 41 (23.3%). Severe COVID-19 occurred in …

Prediction Of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems Use In Copdgene Using Multi-Omics Biomarkers, Andrew Gregory, Zhonghui Xu, Katherine Pratte, Seth Berman, Noah Lichtblau, Robin Lu, Robert Chase, Jeong Yun, Aabida Saferali, Edwin K. Silverman, Craig P. Hersh, Russell P. Bowler, Adel Boueiz, Peter J. Castaldi

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Biomarkers may be useful for understanding the toxic effects of vaping. Herein, we identified blood transcriptomic and proteomic biomarkers of vaping, related them to prospective health outcomes, and investigated their ability to accurately distinguish vapers from smokers.

Methods: We grouped 3,892 COPDGene study participants as vapers, current smokers, former smokers, or dual users. We tested for associations with 21,471 blood RNA transcripts and 4,979 plasma proteins. We related the significant biomarkers to 6.5 years of incident health events. To assess the discriminative performance of multi-omics for vaping, we constructed linear discriminant analysis models with cross-validation for RNA …

Impact Of Delayed Dermatology Consultation On Inpatient Care, Andrew S. Kao, Andrew D. King, Redina Bardhi, Meghan Mansour, Steven Daveluy

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Dermatology consultation for inpatient skin disorders enhances care by changing diagnoses, management plans, and reducing length of stay. Our goal is to quantify the time delay from primary team to dermatology consult, and its impact on hospital course as well as overall patient care.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of all inpatient dermatology consults from October 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016 at five hospitals within the Detroit Medical Center. Data included demographics, diagnosis, management plans from primary and consulting teams, and timing of initial recognition of skin problem to dermatology and other specialties consultations.

Results: 873 consultations met criteria …

Lysosomal Zn 2+ Release Triggers Rapid, Mitochondria-Mediated, Non-Apoptotic Cell Death In Metastatic Melanoma, Wanlu Du, Mingxue Gu, Meiqin Hu, Timothy Nold, Prateeksunder Pinchi, Wei Chen, Michael Ryan, Ahmed Bannaga, Haoxing Xu

Medical Student Research Symposium

During tumor progression, lysosome function is often maladaptively upregulated to match the high energy demand required for cancer cell hyper-proliferation and invasion. Here, we report that mucolipin TRP channel 1 (TRPML1), a lysosomal Ca2+ and Zn2+ release channel that regulates multiple aspects of lysosome function, is dramatically upregulated in metastatic melanoma cells compared with normal cells. TRPML-specific synthetic agonists (ML-SAs) are sufficient to induce rapid (within hours) lysosomal Zn2+-dependent necrotic cell death in metastatic melanoma cells while completely sparing normal cells. ML-SA-caused mitochondria swelling and dysfunction lead to cellular ATP depletion. While pharmacological inhibition or genetic silencing of TRPML1 in …

Attitudes And Barriers Toward Covid-19 Vaccination Among People Experiencing Homelessness In Detroit, Mi, Sanjna Ghanshani, Sophie Wittenberg, Richard Bryce

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) have a high risk of exposure to communicable diseases and limited access to health care services and treatment in their communities. Despite the availability of highly effective vaccines against COVID-19, the infection prevention practices and level of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among PEH in Detroit have not been well studied.

Methods: Medical students administered an electronic Qualtrics survey to consented participants during outreach visits to local homeless shelters and encampments organized by Street Medicine Detroit. The questionnaire comprised six topics, including hygiene and masking practices, experience with COVID-19 testing and vaccination, and attitudes toward …

Seeing Through The Smoke: Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Impacts Functional Connectivity Of The Salience Network In Children, Mohammed M. Faraj B.S., Austin Morales M.S., Breanna Borg B.S., Julia Evanski B.S., Clara Zundel Ph.D., Hilary A. Marusak Ph.D.

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: Prenatal cannabis exposure is associated with cognitive, motor, and social deficits among offspring that last into adulthood; however, the impact on large-scale neurocognitive networks in children is unknown. To address this gap, we leveraged data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study to examine the impact of prenatal cannabis exposure on functional connectivity in children. We focused on connectivity within and between the salience network (SN) and other key neurocognitive networks in children. The SN is involved in orienting attention to biologically-relevant stimuli and is shown to be disrupted in individuals with psychiatric disorders.

