Medical Sciences Commons^™

Neural Correlates Of Fear Extinction: Investing The Impact Of Puberty And Sex In Children And Adolescents Through Neuroimaging, Sneha Bhargava, Clara Zundel, Samantha Ely, Carmen Carpenter, Reem Tamimi, Leah Gowatch, Mackenna Shampine, Emilie-Clare O'Mara, Jovan Jande, Shravya Chanamolu, Ahmad Almaat, Hilary Marusak

Medical Student Research Symposium

Fear-based disorders, including anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, are more prevalent in females than males. Steroid hormones (e.g., estradiol) are involved in fear extinction learning and later recall—a process implicated in the pathophysiology of fear-based disorders. Fear-based disorders commonly emerge during the transition from childhood to adolescence, a period marked by the onset of puberty and a natural increase of steroid hormones. Here, we examined the effects of puberty, sex, and their interaction on extinction recall and underlying neural circuitry in youth. Eighty-five youth (6-17 years, 46% female) completed a two-day Pavlovian fear extinction paradigm while undergoing functional magnetic resonance …

Group-Based Four-Dimensional Brain Mapping Of Executive Control, Matthew T. Brennan, Kazuki Sakakura Md, Masaki Sonoda Md, Phd, Aimee Luat Md, Neena Marupudi, Sandeep Sood Md, Eishi Asano Md, Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Rationale: Humans utilize executive control processes to carry out non-automatic tasks. These tasks require coordination from higher brain centers to both suppress inappropriate behaviors and initiate correct responses. The goal of this study is to generate a novel, dynamic brain atlas to visualize and understand the network dynamics underlying executive control.

Methods: We studied 547 non-epileptic intracranial electrode sites sampled from seven patients with focal epilepsy. Each patient performed two types of verbal tasks: word-reading and Stroop color-naming. Mixed model analysis compared high-gamma cortical activation prior to response onset between the word-reading and Stroop color-naming tasks. Based on mixed model …

Intravital Imaging Of Cellular Response Due To Traumatic Brain Injury Using Confocal Microscopy, Enoch G. Kim, Jeffrey Horbatiuk, Carolyn Harris

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Cellular reaction to traumatic brain injury is complex and involves considerable interactions between cells and reactivity to foreign bodies. Our objective was to assess neurons, microglia, astrocytes, and intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling by creating a novel confocal microscopy technique involving an air immersed lens that does not sacrifice resolution and limits signal attenuation. This study aimed to create a consistent dynamic methodology to observe the cortical cellular response using real-time intravital imaging as trauma is being induced.

Methods: Once surgical plane was achieved, rodent cortices were exposed via craniotomy and blunt insertion with a silicone shunt catheter into the …

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 …

Intrabody-Mediated Postsynaptic Recruitment Of Camkiiα Improves Memory, Anthony Chifor, Jeongyoon Choi Dr., Joongkyu Park Dr.

Medical Student Research Symposium

Long-term potentiation (LTP), the selective strengthening of specific synapses based on recent activity, has widely been accepted as the biological mechanism responsible for learning and memory. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) play a critical role in LTP, which when activated, result in a surge of postsynaptic intracellular calcium levels. The calcium rise during LTP results in the activation of Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent kinase II alpha (CaMKIIa), which consequently enacts multiple cellular effects that ultimately result in the strengthening of synaptic connections. Previous work has examined the effects of CaMKIIa overexpression in rat hippocampi on spatial memory, however, significant but limited improvement in …

Characterization Of Abin-1 In The Traumatically Injured Brain, Aaron Orellana, Alana C. Conti

Medical Student Research Symposium

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with chronic pain and persistent neuroinflammation. Opioids are often prescribed in order to relieve pain symptoms, but recent evidence suggests that their use negatively impacts the neuropathology of TBI leading to behavioral impairments and exacerbated neuroinflammation. The de-ubiquinating enzyme tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein (TNFAIP)3 or A20, inhibits the inflammatory signaling transcription factor nuclear factor (NF)-kB leading to attenuation of the inflammatory response. A20-binding inhibitor of nuclear factor kB (ABIN-1), which physically interacts with A20, also plays a role in the inhibition of NF-kB and is poorly researched in the central nervous system (CNS). …