Methods: Neuroimaging data were …

The Effect Of Disease Modifying Therapies On Deep Gray Matter: A Longitudinal Comparative Study, Wendy Jin, Evanthia Bernitsas

Medical Student Research Symposium

Summary

Cerebral gray matter (GM) atrophy is an important factor in determining disability in Multiple Sclerosis^4,9. Disease modifying therapies reduce the GM atrophy to some degree, both in the cortical and deep gray matter (dGM). A previous study has shown that fingolimod (FTY720), asphingosine 1 phosphate immunomodulator can significantly reduced GM and thalamic volume loss in patients with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis(RRMS)¹. In addition to its effect on reducing dGM volume loss, fingolimod is also believed to have protective effect on focal and diffuse dGM damage^2,8. The effect of natalizumab on GM atrophy, however, is …

Improving Satisfaction Of Patients Living With Hidradenitis Suppurativa Through Administration Of An Intake Form, Emilia M. Clementi, Steven Daveluy

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is an incurable, chronic inflammatory skin that is caused by follicular occlusion and affects around 1% of people in the United States ¹. Because of its chronic, grave nature, patients may be dissatisfied with their care. Improving the fecundity of HS patients’ interaction with their physicians may be an important step towards improving patient outcomes. Currently, there is no standardized patient intake form for HS patients at Wayne Health. The intake form describes key patient details, such as their current treatments, pain level, and associated symptoms. This project measures the efficacy of this tool after …

Ocular Complications Of Facial Burns In The Pediatric Population, Abigail Teitelbaum, Annmarie F. Craig, Sharmila Segar Md, Elika Ridelman Ph.D, Lisa Bohra Md, Christina Shanti Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Pediatric burns commonly involve the face and periocular areas, with a possibility of impairing vision. The aim of this study is to characterize ocular injuries in burn patients and identify the patients at most risk of ocular complications.

Methods: This study is a retrospective review within a single academic, urban pediatric burn center. All burn patients under 18 years of age admitted from January 2010 to December 2020 with ocular involvement were included. Variables analyzed included patient demographics, burn characteristics, presence of ophthalmology consultation, ocular exam findings, follow up time period, and early and late ocular complications.

Results: In …

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Restoring Candidacy For Liver Transplant In Cirrhotic Patients, Mirna Kaafarani, Omar Shamma, Syed-Mohammed Jafri

Medical Student Research Symposium

Purpose: Current guidelines for preoperative workup for an orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recommend an echocardiogram that often rule-out patients with superimposed severe aortic stenosis as transplant candidates. The purpose of this study was to shed light on the potential of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) as a bridging therapy for liver transplants in cirrhotic patients with severe AS.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 500 patient records that underwent liver transplantation at a single large tertiary care center between 2017 and mid-2021. Two cases of alcohol cirrhosis were further investigated due to the simultaneous diagnosis of severe AS. …

Predictive Factors For Length Of Hospital Stay In Pediatric Dog Bite Patients, Dominic Alessio-Bilowus, Nishant Kumar, Elika Ridelman Ph.D, Christina Shanti Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Title: Predictive Factors for Length of Hospital Stay in Pediatric Dog Bite Patients

Authors: Alessio-Bilowus D¹, Kumar N², Ridelman E¹, Shanti C^2
1Wayne State University, Detroit, MI; ²Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit, MI

Introduction: Dog bite injuries are a source of significant morbidity in the United States, with children being at increased risk compared to adults, yet there is a lack of published data on factors affecting hospital length of stay (LOS) in pediatric patients.

Methods: A full-text retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients presenting to our urban, academic …

Functional Attenuation Coefficient Imaging Of Rod Inner Segment: The Shape Of Things To Come, Cole Goodman

Medical Student Research Symposium

Purpose: Dysfunction of mitochondria and their linked processes within the rod cell (i.e., the rod energy-landscape) are leading hypotheses for rod atrophy in retinitis pigmentosa (RP). It remains unclear how to translate the detailed information available from isolated cell / mitochondria studies into how mitochondria are functioning and responding to treatment in vivo. Here we present a new rod energy-landscape biomarker that can help address this problem using a common clinical tool.

Methods: In mice, OCT data was converted into attenuation coefficients (AC) to map the light-scattering of mitochondria within the inner segment (IS), which fills ~75% of its volume …

Identifying Predictors For Inflammation-Induced Preterm Birth: A Murine Study, Tzu Ning Liu Bs, Jose Galaz Md, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. A large proportion of preterm deliveries is affected by intra-amniotic inflammation, which can occur in the presence (intra-amniotic infection) or absence (sterile intra-amniotic inflammation) of microbes. Studies have shown an association between intra-amniotic inflammation, cervical shortening, and changes in the cervicovaginal microbiome. However, their causal relationships are unknown. This study aims to determine the causality of intra-amniotic inflammation, cervical shortening, and cervicovaginal microbiome alterations.

Methods: Pregnant C57BL/6 dams received an ultrasound-guided intra-amniotic injection of an endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or the alarmin interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) on 16.5 …

Recovery Time Following Operative Versus Nonoperative Humeral Shaft Fracture Treatment, Susan Wager, Trevor D. Wolterink, Jager Haan, Yash Hedge, Chrystina James, Stephanie J. Muh

Medical Student Research Symposium

INTRODUCTION: Humeral shaft fractures represent approximately 5% of fractures in the United States. Treatment modalities include nonoperative, and operative with open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) or intramedullary nail (IMN). There is no consensus on which option is best. The purpose of this study was to compare the length of time from fracture care to radiographic union between nonoperative, ORIF, and IMN treatments for humeral shaft fractures.

METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed trends in the management of midshaft humerus fracture between July of 2013 and December of 2020. Fracture characteristics and treatment outcomes were recorded from patients with humeral shaft fractures …

Perspectives On Telemedicine From A National Study Of Youth In The United States, Margaret Wasvary

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Telemedicine is increasingly popular with the recent surge in use due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite youth status as "tech natives," limited data are available on their perspectives on telemedicine. Our study seeks to understand youth telemedicine knowledge, prior experiences, preferences for use, and the impact of COVID-19 on these perspectives. Methods: Participants in MyVoice, a national text message cohort of U.S. youth age 14-24, were sent five open-ended questions in October 2019 and October 2020. A codebook was iteratively developed by using inductive analysis. Responses were independently coded by two investigators, with discrepancies resolved by discussion or a …

A Prospective Study Investigating The Relationship Between Diagnostic Lumbar Medial Branch Blocks And The Use Of Sedation, Hannah C. Milad, Nimesh Patel Md, Ashwin Vaidyanathan Md, Katherine A. Nowak Phd, Rohit C. Aiyer Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

INTRODUCTION: Diagnostic medial branch blocks (MBB) confirm whether the origin of lower back pain is the facet joint, but are prone to false positive results. This study investigates the effects of midazolam sedation on perceived intensity of pain relief following lumbar MBB and determines the frequency of positive results in sedated patients for the corresponding treatment, radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFTC).

METHODS: This prospective observational study compares pain scores between patients who undergo the MBB procedure with midazolam sedation (treatment) and without (control). Participants reported baseline and post-injection NRS pain scores, and 4, 8 weeks post-RFTC. If >80% pain relief was achieved …

Complications Of Pediatric Cochlear Implant Surgery, Andrew Stefan, Sabrina Bernardo, William Azkoul Ii, Bianca Siegel

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background:

Cochlear implantation (CI) surgery is the standard of care treatment for pediatric patients diagnosed with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss. While considered a relatively safe operation, any invasive procedure involving the cranium has risks. However, there are few recent studies in the United States that have analyzed complication rates among children who have received CI. Furthermore, existing studies fail to discuss specific risk factors that led to post-operative complications, nor offer solutions to reduce their incidence. This study aims to 1) determine the incidence of specific complications in pediatric CI patients and 2) identify evidence-based risk factors for …

Racial Disparities In Rescheduling Elective Surgeries Following Covid-19, Anna H. Kang, Benjamin M. Sims, Charles S. Day

Medical Student Research Symposium

INTRODUCTION:

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, healthcare systems were mandated to cancel elective procedures as a public health safety measure. This study aimed to evaluate subsequent rescheduling in relation to patients’ interpreted risks of receiving care and reported discrepancies of the COVID-19 pandemic’s direct impacts on minority populations.

METHODS:

An orthopedic surgery research consortium developed a clinical survey to assess the impact of elective surgery cancellations on patients. Topics included demographics, cancellation sentiments, and rescheduling preferences (“ASAP”, “within 3 months”, “6 months”, “12 months”, or “do not wish to reschedule”). The survey was administered for surgeries cancelled between March 15 …

The Impact Of Trauma Subtypes On Ptsd Severity In Syrian Child And Adolescent Refugees, Liza Hinchey, Lana Grasser, Bassem Saad, Kathleen Gorski, Arash Javanbakht, May Chammaa

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background:

Child and adolescent refugee populations are at increased risk for psychiatric disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety. Recent studies have demonstrated different symptomatology based on the type(s) of traumatic events experienced. Cluster analyses based on the Life Events Checklist (LEC) indicate three trauma subtypes: accidental/injury, victimization, and predominant death threat. Extending this line of research from adults to youth may lead to better understanding of the unique impacts of trauma subtypes on symptoms for improved prediction of risk and resilience.

Methods:

Refugee participants were recruited within 1 month of their resettlement in the U.S. Data used were …

The Use Of Clemastine As A Potential Therapeutic Agent To Treat Hypomyelinating Diseases, Emily Fisher, Shreya Banerjee, Ryan Thummel

Medical Student Research Symposium

Purpose: Genetic leukoencephalopathies (gLEs) are heritable white matter disorders of the nervous system that produce severe motor impairment, cortical blindness, intellectual disability, and seizures. Recent evidence shows that a mutation in Vacuolar Protein Sorting 11 (VPS11) causes an autosomal recessive gLE in humans and that vps11(plt) mutant zebrafish can model the disease. Clemastine, an FDA approved drug, benefits patients with multiple sclerosis and enhances oligodendrocyte differentiation and number in zebrafish. In this study, we aim to determine whether Clemastine treatment will improve visuomotor function in our vps11(plt) mutant zebrafish.

Methods: Wild type (WT) and vps11(plt) mutant (MUT) lines were separated …

The Role Of Connective Tissue Growth Factor In Maintaining The Epithelial Phenotype Of Ovarian Cancer Cells During Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition, Harry Ramos, Sandra Galoforo, Gil Mor, Radhika Gogoi

Medical Student Research Symposium

Objective: The transition from epithelial to mesenchymal is essential for the process of ovarian cancer (OC) metastasis. The aim of our study is to evaluate the role and mechanism of Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Methods: R182 is an epithelial OC cell line. CTGF expression +/- Transforming Growth Factor -b (TGF-b) was determined via Western blot and ELISA. R182 CTGF knock out (KO) were derived utilizing a Cas9/CRISPR-Cas9 lentivirus plasmid vector. Anoikis resistance and invasion assays were performed to characterized phenotypes of R182 wild type (WT) and KO cells. For anoikis resistance, cells …

Tumor Vasculature Changes Before Or During Treatment To Predict Response To Systemic Therapy, Avinash Ramkissoon, Faria Ali, Thomas Vander Woude, Stephen Brown, James Ewing, Lisa Rogers

Medical Student Research Symposium

A diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) carries a grim prognosis, with 5-year survival rates of 25%. 25-30% of NSCLC patients have brain metastases at initial presentation, which carries an even worse prognosis. New systemic therapies such as targeted-therapies and immuno-therapies have potential to provide better outcomes, but are not without challenges. First, efficacy is limited to a subset of patients. Second, the blood-brain barrier limits penetration, which varies among patients. Third, toxicities can be considerable. Current practice involves waiting 3-6 months to follow-up and assess tumor response; however, by then, it is later than ideal to try other …

Endoscopic Cricoid Split As A Treatment For Subglottic Stenosis: A Systematic Review, Silvia Aluia, Katherine Akers, Michael Chung Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Subglottic stenosis, a fibrotic narrowing of the airway below the vocal cords extending to the lower border of the cricoid cartilage, can be classified as congenital, idiopathic, or acquired in neonates from prolonged intubation. Treatment has more recently expanded from open surgical intervention to include endoscopic procedures. This systematic review aims to evaluate existing literature on anterior and posterior endoscopic cricoid split procedures as a treatment for congenital and acquired subglottic stenosis in order to explore the efficacy of these techniques.

Methods: Literature searches were conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google scholar, which produced …

Norepinephrine Regulation Of Spatial Memory Using The Barnes Maze In Male And Female Rats, Serena Simpson, Ali Gheidi Phd, Nareen Sadik, Cameron J. Davidson Phd, Shane A. Perrine Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

The role of norepinephrine (NE) in learning and memory has been extensively studied, yet its contribution remains to be clarified. This study aimed to investigate the role of NE on spatial learning and memory in female and male rats using a Barnes maze assay. We used N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4), a specific noradrenergic neurotoxin that can cross the blood brain barrier, to deplete NE stores. We hypothesized that brain NE ablation would attenuate spatial learning and memory in rats. Loss of NE by DSP-4 was determined by measuring NE (and dopamine and serotonin) levels in several brain regions using HPLC. For the …